FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1989
1989 - 0462.PDF
Belgium takes leadership course Brazil orders Tracker conversion The Brazilian Air Force has awarded IMP of Halifax, Nova Scotia, a C$40 million contract to re-engine 11 anti-submarine Grumman S-2 Trackers with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67 turboprop engines. Brazil operates eight S-2As and six S-2Es in the anti submarine-warfare role from the aircraft carrier Minas Gerais. When embarked, the Trackers and their crews come under Brazilian Navy control, the Navy normally operating no fixed-wing aircraft. Re-engining will improve the aircraft's performance and extend its service life well into the next century, says Brazil. Turboprops will also relieve the problem of having to operate only from airfields where avgas is available. IMP started work on the Turbo-Tracker in response to a Canadian Armed Forces requirement. A prototype, using a converted Canadian airframe, first flew on September 15 last year. Work on the Brazilian aircraft is scheduled to begin in a couple of months. Some S-2s will be converted in Canada by IMP, and the rest by the Brazil ian Air Force using IMP- supplied kits. The relocation of the NATO Tactical Leadership Pro gramme (TLP) course for fast- jet pilots from Jever Air Base in West Germany to Florennes in Belgium will not lead to a vast increase in low-level operations in uncontrolled Belgian air space, says its Air Force. West Germany is to transfer some low flying out of the coun try, including the 2,400 sorties a year flown by pilots on the TLP course. The programme will move to Florennes and use new accommodation built for the recently withdrawn US Air Force ground-launched cruise missiles. When the TLP moves to Florennes there will be only a marginal increase in the num ber of low-level hours flown over Belgium, says the Air Force. "The annual number of planned TLP sorties will be 2,100, rather than the 2,400 planned at Jever. Of this planned figure only about 80 per cent will actually be flown, because of bad weather or aircraft unserviceability, so that means about 1,700 to 1,800 flown sorties a year from Florennes. Of these sorties, only 80 per cent will be at low level and, on those, about two-thirds of the sortie will be over the Netherlands, Germany, and France, with one-third over Belgium. So we are looking at perhaps 350hr a year low-level flying over Belgium arising from the TLP courses." US Special Forces gain independence US Special Forces are to have their own equipment budget from October 1991. The US Special Operations Command, based at McDill AFB, Florida, under the command of Army Gen James Lindsay, will have full authority to act as a separate defence agency for budgetary purposes. The operational chain of command, direct to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, remains unchanged. The Special Operations Command is a joint-Service organisation responsible for covert operations and low- intensity conflicts. Units assigned to the command in clude the Army's Green Berets and Delta Force, the Navy's Seals (Sea, Air, Land), US Marine Corps reconnaissance units, and Air Force Special Operations Groups. Under the previous system of funding the various Special Forces have suffered somewhat from inter- and intra-service jealousies. The formation of the Special Operations Command im proved the situation, but, although the Command could submit its proposals, the parent service had the final say, usually allocating Special Forces' fund ing a low priority. RAF flight protested Uruguay has lodged a diplo matic protest with Britain after a Royal Air Force Lockheed TriStar diverted to Montevideo while en route to the Falklands. The aircraft > was diverted because of high crosswinds at its destination, RAF Mount Pleasant. Agreements with the Uruguayan and Brazilian governments allow diversions under such circumstances, but call for aircraft outbound to the Falklands to return to Ascension before continuing on to the Falklands. In this case the TriStar went on to Mount Pleasant. The RAF says that the aircraft's captain "had intended to return to Ascension, but when about 1,000 n.m. from Montevideo, was ordered to proceed to the Falklands". NEWS IN BRIEF • More Tucanos for Egypt Egypt has ordered a further 14 Embraer Tucano trainers in kit form. The contract is worth an estimated $25 million. Egypt placed an order in 1983 for 120 Tucano kits, 80 of which were subsequently re exported to Iraq. The remaining 40 have now all entered service with the Egyptian Air force. D Australia equips ship The Royal Australian Navy training ship HMAS Jervis Bay is to be equipped to operate up to six Sea King- sized helicopters or two Chinooks. A lift will be fitted so that the present vehicle deck can be used as a hangar. Saudi Arabia to relocate AW ACS Saudi Arabia is to relocate its five Boeing E-3A Sentry air borne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft to the upgraded Al Kharj Air Base. Under a $222 million, four- year contract, the Saudi firm Al Hanaki will construct an apron, taxiway, utilities, hangars, and basic infrastructure. Saudi AW ACS are currently located at Riyadh's former airport. Construction supervision at Al Kharj will be carried out by local firm Dar al Riyadh, which originally designed the base in a joint venture with US firm Frank Basil. A further contract for the construction of mainte nance workshops and support buildings will be awarded shortly. France loans Transalls to Red Cross The French Air Force has loaned the International Red Cross two Transall C.160 military aircraft to deliver food supplies to famine-stricken regions of southern Sudan. The regions are controlled by rebels, preventing the larger C-130 Hercules landing in the area. Each flight supplies about 7-5 tonnes of maize, grain, and red beans. 8 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 25 February 1989
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
