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Aviation History
1972
1972 - 0005.PDF
FLIGHT International, 6 lanuary 1972 3 sion is expected to be made in the summer. In the Middle East America's deci sion to resume the supply of Phantoms to Israel will contribute to maintain ing the delicate balance of power, presently tipping in Egypt's favour by virtue of the MiG-23 Foxbat. P.E. Business aviation THE PROSPECT of an enlarged European Economic Community holds out the strongest hope of accelerated growth in European business aviation in the forthcoming year. The original com munity of six nations has already proved to be a lucrative export mar ket for the American manufacturers, but the greater distances resulting from the entry of some of the Free Trade Area nations should stimulate sales of business-jet aircraft in par ticular. Despite the comparatively poor state of the American economy in 1971, only five of the top 1,000 cor porations gave up using a company aircraft. With this remarkably firm base on which to build there is hope for a healthy year in business-aircraft sales. The third-level picture is less clear. Two groupings, the Allegheny Com muter system and the French regional- carrier network, show the potential, but the ideal aircraft for the local bus-stop service has yet to materialise. The unpressurised piston aircraft appear to offer little passenger appeal, while the theoretically desir able pressurised turboprops are expen sive to operate within existing legis lation. 1972 will surely see a wide spread of proposals for Q/Stol third- level aircraft, but the carriers will need to be convinced of a sufficient demand and an air traffic system that can cater with the special nature of high-density local movements, H.O.F. Military engines R&D BENCH-TESTING of the MTU RB.199 engine for the European multi-role fighter MRCA will be fully under way this year in the three partner countries, Britain, Germany and Italy. Flight testing in a Vulcan is also scheduled to begin. Slightly down the scale in size, the Rolls-Royce/Turbo- meca Adour will enter service in French Air Force Jaguars, while a non-afterburning version of this engine is one of two candidates for the RAF's new HS.1182 strike trainer. A decision on the powerplant is expected soon. America's military security in the late 1970s and 1980s will hinge largely on the success of the Pratt & Whitney turbofans for the Navy's F-14 and the Air Force's F-15, and the corresponding GE engine in North American's B-1A swing-wing low-level bomber. While the B-1A is several years away from first flight, that of the F-15 is due in June. Another forthcoming first flight is that of the US Navy's Lockheed S-3A Viking, though in this case the General Electric TF34 high-bypass fan engine has already flown, aboard a carry-trials B-47. A number of long- term powerplant projects will con tinue to make progress, having as their end-product either large-volume sales or new-technology, low-pollution, open-ended schemes. In the former category are developments for such aircraft as Uttas, a Bell UH-1 replace ment and Lttas (Light tactical trans port aircraft system), a CH-47 replace ment. Interest in military V/Stol remains as a result of American and British Harrier operations, and there is active US Navy concern to buy the Harrier follow-on, which may well have an upgraded Pegasus engine. A decision in principle on this project is anticipated. M.W. Commercial aero engines THE BIG QUESTION which 1972 or the short-term future must answer for the civil engine manufacturers is how soon, if ever, will Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney and General Electric break-even with their big turbofans. Events seem likely to show that the break-even against development costs will not come from delivery of new engines, but from follow-up sales of spare parts. The major factor influenc ing the timescale will be whether or not the recent re-alignment of the US Dollar and other major currencies proves effective in helping to uplift the Western economy from its present depressed state. If airline travel can be enticed back to its growth curve the whole picture for the big trio of fans could radically improve. Such an improvement in economic outlook would, of course, change things for the better for all other civil engine sectors—Concorde with its R-R/Snecma Olympus 593 would be coming on stream at just the right moment—right down the scale via the CF6 in the A-300B, the P&W JT8D in the Mercure and the R-R/ Snecma M45H in the VFW 614. This year should also witness a heightening emphasis on anti-pollu tion and anti-noise measures. Tech nical advances in fuels, combustors and noise-suppression devices are likely to add strength to proposals for re-engining many of the P&W and R-R powered transports with cleaner, quieter engines. Offering both re duced noise and better fuel economy in this context will be the geared, high-bypass-ratio turbofan with vari able-pitch blading. Such engines are likely to accelerate the emergence of Qtol and Rtol trans ports, initially in the short- and medium-range categories. The differ ing approaches to Stol and Vtol pro pulsion—the lift fan, fan-in-wing and tilt rotor—now seem likely to follow rather than precede the development of enhanced take-off designs. This would also present a more logical pat tern of evolution, with V/Stol as a possible ultimate target. K.F. Space THE SPACE ACTIVITIES that will dominate 1972 are the missions of Apollos 16 and 17, ending the Apollo programme and therefore US manned flights to the Moon for a decade or more. Of greater significance, how ever, are the decisions likely to be taken on the space shuttle. Last year's struggle to conform with the tighten ing budgets should lead Nasa to request proposals from industry in the early part of the year. The time will then have come for Europe to resolve its own standpoint towards participa tion in the programme. European commitment to post- Apollo is likely to reinforce renewed moves towards forming a united European space agency. Meanwhile Esro will take the first major steps towards implementing applications- satellite programmes. Of 19 unmanned missions scheduled by Nasa for 1972, three are European scientific space craft—Heos A2, delayed from last month, Esro IV, scheduled for next August and Europe's largest satellite yet, TD-1, due for launch on Feb ruary 20. Perhaps most important of Nasa's missions will be that of the first Earth- resources technology satellite (ERTS- A). Continuing planetary exploration will be Pioneer F which will be launched in February to make the first visit to Jupiter. Other launches include three Intelsat IVs and Canada's first Anik satellite which will inaugur ate the first civil domestic comsat network outside the Soviet Union. The world should be very much richer in knowledge of its nearest planet in 1972 when full results of the current Mars and Mariner space craft studies become available. Mean while the progress made in discussions between Nasa and the USSR on co-
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