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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 2158.PDF
COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT ered to the US Air Force. In 1996, MDC launched the AID-10 programme following an agreement with FedEx, covering the conver sion of around 60 former American and United DC-10-10s to cargo aircraft equipped with an AID-11 based two-crew cockpit. The first phase began in early 1997 with the conversion of the initial aircraft to freighters. The freighter con version involves structural strengthening to raise maximum take-off gross weight, from 186t to 203t. Initial conversions were carried out by Sabretech's Dimension Aviation but that con tract has now been terminated. Other conver sion sites involved include Mobile Aerospace, Alabama, Aeronavali in Italy and the newly cre ated Boeing Aerospace Support Center at the former Kelly Air Force base. Boeing's plant in Wichita is also undertaking some conversions. Phase two of the programme began earlier this year, with installation of the first Honeywell-based advanced common flight- deck (ACF) into a FedEx DC-10-10, with flight testingstartingin die third quarter of 1998. The ACF closely resembles the MD-11 's EFIS cock pit, but has LCDs radier dian CRTs. It also pro vides Category Illb automatic-landing capa bility. Certification is due in December 1999. Delivered 446 MD-80, MD-90, MD-11 -see Boeing/Douglas Products Division. •H»j;wiHi.wHiiii;ii;MiMi;<MiMi»i Shanghai Aviation Industrial Group of China (SAIC), 2650 ZhongShan Bei Road, Shanghai 200436, China; tel: +86 121) 257 3351; fax: +86 (21) 257 3350. SAIC has been the prime Chinese contractor for the MD-80/A1D-90 co-production pro gramme with MDC, and more recently Boeing. Chinese industrial participation in the SAIC MD-90 programme involved three Chinese companies producing subassemblies - Xian Aircraft: wing and fuselage sections; Chengdu Aircraft: nose; and Shenyang Aircraft: the empennage and electrical-powder systems. China originally concluded a licensed pro duction deal with AIDC in April 1985 which ultimately resulted in some 35 MD-80s being assembled at Shanghai from kits supplied by MDC. The last aircraft was completed and delivered in October 1994. Thirty of the aircraft (MD-82s) were delivered to Chinese operators, with the remaining five (MD-83s) sold back to A1DC for onward sale. SATIC Special Aircraft Transport International, 9 rue Guynemer.Colombiers F31770, France. Tel: +33 (5 61) 193 9248; fax: 33 |5 61) 93 7333 Afollow-onagreementwas concluded for the assembly of 20 MD-90-30 TrunkLiners for the Chinese market in Shanghai, but the pro gramme has become a casualty of the major shake-up of China's state-run aerospace indus try. Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) has instructed Boeing's Long Beach plant to stop shipments of material beyond the initial three consignments already delivered to SAIC. Similarly, China National Aero Technology Import & Export has asked die US manufactur er to terminate its TrunkLiner supplier con tracts, such as avionics and engines. It is understood that SAIC has already taken delivery of sufficient substructures, compo nents and systems to complete final assembly of diree aircraft. AVIC is thought to want to finish the three aircraft, but it is not clear which Chinese airline will take die aircraft. The roll out ofdie first licence-builtMD-90-30 by SAIC had already slipped from April until November 1998 and could now slip into next year. AVIC, meanwhile, is said to be discussing becoming a second supplier to Boeing for the 717-200's wing, in a bid to fill the void. Fuller involvement in the 105-seat twinjet would be a virtual full circle for China, which had hoped to produce the aircraft, then the A1D-95, as a fol low-on to die TrunkLiner. In early 1997 McDonnell Douglas (MDC) proposed an MD-80 cargo conversion plan to Aviation Industries of China (AVIC), as part of the supply of MD-90s to Chinese airlines, which would involve the trade-in of the existing fleet of 35 MD-80s for conversion by AVIC into freighters. SATIC A300-600ST "BELUGA" SUPER TRANSPORTER Development of an outsized version of the Airbus A300-600R to carry large aircraft sub assemblies was initiated by Airbus Industrie, which needed a replacement for its ageing fleet of four Aero Spacelines Super Guppy turbo- props employed to ferry subassemblies between Airbus partner plants. The Aerospatiale/Dasa 50:50 consortium Special Aircraft Transport International Com pany (SATIC) was selected for the project, widi the work carried out at Toulouse. The type is based on new-build A300-600R airframes and has an upward-opening nose-section, 7.4m- diarneter fuselage, and a lowered flightdeck structure. An enlarged fin and horizontal-tail end-plates improve directional stability. The aircraft has 400m' greater volume than that of the Super Guppy and 22.5t greater payload capacity. The first A300-600ST"Beluga", powered by General Electric CF6-80C2 engines, was flown in September 1994. Certification was awarded in October 1995, after which the first of five air craft was delivered to Airbus. Beluga capacity is now being marketed to diird parties by a recently created Airbus divi sion - Airbus Transport International (ATI) - which operates the Beluga on commercial cargo Model Engines Dimensions Span lm| Length lm) Height Im) Wing area (nf) notes Landing Accomodation Max Fuel gear Track (m| Wheelbase Im) Tutu radius Im) Typical pax Max pax Cabin width weights (kg) (litres) Takeoff Standard Landing Optional Zero fuel Operating empty A300-600ST Airbus Super Transporter (Behiga) 2 x 262kN GE Aircraft Engines CF6 80C2A8 turbofan 44.84 56.158 260 Field length 9.6 18.6 21.25 155,000 62.000 140,000 133,800 86,500 , at max weights, speeds. Fuel consumption at FAR field lengths take-off ISA sea-level ISA+20c sea level ISA 5,000ft landing ISA sea-level ISA+20JC sea level ISA 5,000ft ISA + 20 C ISA + 20 C 5,000ft 1.950 2,100 2,200 2,350 max weights 5,000ft 1,176 1,280 1,352 1,450 Speeds (kt) Vno Vmo V 295 295 355 Imach) "no Mmo "ne 0.7 0.7 0.77 Cruise performance Max cruise speed (kt) Max alt (ft) Max cruise fuel cons Ikg/hl 295 35,000 4,500 Long range speed (kt) At art (ftl Long range fuel cons (kg/h) 235 35,000 Payload detris Max (kg) Range with max p/l (km) Payload with max fuel (kg) Range with max fuel (km) 47.300 1,666 18,900 6,667 charters, in between commitments to the Airbus production schedule. The division is tar geting up to Si5 million in revenue annually from the spare capacity on the fleet. ATI was awarded its commercial operating licence in late 1996, and flew its first charter shortly after. A fifth Beluga was ordered by Airbus in 1998 for delivery in 2001, which will enable ATI effectively to dedicate one aircraft to die third party contract work. As well as commercial opportunities, the Beluga is also being consid ered by the military for outsized airlift roles. SATIC is studying the Beluga concept on other airframe chasis, such as the A340, to pro vide even larger outsized-cargo capability. Ordered 5 Delivered 4 60 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 19 - 25 August 1998
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