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Aviation History
1977
1977 - 2958.PDF
988 FLIGHT International, 8 October 1977 VMd news Islander settlement imminent? THE SALE of the Islander and Tris- lander to Shorts cannot be finalised until the future of Fairey's Belgian subsidiary is resolved. This became clear as top-level negotiations between Fairey and the Belgian Government continued earlier this week. As we close for press a decision is expected. Fairey is not prepared to invest any more money in its loss-making Gosselies subsidiary and seems ready to let it go into liquidation, while the Belgian Government appears to have no plans to play a larger role in the running of its aerospace in dustry. Apart from its Islander activity, Fairey is involved with the Belgian company Sabca, which is partly owned by Dassault, in plans for licence assembly of the F-16. Despite the reluctance of the Government to take action, a fundamental reorganisation of the Belgian industry may be needed to ensure smooth production of the US aircraft. Whatever happens, it is unlikely that Islander or Tris- lander production will resume in Belgium. Fairey denies that its subsidiary owes the Belgian Government up to £16 million in social security payments and says that the Government has not invested large amounts in the company. The Fairey Group's annual general meeting, scheduled for September 14, was postponed until the sale of the Islander and Trislander had been arranged. Although the group owes a large sum to the National West minster Bank, it is confident that its future will not be jeopardised by delays in transferring jigs, tools and unsold aircraft from Belgium to Shorts. AV-8s flying again MOST of the US Marine Corps Hawker Siddeley AV-8As are flying normal operations again after a short ground ing following an emergency landing on September 23. A Harrier based at Cherry Point, NC, suffered a broken component in the aileron-drive mechanism on that date and the entire fleet was subsequently subjected to an X-ray examination.. The Naval Air Rework Facility at Cherry Point was not satisfied with the results of this inspection and grounded all 91 aircraft so that ailerons could be removed, visually inspected and then test-flown again. Working time per aircraft amounted to 15hr. As we close for press, 38 of the 43 Harriers at Cherry Point are flying again; figures for the other two bases, Yuma in Arizona and Iwakumi in Japan, are not available. BAe compensation may top £200 million THOUGH protracted discussion and arbitration will probably be needed to settle the issue it now looks as though Government compensation to the former owners of the nationalised UK airframe and missile industry will far exceed £100 million. Vickers' Lord Robens—his company had major holdings in BAG—is said to be determined to achieve compen sation of at least £100 million. The Hawker Siddeley Group has already been repaid most of the £53 million which it lent to Hawker Siddeley Aviation and Dynamics. The book value of the group's equity in its aerospace subsidiaries is £20 million, but a professional valuation of its freehold and rented properties in 1974 valued them at £54-4 million. Total compensation to Hawker Siddeley Group could thus be £120 million. Any compensation paid will bear interest from the nationalisation date of April 29, 1977. No final reckon ing is expected for at least a year. Americarrjet's Hustler 400, shown here in the factory, is set to fly on October 31. Hustler is powered by a P&W PT6-4I, plus a Williams turbofan in the tail, and has a supercritical wing New French aerospace overlord appointed THE new French minister of supply (Ministre pour VEquipment) with con trol over the aerospace industry is 56-year-old Fernand Icart. A republi can party member and member of parliament, M Icart gives up his seat and chairmanship of the parliamentary finance committee on entering office. Tu-144 to start passenger services NOVEMBER 1 has been set as the starting date for passenger services by the Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic transport. The aircraft will continue to be confined to the 2,170 n.m. (4,025km) Moscow-Alma Ata route, suggesting that the Tu-144 still lacks the range to fly longer sectors reliably with a normal pay-load. Trial cargo flights are reported to have continued sporadically on Mos cow-Alma Ata since the beginning of this year, when regular flights ceased. It is unlikely that the Tu-144 used to operate the new passenger services will differ significantly from the air craft exhibited at Paris in June. VFW-Fokker's problems multiply AS Bremen-based VFW-Fokker sinks deeper into a cash crisis, the German- Dutch aircraft industry, the unions and the Governments are under in creasing pressure to find a long-term solution. This could emerge anywhere from nationalisation to dissolution. MBB has already declared its un willingness to take over the financial burden as well as the commercial assets of VFW-Fokker, even though a grand fusion of the MBB, VFW and Fokker names is acceptable to all concerned. The unions are demand ing unconditional continuation of the VFW 614 programme. Last week German aerospace in dustry co-ordinator Martin Griiner offered unspecified Government financial assistance to VFW-Fokker, while stipulating that the affected provinces should also contribute. VFW-Fokker chairman Gerrit Klap- wijk suggested a co-ordinating com mittee of VFW-Fokker, MBB and Government executives to run the companies.
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