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Aviation History
1986
1986 - 0393.PDF
WORLD NEWS 747 evacuation succeeds EVERETT ~~ Boeing carried out a success ful 747 evacuation test on February 15 without the use of the controversial overwing exits which remain sealed in British Airways' aircraft. All 540 passengers plus 11 BA crew and two pilots were evacuated from the 747-300 through four main deck and one upper deck exit in 80sec. Standard criteria for these tests are a full load of passengers through half the available exits within 90sec. Success with BA's con figuration will probably mean that the airline will not be required to undertake the expensive operation of replac ing its doors. Most other 747 operators have either decided against sealing them or have reopened them. BA comments that the test "has proved that evacuation procedures on this aircraft are to the same high standards as on other aircraft worldwide". Boeing expects to issue a full analysis of the results this week. Mirage 4000 aids Rafale tests ISTRES Dassault-Breguet has resumed flights of its Mirage 4000 as part of the Rafale development programme, reports Gilbert Sedbon. The twin-engined Mirage M000 prototype is being used for extensive tests of canards in turbulence at Istres CEV (Centre d'Essais en Vol) in southern France. The Rafale is currently at Istres undergoing ground runs and vibration tests before its first flight at the end of May or beginning of June. "Everything is going well and running according to schedule," says Dassault- Breguet. The Mirage 4000, built as a Dassault-Breguet private ven ture, made its first flight in March 1979 and gave several demonstrations at Le Bourget in 1979, 1981, and 1983. The French Air Force preferred the single-engined Mirage 2000, now in service, and the 4000 never attracted a customer. French Jaguars in Chad raid N'JAMENA French Defence Minister Paul Quiles said on Monday (Feb ruary 17) that France would move aircraft and troops to Chad following a bomb attack that day on N'Jamena Airport by what he said was a Libyan Air Force Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder. France would be moving a "Deterrence Force", but Quiles gave no details of what type of aircraft or troops would be sent into Chad. There will be no repeat of Operation Manta, when the French Government backed Chad President His- sene Habre's men in 1984. In Manta paratroops, armour, Jaguars, Mirages, Pumas, and C.160 Transalls were deployed. On February 15 French Air Force Jaguars bombed Ouadi Doun airfield in northern Chad. This was in response to a Chad rebel raid involving Libyan soldiers against a Government-held town last week. All of the strike force Jaguars returned safely to their base. US airman on spy charge SAN FRANCISCO A US Air Force serviceman charged with espionage is the first to be tried under a new statute that allows the execu tion of military personnel. Airman 1st Class Bruce D. Ott, aged 25, is alleged to have attempted to sell SR-71 Black bird crew tactical doctrine and a recall roster to Soviet agents. Ott is based at Beale AFB, northern California, where the SR-71s are stationed. Ott, who is alleged to have committed the offences between January 7 and January 22, is the first defen dant charged with espionage to face trial by a military court under military law. 737-200 crashes TAIPEI _ A China Airlines Boeing 737-200 crashed on February 16 with the loss of 13 lives, according to reports in Taipei. The aircraft is believed to have plunged into the sea near the Penghu (Pescadores) Islands, off Taiwan's western coast, after aborting a landing at Makung. The victims are thought to include six pas sengers and seven crew. ESA backs Hotol engine PARIS The European Space Agency has issued two competitive requests for proposals for an "advanced airbreathing rocket engine", each worth £130,000. The move is significant because it shows that the agency is taking serious notice of the BAe/Rolls-Royce Hotol concept of a single-stage-to- orbit satellite launcher, which is powered by such an engine. The British National Space Centre says that Hotol prom ises launch costs only 20 per cent those of Shuttle. ESA has indicated its interest in Hotol, but has given firm support to Ariane 5, a conventional launcher capable of carrying the Hermes manned space- plane proposed by France. BAe admits that Hotol has come along late, and that there may be considerable difficulty in having the project accepted into ESA's spending pro gramme. It is hoping to prove the viability of the concept in the £3 million proof-of-con- cept studies announced by the BNSC last week. Rolls-Royce's engine, called Swallow, is critical to Hotol's success. The engine is still highly classified, but Rolls- Royce technical director Gordon Lewis tells Flight that he is 80 per cent certain that it will work as predicted. The POC studies will last two years, although Rolls- Royce and BAe are likely to release significant details of Hotol before then to attract ESA funding. Cost of the pro gramme is put at £3,000 million-£4,000 million. FLIGHT IHTEmiATIOHAL NEXT WEEK Mike Gaines flies on opera tional missions with the South African Air Force, operating against Swapo guerrillas in the bush war in northern Namibia/ South West Africa. British Aerospace is pushing hard to have its Hotol single-stage-to-orbit launcher accepted into the European launcher pro gramme. Julian Moxon discusses the issues at stake, and describes the Hotol concept. As the ructions of the battle for Westland die down, the company faces an uphill struggle to re assert its position in a confused and crowded heli copter market. Simon Beavis looks at the pros pects and problems. Starship flies WICHITA The full-scale Beech Starship I made its maiden flight on February 15 at Wichita, Kansas. No details being revealed pending a "cere monial" first flight due on February 24. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 22 February 1986
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