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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 0428.PDF
BUSINESS AVIATION Cheyenne IV airborne LAKELAND Piper has started test flying the Cheyenne IV from its Lakeland plant, which will be the site of all Cheyenne IV development, flight testing, and production. Test pilot David Brant reports that the first flight was flawless. During the one- hour flight, controllability, stability, and landing gear operation were checked. First deliveries of the aircraft are due in May next year. Piper's director of eng ineering at the Lakeland Division, Harvey Nay, says that the first Cheyenne IV will be used for performance and handling tests, and it will play a key role in certification of the 1,000 s.h.p. Garrett TPE 331-14 counter-rotating engines, which should give the aircraft a cruise speed of 400 m.p.h. The second flight article will fly in April and the third in June. Certification is expected in January 1984. Composite S-76hub to fly in June STRATFORD Sikorsky's composite rotor hub for the S-76 is due to fly in June. Fatigue testing is to begin in the very near future, followed by whirl testing. Certification is expected in 1984. Sikorsky makes about 10,000 composite parts a month for many applications, and the company says that experience gained from the advanced composite airframe programme (Acap) will go into the new head and blades. The new hub weighs 4501b, some 811b less than the current metal hub, and inspection is much easier. Bifilars have been integrated with the composite hub, instead of being installed above the hub as in the present system. Aero- dynamically, the new hub is much cleaner and a blade fold ing option will be available. The Airfield Services Division of Flight Refuelling is operating this Turbine Islander for fisheries protection under contract to the British Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The aircraft was instrumental in the appre hension of the Danish fishing vessel which deliberately violated British fishing limits early in January as a protest against those limits Glassfibre and carbonfibre reinforced plastic have been used in the hub, and Sikorsky is developing a composite main rotor blade with a c.f.r.p. spar replacing the titanium unit. Robert Zincone, senior vice-president of research and engineering, says: "We are designing the composite hub and blade for retrofit to early S-76s as well as new aircraft...". Running in parallel with the composite hub and blade programme is the ice protec tion system development, and Sikorsky is now negotiating with the FAA "to define cri teria and qualification approach". Using UH-60A Black Hawk technology, the system has been flight-tested in artificial and natural icing conditions. A heater mat is fabricated in the blade leading edge. Ice along the leading edge is heated to the point that it is shed by the blades. GA sales still falling Agricultural aircraft sales are the only highlight in an other wise disappointing January performance for US general aviation manufacturers. Their trade association, Gama, reports an increase of more than 5 per cent in deliveries of ag machines. But the numbers involved are small—shipments are up only from 18 to 19. In almost all other respects the month continues the indus try's downward trend. A glimmer of encour agement is that exports did not fall by as much as total deliveries. Shipments of 59 aircraft to overseas customers and dealers is almost 36 per cent short of January 1982's total of 92. Value of export business is put at $34-7 million. Total deliveries and billings for the month are given as 214 aircraft, worth some $92 million, compared with 384 units valued at $132 million a year ago. This gives a drop in shipments of 44 per cent and a value down 30 per cent. US general-aviation manufacture: January Type 1983 1982 Change(%) Singles Agricultural Multi-engine Turboprops Jets Total 130 19 31 22 12 214 228 18 75 50 13 384 -430 + 5-6 -58 7 -56 0 - 7 7 -44 3 Board changes at CSE Aviation The Duke of Leinster has been appointed as president of the UK's CSE Aviation, and Rex Smith, previously manag ing director, is now chairman and managing director. Michael Winand has been appointed assistant managing director, in addition to his responsibilities as financial director. Gerry Ferrick, who has been the financial director of the Oxford Air Training School for many years, has retired, but will be engaged as a part-time consultant. CSE has placed an order for six Bell TwinRangers, the first model of the new 400 series announced at the Heli copter Association Inter national convention last month. Rex Smith says that this is the largest order ever placed by CSE for an aircraft straight off the drawing board. CSE has sold more than 90 JetRangers in the UK, three Bell 222s to the police, and a number of Bell 212s. Full IFR price for the TwinStar is $750,000 Rotary briefs... Operator members of the Helicopter Association Inter national (HAI) suffered an average of 4-15 accidents per 100,000 flight hours last year, compared with 5-2 in 1981. HAI members have a better safety record than non-members, when US and Canadian records are exam ined. In 1980, the latest year for which the HAI has full data, members suffered 7-6 accidents per 100,000hr, while US operators as a whole had 13-25 and Cana dian operators 19-5. 644 FLIGHT International, 12 March 1983
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