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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 1764.PDF
assisnaL AVIATION Dassault flies its Falcon 900EX for the first time GILBERT SEDBON/PARIS DASSAULT AVIATION'S new Falcon 900EX long- range business jet had a successful first flight from Bordeaux- Merignac Airport on ljune. The aircraft reached an alti tude of 41,000ft (13,600m) and a speed of Mach 0.82 during its 2h flight. "The aircraft behaved beautifully," says test pilot Guy Mitaux-Maurouard. "All the sys tems and the three new AlliedSignal TFE 731-60 engines worked perfectly well." The 900EX underwent several further test flights before its pub lic debut at the Paris air show, which opened on 10 June. The launch customer is US- based Sony America. First delivery is due in mid-1996, following European Joint Aviation Auth orities and US Federal Aviation Administration certification, which Dassault's Falcon 900EX had its maiden flight from Bordeaux is scheduled for March 1996. The range of the aircraft (with eight passengers) of 8,300km (4,500nm) gives the Falcon 900EX a 900km advantage over the Falcon 900B variant of the air craft, while retaining the same large cabin. The business jet has Honeywell Primus 2000 avionics, which include a five-tube elec tronic flight-instrument system. Dual flight-management systems are standard and a Flight Dynamics head-up display is offered as an option. J Ametek to combine Sentinel with Primus AMETEK, THE Penn sylvania-based avionics man ufacturer, is to integrate its Sentinel data acquisition unit (DAU) with Honeywell's Primus 2000 XP avionics system for the Bombardier Global Express long- range business jet. The DAU will be used to mon itor inputs from the electronic engine-controller, electrical sys tem, air-data computer, hydraulic and other aircraft systems, before passing it via ARINC 429 buses to Honeywell's integrated-avion- ics IC-800 computers. The infor mation will displayed on the automated engine-instrument and crew-alerting system. • Ametek is to supply the inte grated display system for the Agusta A. 109 helicopter. The full- colour multi-purpose flat-panel display is part of the Sentinel instrument system which includes airframe and engine data-acquisi tion units. • FAA reviews air-tour safety advice THE US FEDERAL Aviation Administration is reviewing recommendations designed to increase safety for US air-tour firms operating fixed-wing air craft and helicopters. The move follows recommen dations from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which resulted from an in-depth review of the 139 air- tour accidents or incidents since 1988. The NTSB recommends a national standard and database for air-tour operations and some equipment changes for tourist- carrying helicopters. The NTSB also recommends that the FAA create by the end of this year a national standard for air-tour operations. It also advocates creating a database for such operators, to be used for accident evaluation. Occupants of helicopters should be required to wear life vests during water overflights, and helicopters equipped with inflatable flotation systems should have an activation switch located on one of the primary flight controls, investigators add. The National Air Access Coun cil, an air-tour group, supports most of die NTSB's recommendations, including a proposal that all air-tour operators conduct such tours under US Federal Aviation Regulations Part 135 criteria. J Moller plans four-seat VTOL experiment MOLLER International, man ufacturer of the M200X ex perimental two-seat vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, aims to fly a four-seater, the M400 Skycar, before die end of 1995. Moller is expected to give more details of plans for the Skycar at the Paris air show, which opened on 10 June. The company is exhibiting a mock-up of the M200 configured to carry two occupants. The California-based concern hopes to begin limited M400 production in 1996 before receiving US Federal Aviation Administration certifica tion, which is expected in 1997. The M400 will be powered by eight 90kW (120shp) dual-rotor Moller-builtMR 530 HT engines mounted horizontally in ducts, rather than vertically in the M200X. The Wankel-type rotary engines have a thrust-to-weight ratio of 2.3:1 and only three major moving parts. The round shape and small size of the engines allows them to be placed in the centre of the duct behind the fan hub where it direct ly drives the fan without a gearbox. Thrust is deflected for VTOL operations by dual-vane assemblies in each nacelle. Four independent servo-motors operate each thrust- deflection vane assembly. The M400, which will use automobile fuel, has a projected maximum range of 1,450km (800nm) based on a fuel con sumption of 6.3km/litre. Payload with maximum fuel will be 335kg, while maximum gross take-off weight is 1,090kg. Q NEWS IN BRIEF • POLICE EYE HELICOPTERS Japan's National Police Agency has issued a requirement for five new light helicopters. The Eufocopter/Kawasaki BK.117, McDonnell Douglas Explorer and Sikorsky S-76 are expected to be considered. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14 - 20 June 1995
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