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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 3151.PDF
; Kvtml ajisiaiifl»ii»wflartBa9»»*>*' Europe sees first 737-400 by Ian Dormer Air UK Leisure took delivery of Europe's first Boeing 737-400 at the end of October. The third production -400 is on lease from Ireland-based GPA, and follows the first two now in service with US carrier Piedmont Airlines. Air UK Leisure, sister company to schedule airline Air UK, began charter services from London Stansted to Faro in Portugal the day after the UK Civil Aviation Authority granted the 737-400 a certifi cate of airworthiness, and Air UK Leisure its Air Operator's Certificate for the type. Air UK met the whole $350,000 cost of putting this latest 737 variant on the UK register. Modifications were largely carried out by Orion Engineering, at East Midlands Airport, to save money and time, and because Air UK has installed a third, forward galley to offer improved meal services. Air UK Leisure started char ter operations this year with two Boeing 737-200s on lease from GPA. The second -200 will leave the fleet when Air UK's third 170-seat -400 arrives in July. The airline holds an option to buy the three GPA- leased aircraft, but has also ordered two -400s direct from Boeing, which are due for deliv ery in April 1990 and 1991. Air UK Leisure also holds options on another two 737'400s for delivery in 1991 and 1992. The second -400 joining the airline's fleet will be based at Manchester. The aircraft will be there for a planned five years, flying about 3,000hr in the six prime summer months. The first three 737-400s will have a maximum take-off weight of 143,0001b and a range of 2,100 n.m. A "good winter's work for the aircraft" has been booked, with flights to Helsinki, Palma, Tenerife, Moscow, and Leningrad, as well as skiing holiday destinations and other ad hoc work. Air UK Leisure is largely dependent on Air UK for services and takes all its crew from the scheduled carrier. US A320 line denied French Transport Minister Michel Delebarre has categori cally denied reports that a second assembly line is to be built in the USA for a stretched version of the Airbus A320. "In the present state of Airbus programmes, nothing justifies the existence of two assembly lines geographically separated," he said. "Everything else to date is but sheer speculation. The future of the Airbus lies in Toulouse." Aerospatiale chariman Henri Martre has also denied the reports, saying that, while nego tiations continue with aircraft manufacturers in the USA, there is no question of building a second assembly line. "If we can secure immediate orders for 500 A320 aircraft and its stretched version in- the USA, then maybe we can think of a new assembly line there". ATR flies first stretched ATR72 by Gilbert Sedbon The first Aerospatiale/Aeritalia ATR72 twin-turboprop regional airliner made a successful 2hr 55min maiden flight from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport on October 27. The second ATR72, already beginning its high-speed taxi ing tests, is due to fly at the end of November or early in December. A third ATR72 will fly next February to complete the flight-test programme lead ing to certification in June 1989. The first delivery will take place a month later, followed by immediate entry into service. The first airliner with a carbonfibre wingbox, the 66-70-seat ATR72 will, accord ing to its designers, boast a direct operating cost only 12 per cent higher than that of the 46-50-seat ATR42. The tip wingbox is a l,5001it fuel tank made up of self-stiffened car bonfibre panels, and incorpo rating carbonfibre spars. Composites are already used in the ATR42 to reduce weight and costs, and represent 15 per cent of wing structure weight. In the ATR72, composites form 30 per cent of wing structure weight, for a 20-30 per cent reduction in weight. Available in two versions, with take-off weights of 1,9-9 tonnes and 21-5 tonnes,. the ATR72 is designed to carrj up to 70 passengers. Firm orders stand at 23, with 23 others on option. Main clients include Pan Am Express and TW Express in the USA, Ontario Express in Canada, and Finnair in Europe. ORDERBOOK Egypt Air has ordered two Boeing 767-200ERs powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. The aircraft, which are estimated to be worth about $140 million, will join Egyptair's three other 767s in April and September 1989. The extended-range aircraft will have a full payload range with reserves of about 5,600 n.m. Swiss airline Balair has ordered its fourth McDon nell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft. The MD-83 is scheduled for delivery in March, 1990. The airline now operates three MD-82 airliners on charter services. Canadian Airlines Inter national has converted two of its 16 options for Boeing 767-300ERs for delivery in the spring of 1990. CAI already operates four 767s, and will receive another four next year. Zurich-based Zimex Avi ation has ordered a British Aerospace Jetstream 31 for delivery at the end of November 1988, to be used by the United Nations as a communications transport for a peacekeeping role in the Middle East. Zimex will operate the aircraft as part of a Swiss Government- financed project. Qantas has ordered two more Boeing 747-400s. It now has eight of the Rolls-Royce RB.211-524G- powered models on order, with the latest two due for delivery in April and May 1990, to fly on routes to London and Frankfurt. Dan-Air has ordered a Brit ish Aerospace 146-300 for its UK regional routes. Dan- Air already operates three 146-100s on UK and Euro pean services. The -300 will be delivered to Dan-Air in spring 1989. Total orders for the BAe 146 now stand at 142. Ansett New Zealand has placed an $50 million order for two British Aerospace 146-200s for delivery in March 1989. Transportation group TNT, parent com pany of Ansett Transport Industries, has so far ordered 22 146QT freighters. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 5 November 1988 5
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