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Aviation History
1997
1997 - 2745.PDF
HEADLINES SATIC studies A340 Beluga designs MAX KINGSLEY-JONES/LONDON AN OUTSIZED cargo "Be luga" derivative of the Airbus A340 is being proposed by Super Airbus Transport International (SATIC) as an option for deliver ing A3XX subassemblies to the final assembly line. SATIC, the Aerospatiale/ Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) joint venture responsible for the design and manufacture of the original A300-600-based Super Transporter (ST) "Beluga", is examining several outsized cargo developments of other Airbus models. During 1998, SATIC will deliver die last of four A300- 600STs ordered by Airbus to replace the Super Guppy turbo- props, moving subassemblies between the partners' factories. SATIC's chairman Ugo Drager says that the company may start work on an Airbus option for a fifth A300 ST later this year. •.....,....,lV.-,V--••;•• Several derivatives are being examined, including a full Beluga conversion Drager says that SATIC is now "preparing a number of potential freighter projects" based primarily around the A330/A340 airframe. "In principle it is possible to upgrade the A340 in a similar way to the [A300] Beluga, but it would be larger and therefore could carry more components." Studies range from a simple side-cargo door equipped A340 version, through to a full "Beluga" A340-300. Another proposal combines die standard maindeck with die lower nose and cockpit of the Beluga and a for ward, upward-opening cargo door. The existing Beluga has a cargo bay diameter of 7.4m, and Drager estimates that this would have to be increased to around 10m for the A340 version to carry the larger A3XX subassemblies, such as fuse lage sections. Studies are based on the A340-300 airframe "for the time being", says Drager, but adds that an even larger version could be developed from the stretched A340-500/600, when it becomes available in 2002. A330-based derivatives have also been studied. Drager emphasises diat die var ious studies are simply "possibili ties" at the moment, but expects more definitive plans to be agreed upon in the coming weeks.The plans are being treated with cau tion by senior Airbus executives. Significantly SATIC recently demonstrated an A300 Beluga at Boeing field, Seattle,duringa cargo industry symposium. Drager sees die Beluga as an ideal way to speed up Boeing's component transport ation, which at the moment relies on road, rail or ship transportation. "For sure Boeing will think about the air transportation of parts," says Drager, but he concedes diat there has so far been "no reaction" from the US manufacturer about leasing the Beluga. • Finnair opens talks with BA on alliance FLNNAIRHAS opened alliance talks with British Airways to compete with the Star Alliance partners SAS and Lufthansa in Scandinavia. The Finnish carrier says that no shareholding is on the table. The talks will cover a range of options stretching from linked frequent flyer programmes and code-sharing to joint marketing and sales, effectively replacing the Finnish airline's former agreement with Lufthansa, which began to founder after die German airline linked with competitor SAS. Finnair announced in August that it would end its seven-year alliance with Lufthansa and co-operation is due to terminate formally on 25 October. Finnair has already begun a chal lenge to SAS with an aggressive expansion in the Swedish market and a series of codesharing links widi Denmark's Maersk Air, Braathens SAFE and Transwede. Since May, further European code-sharing deals have been struck with Swissair, Austrian Airlines and more recently Air France, which begins a codeshar ing co-operation between Helsinki and Paris on 26 October. Despite diese deals, largely lim ited to individual routes, Finnair has said that it intended to join one of Europe's emerging global alliances. Braathens is understood to have been keen to include the Finnish carrier in its proposed partnership with KLM, which was announced in August. KLM plans to complete the purchase of a 30% equity stake in Braadiens early next year, also effectively tying in Transwede, in which the Nor wegian carrier owns 50%. If Finnair links widi BA it would effectively mean that all three of Europe's major alliances are now able to fight it out in Scandinavia, leaving only Maersk as a major independent. SAS admits that it had feared that Braathens would join with BA, building on an exist ing frequent flyer programme link. Finnair says that it will focus on "optimising" connections between its own flights and the BA global network via London Heathrow and Gatwick. • Cassini takes off on mission to Saturn THE NASA/EUROPEAN Space Agency (ESA) Cassini- Huygens spacecraft was despatched successfully en route to the planet Saturn 42min after launch by a Titan 4B/Centaur from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 15 October. The spacecraft, which had been surrounded in controversy because it uses a nuclear powerplant, will reach Saturn in July 2004 after a protracted series of gravity-assist planetary fly-bys of Venus in April 1998 and June 1999, of the Earth in August 1999, and of Jupiter in December 2000. After becoming the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, the Cassini will deploy the ESA Huygens probe to land on the moon Titan in November 2004. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 22 - 28 October 1997 5
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