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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 2532.PDF
^FARNBOROUGH FIRST NEWS. Rolls-Royce unveiled its RB.211-S24L turbofan at Farnborough Rolls confirms faith in -524L Rolls-Royce will carry on with the RB.211-524L turbofan whether or not it gets launch aid from the UK Government. "We wouldn't have gone as far on the -524L as we have if we were not going to launch it," says manag ing director Sir Ralph Robbins. Rolls-Royce insists that the money is not a gift, but an investment on the Govern ment's part. Rolls-Royce is repaying the Government about £35 million a year for previous projects, Sir Ralph says. The Government has been invited to put up money for the -524L, and Rolls-Royce now awaits its reply. Industry sources estimate that about £300 million will be needed for -524L development, of which about £100 million may be sought from the UK Government. A full-scale model of the -524L was unveiled at the show by Sir Frank Whittle. The -524L will be the most powerful turbofan available, rated at 65,0001b to more than 72,0001b of thrust. Growth to about 77,0001b of thrust is thought possible by moving the fan forward. Rolls-Royce has memoranda of understanding with McDonnell Douglas to power the MD-11, and with Airbus to power the A330 with the -524L from 1993 and 1994 respectively. Sir Ralph believes that Rolls- Royce will soon capture 30 per cent of the civil jet airliner market with its family of engines. Rolls-Royce has also launched the RB.211-524J, an uprated -524G/H rated at 63,0001b thrust. The engine will be available for both the Boeing 767 and 747, especially for hot-and-high performance requirements. Rolls-Royce also says it will have an even better fuel-burn than -524G, which flew for the first time on the 747-400 at the end of last month. Sir Ralph says that Rolls-Royce does not believe propfans will happen very quickly, and is not conducting work on such projects. Instead it is concentrating on ducted fans. Later this year the -535E4 upgrade, the -535E4B, will be certificated at 42,5001b thrust to power the Boeing 757. Rolls-Royce will still not disclose the quantity of Boeing 757s it is in partnership to buy with Irish lessor GPA for onward lease. It is understood to be a substantial number of aircraft, and GPA is now nego tiating with Boeing. Frank Turner, head of Rolls-Royce civil engines, says that the final number of 757s ordered will depend on the production rate Boeing can achieve. Boeing plans to increase 757 prod uction from four a month to five a month by the end of the year, to meet demands from previous customers. EFA trans conditions The memorandum of under standing on EFA radar tech nology transfer will be initialled shortly after the Farnborough Show, MSD 2000 team member Marconi Defence Systems reveals. Marconi's director of Euro pean business development, Nolan Stripling, says that there is no date constraint on MSD 2000 re-export and that the USA has agreed to treat each request purely on the grounds of national security. The USA is unable to give carte blanche on exports because of a law which states that any export order over $14 million must be approved by Congress. Availability is also not a prob lem, says Stripling. All details of hardware, software, and manu facturing procedures would be revealed to all the EFA partners "on day one". The only APG-65 technology that would be with held is the non-co-operative Key staff at Trago Aircraft, joined by businessman Norman Whales, bought the company from entrepreneur Mike Rob ertson just days before the Farnborough Air Show and now have "long-term" finance to start production of the SAH. 1 two-seater. Although financial details of the deal have not been released, it signals a turning point for the project, maintains Brian Strug gles, commercial director of the firm, renamed Orca Aircraft. "The difference is that now we can offer an aircraft for sale," he says. Orca's Bodmin factory could deliver the first £42,500 aircraft from the end of next year, according to the firm. Work on the SAH.l fully aerobatic piston-single began 11 years ago, but until last week its designer, Syd Holloway, and backer Robertson had been unable to find sufficient cash to begin production. This was despite claims of a substantial number of orders promised. A deal with Hungary, involving funding and co-operation on production, foundered last year. The UK Government's detailed target recognition and elec tronic counter-countermeasure software. Stripling claims this is no great loss as it was not expected that the US would be prepared to release it. Indeed, this soft ware is considered so sensitive that the four EFA partners all intend to produce their own. Ferranti is meanwhile displaying a pre-production Blue Vixen, from which its rival EFA radar, ECR90, will grow. Prototype flight trials at RAE Bedford are continuing, and the pre-production radar will soon fly in a second 125 at BAe Dunsfold. "The next aircraft we fit the radar to will be a Sea Harrier," says Ferranti. The company claims Blue Vixen is a model development programme which is right on track and will add weight to its EFA bid. "We have the tech nology and we have the people," a spokesman offered. Department of Enterprise has given Orca a £200,000 startup grant, which calls for the creation of 43 jobs over three years. Around 70 jobs will be created over five years as prod uction builds to a predicted 200 aircraft a year, says the firm's managing director Simon Milton. Holloway has sold design rights to the SAH.l in exchange for 12.5 per cent of the new company. Milton, emphasises that 200 aircraft per year is a realistic target. Orca staff regard. Hungarian involvement as still a possibility, and talks on local manufacture are in progress *. ith individuals in China, Turkey, Greece, New Zealand, and the USA. Milton is unruffled by the problem of product liability insurance which is hitting US suppliers. The SAH.l is of simple, all- metal construction, powered by a 118 h.p. Avco Lycoming 0-235-L2A engine driving a McCauley fixed-pitch pro peller. It is stressed to +6g, and is claimed to have a touring range of 700 miles with two people and 1001b of baggage. UK trainer gets financial backing 12 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 10 September 1988
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