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Aviation History
1973
1973 - 1557.PDF
mmm IMTERNATIDNAL Published by IPC Transport Press Ltd. C IPC Business Press Ltd 1973 Dorset House, Stamford Street, London SE1 9LU Subscriptions: UK, £12 p.a. Overseas, £10 30 p.a. US airspeeded, $28 p.a. Subscriptions Manager: G. Dawson, Oakfield House, Perrymount Road. Haywards Heath, Sussex RH16 3DH: Tel 0444 S3281 A subscription form is at the back of this issue Subscriptions are zero-rated for the purpose of Value Added Tax Thursday 7 June 1973 Number 3352 Volume 103 Founded in 1909 First aeronautical weekly in the world Official organ of the United Service and Royal Aero Club Telephone: 01-261 8070 (Editorial) 01-261 8081 (Advertisement Sales) 01-261 8392 (Advertisement Production) Telegrams/Telex: Bisnespres Ldn, 25137 Publishing Director Maurice A. Smith, DFC Advertisement Manager David Holmes International Business Press Associates I ibpa I Editor J. M. Ramsden Assistant Editor Hugh Field International Editor Mark Lambert Technical Editor Michael Wilson, BSc. CEng, FBIS, AFRAeS Assistant Editor (Technical) Peter Mlddleton Editorial Staff Charles M. Gllson Charles Heathcote-Smlth Mark Hewish Andrew Hofton, MSc Ted Wilding-While Air Photography Tom Hamill Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations [ABC Photographic Librarian Ann C. Tilbury European engine window From about 1980 until at least the century's end there may be a de mand for several thousand sub sonic turbofans in the 10/15-ton class. Estimates vary according to manufacturer and the target air craft are not yet clearly in the sights; but the leading aero-en gine masters—General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Snecma—agree that this is per haps their only major civil oppor tunity. At the Paris show it was ob vious that each manufacturer is well aware of the great industrial, financial and political issues. Pratt & Whitney unveiled its JT10D of around 13 tons thrust, which Boeing appears to be speci fying for its 200-seat trijet 7X7 airliner project. It is already test ing a prototype compressor. Rolls-Royce broke a year's pub lic silence on its scaled-down RB.211, designated RB.235—an other project in the 13-ton class, and also featuring in Boeing's pencil-and-rubber 7X7 studies (a • weighty R-R submission to Boeirig was made just before the show). GE and Snecma were not, as might have been politically ex pected, jointly presenting the CFM56. This was surprising, for two reasons. The French were the first to see a market for this class of engine (although "dix-tonnes" now appears on the low side), and might have been expected to assert their lead in alliance with the mighty GE. Secondly, the CFM56 is more than an engine: it represents the 1970 French policy decision, after years of Rolls- Royce Derby superiority, to demonstrate French aero-engine capability and independence. This policy, shaped in 1969 and 1970, seemed vindicated when Rolls- Royce Derby's attempt on the ^American airbus-engine market brought bankruptcy. Snecma's liaison with General Electric was intended to gain access to US aero-engine exper tise and markets. But it gradually became clear that the US Govern ment would not allow the export of military engine core tech nology. This policy may yet change, and the CFM56 continues chez Snecma—the most interest ing fan was on their stand at Paris—but GE's contribution is at idling throttle. Co-operation between Rolls- Royce and Snecma is limited to the M45 and Olympus, both Bristolian and both a long way from filling factories. Yet Europe's two major aero-engine companies surely have a greater common interest and destiny. They share the beliefs that there will never be independent Euro pean aerospace without Euro pean power, and that .there is not room for competing European engines. Obviously it is better for European aero-engine companies to co-operate than compete. This, after all, is the theme of the occasional European ministerial speech. Snecma's position, stated pub licly with unusual vehemence, is that the CFM56 is a firm pro gramme , that Rolls-Royce may join it as a junior partner when it has made itself more efficient, and when it drops the competing RB.235 project. Times change, and so does Rolls-Royce. Top management is new. The appointment to Derby of Pierre Young, who has done so much to build Anglo-French co-operation at the professional and engineering levels, is particu larly popular in France—as it was doubtless partly meant to be. A good aero-engine co-operation formula—already manifest with the Germans and Italians in Turbo Union — is partnership without domination. There is no doubt that the new Rolls-Royce has the full support of the British Government. It could carry on without Snecma, and Snecma could carry on with out Rolls-Royce. And if the ad mirable Snecma direction is sure that the commercial and technical partnership with GE is secure, that is nobody's business but theirs. But if there is any doubt, then the opportunity to talk with a new and less dominating Rolls- Royce is now passing a brief launching window. IN THIS ISSUE World News Paris Show Review Air Transport DHC-7: Canada's QStol Private Flight Light Commercial Letters Spaceflight Avionics Industry Defence Straight and Level 862 864 882 887 897 898 899 902 903 904 905 906a Front cover: RAF formation aerobatic display team the Red Arrows' nine Gnats flying over southern England with Concorde 01 G-AXDN. Photograph by Arthur Gibson
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