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Aviation History
1978
1978 - 2798.PDF
1724 FLIGHT International, II November 1978 Cougar right on the numbers .•«; BRITAIN'S first Grumman Cougar, registered G-REAT, is being operated from Elstree by distributor Cabair. We flew the aircraft last week, partly for photographs (this page) but mainly to verify the level speeds re corded during our original evaluation (see Flight for August 5, page 408). These did not agree with the flight manual data, and it seemed more than likely that the fault lay in some erroneous twiddling of the Dalton computer. The best solution was to fly again, and we doubled the value of the sortie by flying the Cougar at night. Performance measurements at 4,000ft showed that the Cougar is right up on the numbers. We filled all four seats and had enough fuel to take us well up towards gross weight. Even so, the aircraft felt lively and we could hold a steady 700f t/min climb in a normal IFR attitude. A single- engined climb, again without hauling the nose up to the sky, generated 300ft/min. At 4,000ft a 73 per cent cruise power setting produced a TAS of 154kt, well up to manual figures. The night lighting showed evidence of thoughtful design. Two rheostats below the yoke controlled the inten sity of the white floodlighting and integral avionic illumination. The flood was even and allowed the vital instruments to be interpreted without producing so much light that we could not see outside. The maplights were overhead and the rear-seat pas sengers also had light for reading. When the battery master switch of most light aircraft is switched off at the end of a night flight one tends to be left in Stygian gloom. Grumman has avoided that problem by fitting an independently wired switch on the left-hand window sill to give enough light in the cabin for the occupants to see their way out. The switch also controls a light illuminating the trailing-edge step. Once the last per son is out, the lights can be switched off from outside—a nice touch. For our money, and it would have to be about £56,600 for an airways- equipped Cougar at today's dollar/ pound exchange rate, this is another great little cat from Savannah. IS Iffll 111! Business AND LIGHT TRANSPORT [MLOiKnr Shorts sells more 330s in America METRO Airlines of Houston has ordered five. Shorts 330s, the biggest single order for the type to date. To gether with an order for two more from Suburban Airlines, this brings the total value of new orders to over $7 million. Deliveries will begin next year. Metro Airlines, America's third largest commuter airline, will thus become one of the largest 330 opera tors in the US. Some 22 330s worth over £23 mil lion have been sold this year. Orders for the type now total 36 for ten air lines in the US, Caribbean, Europe, Canada, South America and Brazil. Cessna delivers 500th Citation CESSNA has delivered the 500th Citation, setting a six-year record for business jet sales. The Citation II went to the Aluminium Company of America, where it joins another Cita tion II and a Citation I. Cessna ex pects to deliver another 500 Citations in the next three years and has already received orders for more than half that number. • A Citation II has crossed the Atlan tic from Goose Bay to Leeds/Bradford Airport in under six hours, on delivery to Northair. Valued at more than £1 million, the Citation was ordered from Northair by an Austrian customer. Sumburgh fees soar LANDING fees at North Sea oil base Sumburgh have been increased even more than forecast (see Flight for September 16, page 1098). Britain's Civil Aviation Authority, which runs the airfield, has told operators to ex pect a charge of £40/tonne compared with the present £4-50/tonne. The increase will allow the authority to recover the cost of building a new terminal and apron specially for the Sikorsky S-61Ns of British Airways Helicopters and Bristow Helicopters. BAH pays about £1,350 every day for its landings, a figure which will rise to £12,000. Conquest for AA BRITAIN'S motoring organisation, the Automobile Association, is buying a Conquest for communications and flying-ambulance duties.
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