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Aviation History
1993
1993 - 0901.PDF
REGIONAL AND UTILITY AIRCRAFT DIRECTORY duced for the former Soviet Union, out of a total of more than 1,000. L-610 The L-610 was first flown in December 1988. The L-610G, a joint venture involving US engine manufacturer GE, is powered by two l,300kW CT7-9D turboprops in place of the earlier l,360kW Walter/Motorlet M602. The first flight took place on 18 December, 1992. The new model provides twice the passenger- carrying capacity of the Let-410 Turbolet and is also pressurised. European JAR 25 and US FAR 25 certification is expected in 1993. The aircraft seats 40 four-abreast passengers in a similar layout to that of the Let-410, in a wider and longer fuselage. Of 12 options placed, Midwest Leasing, based in Guernsey, Channel Islands, has taken options on ten aircraft, the first order from outside Eastern Europe. It intends to lease these to European airlines and has been in talks with Israel Aircraft Industries about an Israeli upgrade of the L-610. MYASISHCHEV (Russia) The Myasishchev experimental engineering works unveiled plans for a ten-seat regional- transport/business aircraft late in 1990. Dubbed Dolphin, the aircraft is being developed from a utility design for short-haul feeder services and cargo flights up to 1,000km. The low-wing design sports pusher propellers driven by two 750kW Lyulka AL-34 turboprop engines. NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL LABORATORY (India) The Indian National Aeronautical Laboratory (NAL) in Bangalore is seeking international partners for its proposed light-transport air craft. The six- to 14-seat aircraft would have an Indian-manufactured airframe with bought-in engines and avionics. P&WC has offered to supply engines for a prototype and tenders have been submitted for other equipment. NAL sees a market for 250 domestic sales and at least 100 export aircraft. If the go-ahead is given, the first aircraft would be completed in about four years' time, with production beginning in 1997, following Indian certification. NAL reports "satisfactory" progress, but in May had not yet begun to translate design into hardware. PARTENAVIA (Italy) P.68/AP-68TP-600 Viator (Wayfarer) Taneja Aerospace and Aviation of India signed a deal with Partenavia in June 1992, to produce the P.68 utility aircraft under licence at a site in Bangalore. Under the agreement, Taneja will build five aircraft a year initially, building up to 24. The AP-68TP-600 Viator, first flown in July 1984, is an updated, stretched, retractable-gear version of the Parte navia Spartacus design. A commuter version with seating for ten passengers is offered. The aircraft is built only to special order. PILATUS BRITTEN-NORMAN (UK) Islander The popular Pilatus Britten-Norman (PB-N) aircraft, including the Trislander, have reached sales of 1,170 and production contin ues. In recent years, the BN-2 design has provided financial success, although earlier the company had been through two changes of ownership. Turnover almost doubled from 1986, to around £18 million in 1991, and was expected to approach £40 million by 1995. The production in 1991 of 15 aircraft has been predicted to grow to approach 30 a year by 1995, including multi-sensor surveillance air craft. PB-N concedes that "eventually" the design must be replaced, acknowledging the shortcomings of its narrow cross-section when considering increases in weight or length. BN-2B Islander FAA type certification was obtained two years after its first flight in June 1964. The current production piston-engined model is powered by either two 195kW Tex- 1993 will see a step up in PC-6 production tron Lycoming O-540s or two 225kW IO-540s, designated BN-2B-26 and BN-2B-20 respec tively. Both variants can be fitted with im proved tip tanks as an optional feature and, from late 1989, three-bladed propellers. The Islander is manufactured by 1AV Bucuresti of Romania. The aircraft is also produced by Philippine Aerospace Development in the Philippines. BN-2T Turbine Islander First flown in August 1980, the turboprop-powered BN-2T is availa ble for the same range of applications as the piston-engined Islander. The engines are 300kW Allison 250-B17C turboprops. First deliveries were made in December 1981. Trislander (See AUDREY PROMOTIONS) PILATUS FLUGZEUGWERKE (Switzerland) PC-6 Turbo Porter The single-engine multi purpose utility transport aircraft was intro duced in 1985. The company plans to step up production from seven to 25 a year, starting in 1993. The PC-6 was introduced in 1985 as a single-turboprop utility aircraft. A total of 500 PC-6s has been produced. Pilatus developed a short take-off and landing PC-6 in 1992. PC-12 Announced in October 1989, Pilatus' first pressurised aircraft, the single-turboprop PC-12 will be available in three variants: Executive, with six seats; Corporate commuter, seating nine passengers; and the Combi, with four seats and 60m3 of cargo space. Demand is expected to come from the Combi model. Pilatus announced in December 1992 that it plans to move the first prototype PC-12 to the USA by April. Subject to Swiss and US air worthiness approval, the aircraft will be based for several months at Pilatus' marketing centre in Vero Beech, Florida. Flight testing of the second prototype begins in April and US certification is expected in December. The company has orders and options for 30 PC-12s. PIPER (USA) Seneca III Bankrupt Piper aircraft's six-seat, twin-engined Seneca III was announced in September 1971. In February 1981, Piper intro duced an improved Seneca III with more powerful engines, the PA34-220T A total of 4,491 Seneca's had been delivered by 1 January 1993. PZL-MIELEC (CIS/Poland) Antonov An-28 Antonov has been considering resuming production of the An-28 (which has been the responsibility of Poland's PZL), re- engined with Garrett TPE331 engines, although the manufacturer is looking more to the larger An-38 in the short term. Following Soviet/ Polish talks in 1978, it was agreed that full production be undertaken by PZL-Mielec. An- 28 plans centre around a straight resumption of manufacture, but with two 750kW TPE331- 10/1 Is in place of the 720kW WSK-PZL Rzeszow TWD-lOBs used in the current Polish WSK-PZL Mielec version. The proposed stretched An-38 variant is expected to seat 27 passengers, compared with the earlier design's 17 passengers, and would be powered by l,125kW Garrett TPE331-14s if present negoti ations are successful. The two companies have exchanged information and are closer to under standing the technical implications of the proposal, according to Garrett. Initially desig nated An-14M, the An-28 first flew in the Soviet Union in September 1969 and flight testing was completed in 1972. The first Polish An-28 flew in July 1984 and the type received certification in February 1986. The aircraft has a rear loading ramp, entered through clamshell doors, fixed tricycle landing gear and is unpres- surised. It also has short take-off and landing performance with automatically deployed lead ing-edge slats, and fixed tail-mounted slats. M-20 Mewa The Mielec-built PZL M-20 Mewa was developed under a 1977 agreement with Piper Aircraft as a Polish version of the Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II. A M-20 Mewa was flown to the USA in December 1992 for evaluation and certification. The version has Teledyne Continental TSIO/LTSIO-360-KB engines and Bendix/King avionics. Mielec is holding talks with Piper Aircraft about its right to sell the Mewa in the US market. REIMS AVIATION (France) Reims Aviation shares, previously held by Cessna, were re-purchased by Compagnie Franchise Chauffour Investissement in 1989 and the company is modernising its production equipment, including computer-aided design systems. Subcontract work is undertaken on Airbus A330/ A340, ATR 42/72, Falcon and Mirage types. In late 1991, Reims was discuss ing with Cessna the resumption of production of the Cessna 425 Conquest I twin turboprop, although plans have not been announced. Caravan II This twin-engined turboprop air craft was a joint development between Cessna and Reims Aviation. The Model 406 Caravan II evolved from Cessna's line of 400-series air craft, combining components from several of these with a new, mid-cruciform tailplane design. The aircraft can be configured with up to 12 commuter passenger seats, as well as alternative eight-passenger executive or cargo configurations. The cargo-pack version of the F406 was certificated in 1989/90. The aircraft is also suitable for military and paramilitary use (as the Vigilant) and is in service with the French army and customs service. The Caravan II received French certification in December FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 21 - 27 April, 1993
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