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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 2042.PDF
WORLD NEWS Beth Shemesh board resigns TEL AVIV The entire board of directors of Beth Shemesh Engines has resigned after the annual report revealed losses of more than $60 million for the last financial year. The state- owned Israeli company is scheduled to license-build the Pratt & Whitney PW1120 engine for Israel's Lavi fighter. The board resigned because of the losses, and in protest at the Government's refusal to pump "adequate" money into Beth Shemesh to help it weather its financial diffi culties as well as to expand its factory for PW1120 produc tion. The directors also claimed that the Government failed to invest a promised $20 million in the company, which meant that it had to go else where for more expensive finance. This led to the resig nation of the previous chair man, during the summer. Israel's ministry of Defence, which originally recommended that Beth Shemesh build the engine, has appointed an advisory committee to look into the company's finances. Despite its financial diffi culties, Beth Shemesh has a good technical reputation, and there are rumours that private investors might be interested in buying up Government shares should the company begin building the PW1120. An interested party is bound to be Israel Aircraft Industries, principal con tractor on the Lavi. IAI has an engine facility, and so control of Beth Shemesh would mean that it could more easily rationalise investment for the Lavi. Current plans call for trans fer of 80 per cent of the PW1120 to Israel over the next five years. Sensitive components of the engine, such as the high-pressure turbine, will remain under Pratt & Whitney control. 1266 The first Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR.ls to be based in West Germany have been delivered to XV Sqn at Laarbruch; the unit's Buccaneers have been passed on to 16 Sqn. Plans call for eight RAF Tornado squadrons in Germany, one forming every four months. Next will be 16 Sqn, followed by the Bruggen Jaguar squadrons. IX Sqn might move to Bruggen from Honington in 1986, and then II(AC) Sqn, which operates Jaguars in the reconnaissance role, will convert last No easy exit via Chapter 11 WASHINGTON D.C. Bankruptcy is not, "and Congress would not permit it to become", a quick escape device from collective bargaining agreements, says the chairman of the US House Aviation Subcommittee. California's Democrat rep resentative Norman Mineta said that no matter how uncomfortable the relation ship might be between air line management and labour, "if one side can readily escape from the other, through the bankruptcy code or any other quick getaway device, that side would lose incentive to work toward agreement". Mineta pointed out that the bankruptcy court has yet to approve the request of Continental Airlines to abro gate its labour contracts. "The question of what Continental can and cannot get away with has only begun to be answered," he said. "Anybody who believes that the present circumstance is the conclusion of the story, and that it is a story that would solve their problems as well, needs his head examined and his legal department replaced." If there is any other airline or transportation company "considering this [bank ruptcy] as an attractive way to beat the necessity of going back to its unions, I say think again," rep. Mineta said. • According to Clark Onstad, Continental's vice-president for Government affairs, flight operations are now back to 50 per cent of "pre-petition" levels. Traffic is building steadily at Continental, despite the fact that all of its major labour unions are on strike against it and some connecting airlines are still refusing to honour the airline's tickets, he said. Beech places Starship contracts WICHITA " Beech has placed component- manufacture contracts for the composite Starship I turbo prop twin. The Fibre-Science Division of EDO has won a contract understood to be worth more than $5 million for construction of the main wing at its facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. Construction of the fuse lage will be handled by the Fibre Technology Corpora tion, also in Utah. The tail cone will be built by Goldsworthy Engineering (California), and the nose section by Beech itself. Civil Black Hawk from Sikorsky STRATFORD Sikorsky has announced a civil variant of the UH-60, and restricted category certifi cation in FAR Part 21.25 has already been granted by the FAA., The S-70C has a basic empty weight of 10,1381b and a maximum take-off weight of 22,0001b. Maximum speed at sea level and 15°C is 162kt, giving a range of 297 n.m. with 20min fuel reserve. The aircraft incorporates the S-70A airframe, dynamics, and systems, but power is supplied by two General electric CT7-2C engines. Maximum single-engine hover weight is 16,0001b. Sikorsky is not yet quoting a price, seating capacity, full certification date, or a production schedule. The S-70/UH-60A Black Hawk can carry 11 fully-equipped infantrymen. Sikorsky presi dent William F. Paul says that "nearly two decades ago Sikorsky developed a civil utility version from the (US) Navy's SH-3 Sea King. This later spawned the popular S-61Ls and Ns. We now want to repeat history by presenting in that same marketplace the S-70C. Production versions of the S-70A have been in service since 1978, and a fleet of more than 450 aircraft has flown more than 200,000hr. FLIGHT International, 12 November 1983 \ i J
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