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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 0545.PDF
WORLD NEWS Fokker sells first F.50s AMSTERDAM Fokker launched its new 50-seat turboprop F.50 into the world last week with orders from Ansett Airlines of Australia and West German regional operator DLT. The two airlines signed contracts within days of each other for ten and six F.50s respectively. Value of the 16-aircraft order is about $112 million, or some $190 million (including spares) if options are taken up. Ansett has placed an option on five more of the type, DLT on a further six. As reported earlier (see Flight, December 22-29, 1984 page 1665) Ansett confirms that the aircraft will be used for regional domestic service routes operated by subsidiary carriers Airlines of South Australia, Airlines of Northern Australia, and Air New South Wales. The airline currently operates nine F.28s and 19 F.27s, and will accept its first two F.50s in December 1986. Certification is expected in July of that year. Lufthansa subsidiary DLT will begin accepting its air craft from February 1987. It should have all six F.50s by late 1988. DLT has specified a non-standard (but unspeci fied) radio navaids fit, a larger galley, and a pantry Fitted out for hot meal preparation. Its F.50s will also have their PW124 engines rated to give 2,400 s.h.p. for take-off if required, rather than the standard 2,150 s.fa.p. This is because Stuttgart take-offs require extra margins owing to the topography. The aircraft will enable DLT to expand its regional and European network, which currently includes Munich- Geneva, Munich-Venice, Hanover-Zurich, and Hamburg-Brussels. DLT presently owns 14 air craft with a seating capacity of between 20 and 44 pas sengers each, including six BAe 748s. Both airlines cited "passenger comfort, quietness and fuel efficiency" when asked why they chose F.50s. Dutch flag carrier KLM tells Flight that it will buy Fokker's new 100-seat jet air- v FLIGHT International, 23 February 1985 craft, the F.100. It is a suitable replacement, it says, for its 19 ageing DC-9s. A spokesman, however, declined to say how many of the aircraft it will order. KLM is presently talk ing to the manufacturer about certain design changes on the F.100, he confirms. Flight understands that the carrier would like an extra door in the front section of the airliner's fuselage to enable servicing of the galley while the passengers are deplaning. KLM is also considering buying a 150-seater aircraft, and says that it has not ruled out the possibility of choosing a propfan-powered aircraft for the long term. • Trans Australia Airlines has put in a $7 million bid to buy Air Queensland. Ansett, which owns 18 per cent of the regional Australian airline, is prepared to pay $7-2 million for total ownership. Record French arms sales in 1984 PARIS French arms export orders reached a record Fr50,000 mil lion (£4,600 million) in 1984. The bulk of this, £3,500 million, comes from two large contracts—with Saudi Arabia for the sale of Shahine surface-to-air missiles, and with the United Arab Emi rates for 18 more Dassault Mirage 2000s. France sold more arms to the USA than it bought from the Americans. In two con tracts worth $83 million, the French sold 4,000 Matra Durandal runway penetration bombs to the US Air Force. Exports to the USA also included Snecma's share of sales with General Electric to re-engine Boeing KC-135s with CFM56 turbofans. France actually delivered arms worth £2,800 million during 1984, exceeding the country's food and agricul tural exports revenue. In 1980 France exported arms worth £3,460 million; in 1981, £3,100 million; in 1982, £3,800 million; and in 1983, £2,600 million. Last year's fig ure, revealed by the French Ministry of Defence, should be confirmed in a statement to parliament in March or April. Netherlands studies A.129 ROME The Netherlands is con sidering the Agusta A.129 Mangusta to meet the Royal Netherlands Air Force's requirement for a future anti tank helicopter. Jan Van Houwelingen, Dutch under-secretary of defence and president of the Independent European pro gramme Group, and Vittorio Olcese, Italian under-secre tary of defence, visited Agusta in Rome on January 16. They paid particular atten tion to the A.129, which can be armed with either Hughes TOW or Rockwell Hellfire anti-tank missiles. No order was placed, but another meet ing with the Italian firm is expected soon, says Agusta. Eurocopter's PAH-2 anti tank helicopter, developed by Aerospatiale and MBB, will also be a contender for the RNethAF contract. Italy and the Netherlands are among five European nations collaborating on a preliminary study of the Nato Helicopter for the 1990s (NH 90), an eight-ton medium- weight helicopter to be devel oped in tactical transport and anti-submarine warfare versions. Britain, France, and West Germany are also involved in NH 90. The UK MoD last week gave the go- ahead to NH 90 feasibility studies. BAe denies Westland interest LONDON British Aerospace and the UK Ministry of Defence deny reports in the weekend press that the manufacturer is being encouraged to buy Westland. "Absolutely no approaches have been made," say BAe. Westland says that it is unaware of any discussions or suggestions of a take-over, though the company confirms its interest in an overseas partner for its hovercraft business. FLIGHT INVEKMATIOHAL NEXT WEEK V As New Zealand three-tier airline Mount Cook faces competition on its scenic flights for tourists, Peter Middleton reports from Christchurch and Harry Hopkins samples a flight on to a glacier in a Turbo Porter. Ian Parker reports from snowbound San Antonio on Fairchild Aircraft Cor poration's view of the future. We include a Flight cutaway by Ira Epton of the PT6 installation in the Metro, currently powered by Garrett TPE331s. Aluminium-lithium alloys offer the prospect of sub stantial reductions in air craft structural weight. Boeing contemplates using them in the 747, saving some five tons. Graham Warwick considers the possibilities.
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