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Aviation History
1984
1984 - 0085.PDF
WORLD NEWS Wanted: Tigershark customers CENTURY CITY Four customers for a total of 100 aircraft will launch prod uction of the Northrop F-20 Tigershark. The com pany had said that orders for at least 300 F-20s would be required before production of the privately developed fighter was approved. Potential customers include two in the Middle East, an African country, and New Zealand. Persuading four customers to sign simul taneously is proving difficult, however. So far 18 countries have flown the F-20. Northrop is emphasising life-cycle savings with the all- digital Tigershark, with the cost of.operating an F-20 over 20 years being one-half to two-thirds that of equivalent aircraft, according to the manufacturer's figures. Unit cost (at 1983 prices) is given as $10 million. The two Northrop F-20 development aircraft had accumulated 500 flights by early January. Highlights include an 800kt calibrated airspeed down to 5,000ft, Mach 2 maximum speed, 9g manoeuvre load factor, 2,308-mile unrefuelled flight with three 275 US gallon external tanks, and a 97 per cent mission-reliability rate. In weapons trials the F-20 has fired Maverick and Sidewinder missiles, 2 • 75in rockets, and a pod-mounted 30mm cannon, and has released Mk 82 5001b bombs. In addition Tigershark has carried the Harpoon anti-ship missile. Avionics testing highlights include the detection and tracking of a target using Tigershark's General Electric APG-67 multimode pulse- Doppler radar, and a 22sec precision alignment of the Honeywell laser inertial navi gation system. The first phase of avionics testing, 58 sorties and more than 60hr, concen trated on the navigation and communications systems. Testing has now progressed to radar and weapon-delivery system evaluation. TABA introduced its two 146-100s to Northern Brazil this month, bring ing local jet services to the area for the first time. British Aerospace has also demonstrated the aircraft on the Sao Paulo-Rio "Air Bridge" shuttle route Boeing rides bumpy tailwind SEATTLE Last week was a healthy period for Boeing sales. But overall it was not so prod uctive for the 767, with a net reduction in the total sales. It has, however, been good for the 737-200 and -300. Egyptair finally confirmed an order for three 767-200ERs —a good strategic sale for Boeing in the Arab market, where competition against Airbus has probably been fiercest. Deliveries of the three P&W JT9D-7R4E- powered aircraft will begin in July. According to Boeing, part of the centre-tank capac ity (not used in the 767-200) will be utilised to increase the 767's fuel payload from 16,700 US gal to 20,300 US gal. The Egyptair aircraft will have a 5,700-mile range with full payload. Western Airlines, however, has cancelled six 767s, origi nally due for delivery between late 1984 and early 1986. The Los Angeles-based operator has replaced that $240 million order with a $378 million purchase of 12 new 737-200s and six 737-300s, to become the second carrier—after CP Air—to replace 767s with 737-300s. Sales of 767s now stand at 182, down from 185. Western will receive its first 737-200 in November, with deliveries continuing until May 1987. The 737-300s will follow from March 1986 to May 1988. Western will receive the first of three 737-300s already on order in April 1985. Sales of the 737 total 1,239; 56 of these are the re-engined -300. Six airlines have ordered the 737-300. They have placed options on . a further 40 aircraft. China to assemble CAAC MD-80s LONG BEACH McDonnell Douglas (MDC) has signed a letter of intent with the Shanghai Aircraft Industrial Corporation for assembly of 25 MD-80s (DC-9 Super 80s) in China. CAAC will operate the aircraft on domestic and regional inter national routes. MDC claims that the preliminary agreement is the first such aerospace co- production deal between the USA and China. A final contract is expected to be signed during the next six months. The US manufacturer is to provide MD-80 parts and sub assemblies to Shanghai Aircraft, which will produce selected parts and undertake final assembly. McDonnell Douglas will provide technical assistance in China on tool ing, production, and certifica tion. The arrangement calls for possible future co operation in airliner joint development. The Shanghai Aircraft Industrial Corporation has been producing MD-80 landing-gear doors since 1980 under sub-contract. Last month CAAC took delivery of two MD-80s under an earlier order. Sudan buys Strikemaster KHARTOUM Sudan is thought to be the customer for ten Strikemaster trainer/light-attack aircraft being built by British Aero space (see Flight, December 31, page 1734). A small number of aircraft may have already been delivered. Sudan has operated Jet Provosts in the past, and three of five T.55s delivered in the late Sixties may still be flying in the light-attack role. Strikemaster is an uprated version of the Jet Provost T.5 able to carry 3,0001b of stores on eight underwing hard- points. FLIGHT International, 21 January 1984 127
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