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Aviation History
1999
1999 - 1788.PDF
Egypt to change trainers PAUL LEWIS/PARIS THE EGYPTIAN air force is planning a complete overhaul of its flight training fleet, starting with the purchase of 95 new basic trainers to be followed by a replace ment for its Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet advanced jet trainer. An industry-wide request for proposals (RFP) for the basic train er has drawn responses from Aer- macchi, offering the S.211, and China National Aero Technology Import and Export (CATIC), proposingtheNanchangK-8. The aircraft would replace around 90 of Egypt's ageing Aero Vodochody L-29sandL-39s. As part of the deal, Egypt wants to licence-produce the selected trainer in Egypt. CATIC is under stood to have basically agreed, pro viding it continues to supply subsystems from China. The state sales organisation is keen to secure an international launch order for the K-8 and has been marketing the tandem-seat jet in Africa. China is keen to land a launch order to get the K-8 off the ground Domestic production of the air craft stalled after only 15 were built. Pakistan, which has a 25% stake in the programme, has taken delivery of six, but refuses to order more until the Chinese air force makes a similar commitment to the K-8. China in turn says it will only buy the jet after it has been re- engined with the Progress AI-25. Egypt is being offered the original AlliedSignal TFE721 -powered version of the aircraft. Egypt has also embarked on an information-gathering exercise to find an advanced trainer/light combat aircraft, but has not re leased an RFP. Aircraft under scrutiny include the British Aero space Hawk and Aero Vodochody L-139. Meanwhile, Egypt is talk ing to DaimlerChrysler Aerospace about an avionics upgrade of its 30 McDonnell Douglas F-4Es. • Creditors reject KAI business plan ANDRZEJ JEZIORSKI/PARIS CREDITORS OF the three South Korean aerospace com panies planning to merge into a single operation this year have rejected a second business plan. According to Lim In-Taik, pres ident of Korea Aerospace In dustries (KAI) - the entity being formed by Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries and Hyundai Space & Aircraft - the Corporate Restructuring Com mittee (CRC) representing the creditor banks felt that the plan was too heavily weighted in favour of military programmes. A previous version was rejected this year. Lim says the major programmes in KAI's business plan are based on the "mid- to long-term plan of the military", and that the KAI part ners have full confidence in these programmes. "I think the concern [of the CRC] is 'what if the govern ment has inconsistent policies?' We have taken the advice seriously and will revisit this," he says. Some of the international com panies bidding for selection as for eign direct investors (FDIs) in the merger feel that the current busi ness plan is weighted in favour of Lockheed Martin. Two of the key programmes in the plan are the Samsung KTX-2 - a joint develop ment with the US company - and the continued licence production by Samsung of F-16C/Ds. Lockheed Martin has respond ed to the concerns over military bias by teaming for a joint bid with France's Aerospatiale Matra, sign ing a memorandum of understand ing (MoU). FDI candidates include British Aerospace, GEC and Daimler- Chrysler Aerospace (Dasa), as well as Aerospatiale Matra and Lockheed Martin. All of the com panies have signed MoUs on tak ing a stake of up to 30% in the merged entity. An essential longer-term ele ment of the business plan is KAI involvement in the production of the new generation E-X fighter for the South Korean air force. A request for proposals (RFP) on this programme has been released to Boeing, Dassault, Eurofighter and Sukhoi - offering the F-15, Rafale, Typhoon and Su-30 fighters. Lockheed Martin has not received an RFP because its F-16 Block 50-plus does not meet South Korea's requirement for a twin- engined aircraft. Sources close to the programme say the US company is hoping that South Korea will delay its F-X decision until the US Government permits export sales of the F-22. The air force is looking at a pur chase of 40 F-X fighters, to be in- service by 2007. A selection decision is expected in 2000. • New deal launches GE's CF34 variant GENERAL ELECTRIC has given the go-ahead for the CF34-10, an 18,0001b-thrust (80kN) version of its CF34 region al jet engine, following its selection by Embraer for the ERJ-190. The engine, a derivative of the -8E version selected for the ERJ- 170, will also be produced to power Fairchild's928JET The -10, formally called the CF34-8XX, is on a "fast track" development schedule, like that of the airframe, to meet the target in- service date set by launch customer, Swiss regional airline Crossair. This calls for entry into service in the first quarter of 2004, meaning that engine certification will be in the fourth quarter of 2002. GE held its first "Toll-Gate 1" meeting in Lynn, Massachusetts in early June to begin the design process for the CF34-10E. The engine beat competition from the Snecma - Pratt & Whitney Canada SPW14/16 and BMW Rolls- Royce BR715-50 to win the deal. Possible changes to the new engine include modifications to the basic -8 compressor. "We will de-stage and possibly flare it [to provide increased mass flow], as well as have a new high-pressure turbine, a similar but modified combustor and a 1.3 m (53in)- diameter fan," says GE. The engine is expected to have a new low-pressure turbine and "two to three booster stages". GE believes the CF34-8 and its - 10 derivative have broken the record for sales of an engine that has yet to be certificated. Orders and options for the engine family total 1,258. • NEWS IN BRIEF • OVER THE HORIZON Horizon Air has been con firmed as the North Ameri can launch customer for Bombardier's Dash 8Q400 turboprop with a $321 mil lion order for 15 and options on a further 15 (Flight International, 26May-l June.
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