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Aviation History
1996
1996 - 0276.PDF
HEADLINES F124 powers Australian T-45 bid GRAHAM WARWICK/ATLANTA McDONNELL DOUGLAS (MDC) has selected the In ternational Turbine Engines (ITEC) F124 as the primary en gine in its bid to sell the T-45 Gos hawk trainer to Australia. The T-45's existing Rolls-Royce Turbo- meca Adour 871 turbofan will be offered as an option in MDC's pro posal to meet die Royal Australian Air Force requirement for a lead-in fighter trainer. ITEC, a joint venture between AlliedSignal Engines and Taiwan's AIDC, tried unsuccessfully to oust the Adour from US Navy T-45s in Kiss-seal tear forces BA to ground 777s BRITISH AIRWAYS grounded two of its three Boeing 777s on 31 January, after tears were discov ered in kiss seals on their engine tlirust-reversers. The affected seals are between die thrust-reverser cowl and die pre-cooler inlet. The grounding comes as General Electric and Boeing received clearance from die US Federal Aviation Administration to begin extended-range twin-opera tions testing of the GE90-powered aircraft. "We learned that the airflow seals were deteriorating more quickly than expected," says Boe ing, which "...has experts working with BA to resolve this issue". The manufacturer adds diat the problem was detected during the flight-test programme when die seals "...didn't have die life cycle we expected". Boeing and the FAA have asked BA to inspect the seals every 250 flight hours. BA was expecting to return die aircraft to service by 5 February. • Pratt & Whitney has advised operators of certain PW4000 en gines to replace die Hamilton Standard electronic engine controls in their engines, after vibration tests resulted in a capacitor "working its way loose". 3 1994, after congressional pressure. The Navy preferred to stay with die Adour, but a successful Aus tralian bid may re-open the issue. Subsequently, the F124 was selected to power die Czech Republic's Aero L-159 light com bat-aircraft. The F124 is a non- afterburning version of the F125 engine powering Taiwan's AIDC A-l Ching Kuo indigenous defence fighter. AlliedSignal claims that the 28kN (6,3001b)-thrust F124 offers greater performance and lower life-cycle cost dian die Adour, widi 10% more thrust and increased durability and reliability. Allied- T-4S bids letin IU24 Signal and AIDC will cover the cost of qualifying die engine on die T-45, with tlie Navy willing to act as die certifying authority, die en gine manufacturer says. Qualification of die F124 for the L-159 is under way, and a flight- test engine will be shipped this year. ITEC anticipates a produc tion order at die end of 1996, widi deliveries beginning in late 1997 or early 1998, about the time engines would be required for the T-45. AllfedSignal says diat T-45 engines would be assembled in Australia. MDC is competing against Aer- macchi, with the MB.339FD, and British Aerospace, with the Hawk (on which the Goshawk is based). Bids are due in mid-March and selection is due in late 1996. • Exim approves Aeroflot financing AEROFLOT-RUSSIAN Inter national Airlines (ARIA) is to receive $1 billion financing from the US Export-Import Bank (Exim) to help purchase 20 Wes ternised Ilyushin Il-96M/Ts. The financing covers the US content in the aircraft, including engines and avionics, and will be guaran teed by the Russian Government and by pledges on the aircraft. Exim is negotiating a frame work agreement which will enable asset-based financing of US avia tion exports to Russia. This agreement, expected to be im plemented before delivery of the first 11-96 to ARIA, "...also will enable Exim to consider financing for export of large US commercial jet-aircraft into the Russian mar ketplace", the bank says. The deal has not been universally welcomed, with Russian Government ministers and ARIA executives crit icising the terms of the loan. The first production aircraft, an I1-96T freighter, is expected to be completed at the end of March, and Russian certification is sched uled for the end of this year. Ilyushin plans to deliver five to seven aircraft a year, beginning in 1997. Pratt & Whitney PW2337 engines, Rockwell-Collins avion ics, Sundstrand generators and other US components account for $50 million of the Il-96M/T's $80 million purchase price. • AI(R) poised to challenge Regional Jet JULIAN MOXON AND GILBERT SEDBON/TOULOUSE AERO INTERNATIONAL (Regional) (AI(R)) is studying a new 70-seat regional jet to take on competition from Canadair's planned stretched 64-seat version of the Regional Jet. The study was announced by AI(R) chief executive Henri-Paul Puel as he unveiled an order for 15 ATR 42-500 regional turboprops from Air Littoral. The regional-jet move has heightened expectation that Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA) will become part of a wider regional-aircraft grouping based around A1(R). The AI(R) boss believes that die market for "a new 70-seater re gional jet" between now and 2010 stands at over 400 aircraft. The Fokker 70 and Ai(R)'s own Avro RJ70 are the only competitors, although a launch decision on die stretched Canadair Regional Jet is expected tiiis year. Assuming that DASA can off load its interest in the Dornier 328 turboprop, it would not bring any aircraft in current production to the AI(R) group. Its participation in a wider European grouping would be virtually essential, given the likely $1 billion development cost of the new aircraft. DASA has signalled its continued interest in regional jets since the Fokker debacle — preferably in some sort of arrangement involving Airbus. Puel says that the 70-seater will need to be followed by an 85-seat version, adding that the aircraft "...should be launched before the year 2000". Talks have been held with several potential engine sup pliers, including BMW Rolls- Royce with its BR715. Puel says that developments of existing aircraft in the AI(R) range will continue, although the plan for an 80-seat version of the ATR 72 is likely to be dropped. A faster version of the ATR 72 is on the cards, however, along with a mari time version of the ATR 42, being promoted strongly by ATR part ner Alenia. Increased cabin pres- surisation for the Avro regional jets is alsoplanned. 3 See News Analysis, PP26-7. 4 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 7 - 13 February 1996
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