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Aviation History
1996
1996 - 1554.PDF
mSNMRAL AWJAfJUtt Global Express is readied for flight GRAHAM WARWICK/MONTREAL BOMBARDIER IS conducting flight-test readiness reviews on the first Global Express long-range business jet. The first flight is on schedule for September, says Bom bardier Aerospace executive vice- president, engineering, John Hol ding. Final safety-of-flight reviews are planned for late August. Final assembly of the second of four Global Express flight-test air craft is already under way at Bombardier de Havilland in Tor onto, Canada. The static-test arti cle is being prepared for limit-load ing testing, scheduled to begin in early August at Canadair in Mon treal. Testing of the fatigue-test article is to begin in early 1997, also in Montreal. Holdingsays that the first Global Express, aircraft 90001, will be delivered to Bombardier's flight- test centre at Wichita, Kansas, in October 1996, after around 25h testing at Toronto. The aircraft is expected to have its debut at the US National Business Aircraft Assoc iation show in November. System-functionality tests with the first aircraft are planned forjuly, followed by ground engine-runs in mid-July. BMW Rolls-Royce has delivered flight-test BR7210 engines, which have been installed. Ground-vibration tests are planned for early August, leading to low- and high-speed taxi tests in late August, with roll-out on 2 5 August. Holding says that the Global Ex press programme is "on schedule, on budget and on track for a first flight in September 1996." • NEWS IN BRIEF • NARITA ACCESS The Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau QCAB) has moved to increase slots for business air craft at Narita Airport. Under new procedures effective from 1 July, business aircraft flying international routes can use two dedicated slots at the airfield out of 3 5 5 slots per day for scheduled operations. PW206 to power Bell 427 RAMON LOPEZ/WASHINGTON DC THE PRATT & WHITNEY Canada PW206D turboshaft engine has been selected by Bell Helicopter Textron to power its new light twin, the Bell 42 7. The 450kW (600shp) PW206D was chosen over the Allison Model 250-C22+ and the Turbomeca Arrius 2 to power the new light twin-turbine rotorcraft being de veloped by Bell and South Korea's Samsung Aerospace. Certification is due in late 1998. The 42 7 is intended to be a rival for the Eurocopter EC135 and McDonnell Douglas MD Explor er. A1995 price of S1.9 million has been set for the derivative of the new light single-turbine Bell 407, deliveries of which began early this year. The helicopter has a 2,725kg gross weight and includes the 407's four-blade composite main rotor, with diameter increased by 600mm, to 11.3m. The 407 fuse lage is being stretched by 3 3 0mm to provide room for a larger fuel tank. It will accommodate a pilot and seven passengers. Samsung Aerospace will be the sole-source manufacturer of Bell 427 cabins and tailbooms. The flight dynamics will be built by Bell in Fort Worth, Texas, with final assembly to take place at the com pany's commercial products manu facturing centre at Mirabel, Que bec, Canada. The South Korean firm will conduct assembly and completion at its Sachon plant for aircraft sold in South Korea and China. Bell originally planned a twin- turbine version of the 407, dubbed the 407T and based on the present 206LT, but the concept was scrapped because of payload/range limitations. • Atlanta Olympics will host Free Flight DEMONSTRATION OF A helicopter-transportation sys tem at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, in July and August has been extended to include fixed-wing aircraft. Two general-aviation aircraft, a Cirrus SR20 and a Mooney 201, will be used as airborne platforms to test signal strenguhs of the global- positioning system (GPS) in a cor ridor running up and down the eastern USA. US Federal Aviation Admini strator David I Iinson describes the Adanta Short-Haul Transportation System (ASTS) demonstration as an important part of the FAAs "Free Flight" programme to move to a satellite-based air-traffic-man agement system. The ASTS is being set up in Adanta to enable goods, emergency services and VIPs to be transported swiftly over the city during the Olympics. Up to 50 helicopters will take part in the research pro gramme, each equipped with Arnav Cirrus SR20 will host GPS signal-strength tests for Olympics Systems' GPS receivers and VHF datalinks. FAA controllers will mo nitor and control helicopter move ments using a Harris system, which will display aircraft positions on large computer-screens. Hinson says that the ASTS pro ject "... is a new endeavour and new sciences and technologies must have a beginning. We are seeing the evolution of vertical flight and the development of the technology of satellite navigation, which I believe is the most important advance in the history of navigation since we started using the stars." • Jet plans acquisitions to boost core-business resources J ET AVIATION IS in talks to acquire K-C Aviation's Trans portation Services (KCTS) and Jet Professionals subsidiaries. Agree ment is expected in the next 60 days, with the two companies about to enter due-diligence investigations. K-C Aviation says that it is selling the transportation-services com panies to free up resources to streng then its core businesses of comple tions and maintenance. Earlier this month, parent company Kimber- ley-Clarke sold its interests in regional carrier Midwest Express. KCTS provides charter and management services from its Montvale, New Jersey, base, while Jet Professionals provides consult ing and personnel services from Shelton, Connecticut. Terrance Kelley, president of Jet Aviation's US operations, says that the purchase will expand the fleet under its management to 70 aircraft in the USA and more than 145 air craft worldwide. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 19 - 25 June 1996
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