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Aviation History
1973
1973 - 1562.PDF
866 PARIS SHOW REVIEW open making effortless and quiet steep turns with one Dart feathered, the second also noticeably quiet and showing to the full its short-field capability. The Islander, which during the week had revived the single-engined take-off (shades of Errington in the Ambassador at Farnborough), contrasted an extremely short take-off on the public days before a lively sequence which included over-vertical steep turns, rolls and single-engined flying. Another vigorous performer was the Skyservant with a short run off the grass which led immediately into a dramatic climbing turn. Making the most of the wind, it was also brought to ail-but hovering over the airfield before reluctantly dropping a wing. Hovering seemed largely to be absent from the reper toire of any of the helicopters, most of whose performances were marked by their constant movement. The honours went to the Bolkow B5105 which followed a series of loops by a spiral of rolls, between times standing alternately on its nose and tail rotor in defiance of the accepted principles of rotary flight. While this performance was unique, both the circuses of helicopters, those of Heli-Europe and of Agusta, presented one model manoeuvring fast against a backdrop of a slow procession by the remainder of the team. For Agusta, the A.109 Hirundo showed its individual paces and looked fast but the rivals could offer the agility of the Gazelle and the surprising responsiveness of the Lynx, another to be rolled. The Puma and the Mi-8 both lifted underslung loads, that of the latter being a conspicuous yellow Russian jeep which was subsequently driven before the crowd, none the worse for wear. As lunchtime approached the first of the ear-shattering jet performances entered the lists. From Italy, the Macchi MB.326K and the Fiat G.91Y both made full use of the high cloudbase, the trainer including a five-turn spin in its routine. The climax of the morning was reached with the return of Bob Hoover, this time in the Northrop F-5E which FLIGHT International, 7 June 1973 he was flying because "we're good friends." The speed and brute force of the aircraft took it over a wide arc and one straight, low pass had the silent approach and thunderous departure of a near-supersonic run. Something of a contrast was offered on Sunday when, unannounced, the Goodyear Europa hove in sight sufficiently low to make a touch-and-go on its single wheel. It gave an impressive demonstration, achieving some ex treme attitudes immediately after rotation. The afternoon programme brought out the big guns but amidst the Dassault decibels there were still civil types whose performance centred on their lack of noise. In this respect the Citation was outstanding; it is possible to make passes along the crowd at reduced power for effect but there was no element of cheating about the Citation's run with undercarriage and full flap lowered and at a speed well below minimum drag. It brought a new dimension to the subjective measurement of noise but this was echoed on a much larger scale by the Airbus— uncanny for its size. As the first prototype A300B took off, the second appeared making a low pass in front of the crowd to whom it displayed its "Iberia side." Con fusion reigned when it returned in the opposite direction showing its Air France livery but there was general agreement that the two aircraft put on a particularly impressive display on their first public appearance. Other models whose philosophy includes minimal noise were less successful. The two Corvette prototypes gave a restrained show but their twin JT15D installation did not seem as quiet as that of the Citation. Nor was the VFW 614 as silent as might have been expected, par ticularly when heard from abaft the beam in the approach configuration. The worst excesses of noise were perpetrated not, as might have been expected, by the two SSTs, but by the most potent of the operational machines. A pair of Viggens, flown by RSAF squadron pilots, belched sheets of flame from their reheat on take-off, assaulting ears and eyes alike, but they showed well the wide speed range and Stol capability for which they are renowned. /
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