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Aviation History
1975
1975 - 0917.PDF
FLIGHT International, 22 May 1975 823 The Beech 18 operated by Loganair has recently had a major overhaul during which an external wing-span strengthening modification was embodied (see news item) AIR r«*KS:iBR'f.. LIGHT COMMERCIAL & BUSINESS Beech 18 grounding resisted A proposed airworthiness directive from the US Federal Aviation Administration, which would effectively ground a large proportion of the Beech 18s in service, has met with strong resistance from the air-taxi operators who use the aircraft widely on behalf of the US postal service. The FAA has proposed limiting the service life of the aircraft in relation to its certificated gross weight. The limit would be set at 8,000hr for aircraft of 6,7001b but this would reduce progressively to only l,500hr for aircraft of more than 9,5001b. The action follows the discovery of wing-structure cracking which has already led the FAA to call for X-ray examination of certain key points on the main spar before further flights can be made. Beech has advised all owners to ground their aircraft pending analysis of the X-ray checks, pointing out that many of the 1,550 examples of the aircraft still in service in the USA have an unknown history and may have suffered from poor maintenance in the past. The Beech 18 is used by approximately half of the air- taxi mail contractors; they have called for the support of the US postal service, National Air Transport Association and National Business Aircraft Association in pressing to have the proposed restrictions eased. Below, Peters Aviation is maintaining this HFB 320 Hansa Jet at Norwich, where it is temporarily based for its American owner, Theroit Tugs. The Shrike Commander, bottom, operates scheduled services from Nairobi, Wilson, for Caspair §ik •I <!.f i wmmaiiniimaji-.! South Africa to buy CL-215 The Canadian Government has approved the sale of three Canadair CL-215 water bombers to South Africa. If the sale goes through, as is anticipated, the aircraft will be flown by South African Air Force crews; it was this aspect which required the approval of the Canadian government in view of a standing embargo on the sales of military aircraft to South Africa. Studies aimed at equipping the aircraft for locust control are under way. Rocky Mountain merger and growth Rocky Mountain Helicopters of Provo, Utah, has absorbed Helicopters Un limited of Denver, previously known as Olympic Wing and Rotor. Both companies began with a single Bell 47G and the combined group now has 29 helicopters and three fixed-wing aircraft. Rocky Mountain took delivery on May 7 of the first Aerospatiale Puma to be operated in the United States and is scheduled to receive the first SA.360 Dauphin in July 1976. The full Rocky Mountain fleet list is one Puma, six Alouette III, four Lama, four JetRanger, four Hughes 500C, seven Bell 47 and one Hiller 12E. The company uses a Pressurised Navajo and a Cessna 206 as aerial ambulances and a Baron for supporting dispersed helicopter operations. Plymouth and Cherbourg linked Brymon Airways has extended its West Country and North France network with the addition of a daily service between Plymouth and Cherbourg. The service will be flown by a Twin Otter and the timetable is intended to connect with the Cherbourg- Paris turbo-train. At the English end the service connects with one of the company's shuttle flights to Cardiff. The company has also recently introduced an Islander service between Plymouth and Alderney. Rockwell revises Sabreliner service and sales Following recent changes in the structure of Rockwell International, during which the responsibility for Sabreliner sales and service was moved from the General Aviation Division, the company has appointed Robert Chatley as manager, marketing services, Sabreliner Division. In future the division will have its own marketing, public relations and advertising departments to specialise on the business jets; it will be located at St Louis, where Rockwell has already established a 24hr "hotline" service for spare parts. Successful quarter for Air Alpes Despite increased fuel charges Air Alpes reports continuing traffic growth during the first quarter of 1975. Average load factors are up by nearly three per cent by comparison with the figures for 1974 to 55-4 per cent and revenue is up by 27-7 per cent. During 1974, 77 per cent of Air Aloes' flying was on its own scheduled routes and 14 per cent was on behalf of Air France. Latest Mitsubishi at Paris Mitsubishi will bring the MU- 2L to the Paris Air Show for its first European showing; the aircraft has a power increase to 776 e.h.p. from its Garrett TPE331 turboprops and a gross weight of 11,5751b, 5,250kg. Worldwide sales of the MU-2 variants are over 400 and European sales are approaching 20 following the opening of a sales and support centre at Geneva in 1973.
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