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Aviation History
1987
1987 - 0895.PDF
Two launch two-crew 727s A two-crew 727 would release at least six flight engineers per aircraft to be retrained as pilots, relieving the pilot shortage facing US domestic airlines, argues Page Avjet. The major US modification centre has joined forces with avionics manufacturer Kollsman to develop a two- crew 727 flightdeck. Certifica tion is scheduled for June 1988. The modification will cost "well under" $1-5 million, says Page, a cost which will be recovered within two years through savings on salaries and through the additional revenue generated by the extra seat row that can be installed. The flight engineer is replaced by a "smart" over head panel including a dual-channel fuel-control computer and a master caution panel, plus new solid- state fuel displays. Electronic flight instrumentation and flight management systems are options, and are not essen tial to two-crew operation, says Page. Some 1,800 727s are still flying, and with fuel prices low US domestic airlines are not excessively concerned about the aircraft's fuel consump tion. But a two-crew cockpit will help them reduce oper ating costs, says Page. The two companies are some $4 million into a $10 million certification effort, and are confident of securing a major customer before the end of this year. Valsan, which already has customers for its 727 re- engining programme, has revealed that it, too, is plan ning a two-crew flightdeck. Microcomputer Electronics is studying the use of a two-CRT engine instrument and crew alerting system to replace the flight engineer. The two-crew flightdeck would be certicated in June 1988. It would add $1 million to the basic $8-6 million 727 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 27 June 1987 Rafael reveals TV-guided bomb Rafael showed its recently developed and newly named Pyramid low-cost TV-guided bomb. The company says that, from a high-altitude release, the 400kg weapon can out range any Soviet-built Sam or AAA currently in service except the SA-5, and claims high accuracy with a 3ft CEP. The warhead is derived from a 250kg Mk.82 general- purpose bomb. Pyramid requires no physical interface with the launch aircraft, and can be launched by anything "from a trainer to a 707," says Rafael, with guidance carried out by any aircraft equipped with the necessary TV receiver pod and on-board monitor re-engining bill, says Valsan. The company has orders for and options on 55 re-engined 727-200s, including 15 from launch customer Sterling Airways of Denmark. The re-engining of the 727 to meet stringent Stage III noise limits is something of a gamble, Valsan admits, as there are no US federal regu lations requiring airlines to do so. But increasingly there are local restrictions, and even bans, on aircraft not meeting Stage III. To reduce noise and increase performance Valsan replaces the 727's two outboard engines with Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200s enclosed in Rohr nacelles developed for the MD-80. The thrust reverser is then removed from the centre engine, and its nozzle redesigned to reduce noise. The basic modification reduces fuel consumption by 12 per cent, says Valsan. Winglets will be windtunnel- tested in August, and could reduce fuel bum by a further 5 per cent. A flight management system in the two-crew aircraft could reduce this by another 3 per cent. A Sterling Airways 727-200 modified as a proof-of- concept aircraft flew in March, and has demonstrated that the re-engined aircraft meets Stage III limits, says Valsan. Certification is sched uled for March 1988. Panavia offers advanced Tornados Panavia has announced plans for three advanced Tornado variants. The aircraft will address the electronic warfare (EW) threat to Nato's central front well into the next century. The trinational company will be proposing a Wild Weasel follow-on for the USAF. Panavia plans to offer the airframe, while the United States would provide the EW element. An E-Tornado elec tronic warfare variant is planned which will add active and passive jamming capabili ties to the Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance (ECR) Tornado's existing tactical reconnaissance and defence suppression roles. Panavia is also proposing a specialised reconnaissance variant with both radar and infrared systems linked by on-line transmission to the aircraft cockpit and, via ground stations, to interdictor strike aircraft. Panavia has also announced potential pur chases outside Europe which would help take the orderbook PARIS REVIEW beyond 1,000. As well as Tornado's bid for Japan's FSX programme, Jordan and South Korea are known to be evaluating the aircraft. The Jordanians, for example, are interested in buying two squadrons of Tornado Air Defence Variants (ADV). The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain also continue to be promising markets for Panavia. Panavia's managing direc tor, Hans-Joachim Klap- perich, justifies the proposals as making the best use of the existing investment as well as anticipating the "Zero-Zero" option in Europe. He states: "If an agreement on short- and medium-range nuclear missiles is reached, it will put increasing emphasis on conventional defence to match the Warsaw Pact's formidable air defence capa bility, and developments in early warning systems and anti-radiation missiles." The Eastern Bloc appears set to make substantial improve ments in both hard- and soft- kill systems, and in jamming capability linked by real-time communictions down to platoon level Sam and anti aircraft batteries. Therefore, the suppression of enemy air defences (Sead) will become a priority. On the marketing front, Panavia is optimistic about its orderbook reaching 1,000, given the current oppor tunities. Moreover with Tornado's proven airframe, the aircraft's mid-life update programme will concentrate on countering the developing electronic warfare threats. Emphasis will also be put on reducing of the Tornado Interdictor Strike (IDS) aircraft's radar signature by limiting emissions from the terrain-following and map ping radar. It is possible that Italy might order the Tornado ADV in addition to Tornado IDS. Italy has recently been forced to consider the threat to its airspace from the south, and the Tornado ADV is a prime contender in any future evaluation. Meanwhile, Italy's interest in the Tornado ECR (presently on order for the German Air Force) remains high. Within Europe the possible sale of Tornados to Turkey has been given a boost by the slippage in the General Dynamics F-16 project.
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