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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 1343.PDF
MD-90 slips to early 1989 by Ian Dormer The propfan-powered McDon nell Douglas MD-90s will not be launched before the begin ning of 1989, according to programme vice-president Kim Still. MDC is still awaiting its first order, but, now that it can prove the propulsion system is feasible, the company can "technically market" the aircraft, he says. The General Electric unducted fan (UDF) engine has finished flight-testing on an MD-80, but the competing Pratt & Whitney/Allison geared propfan will not be flying until the end of the year, Still says. The PW/Allison propfan will be about nine months late when it is delivered. Allison's Dr Allen Novick says that the engine has had some endurance difficulties with its Hamilton Standard electrical pitch-change motors. Df Novick believes that a first flight will take place in the late summer or early autumn. No other problems have surfaced, and its performance will meet expected targets, he adds. McDonnell Douglas' specific development costs for the MD-90 project will total about $500 million, Still calculates, although this does not include production initiation. The low costs associated with a deriva tive aircraft result in com petitive pricing:" The prices in mid-1986 dollars will be in the mid-20s for the MD-91 and upper 20s for the MD-92," Still says. "We consider the Boeing 737 the one to beat, as the Airbus A320 has always been more expensive," he adds. McDonnell Douglas coun ters arguments that the market for its fuel-efficient aircraft has shrunk with today's steady fuel price. "If we do our job right and get the price down, then the airlines should wish to buy the most fuel-efficient aircraft as an insurance policy for the future," Still believes. Bill Eckels, MDC's programme engineer ing manager, points out that the industry cannot respond quickly enough to the whims of the oil market. "Our job is to get a business plan that makes sense to McDonnell Douglas at a price the airlines can and will pay," Still says. None of the airline concerns is technical, Eckels says, and vibration will not really be an issue in the final product, he believes. The great est concern of European airlines is the interior layout, as they want the maximum flexibility for the competitive years ahead. Both the MD-91 and MD-92 will be launched at the same time, although the smaller MD- 91 is expected to gain type certi fication first. The larger MD-92 is forecast to sell more in the long run, with sales split approximately 60:40, Still esti mates. McDonnell Douglas would like to gain certification for the MD-90 series as an amended type certificate of the MD-80 series. Favourable initial discussions with the US Federal Aviation Authority have taken place, particularly on how the engine and fan blades are being designed, according to Robert Conboy, General Electric's manager for the GE36 UDF production engine. Extensive testing is leading to the acceptance of an 81b bird- strike requirement, and ensuring that the blades do not separate for any engine-related reason. General Electric's intention is also to ensure that any "liberation" of a blade will not have catastrophic consequences. The composite blades react differently from metal ones and shatter when they break: in tests so far, the largest shattered fragment weighed no more than 4oz, Conboy says. Now that flight tests have finished, General Electric is continuing its UDF windtunnel testing with greater confidence in the close correlation to actual performance. GE is attempting to improve on the 10 x 8 blade configuration flown on the MD- 80 demonstrator. As wind- tunnel tests have provided favourable results, fewer than 10 x 8 blades may be used, Conboy suggests. McDonnell Douglas is still contemplating offering an MD- 80 retrofit with propfan engines, but this would probably be arranged through its Chinese MD-82 partners. The Shanghai factory has worked on the project, and cheaper Chinese labour may make it more economic. Nevertheless, costs to the airlines will have to be studied closely, Still says. Fairchild sues BAe over order lost to Jetstream Fairchild Aircraft has filed a $50 million US lawsuit against British Aerospace. The Texas- based company accuses BAe of wrongful conduct, mali cious intent, and covert, unlawful activity to cause a customer airline to cancel an order for ten Metro aircraft. Six new Metro Ills and four remanufactured machines were to be supplied to WestAir for use by its affiliate NPA, a Washington-based United Express airline. WestAir had put down $50,000 on the first aircraft, Flight understands, and this was to be a rolling deposit on each subsequent machine. After the contract was signed in February 1987, Fair- child claims that BAe wilfully and intentionally caused termination of the agreement. The carrier later ordered the same number of Jetstream 31s and took options on as many as 30 further such aircraft. BAe declined to comment. Metro V schedule set Fairchild Aircraft has finalised the schedule for certification and production of the Metro V follow-on to its successful Metro III regional airliner. A manu facturing prototype is set to begin flight trials in February 1990, with US certification planned to permit delivery to the first customer in January 1991. A technical advisory commit tee comprising several Metro operators will meet next month to help Fairchild evaluate systems and passenger features. The manufacturer reports several firm orders for the Metro V, and a corporate version had been launched with orders from two distributors and an unnamed industrial customer. A second series of wind- tunnel tests, using a General Dynamics facility in San Diego, was scheduled to begin this week to examine the deep-stall characteristics of the design, which introduces a T-tail as well as a new cabin section. The first series of tunnel tests was completed last month at the Texas A&M University, where 162hr of powered tests evalu ated longitudinal stability, fin and tailplane effectiveness, and trim tab requirements. A fatigue test is being carried out on the Metro V cabin window installa tion to prove design predictions of a 1,000,000-cycle life. Fairchild is preparing static tests for the Metro V wing to confirm performance at 16,0001b maximum take-off weight with the higher gust loads called for in Far Part 23. • Early next month Fairchild Aircraft expects to complete UK certification of the Metro III, with the initial aircraft being delivered immediately thereafter to Air Metro. Modifications to meet UK requirements have included the introduction of a new dual- redundant stall-avoidance system and dual continuous water injection. Escape hatches that can be opened from outside are fitted, as is a modified aileron aerofoil. Fairchild tests T-tail Metro V's deep stall characteristics FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 21 May 1988 9
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