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Aviation History
1982
1982 - 1749.PDF
US Marines want TAV-8B WASHINGTON D.C. The United States Marine Corps aviation director has told Congress that a two- seat trainer will "clearly" be required by 1986 to handle the large number of A-4 Sky- hawk pilots who will soon be flying McDonnell Douglas AV-8Bs. Lt Gen William J. White says that rising production costs are causing concern, but could be kept in line if the US Navy can be per suaded to continue procure ment at an efficient rate. In the past, the US Navy has consistently cut numbers and funding. In fact, the pro gramme owes its life to Con gress, which unilaterally granted money. White has high praise for the AV-8B, especially in the aircraft's safety improve ments. He says that its cock pit visibility, the hands-on- throttle - and - stick controls, and the stability augmenta tion attitude hold system have reduced pilot workload "by at least 65 per cent". White says that these factors, along with the supercritical wing, "virtually eliminate V/Stol instability in the AV-8B". "The F406 engine used in the four full-scale engineer ing development models has proved to be more reliable than the F402 in the AV-8A and requires less mainten ance," he stated. "The AV-8B has far exceeded the per formance and handling char acteristics we had expected," said White. Fokker delivers 100th F-16 SCHIPHOL With the delivery of its 100th F-16, Fokker has produced 49 single- and 13 two-seaters, for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. A total of 31 single- and seven two-seaters has been delivered to the Royal Norwegian Air Force. In all, 1,300 Fokker em ployees — 14 per cent of the company's workforce — are involved in production of the F-16 and its components. Fokker currently assembles three F-16s and manufactures ten fuselage centre-sections and ten sets of wing moving- parts per month. Production of F-16 carbon- fibre tail sections will begin at Hoogeveen this year, as a result of the Royal Nether lands Air Force's first follow- on order for 22 F-16s. B-52 radar contract for Boeing WICHITA Boeing has received a $13 million US Air Force con tract for initial full-scale de velopment of modern radar for the B-52G and H. The B- 52 Strategic Radar Pro gramme will retain as much of the existing radar as pos sible while aiming for higher reliability and easier main tenance. The 24-month pro gramme is due to end in May 1984, and will use solid state technology to replace some of the existing thermi onic valves (vacuum tubes). The first flight of a B-52G with the new radar is set for December 1983. The aircraft is at present being used for Offensive Avionics System tests. Approximately 265 G DEFENCE and H model B-52s will be retrofitted with the new radar. The work will be car ried out at US Air Force depots in Texas and Okla homa. RAF Phantom shoots down RAF Jaguar A Royal Air Force Jaguar GR.l from RAF Bruggenwas accidentally shot down by a Royal Air Force Phantom in West Germany on May 25. The Jaguar pilot ejected safely and the aircraft crashed 3J2 n.m. east of Wessel. The Phantom attacked as the Jaguar was returning to its home base after an exercise sortie. It is thought that the Jaguar was hit by an AIM-9L Side winder. The Phantom was also involved in the exercise. The Ministry of Defence says that "a Jaguar crashed after the inadvertant release of a missile". Casualties... • A US Air Force F-16 crashed on the Utah Test and Training Range at Hill AFB, Utah, on May 20. The pilot was killed. The third prototype AV-8B is one of two currently at the US Naval Air Test Centre, Patuxent River, Maryland. The fourth prototype is due to fly soon. More than 80 flights have been made by the prototypes so far. The US Marines will operate 336 AVSBs, and the Royal Air Force 60. McDonnell Douglas is main contractor for the USMC aircraft, with British Aerospace the main sub-contractor. The roles are reversed for the RAF aircraft FLIGHT International, 26 June 1982 1653
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