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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 3358.PDF
AERO INDIA %j^ India's continuing efforts to become self-reliant in aerospace were on view at Aero India 98, in Bangalore from 8- 12 December, in the shape of projects like the ALH helicopter and Astra missile. But the continued non-appearance of the Light Combat Aircraft three years after it rolled out is evidence that it still has some way to go. Howard Gethin reports HAL and Airbus sign on A320 freighter HINDUSTAN Aeronautics and Airbus Industrie have signed a memorandum of under standing to study cargo versions of die A320 family. Initially, the study will explore the commercial and technical aspects of the project. Freighter, Quick Change and Convertible versions of die A319, 320 and 321 are under considera tion. The aircraft would have a large cargo door, reinforced floor and roller tracks to allow easy load ing of pallets. • Indian airlines will need up to 215 airliners worth $18.6 billion between now and 2017, according to Airbus Industrie. About 124 of the aircraft will be single-aisle types, and the rest widebodies, says Airbus. Indian carriers were operating 97 airliners at the end of last year and the entire fleet will need replacing within 20 years. • Indian Airlines to order six ATR 42-500 turboprops INDIAN AIRLINES is to order six ATR 42-500 turboprop air liners from the Franco-Italian ATR company. The deal also marks die start of a manufacturing cooperation between Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and the European aerospace concern. "Indian Airlines has not con veyed its decision to us, but its board has approved die production contract, which means our finan cial offer has also been approved," Luciano Fava, ATR's vice-presi dent for sales, said at the show. It is not clear whether government approval is still required. The agreement signed by HAL and ATR is essentially a three- phase partnership leading poten tially to joint production. The first stage is expected to involve just the customisation of the aircraft for the local market. HAL has been seek ing a turboprop assembly deal for several years without success. Further orders from carriers such as Indian Airways and possi bly privately owned carriers like Jet Airways will be needed to push the figure above 60 aircraft in either the 50-seat ATR 42-500 or ATR72 ATR 42 order marks the start of a joint manufacturing programme configuration before a second pro duction line would be considered. Production work for ATR would largely go to Hindustan Aero nautics' Kanpur Division, which already builds the Fairchild Dornier 228 under licence. The deal with the state-owned carrier is expected to be for five firm aircraft and options on a fur ther six. ATR has a similar deal under way in China, where its subcon tract work with local aerospace companies is related to sales of the ATR 42 and 72. The ultimate aim here is also to set up a production line, although slow sales in the country have delayed implementa tion of assembly work. • The Indian Government has ruled out a merger of Air India and Indian Airways, just days after the joint airline board approved a report by consultants recommend ing the move. On 7 December, the joint airline board approved the creation of a holding company, of which both airlines would be 100% subsidiaries. • India unveils Astra but keeps wraps on LCA INDIA'S DEFENCE Research Development Organisation has unveiled the Astra long-range active radar guided missile. The research organisation claims the weapon could be test fired for the first time next year. The 3.8m (12.4ft)-long weapon weighs 148kg (3251b), including a 15kg prefragmented warhead trig gered by a radio frequency proxim ity fuse. The missile use inertial midcourse guidance updates, with terminal homing by active radar seeker. The weapon is similar in appearance to a stretched Matra 530 with four long cruciform short-chord wings and four small tail fins close behind. The missile body is 178mm in diameter in the rear section, nar rowing to 160mm just ahead of the wings. The Indians say 85% of the technology was derived locally. The weapon is destined to be carried by the locally developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which despite being rolled out diree years ago has still not made its maiden flight and was not dis played at the Aero India show. The latest schedule being offered for the first flight of the LCA is 1999. The first aircraft is said to be destined for a mid-year maiden flight with a second aircraft joining the test programme later in the year. The Indian Government claims that the sanctions imposed on India by the US Administration in the wake of the nuclear weapon tests conducted earlier this year have had only marginal affect. Lockheed Martin was helping iron out problems on the flight controls before Indian engineers were ordered to leave the US company, while General Electric is supplying engines for the prototype as India develops its own Kaveri engine for production versions. Production is due to start in 2003, although based on the speed of progress to date this seems unlikely, say Western observers. The Kaveri engine has complet ed 840h of ground testing, around one-third of the programme. It is to be test flown in Russia. 3 8 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 16 - 22 December 1998
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