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Aviation History
1979
1979 - 0753.PDF
FLIGHT International, 10 March 1979 723 USAF seeks engine solutions THE US Air Force is to spend $214 million over the next two years in an effort to overcome technical problems with a number of fighter powerplants. Lt Gen Tom Stafford, USAF head of research, development and acquisi tion, says that $186 million is to be spent on component improvements for four major engines: the Pratt & Whit ney F100 (which powers the F-15 and F-16), the P&W TF30 (F-lll and F-14), the Allison TF41 (A-7) and the General Electric TF34 (A-10). The balance of the money will go on im proving 14 other engines. In case the F100 and TF30 improve ment programmes fall short of ex pectations, the Air Force and Navy are jointly funding limited develop ment and flight test of the General Electric F101X. Based on the Rock well B-l engine, the F101X could be used as an alternative engine for the F-14 and F-16. A flight demonstration of the engine is scheduled for mid- 1981. In addition to the $41 million allocated to the project in Fiscal Year 1979, another $16 million has been PRODUCTION of the McDonnell Douglas A4 Skyhawk carrier-borne light attack aircraft has ended after 26 years and 2,960 examples. The last aircraft—an A.-4M for US Marine Corps attack squadron VMA-331— was handed over on February 27 in a ceremony at the Company's Long Reach, Calif, plant. Ed Heinemann, former Douglas chief engineer and driving force behind the lightweight fighter's design, attended the presen tation. A total of 17 different Skyhawks were built, and a number of ex-US Navy aircraft were converted. The final production total comprises 2,405 attack aircraft (in 11 versions) and 555 two-seat trainers (six variants). The A-4 production run, the most pro tracted of any US military aircraft, seemed certain to finish on a number of occasions, only to bet reprieved by extra orders. In addition to the Skyhawks requested for the following year. A number of problems with the F100 have arisen in two years of operations, including stagnation stalls. Turbine-blade containment, hot-end durability and single-engine safety have also been below expectations. Stagnation stall, affecting the com pressor, causes the engine to wind down to the point at which it ceases to respond to throttle inputs and be gins to overheat unless it is shut down. By 1980 a number of fixes will have been flight-tested, including changes to the electronic engine con trol system, fuel control system, and the engine itself. Stafford indicates that once the F-16 enters large-scale service other defects may have to be overcome to "reduce the potential for an engine stand-down of our F-15 and F-16 forces." The TF30 was in the last stages of a four-year programme of improve ments which had been accelerated last year after a number of serious F-lll accidents Stafford continued. Testing of redesigned components intended to operated by the US Navy and Marine Corps, the A-4 is in service with the Argentine Air Force and Navy (A-4P/ Qs converted from A-4B/Cs), Royal Australian Navy (A4G/TA-4G), Israeli Air Force (A4E/H/N and TA-4E/H), Kuwait Air Force (A-4KU/TA-4KU), Royal New Zealand Air Force (A-4K/ T A-4K) and the Republic of Singa pore Air Force (A-4S/TA-4S converted from A-4Rs). Skyhawk production began at El Segundo in 1953, the first prototype— designated XA4D-1—flying on June 22, 1954. After 342 aircraft had been built production was transferred to Palm- dale, where it remained for the rest of the run. The US Navy received its first operational Skyhawk in 1956. US Navy personnel are proud of the Skyhawk's durability, going so far as to issue bumper stickers proclaiming "A-4s forever". The claim may not be strictly true, but the Skyhawk will still be around in the year 2000. increase engine life had been intensi fied, he added. Durability has been a problem on the TF41 (licence-built Rolls-Royce Spey) but, according to Stafford, the USAF has "successfully countered the [durability] crisis which had grounded a large number of aircraft." A new transpiration cooled combustor and air-cooled turbine blades are to be fitted to the engine. The A-10's TF34 powerplant has also had its share of problems, some caused by the on-condition mainte nance introduced with the engine. On- condition maintenance calls for the removal of a component or engine when a defect is detected, rather than at set intervals. The lack of Air Force experience of this method has led to problems. As operational experience on the A-10 builds up, some compo nents, mainly bearings, have not demonstrated the expected life. In 1980 "attention will be given to in creasing the durability of engine parts, particularly in hot-section hard ware," Lt Gen Stafford said. Reconnaissance Mirage F.1 for French Air Force FRENCH AIR FORCE Dassault Mirage IIIR and IIIRD reconnaissance aircraft are to be replaced by a ver sion of the swept-wing Mirage F.l. Two squadrons of the 33rd Recon naissance Wing at Strasbourg will re- equip with the newer type, and the first should be operational in 1983. The wing operates 50 Mirage IIIR/ RDs at the moment. The reconnaissance F.l will be a development of the intercepter ver sion operated by Armee de l'Air air- defence squadrons. Omera 40 and Omera 35 cameras and infra-red sen sors will be mounted in the aircraft, and additional sensors will be carried in an external pod. In place of the Thomson-CSF Cyrano IV fire-control radar the aircraft will have a naviga tion radar (presumably Doppler) and and inertial navigation system. F.l exports total 554 to nine countries, which may be offered the new version. • Admiral Lannuzel, French Navy Chief of Naval Staff, attended a presentation on the British Aerospace Sea Harrier when he visited Britain at the end of February. The event took place at RAE Bedford and in cluded a demonstration launch from a Ski-jump ramp. France is to build a helicopter carrier which will be capable of operating V/Stol aircraft. The Admiral's visit also included a tour of a nuclear-powered submarine at Plymouth. Hughes' Angle Rate Bombing System (ARBS) has been flight-tested aboard an A-4M. The diminutive stores on the outer wing rack are Mk 76 practice bombs Skyhawk's record run ends
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