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Aviation History
1990
1990 - 3023.PDF
COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD British carrier Dan-Air is providing a site for Valsan to modify a leased Boeing 727, leading to United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority approval. Federal Express, the overnight small- package carrier, has seven of its 727-2S2F purpose-built freighters modified by Valsan and now in service, with eight more to follow, allowing night operations into se lected Stage III airports. Two executive 727s have been modified so far, one -200 and a -100, with two more under firm contract to be completed this year. Programme status: orders, 67; options, 98. Valsan Partners 3010 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, NY 10577, USA. Tel: +1 914-694-3600; Fax: +1-694-6062; Telex: 825379 VALSAN UF. Federal Express also has its own hushkit- ting programme under way on its other Boeing 727s. Produced in conjunction with Pratt & Whitney, Federal Express Stage III kits are being made available to other operators through its FEASI subsidiary. Certification testing of the Stage III kit on Boeing 737-500 orders stand at 215 727-100s and early-model -200s fitted with Pratt & Whitney. JT8D-7s was completed earlier this year and -200s with JT8D-15s • and JT8D-17s STC is expected soon, t A 727-100 with JT8D-9 engines was due to get its STC in mid-1990. The twa outboard engines are fitted with acoustic cowls and modified pylon fairings. All three engines are fitted with overhauled and refurbished front-fan compressor blades, new thrust-reverser cascade, internal thrust-reverser assemblies and shroud as sembly. The modification work is carried out by BFGoodrich subsidiary TRAMCO near Seat tle, Washington, usually within two weeks. Federal Express Aviation Services 2600 Nonconnah Boulevard, Suite 132, Memphis, TN 38132, USA. Tel: +1 (901) 922-6881; fax: +1 (901) 922-6872. Boeing 737-200 Production of the 737-200 has come to an end. New noise legislation could impose artificial limits on the -200's useful life and also the economics of its CFM56-powered derivatives are attractive. Improvements were continually applied to the -200 and the most recent examples have carbon/epoxy elevators, rudder, spoil ers and ailerons as standard. Several companies are working on noise- reduction modifications for early Boeing 737s, to enable them to meet the new noise rules. Boeing 737 The initial model 737-100 flew for the first time in April 1967, but was quickly followed by the slightly stretched 737-200 in August the same year. Programme status: 737-100/200: orders, 1,144 including 30 for the -100; delivered, 1,144. Production of the 737-200 com pleted with delivery of last example to Xiamen in August 1988. Nordam has orders for 60 Boeing 737-200 hushkits, with options on a further 51 shipsets. The system is being developed with Pratt & Whitney as technical director. Nordam will hold the supplemental type certificate, expected in 1991. The system has completed about 50h running at Nordam's Tulsa, Oklahoma, test-rig. Nordam expects to fly the modified engine in December 1990. Nordam 510 South Lansing, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120, USA. Tel: +1 (918) 587-4105; fax: +1 (918) 438-9543; Telex 158105. Sound Solution, a Dalfort Aviation subsidi ary, hopes to fly its proof-of-concept engine in October 1990, with take-off thrust im proved by 5% and effective perceived noise reduced by 22dB. Certification and customer installation of the system on a JT8D-17 is timed for late 1991. Costing about $2.7 million, the modifi cation supplements the already modified mixer on the JT8D, which accelerates the mixing of core gases and bypass airflow. The combined airflow is directed through a nozzle and into an ejector shroud deployed aft during take-off and landing. The shroud introduces cold air into the acoustically treated nacelle, almost doubling mass flow and reducing exhaust temperature, pressure and Mach number, resulting in reduced noise. Sound Solution 7701 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75209, USA. Tel: +1 (214) 358-7468; fax: +1 (214) 357-3954; Telex: 3719063. Boeing 737-300 The -300 remains the most popular version of the 737 in terms of sales. The orderbook has increased by over 114 since the last directory, almost double that of the previous year and 50 aircraft have been delivered. The -300 series represents a major upgrade of the -200. Boeing has skilfully maintained commonality where possible. The greater commonality of the -300, -400 and -500 series is a major advantage in the face of competition from the Fokker 100, MD-80 or the A3 20. Boeing is able to offer "mix and match" deals covering various models of the 737 as well as the 757 and 767. The reliability and maintainability of the -300's CFM56-3 engines has proved out standing and has removed any doubts smaller 737 operators have had about switching from the JT8D-powered -200 to the -300 when they considered additional aircraft. The new model made its first flight in February 1984, from its launch in March 1981. Deliveries began in November 1984. Stretched by 2.8m compared to the 737-200 and powered by the CFM56-3, the -300 also makes use of technology developed for the 757 and 767 programmes. It is not simply a stretched 737-200. It is offered with maximum weights between 56,470kg and 63,050kg and the 97.9kN-thrust CFM56-3B2 is an option in place of the 89.0kN CFM56-3B1. Optional auxiliary fuel tanks are also available. All 737s have the same type ratings. Programme status: orders, 968; delivered, 614. Customers, 47. Production rate all 737 models: now 17 a month, increasing to 21 a month in 1991. Boeing 737-400 The 737-400 made its maiden flight in February 1988. Three aircraft took part in the relatively short test programme and all 20 deliveries have now been made to launch customer Piedmont- USAir. The -400 is Boeing's main contender in the 150-seat market. The attractive eco nomics of the -400, and its relatively low price, make it a strong competitor for the MD-80 and A320. Sales successes include: Aer Lingus (5), Air Europe 6 (7), Air UK 1 (1), Asiana (5), Australian 2 (9), Bavaria Flug (4), GPA 33 (13), Hapag Lloyd 7, Icelandair 3, ILFC 6 (7), KLM 3 (7), Luxair (2), MAS (10), Orion (4), Piedmont/USAir 20, Royal Air Maroc (2), Sabena (2), Sobelair (2), South west (4), TEA (6), Thai (7), USAir 14 (28). The seating capacity of the -400 is up to 19 more than the -300. The -400 accommo dates 146 passengers in mixed-class layout, 159 in all-tourist and 170 in charter config uration. Boeing claims that the -400 will produce seat-kilometre costs 26% better than those of the similarly sized 727-200 and 7% better than those of the 737-300. ,,*, The 737-400 fuselage is 3m longer than "that of the -300. Lower-hold capacity rises from 30.0m3 to 38.5m3. To cope with the higher passenger loads, the maximum land ing weight has been increased from the 51,820kg of the -300 to 55,000kg. The -200, -300 and -400 can all share a common pilot type rating. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 3 - 9 October, 1990 55
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