FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1975
1975 - 0011.PDF
FLIGHT International, 2 January 1975 Mirage F.1/M53 flies The first prototype Dassault Mirage F.1/M53 made its maiden flight at Istres on December 22 in the hands of Guy Mitaux-Mau-rouard. The flight lasted lhr, the aircraft reaching Mach 1-32 and'38,000ft. YF-17 completes flight-testing The twoi prototype Northrop YF-17s have essentially completed their primary flight-test objectives in, less than half the time originally scheduled. By December 15 the air craft had accumulated 196hr flying time, of which more than llhr were at supersonic speeds, in 250 flights. Major flight-test achievements include, according to Northrop: • A 4hr 15min flight with aerial re fuelling; • A lOmin turnround with refuelling; • Single-engine landing; • 25 flights in five days (December 9- 13); • 38 air-starts; • Supersonic flight without after burner; • Failure-free afterburner light-ups at high attitude; • No departure tendencies at angles of attack of up to 63° at 50kt and sideslip angles of 36° at 58° angle of attack; • Wind-up turns to 8-5g; • Sustained 6g and 7g turns at tran sonic and supersonic speeds without buffet; • 40>-50 per cent better manoeuvra bility than other operational fighters in its class; • Aerial firings of 11,427 rounds from the M61 gun; • Gunsight and tracking tests to 5g; • Dropping eight Mk 84 2,0001b bombs; • Firing seven Sidewinders; • Operation with two 600gal auxiliary fuel tanks. «MM<8Hi G.222 demonstrated in Tunisia The second prototype Aeritalia G.222 tactical transport has been demonstrated in Tunisia. The aircraft was' ferried from Turin to Biserta bearing a civil registration and visited several oases, landing on semi- prepared strips at Tiaret-Remada and Gabes. The G.222 carried a full Italian crew plus two Tunisian pilots and 12 Tunisian Air Force technicians1, returning to Biserta after a 5hr, 2,000km desert tour. A number of other flights from Biserta were carried out with Tunisian personnel in order to demonstrate the navigation equipment, with 65 para troops and five 1,000kg loads also' being dropped. Aeritalia's president, Gen Gastone Valentim, was in Tunis for the demonstration. He met Mr Kefacha, the Tunisian Minister of Defence, who flew in the aircraft. It is expected that Tunisia will order a number of G.222s under the Italiian-Tunisian collaboration agree ment, with some of the aircraft being used for public utility services includ ing supply-dropping. P-3 final Canadian review The Lockheed P-3 Orion has under gone its final technical review by the Canadian Long Range Patrol Aircraft (LRPA) project team. The team, headed by Brig Gen T. S. Allan, project manager, conducted configurai- tion reviews and examined detailed manufacturing plans and schedules, including the involvement of Canadian industry. Israel Aircraft Industries has taken orders for 24 Aravas, of which ten have already been delivered to foreign customers. This aircraft staged through Prestwick last month on delivery to the Salvador Air Force, following two for the Ecuadorean Army which have taken the same route (see photograph in "Flight" for August 15, page 170). A total of ten Aravas are understood to have been ordered by Ecuador; a delivery rate of one a month was expected but so far there have been eight or nine weeks between aircraft, probably because of a shortage of PT6s. Current price of the Arava is some $650,000 Lockheed and Boeing will submit their final proposals for the produc tion contract by February 3. Iraq loses aircraft to SAMs The Iraqi Government claims that two of its fighter-bombers have been shot down by Iranian Raytheon Hawk surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft were lost on December 14 and 15 while at high altitude within Iraqi airspace, according to a communique issued in Baghdad. Both incidents took place near Iraq's northern border with Iran and it is believed that the air craft may have been attempting to locate Iranian artillery which has been shelling Iraqi Army forces. Kurdish rebels have been fighting the central Iraqi Government since March, following a four-year truce, and they have been supported by Iran which itself disputes the border area. The latest communique does not say whether the Hawks were launched from within Iraq or from across the border, but it does refer to "Iranian violations, interference and aggres sion." • The Kurds are also claiming to have shot down a Tu-16 Badger near Khoshkan, between Kurdish head quarters and the Iranian border. Lebanon asks for defensive weapons Recent Israeli air strikes around Beirut—the first for six years'—have led to a Lebanese request for surface- to-air missiles. Mr Rasbid Solh, the Prime Minister, has told the Parliai- mentary Defence and Foreign Rela tions Committees that "We went to Saab has begun delivery to the Pakistan Air Force of MFI.I7 Supporters which will replace T-6 trainers. The aircraft are being flown to Pakistan in PAF C-I30s
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
