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Aviation History
1993
1993 - 1212.PDF
GENERAL AVIATION Kamov Ka-226 flight date planned The TBM 700: Socata will announce marketing changes at Paris Socata acts to boost falling TBM 700 sales Aerospatiale general-avia tion subsidiary Socata will unveil a major change in mar keting strategy for its single- engined TBM 700 turboprop at the Paris air show in June. The move is aimed at reviv ing flagging sales of the type, and accompanies an internal review to look at ways of help ing the company weather the general-aviation recession, which is biting hard at the Aerospatiale site at Tarbes, in the south of France. TBM 700 deliveries stand at 63 aircraft, but production has dropped from three aircraft a month to 1.5. "Private orders have virtually dried up," says Socata, "so we're aiming at a much more specialised market." The TBM 700 will now be offered as a multi-role aircraft for military and general- purpose utility work. Several new missions are being devel oped, including liaison/train ing, electronic countermea- sures (ECM), photography, tar get towing, freight transport and medical evacuation. The French air force ordered TBM 700s last year, initially for training, and is expected to order several more. "This gives us a base to promote the TBM 700 to other military custom ers," says Socata. The company has been working with Thom son CSF on an installation for its Barem ECM system. For train ing, it promotes the aircraft's operational flexibility, which it says makes it a useful stepping stone for larger turboprops. Meanwhile, Socata is redoub ling its efforts to push certifi cation authorities in the USA and Europe towards following Canada's lead in agreeing that single-engined passenger air craft be allowed to fly public- transport services under instrument flight-rules. The company says that per mission would result in a jump in orders for such aircraft, which include the Cessna Cara van and the Pilatus PC-12. Plans to improve efficiency within Socata are being pur sued by the company's new chairman, Jean Marc de Raffin- Douerny, who joined in April. The basic strategy of maintain ing an equal balance between complete aircraft manufacture and subcontract work will re main, but a fundamental review will be undertaken of ways to reduce costs, particularly those incurred by suppliers. The workforce of 1,060 will also be reduced, to about 900, mainly through early retirement. The Caribbean series of four- passenger singles (the Tri nidad, Tobago and Tampico) has been faring better in the market, mainly through sales to flying schools. Production has also been re duced, however, from 12 a month at the start of the year, to eight. "It will be even lower than that by the end of 1993," says Socata. D The first prototype of Kamov's Allison-powered Ka-226 light twin-turbine heli copter is to be flown in the third quarter of 1993, says the Russian design bureau's West ern financial advisor, the New York-based Avalon Group. The programme is proceed ing to the schedule agreed when the US company became involved in late 1992, says Avalon chairman Gerry Gitner. The Ka-226, which has two 315kW (420shp) Allison 250 turboshafts in place of the two 240kW radial engines which powered the original Ka-26, will be certificated to US FAR Part 29 standards, allowing sales outside Russia. AlliedSignal General Avia tion Avionics and Lucas Aero- Cirrus Design is to produce its planned ST-50 five- passenger, single-turboprop business aircraft at Duluth In ternational Airport, Minnesota. The company has secured state and city assistance in funding certification and pro duction of the aircraft, which is a development of the Cirrus VK-30 all-composite, pusher- propeller kitplane. Construction of the factory will begin in June and the plant will be operational by the end of 1993. Cirrus plans to fly the prototype ST-50 in mid-1995 and is aiming for first deliveries in 1996. The pressurised, all- composite aircraft will be space are supplying equipment. When the Ka-226 was an nounced in 1990, the proto type was scheduled to be flown late that year. The political turmoil in Russia and the diffi culty of finding financing has slowed the programme. So far, Kamov has built an "iron bird" ground-test article with engines and gearbox installed. The company is installing pro duction Allison 250s in the first prototype aircraft. Avalon is in the process of finding financing for the pro gramme and has arranged nu merous meetings with potential investors. The helicopter is due to be available early in 1995. An international company is being formed to market the Ka-226 worldwide. • slightly larger than the unpres- surised, piston-powered VK-30. A powerplant has not been selected, but Cirrus is aiming for a cruise speed of about 270kt (500km/h). Cirrus has delivered 37 VK- 30 kits to customers and six aircraft are flying. The com pany is moving its headquar ters from Wisconsin to Minnesota and is shifting its focus from producing kits for home completion to manufac turing fully certificated produc tion aircraft. Cirrus plans to build a fam ily of aircraft based on the VK-30's aerodynamic and con struction technology. • NEWS HELICOPTER PLAN Sky-Jet Airlines has begun helicopter-charter services from Annapolis Heliport, Maryland, using an Agusta A.109A-II. The company plans to offer scheduled helicopter services in the Washington DC area. KITFOX TESTS Skystar Aircraft has completed initial flight-testing of the Kitfox XL homebuilt to the US Federal Aviation Administra- BRIEF tion's new criteria for very- light aircraft (VLA). This is a vital step towards the eventual certification of Skystar's new Vixen aircraft under the VLA rulesThe 430kg Kitfox XL is powered by a 40kW (50hp) Rotax 503 and the complete kit costs just under $15,000. CANADA CLEARANCE Beechcraft has been awarded Canadian Department of Transport type-approval for its Beechjet 400A business jet. Cirrus chooses Duluth for ST-50 plant FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 26 May - 1 June, 1993 21
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