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Aviation History
1980
1980 - 0869.PDF
FLIGHT International. 15 March 1980 831 Challenger engine certificated Business AND LIGHT TRANSPOFfr IHUEKnr Wagner go-ahead? THE Wagner helicopter may be put into production near Winnipeg, Canada, if the backers can secure the necessary financing. The Wagner is a West German design which has not been produced commercially, but has been certificated, according to its owners. One report says the helicopter is in limited production in the Soviet Union, but this could not be con firmed. The Wagner "Sky-Trac" series was begun in 1960 and flew successfully over a period of testing. It uses co-axial rotors and a 265 h.p. Franklin engine, but at least one variation used a Turbomeca 420 s.h.p. engine. The version under considera tion for building in Canada would use the piston engine and a standard mechanical transmission and clutch. Simplicity of production and general utility value of the Wagner have been emphasised by the backers in their approach to the provincial government in Manitoba. The heli copter, reportedly, can lift more than its own empty weight, has a four-hour endurance and a top speed of about 99 m.p.h. Maximum range is about 125 miles. The group negotiating for the back ing of the Manitoba Government is understood to have bought produc tion rights and various other assets from the Wagner Helicopter-Technik in Friedrichshafen. Technical exper tise on the project was not disclosed, because the persons involved now have jobs elsewhere and these would be endangered if names were rer vealed. Sources in Winnipeg said the provincial government is not likely to look favourably on financial support for the programme because the tech nical resources are secret. The US Federal Aviation Adminis tration has certificated the prototype, but notes that some changes have been made and would require re- certification. This is essentially what caused the demise of the Scheutzow helicopter, later known as the Hunt HS-180 "Hunter" when it was certifi cated by the FAA—a main rotor blade change required additional funding. Hunt Helicopters, owned by Bunker Hunt, refused to put more money into certification on the grounds that the helicopter was bought as a certificated aircraft. AVCO LYCOMING has gained US Federal Aviation Administration cer tification for the ALF502L turbofan which powers the Canadair Challenger. Certification for the 7,5001b thrust engine was granted on February 29 after more than 12,000hr of factory and flight-testing with 19 engines. Significant improvements in reduction gear durability have been made and 12 production powerplants have been delivered to Canadair. Deliveries of the 10-to-12 passenger Challenger will begin shortly. Modifications to the THE article entitled "Agricultural aviation: the future" (Flight, March 1) was based on papers presented at the Royal Aeronautical Society and Royal Agricultural Society of England conferences on agricultural aviation. Unfortunately, the credits for these papers were inadvertently omitted and we would like to apologise for this omission. The papers concerned were "Improving the efficiency of Short finals ... AMETEK US Gauge Division is to provide complete engine instrumenta tion for the new Learfan 2100 business aircraft (see Business and Light Avia tion for March 1). . . . Cessna has appointed Africair as the wholesale distributor for all propeller aircraft in East and West Africa. Aircraft will be distributed from Nairobi, Kenya and Lome, Togo . . . Tim Leacock and Mike Creed have formed a new busi ness aircraft sales company called Leacock and Creed. Head office will be in Milton Keynes and flying opera tions from Cranfield, UK . . . Three more Mitsubishi MU-2 twin turboprop business aircraft have been sold in the US, bringing total sales to 623 of which 574 have been exported . . . Cessna has delivered the 4,000th 185 Skywagon since the model was intro duced in 1961. engines have increased specific fuel consumption and reduced range from 3,600 to 3,300 n.m. Early customers will be able to replace these modified engines with powerplants of improved specific fuel consumption at a later date free of charge. Canadair is also involved in a weight reduction programme and is planning to add fuel cells to increase range. The ALF502L is similar to the ALF502H and R models certificated in 1976. The ALF502R-3 has been selected for the British Aerospace 146. aerial spraying" by J. J. Spillman of the Cranfield Institute of Technology, "The aeroplane as a farm implement —the contractor" toy R. Peel of Dollar Air Services, and "Design requirements of agricultural aircraft" by R. C. Amsden, agricultural avia tion consultant. The diagrams of ground distribution and wingtip geometry were taken from Mr Spill- man's paper. Short finals ... NORTHAIR Aviation is offering a two- day trip to Paris and Champagne for all purchasers of Cessna singles before March 31 (not March 1 as stated in Flight for February 23, page 546). • Contact Neil Wurzal, Northair Avia tion Leeds/Bradford Airport. ... At least 30 light aircraft were reduced to scrap when fire destroyed hangar 3 at Calgary International Airport. Fire officials estimate the damage to air craft at $7 million. . . . Komatsu Xenore of Japan is to put the 60 h.p. G-72C-C piston engine into production soon^ The engine was certificated by the US Federal Aviation Administra tion last June. . . . The estate of former New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munston is sueing Cessna and Flight Safety International for $42 million after the crash of his Cita tion at Akron-Canton Airport, Ohio. Austrian Air Service, founded on February 4 this year, starts operations on April I. The airline will serve Klagenfurt, Graz, Vienna, Salzburg, Linz and Upper Austria with Swearingen Metro lis (shown above) and Graz-Linz with Cessna Conquest 441s. The company is a subsidiary of Austrian Airlines. Seats can be booked by computer Agricultural credits
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