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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 1057.PDF
PARIS SHOW REVIEW Vitality in commuter market The market may be slow for the new 30-40-seat regional aircraft, but builders of the smaller commuters had plenty of orders to announce at Paris. They seem to be bene fiting as new airlines appear, both absorbing secondhand aircraft and placing new orders. Dornier has firm sales of 29 for the 228, with 51 options. No fewer than six new customers for the type were announced at Paris, although five of these did sign for their aircraft before the show. The sixth, Toa Domestic Airlines of Japan, signed for two at Paris and may buy a large fleet of the type. More good news for Dornier is that the first repeat order has been placed for the 228. The first operator of the type, Norwegian carrier A/S Norving, signed a contract on the first day of the show for a follow-on aircraft for delivery in January. Toa Domestic's order, also signed at the show, promises to be the first step in the formation of a national commuter network in Japan by Toa. This will require large numbers of aircraft. Dornier claims that follow- on orders are likely from TDA, but will not confirm the numbers of aircraft. Toa's first two 228s will go into service on December 1. Air Botswana became a new 228 customer, and will receive its aircraft in mid-1984. The Air Botswana aircraft will often operate in temperatures above 40°C, using 1,000m gravel airstrips in vast desert areas, with field elevations of more than 3,000ft. The manufacturer reveals two new customers in Nigeria. Regional operator Broadline International has ordered four 228-100s for delivery at the end of this year. A 228-200 is being fitted with a special executive interior for a private customer, and two more 228s are on order for Nigeria. Air Hudiksvall of Sweden will also become a Dornier 228 FLIGHT International, 11 June 1983 This Dornier 228-200 was shown at Paris. It is painted in the colours of Malaysia Air Charter, to which it will now be delivered. MAC is currently operating a leased Dornier 228 which this will replace operator in August. Dornier was showing a 228-200 in the colours of Malaysia Air Charter at the Salon. MAC has been oper ating a 228 under lease, but this will be its own aircraft. The German company is now developing geophysical survey and maritime patrol versions of the 228, and is discussing a troop transport version and an air ambulance. Fairchild has just taken an order from Sunburst Air of Puerto Rico for six Metro Ills. It also plans six for a proposed new West German operator, Direct Air, which hopes to begin services from West German cities to West Berlin in September. Norving is another new Metro III operator, out of Kirkenes in northern Norway. The Metro III does not have the Stol performance of the 228, but it is pressurised and faster. Norving may want more Metros before long. US certification of the PT6A-45R-powered Metro IIIA is expected before the end of the year. This re-engined variant should attract many US operators who already operate PT6A-powered aircraft and do not want to change. Pairchild admits that the type has suffered because oper ators have had power- degradation problems with the Garrett TPE-331 engine, but claims that the TPE-331's new Super Dash 3 modification has cleared up the problem. According to Fairchild, it still has scope for further improvements in the Metro. "We can keep on improving the systems, the payload- range performance, and take off and landing distances," it says. Fairchild is noticing that there is less money around now for airport improve ments, so it is becoming important to improve its aircraft's runway perform ance. Fairchild has only been marketing the Metro III for two years, and now has the IIIA to sell. But a Metro IV is possible, particularly as Fair- child is re-engining the Merlin IV—an identical airframe to the Metro—to produce a 400 m.p.h. cruise speed. Payload-range im provements to the Metro III will produce a claimed range of 750 n.m. with standard reserves and full passenger payload, making it effectively a mini-regional airliner. Embraer announced a new order for three Bandeirantes from Central American Airlines, based in Iowa. Central American also took options on two Brasilias, taking the option list for the type to 107. Embraer announced at the show that it had signed an agreement with the united Technologies Corpora tion for the giant US industrial conglomerate to develop composite materials for all Embraer aircraft. 125-800 orders announced Announcement of the first two orders for the BAe 125-800 followed its official roll-out at Chester on June 1. First customers are to be Goodman Air Taxis and a major UK corporation. Brit ish Aerospace says that the £30 million development programme is "on time and on cost", and it has high hopes that many existing 125-700 customers will "trade up". BAe expects to increase its present 40 per cent pene tration of this sector of the business jet market. To date 125 sales total 556, 80 per cent for export, and production rate is around three per month. Compared with the -700, the 125-800 has 11-2 per cent more range (3,000 n.m.), takes 7min less to reach 35,000ft, has 28kt more maximum speed at 463kt, and needs 900ft shorter field lengths. BAe '$ 125-800 makes an early flight from Chester 1743
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