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Aviation History
1971
1971 - 0322.PDF
FLIGHT International, 4 March 1971 297 Engine delivery The first M45H engine for the VFW 614 being loaded into an Argosy at Filton for airlift to the VFW works at Bremen trying to dispose of first-generation jet fleets. Presidential approval would be needed for such a sale to a Communist country, and Mr Nixon envisaged more trade with Peking in a speech last week. But although the fleet, according to Mr Ryan, would be in tended to enable CAAC to open up international services, the USA might yet refuse on the grounds of its strategic potential. Meanwhile, HSA is still hopeful of a CAAC order for Tridents. Two more National DC-lOs National Airlines has increased its order for DC-lOs from nine to 11. The airline is exercising an option to buy the two additional DC-lOs at a cost of almost £15 million ($35 million). National had, in 1969, ordered nine DC-lOs and taken an option on eight, with initial delivery starting in Nov ember 1971. The extra two will be handed over in mid-1973. A decision on the remaining six aircraft on option will be made by the end of this month. The total cost of the DC-lOs ordered by National is now about £131 million. Initially the aircraft are expected to be flown on the New York - Miami and Miami - Los Angeles routes. Minister Meets Mediator Speaking during a visit to the London Air Traffic Control Centre on February 25, Mr Michael Noble, Minister for Trade, said that in the last decade traffic in the United King dom controlled airspace had grown steadily at a rate of eight to ten per cent per year and was still growing. During the 1970 summer peak period, LATCC handled an aver age 2,500 flights per day. The facilities at West Drayton are described in an article beginning on page 302. Mobile Medical Mission The first two Islanders for the Zambia Flying Doctor Service were formally handed over at Bembridge to Mr Phiri, the Zambian High Commissioner, on February 25. The contract for five aircraft, worth £250,000, was won by Spencer Avi ation, Britten-Norman distributors in Zambia. The remaining Islanders will be delivered by mid-April. Islanders have now been delivered to 48 coun tries. M45H Delivery Delays VFW-Fokker confirmed in Bonn last week that the first flight of the twin- engined VFW 614 short-haul airliner, originally scheduled for June this year, would be postponed because of delays of several months in delivery of the Rolls-Royce/Snecma M45H engines. The first ground-rated engines were delivered on time last week to the VFW works in Bremen (see photograph). "Flight" and the Postal Dispute We apologise to our postal sub scribers for the delays in despatching Flight. The British postal strike has affected mailing since our issue of January 21. Oxford Radar From next Monday, March 8, the area radar unit at Brize Norton will provide a radar advisory service on a permanent basis to civil and military aircraft. The service will be available to aircraft in the Oxford area flying between 3,000ft a.m.s.l. and FL 80. The hours of operation will be 0700 to 1600 GMT, Monday to Friday inclu sive; the frequency will be 122-lMHz. French Airlines Still Grounded As Flight goes to press the indus trial dispute which has grounded the three major French airlines, Air SENSOR The chances of an all-British civil Vtol programme, engine or air frame, are remote. Current Ministry policy is to seek partners in Europe or the United States. The European contribution is considered likely to be most fruitful in poten tial market demand and in environ mental planning work, in which Europe is ahead. The policy is still very broad, with no fixed ideas yet as to whether Vtol should be for country or inter-city use. The only certain policy is that Vtol will be approached via Stol and not attempted in one jump. The Ministry has yet to be convinced that fan lift jet engines will be quiet enough, and would be par ticularly encouraged to see a more positive initiative come from poten tial airline operators. Hawker Siddeley technical opinion is that the next step in civil Viol should be an experimental proto type programme of a fan lift design leading to an HS.141 type of aircraft by 1980. Leading air transport operational opinion following the Roskill report is that V/Stol is now the right long-term answer. Aerospatiale have now committed the Corvette to production, with first deliveries scheduled for the end of 1973. The second prototype aircraft will have increased thrust (2001b) and a lengthened fuselage giving more cabin space will be a feature of production aircraft. Cost of MRCA will probably not be clarified until next year, when all the avionics contracts will have been finalised, and the aircraft per formance predicted in greater de tail. This is also the time when com mitments will have to be made to certain long-lead items. British Air Services' choice of a "feeder-liner" for third-level ser vices is hardening towards the Short Skyliner. The group has evaluated all the available aircraft in this category, including the Jet stream, and has studied the Islander Mk 3. Total Mercure research and de velopment cost is NF820 million (£6112 million) of which the French share is 70 per cent. Of this NF560 million (£42 million) the French Government is to provide 80 per cent. Up to six Harriers can be accom modated in the new Royal Navy cruisers. The aircraft is being seriously considered as a Navy reconnaissance aircraft as well as for strike and fleet defence. A joint operation with the US Navy is being discussed, though informally at the moment. The US aircraft industry is show ing unprecedented interest in co operative projects with British and European companies. Leading aircraft industry people are beginning to advocate that air line ticket prices will have to in crease substantially to finance air liner manufacture hitherto sub sidised by defence R&D. A desire is also being expressed for another 10 years' R&D "technology respite" in which to sell what is already in production. Flans are in hand to mark the 30th year of the Mosquito with a cere mony at Amiens to be attended by surviving members of the French Resistance. A ceremony in England at Salisbury Hall, St Albans—where the prototype aircraft was designed and is preserved—will be attended by a private gathering on May 15 of those who built and flew Mosquitoes.
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