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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 2967.PDF
TECHNICAL: AIR TRANSPORT Dowty eyes Soviet propeller deal BY ALAN POSTLETHWAITE Dowty Rotol is in line to supply the Soviets with propellers for the new Ilyushm 11-114 twin-turboprop, in a deal which could lead to business worth several hundred million pounds over five years. Dowty refuses to comment, but is understood to have reached a preliminary agreement on co-operation, and to be about to supply a number of six-bladed composite propellers to the Soviet Union for tests on a 2,500 s.h.p. Isotov TV7-117 turbine engine. Two of the engines will power the 60-seat feederliner, which is due to fly for the first time in December. It is unprecedented for West ern equipment of this value to be fitted on a Soviet aircraft, but the Soviets were forced to seek a new supplier when Poland's PZL pulled out of the 11-114 programme, having failed to reach agreement on a price for propellers made by the Okecie factory at Warsaw's inter national airport. The Poles say that a plan to supply under carriages for the 11-114 has also been dropped, and this raises the possibility that Dowty might also be negotiating to make these components. Because of Dowty's refusal to comment on the negotiations, it is unclear whether they include the possibility of licence manu facture in the Soviet Union, or are restricted to the supply of completed units. The Polish-built CB-34 propellers that were to be fitted are about 12ft in diameter, and are de-iced by an "electro thermal" system, according to official Soviet statements. Dowty already supplies six-bladed composite propellers for the 2,250 s.h.p. Pratt & Whitney Canada PW125B turbines of the Fokker 50. The Poles say that they have not heard of any negotiations between the Soviets and Western suppliers, but that such a deal would not be a surprise. Dowty must have rivals in Czech oslovakia and the Soviet Union itself, they say. The Soviets are keeping the II- 114 prototype tightly under wraps before its first flight, but have told Flight they intend to build 500 over five years to replace the many ageing Antonov An-24 turboprop aircraft in Aero- flot service. The possible Dowty deal follows inconclusive Rolls-Royce discussions on powering Soviet Ilyushin 11-96 and Tupolev Tu-204 airliners with its fuel- efficient RB.211-535 turbofan.Q Embraer's regional jet is looking for a powerplant Textron joins battle for EMB-145 power LF507—bidding for power Textron Lycoming has entered its bid to power the Embraer EMB-145 regional jetliner, against stiff competition from a General Electric/Garrett team UK CAA clears first simulator under new rules BY DAVID LEARMOUNT IN DUBLIN Aer Lingus' new Rediffusion .simulator, the first to simu late three Boeing types (737-300, -400, and -500), has also become the first to gain UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) operational approval since publication of the authority's new approval specifi cation (CAP 453) two weeks ago. CAA principal flight oper ations inspector Capt John (Dai) Rees, says that CAP 453 is the result of more than eight years' experience in determining what simulators may be allowed to do in formal aircrew training. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Civil Aviation Confer ence are working with the CAA towards standardisation of simu lator approval rules, but there is some distance yet to go, accord ing to Rees. Simulator approval in the UK is won by having a CAA test pilot "fly out" each machine, and the simulator performance is checked against flight-test data obtained during the aircraft certi fication. FAA approval tests are carried out through its automated test guide programme, which checks the simulator's computer data base against the aircraft's performance figures: there is no "fly-out". The FAA is "more data- orientated", as Rees puts it, "... but they are becoming more interested in what we do.," he adds. He acknowledges, though, that the CAA has "only about 50" simulators to monitor, while the FAA "has about ten times that", and a manpower-intensive system like the CAA's may not be feasible in the USA. • and from Rolls-Royce/Allison. Textron Lycoming's proposal is based on the 7,0001b- thrust-class LF507 turbofan derived from the ALF502, currently the most widely used turbofan in the regional/ commuter market and the powerplant of the British Aero space 146. The LF507 has a two- stage LP compressor instead of the single-stage LP compressor of the 502, and is to be operated with a full authority digital engine control unit. The 507 will also incorporate material changes in the casing, and will have a modified lubrication system in its reduction gear unit. A series of other changes intended for the 502 will also be incorporated into the 507 later. The engine will be available to support the EMB-145 flight and certification programme early in 1991. Facing Textron Lycoming is the CFE738 proposed by General Electric/Garrett and the Rolls-Royce RB.580. The former engine was the first to be offered to Embraer, and is based on the GE27 core developed under the US Army's Modern Technology Demonstrator Engine pro gramme. The RB.580, provision ally rated at 7,1001b maximum take-off thrust is capable of growth to around 10,0001b thrust. It is based on the core of the Allison T406. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 30 September 1989 21
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