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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 2047.PDF
Novair, British charter operator of two 737-400s, is flying its aircraft again contention (initially not accepted by the CAA) that the problem did not merit grounding, but derating. The FAA states, "CFM56-3C fan blades have failed in fatigue when operated at CFM56-3C thrust ratings. It has also been determined that CFM56-3C stage 1 fan discs have experienced cracking of the dovetail post when operated at CFM56-3C thrust ratings. A total of three fan blades have failed at the part-span shroud location. "Based on materials analysis of the failed hardware, the failure has been determined to be of high-cycle fatigue in nature. . . . The cracked fan disc has not yet been metallurgically examined. The exitation source for these high vibratory stresses is not yet known, and the engineering investigation is continuing." The high-cycle fatigue refers to vibratory cycles. None of the three engines involved in fan fail ure had flown more than 600 operating cycles. Air Europe, which operates four 737-400s and is thus the UK airline hardest hit by the ground ing order, modified three of its aircraft and had them airborne within 36 hours of the CAA's instruction. The airline expected to have the fourth 737-400 in the air within another 24 hours. • Starship needs more shielding Individual airworthiness certifi cates for the Beech Starship are being withheld until the manu facturer can satisfy new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements on shielding of its electrical systems from electro magnetic radiation. The new requirements, which are also applicable to other new designs, do not affect the aircraft's over all certificate of airworthiness, which was granted in June 1988. The FAA's new high-energy radio frequency (HERF) require ments caught Beech on the hop, especially with the severity of the requirement that the systems be immune to radiation as strong as 200V/m2, described by the company as "extraordinary". The new HERF regulations, which are applicable to all electronic flight instrumentation system- equipped aircraft, mean that Beech must retest systems such as the digital instruments, stall- warning devices, and the forward-wing rear-flap monitor. The company needs some 90 days to do so. According to Beech, some of the instruments already fitted to Starships will have to go back to supplier Rock well Collins for extra shielding. The new requirements have grown out of concern over the strength of new air defence radars, such as those installed at Fort Otia, Massachusetts, and on some US aircraft carriers: • Israel demands F-16 production Israel Aircraft Industries (LAI) is to demand that any future F-16 procurement by the Israeli Air Force will involve "massive" co- production and final assembly in Israel, a senior IAI source tells Flight. IAI contends that although the IAF is a bigger F-16 customer than the Turkish Air Force, the F-16 is being manufactured in Turkey but not in Israel. "We will do our best to persuade the Government to put in that condition as part of any future negotiations with the USA. Such co-production will help us to keep our fighter manufacturing capability since termination of the Lavi fighter programme," says IAI. General Dynamics' vice- president for programme devel opment Dain Hancock tells Flight that, should Israel make such a demand, "it will be accepted; the only problem is whether it will have an economic basis because of the small number of aircraft". The IAF has already taken delivery of 150 F-16s. Delivery of the 60 additional F-16C/Ds included in the Peace Marble 3 deal will begin in mid-1991. Israel holds options for 15 addi tional F-16C/Ds, but it seems that the IAF would prefer to buy more McDonnell Douglas F-15s before the production line is closed than to use the options, which expire later this year, p MSB in Czech EMS talks Czechoslovakia is to begin talks with Western helicop ter manufacturers later this month on acquiring three heli copters for an improved domes tic air ambulance service. MBB Helicopters, one of a number of firms in Europe and the USA approached by the Czechs, says it is "hopeful" of selling three BK.117s and expects to be asked to quote prices within a "few weeks". Two years ago MBB demon strated a BK.117 to the Czechs, and last month had talks with trade officials in Paris. A BK.117 with basic interior costs DM3-5 million (US$1-78 million), but medical equipment pushes the price beyond DM4 million. Aerospatiale and McDonnell Douglas Helicopters have been the most successful of Western firms selling helicopters to Eastern Europe. • ECAC takes on airworthiness The 23-nation European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) has decided that the European Joint Aviation Authorities system (JAA)—formerly known as the Joint Airworthiness Require ments system—should become one of its activities. The JAA was set up to develop and apply stan dard airworthiness codes. If ratified, the decision will have far-reaching effects, the most significant of which will be to increase the number of participating nations from 13 to 23, and to make geographical Europe (not merely the European Community) more politically aware of the benefits of 'co ordinating civil air transport airworthiness standards. The new arrangement is expected to be ratified "shortly", when the JAA states sign a memorandum of understanding which will make the JAA a committee within the ECAC organisation. It will, however, retain its own financial and procedural arrangements and its own secretariat. The JAA, which was set up by nine ECAC states in 1979, is separate from the Conference. Further plans include extending airworthiness standardisation to maintenance and operational requirements. The present JAA nations are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. ECAC membership includes the above plus Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Jugoslavia, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Portugal, and Turkey. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 1 July 1989 5
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