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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 1408.PDF
ttffifiRSWIl AVIATION ST50 heads for Paris CIRRUS DESIGN HAS COMPLETED US flight-testing of the ST50 single-turboprop business-aircraft and shipped the engineering prototype to Israviation in Israel. Duluth, Minnesota-based Cirrus developed the all-composite ST50 under contract to Israviation. The prototype will be re-assem bled in Israel, where flight-testing is scheduled in preparation for the aircraft's first public appearance, at the Paris air show in June. Israviation is building two ST50 production prototypes for certification testing. US and Israeli certification is planned for 1996. Starships go to NASA for advanced GA programme RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT has donated two Beech Starship twin-turboprop business aircraft to NASA for studies relat ed to the US Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (AGATE) programme. The AGATE programme is intended to combine the re sources of NASA, the US Federal Aviation Admini stration, industry and universi ties to develop new technologies which could revitalise the gener al-aviation (GA) industry. Raytheon is a key participant in the programme and chairs the board of the AGATE executive council, elected on 11 April. An AGATE aircraft, illustrating technologies intended to make GA aircraft safer, more affordable and more attractive, is expected to be demonstrated by 2001, when the programme is due to end. The two all-composite Starships are expected to be used by the NASA Langley Research Center as testbeds for various AGATE technologies. Raytheon has stopped produc tion of the pusher-propeller Starship, which is regarded as a technical success, but a marketing failure. Seventeen aircraft remain at the Raytheon factory in Wichita, Kansas. Chairman and chief executive Art Wegner says that, despite selling five of the canard-configu ration aircraft since the beginning of 1995, the company has no intention of restarting the Starship production line. • Finance deal clears way ahead for SJ30 RAMON LOPEZ/WASHINGTON DC FINANCING FOR produc tion of the Swearingen SJ30 light business-aircraft is now in hand, allowing ground to be bro ken this month for the final assembly plant at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport in Martinsburg. SJ30 production is made possi ble by the formation of a joint venture between San Antonio, Texas-based Swearingen Aircraft and Sino Aerospace Investment, which includes Taiwan Aerospace (TAC), the Chinfon Group, President Enterprises, Tontex and United Microelectronics. The deal, which is worth over $150 million, was finalised in late April. Taiwan is contributing $48 million in its first aerospace investment in the USA. The plant will employ 800 workers. The joint venture was brokered by Lockheed Martin, as part of its $600 million offset commitments from the sale of 150 F-16 fighters to Taiwan. Lockheed is providing technical and management assis tance and $10 million in cash, but is not a shareholder in the 50:50 partnership. US certification and initial customer deliveries of the eight- place Williams Rolls-Royce Fj44-powered SJ30 is expected 26 months from now. TAC will provide the SJ30's fuselage and wings. The empennage will be built in either West Virginia or Taiwan. Swearingen says that it holds firm orders for more than 60 Sj30s, representing a two-year production backlog. Peak output will be eight aircraft a month. Q New Zealand operator tries V8 power on agricultural aircraft AGRICULTURAL operator Super Air has begun in-house certification work on a Ford V8- powered variant of the Fletcher FU-24 agricultural aircraft. Hamilton, New Zealand-based Super Air will seek an initial sup plemental type certificate (STC) to operate its own fleet of 14 FU- 24s, and will eventually pursue full type-certification. The lO.Slitre liquid-cooled engine is based on the Ford 460 automotive engine, but is highly modified and now built entirely from aluminium allov. The unit, which develops 410kW (550hp), drives a three-bladed fully feather- ing and reversible Hart/.ell pro peller through a reduction gear. Managing director Mike Keen says that the company consid ered turbine types, including the new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-35-powered Cresco vari ant. He sought a cheaper option, how:evcr, which emulated tur bine characteristics, including quiet operation and reversible thrust for the country's short, grassed airstrips. Test flying of the aircraft is expected to begin in June. • NEWS IN BRIEF • KESTREL ROLL-OUT Kestrel Aircraft has rolled out the prototype of its Model KL-1A piston-single aircraft. The Oklahoma- based company has started taxi tests with die aircraft and plans to conduct its maiden flight by the end of this month. The four-seat aircraft is the first of five variants in the four- to six-seat range which is now under develop ment by Kestrel. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 17 - 23 May 1995 21
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