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Aviation History
1996
1996 - 3118.PDF
NBAA SHGW REPORT Orenda puts off piston approval ORENDA AEROSPACE has delayed certification of its 370-560kW (500-750hp) piston- engine family after testing was halted by crankshaft manufactur ing defects. The Canadian firm now expects to certificate the en gine in the second quarter of 1997, rather than by die end of 1996. Orenda says that die final ISOh endurance test required for certifi cation was terminated because of known flaws in die crankshaft. New hardware is expected widiin 12-16 months, die company hopes to resume testing where it left off. Meanwhile, testing of other im provements continues, including cast-iron cylinder sleeves for the aluminium block and new Cos- worth-supplied pistons and rings. Flight testing of the Orenda engines on a Raytheon Beech King Air could begin early in 1997, using "good" examples of the original crankshafts, the company says. Stevens Aviation has ordered 140 450kW engines with which to re- engine King Air C90s, and produc tion deliveries are due to begin in the second or third quarter of 199 7. Orenda expects to select a Can adian site where it will make the engines and refurbish and re-engine Cessna421 andPiperNavajo piston twins. A de Havilland Canada Bea- er, re-engined by Orenda, is to be flown early in 1997, as is a re- engined Rockwell Twin Commander. The company says that it has supplied engine data to high-per- formance-kitplane manufacturer Lancair, to Pilatus Britten-Norman for possible re-engining of the Defender4000 and to StarKraft for its planned pusher-tractor twin. • NEWS IN BRIEF • STABILITY MODIFICATION Avcon Industries has won a $2.5 million contract from courier AirNetfor Avcon Fins stability modifications to more than 20 Learjets. The initial $500,000 deal is to modify three aircraft for com pletion in the second quarter of 1997. Dassault predicts record deliveries in 1997 DASSAULT AVIATION SAYS THAT IT will deliver a record 56 business jets in 1997—the first year it will deliver four air craft types—the Falcon 50EX, 2000,900B and 900EX. The first production Falcon 50EX, newly certificated, was displayed green at the NBAA show, before delivery to Dassault's Little Rock, Arkansas, com pletion centre. The 50EX will account for 12 deliveries in 1997, the 2000 around 20 and the 900B and extended-range 900EX the remainder. Bell Boeing takes the wraps off the BB609 civil tilt-rotor THE SIX- TO NTNE-passen-ger civil tilt-rotor (CTR) air craft which Bell Helicopter Tex tron (BHT) and Boeing Heli copters have agreed to produce jointly is set to have its maiden flight in mid-1999, says the joint- venture company. As previously reported (Flight International 30 October-5 No vember), the partners on the larger V-22 Osprey military tilt-rotor air craft have agreed to pool their resources to build a CTR aimed at the corporate market. Bell is leading the CTR develop ment, with a 51 % stake in the pro ject. The production work will be split along the lines of V-22 pro duction and final assembly will take place at BHT's Fort Worth site. Officials believe that the corpo rate aircraft, which is "...the logi cal, evolutionary, outgrowth of the Osprey programme, will be the bridge for the aviation industry and the flying public to the next gener ations of CTRs. A CTR for the regional-airline industry will re quire additional time and exposure to the V-22. The 609 is the right aircraft to set the market tone for tilt-rotors," they add. Previously known as the D-600, the BB 609, which will be powered by two l,380kW (l,850shp) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67A turboshaft engines, would achieve US Federal Aviation Admini- Bell Boeing are aiming for a mid-1999 first flight of the civil tilt-rotor stration certification in early 2001 with first deliveries to follow immediately. Four BB609 proto types will be built for the flight-test and certification programmes. P&WC plans to certificate the PT6C-67A and start production deliveries in mid-2000.The rival LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft was rejected. Project officials say that it offers insufficient power and is less mature than the PT6. According to Jim Morris, head of Boeing Helicopters, the BB 609, which will feature composite- materials construction, digital flight controls and an advanced glass cockpit, will be pressurised and certificated for instrument flight into known icing conditions. It will offer cruise speeds of up to 275kt(510km/h)anda 1,390km (750nm) range. The aircraft, which will sell for $8-10 million, will have a seat-cost-per-kilometre equal to or better than twin helicopters at more than twice the speed and range, adds Morris. Company studies predict a mar ket for about 1,000 BB 609s over the next two decades. "The market is there, but we are five years away from delivering aircraft and we are still a few months away from being able to offer hard specifications," says BHT chairman Webb Joiner. • 10 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 27 November • 3 December 1996
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