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Aviation History
1982
1982 - 0276.PDF
W rid news Airlines warned about 737 corrosion THE US Federal Aviation Admini stration has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) requiring Boeing 737 operators to inspect the aircraft interior hull underbody skin for corrosion. Boeing has already issued a service bulletin on the subject, which has been under careful study since corrosion in this area was dis covered on wreckage from the Far Eastern Air Transport 737 which crashed near Taipei in August 1981. That aircraft suffered structural failure for an as-yet-undiscovered reason, but Boeing tells Flight that the corrosion in question would not have been the cause of the crash. The AD applies only to 737s with manufacturing serial numbers be tween one and 418—about the point at which Boeing changed skin manu facturing technique from stiffening with bonded doublers to chemically milling the necessary skin cross-sec tion. Britain wants new US gateway services postponed BRITAIN has asked the USA to dis cuss the possible cancellation of the two new US-London air services scheduled to begin this year. The UK is proposing that the new Newark-London service should be postponed until the critical seat over capacity on North Atlantic services reduces. Similarly, it wants the USA to cancel its new service for this year; the USA—which had originally wanted Newark-London but was pre empted by Britain—has not yet named its alternative. UK industry sources believe that this reluctance on the part of the USA to name its 1982 gateway might indicate that it feels that such a service would not be profitable in the current recessionary climate; thus it may welcome Britain's move. US carriers—particularly Air Florida—have been claiming that Britain's choice of Newark was merely a blocking tactic to prevent a US airline from introducing new low- fare options on services to the New York area. GA production in USA may be lowest for ten years THE need for general-aviation aircraft wiill increase as US industry continues b» move to smaller communities, but new GA aircraft deliveries this year will be the lowest for ten years, says the country's General Aviation Manu facturers Association (Gama). About 8,200 aircraft are expected to be pro duced in 1982. Predictions for different classes of aircraft see the delivery this year of 360 business jets and 860 turboprops, together worth almost $2,400 million. In producing its figures, Gama assumes that the year will be a difficult one; that improved GA sales will follow any recovery in the US economy; and that airline fares will continue to rise. The association says that manufacturers have adjusted production to suit prevailing economic conditions and that field inventories are at acceptable levels. Reorganisation at Lear Fan LEAR FAN has restructured its marketing division and appointed Ernie Sturm, formerly with Gates Learjet, as vice-president US Mar keting, and Les Jordan, also ex- Learjet, as v-p Advertising and Mar keting Support. Robert Westlake retains his original position as v-p Interna tional Sales, but has also been named Marketing Director. "Torch" Lewis was head of Domestic Aircraft Sales and is now Manager of Public Relations within the marketing divi sion. The manufacturer now has orders for 263 aircraft, many from outside the USA, and this figure is expected to exceed 300 in the near future. BAA presses its Stansted case THE British Airports Authority has launched a new campaign aimed at enlisting UK Parliamentary support for its planning application to build London's new airport at Stansted. BAA attacks the main alternative— the fifth terminal at Heathrow—on the grounds of cost and time. Ter minal 5 at Heathrow would involve relocating the present sludge works at Perry Oaks, which could not release the land before 1987-89 for the first phase, and 1993-96 for the second phase. The first stage of the new ter minal would not then be ready before 1992, BAA points out. Traffic forecasts indicate a need for new airport capacity four years before 1992, which only Stansted can provide. Stansted also has the space to accom modate further development during and beyond the 1990s. BAA claims that the total cost of developing T5, including moving the sewage works, would be £620 million. A comparable facility at Stansted would cost £563 million. A major problem is now the time- scale. The Stansted hearing is un likely to yield a recommendation, fol lowed by a Ministerial decision, before mid-1983. Three miles high in a microlight THE FIRST microlight world record for altitude is being claimed by top British hang-glider pilot Bob Calvert, who reached 16,500ft on January 27 in a Mainair Triflyer Trike powered by a 330 c.c. Fuji Robin engine with a 3:1 V-belt reduction drive and carrying 2-2gal of 40:1 two-stroke petrol. Special mixture and carb heat controls had been installed for the attempt. Take-off and landing were at Black burn, UK, the greatest height being achieved over Preston. Made clear of controlled airspace in perfect visi bility, the flight is very likely to have been boosted by mountain-wave down wind of the Cumbrian mountains in the Lake District. The wind was north westerly 35kt, becoming northerly with height, where Calvert found that he was travelling backwards over the ground. The need to avoid flying into controlled airspace, plus shortage of fuel, prevented a greater altitude being attained. It is possible that this flight will also qualify for time-to- climb to 3,000m in the FAI category C1A-0 for aircraft under 300kg. Cal vert had flown more than l,000hr on hang-gliders before starting on micro- lights. Briefing. . . Investigation into an airmiss involving an aircraft piloted by the Duke of Edinburgh (Flight, December 12, 1981, page 1739) has concluded that the Queen's Flight Andover descended through its cleared level by about 700ft. The Duke was flying the air craft, but was not its captain. Details of aiirmisses are not formally pub lished. 266 fUCHT International. 6 February I9S2
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