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Aviation History
1978
1978 - 0498.PDF
902 FLIGHT International. I April (978 W rid news USSR tests mini-shuttle THE SOVIET UNION is reported to have carried out atmospheric drop- tests of a Shuttle-type recoverable spacecraft. The lifting-body vehicle is said to be much smaller than Nasa's Shuttle Orbiter, and was carried by a Tu-95 Bear for the trials. The vehicle has a delta planform, similar to the Mustard and Dyna-Soar projects of the 1960s, but does not appear to have a separate cargo bay. Its pay load capacity is expected to be slightly greater than that of the existing Soyuz spacecraft. MM ." Flight' appointments announced MARK LAMBERT is appointed asso ciate editor, with added responsibili ties for editorial management, inter national features and news. Brendan Gallagher becomes production editor, and Doug Richardson defence editor. Technical editor Michael Wilson is leaving to take up a post in industry; Michael Hirst is appointed assistant technical editor. Warren Goodman, who has been appointed editor of Exxon/Esso Air World, steps down as our chief US correspondent but continues as US publishing consultant. Maurice Smith, editorial director of IPC Transport Press and formerly Flight editor and editor-in-chief, is retiring (see opposite). Japan to build Boeing 767/777 fuselage? FINAL discussions as these words are read are expected to settle the alloca tion of Japanese manufacturing work on the Boeing 767 twin-aisle twinjet and its three-engined 777 derivative. Boeing is now putting considerable emphasis on the project, and a launch decision could now come before June. A Boeing technical team has carried out a technical evaluation of the capability of Japanese industry and has agreed in principle that the fuse lage of the new family will be Japanese-built. The fuselage will be built by Fuji, Kawasaki and Mitsu bishi. Concorde quieter again in February CONCORDE had another quieter month at New York Kennedy in Feb ruary, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's routine re port on Concorde noise levels. As in New Pan Am chief PAN AMERICAN president Forwood C. Wiser has resigned his post. He was formerly chairman of TWA, and was appointed as president of Pan Am in 1976. He is to be replaced by execu tive vice-president for marketing and services Dan A. Colussy. previous months, noise levels on take off were considerably lower than those recorded at Washington Dulles (this is due mainly to lighter take off weights) and noise figures were below the cumulative average of those measured so far. Take-offs registered 92-2EPNdB at Howard Beach (cumulative average 96) and 96-3 at Belle Harbour (97-8 cumulative). Landings recorded 98-7EPNdB at Cedarhurst, compared with a cumulative 100-4EPNdB. Com plaints received totalled 122, com pared with 248 in January. British Aerospace on show in India SEA HARRIER, Lynx and Jaguar were prominently displayed at the British aerospace industry exhibitions which ended in India on March 24. Some 25 companies under the sponsorship of the Society of British Aerospace Com panies took part in two exhibitions at New Delhi and Bangalore. The events were designed to pro mote discussions with the Indian military and civil authorities. Among the topics covered was the possible licence-production of British designs. Cavaille and Turcat fail to win Toulouse BOTH French transport minister Marcel Cavaille and former Aero spatiale flight-test director Andre Tureat failed to dislodge the sitting socialist members of parliament during the recent elections. Cavaille lost Toulouse north by 1,400 votes and Turcat lost Toulouse south by 3,500. Toulouse is the home of dozens of aerospace companies, as well as Aerospatiale and Airbus Industrie. Cavaille's position as minister is not necessarily threatened as ministers do not have to be elected to parliament. Air-defence Tornado performance released FIGURES just released show that the F.2 (ADV) air-defence variant of Tornado will be able to patrol at between 300 and 400 miles from base for periods of more than two hours and carry out an interception involv ing ten minutes of air combat. This mission profile does not call for air- to-air refuelling, although the aircraft will be able to refuel from tankers to extend its endurance even further. With standard external tanks but no refuelling, the Tornado F.2 will be able to ferry itself across Australia. This latest artist's impression shows the Tornado F.2 (ADV) carrying a full load of missiles and external tanks Standard armament consists of four Sky Flash medium-range missiles, two Super Sidewinder short-range weapons and a 27mm Mauser cannon. The Marconi - Elliott / Ferranti radar can detect targets at distances of up to 100 n.m., while the Sky Flash missiles will engage high-altitude targets at ranges of more than 25 miles. Sky Flash will be able to snap down to pick off targets lying as low down as 250ft. Tornado intercepters will be able to operate from any 3,000ft strip, says British Aerospace. Take-off and land ing distances of well under 1,500ft are currently being achieved during trials of the interdictor/strike Tornado GR.l. Self-contained start and test facilities will allow operation from remote airstrips at which only fuel and munitions can be provided.
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