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Aviation History
2000
2000 - 1603.PDF
U*M*IIAL AVIATION FAA drops Mu-2 ice system requirement THE US FEDERAL Aviation Administration has scaled back an icing airworthiness direc tive (AD) affecting the Mitsubishi Mu-2B twin-turboprop, by removing the requirement to fit an ice-detection system. The decision dramatically re duces the cost of the AD to opera tors of Mu-2s, but the FAA says a group studying aircraft in the Mu- 2's class may require installation of an ice-protection system. The revised AD requires instal lation of systems for de-ice moni toring, automatic autopilot disconnection and trim-in-motion alerting, and auto-ignition engine relighting. The FAA estimates the cost of compliance with the scaled-back AD at almost $26,000. Addison, Texas-based Turbine Aircraft Services, which supports the Mu- 2, says the pricing and availability of an AD compliance kit will be determined by the end of May. • NEWS IN BRIEF • BELL 407 IMPROVES Several improvements have been certificated for the Bell 407 single-turbine helicopter, including an increased maxi mum take-off and landing alti tude of 17,000ft (5,200m) and higher gross weights - 2,380kg (5,2501b) with inter nal payload and 2,725kg with external payload. • CIRRUS DOWN UNDER Cirrus Design has certificated its SR20 in Australia, the first of several international ap provals planned for the all- composite light aircraft. The first SR20 for Australia was delivered this month. • COMAIR OPENING Comair Aviation has opened a new fixed-base operation at Cincinatti/Northern Ken tucky Airport to support growth of its Comair Jet Express corporate charter service and aircraft manage ment business. Internet users given first chance to reserve Eclipses GRAHAM WARWCK/WASHINGTON DC ECLIPSE AVIATION will begin taking orders for its Eclipse 500 personal jet by the end of this month. People who have registered interest in the $750,000 aircraft via Eclipse's website will get the first opportunity to reserve delivery positions, says chief execu tive Vern Raburn. Details of a "fairly innovative" sales programme have yet to be revealed, but Raburn says deposits will become non-refundable when Eclipse provides performance and delivery guarantees at the Oshkosh show in late July. The company, meanwhile, will move in mid-June to Albuquerque, New Mexico, initially occupying a former fixed-base operation at the main airport before beginning construction of a final assembly facility at the city's Double Eagle II general aviation airport. Eclipse has decided to build the first aircraft and begin flight testing in Albuquerque, rather than at Williams International in Detroit, as originally planned. Williams will continue to be responsible for design and certification of the Eclipse 500 and its EJ-22 engine, Raburn says. Development of the 7001b thrust-class (3kN) EJ-22 is "in good shape", he says. Testing has "gone beyond full thrust", but spe cific fuel consumption has not met expectations. Another engine is being fabricated with "fairly signif icant" design changes to solve the problem, Raburn says. The EJ-22 is the first production version of Williams' FJX-2 small turbofan, being developed under a cost-sharing contract with NASA. Raburn says plans to fly the FJX-2 at Oshkosh in Williams' V-Jet 2 demonstrator have been dropped. "It did not push the programme forward," he says. Instead, the engine will fly late this year on a Boeing727testbed. Eclipse, meanwhile, is about to begin its second round of financ ing, having secured an initial $60 million from private investors including Microsoft chairman Bill Gates. Raburn continues to fore cast that "more than $300 million" will be needed to certificate and begin production of the all-metal Eclipse 500. First deliveries are scheduled for 2003. • Ferrari purchase boosts Avanti P180 profile FERRARI HAS taken delivery of a Piaggio Aero Industries Avanti PI80 turboprop in exec utive configuration. The twin engine business aircraft was handed over to the Italian car manufacturer and Formula One racing team on 18 May at Piaggio's Genoa Sestri's factory. The aircraft will become the second PI80 to appear on the Formula One circuit, joining an older model owned by Williams racing driver Ralf Schumacher. The high-profile sale to Ferrari, which is also a stakeholder in the aircraft company, should help to boost the executive PI 80 order- book. A further 11 Avantis are set for delivery this year. *- Aircraft will be relay systems PLATFORMS International (Pictel) has secured the first customer for a system using aircraft to relay wireless voice and data communications. Brazilian cellular telephone company Americel has signed a contract worth S3 3 0 million for the 10-year lease of five Airborne Relay Communications (ARC) systems from Pictel. The contract is conditional on a successful "beta" demonstration of the system in Brazil in the fourth quarter. This will involve a month- long trial of a production-standard ARC system installed in an aircraft operated by Pictel's Brazilian avia tion partner, Aeromot Group. Pictel chairman Bill Martin says the favoured aircraft for the beta demonstration is a Raytheon Beech King Air 200, although the Pilatus PC-12 is being considered, as is the Embraer EMB-120. If the test is successful, the sys tem will remain in place for use by Americel. J 28 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 23 - 29 May 2000
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