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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0116.PDF
GENERAL AVIATION NEWS IN BRIEF • A319CJET0PS The UK Civil Aviation Auth ority has approved Twinjet Aircraft's application for 120 min extended twin engine operations (ETOPS) for the Luton Airport-based opera tor's Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner (CJ). The approval is the first 120 min ETOPS licence for an A319CJ, and will allow Twinjet to operate flights using suitable airports as designated alternates that are up to 1,500km (810nm) away from any point on the planned route. The approval will be particularly beneficial on North Atlantic routes, allowing more direct route- ings, reduced flight times and more economical charter prices. Twinjet has already operated its first ETOPS flight, from Luton to Jamaica via Bermuda. • NICE HANDLING Corporate aviation flight support provider, Universal Weather and Aviation, and ground handling provider Swissport International, are opening a new ground han dling facility at Cote d'Azur Airport, Nice, France, on 1 February. The new Swissport Executive will be dedicated to private and business air craft up to the Boeing 747. • BOND'S WIN Bond Air Services has been awarded a five-year air ambu lance contract for the provi sion of helicopter support in Devon and Cornwall, in the UK West Country. The con tract includes two one-year extension options. Bond has been providing air ambu lance services in the region since 1987, using Eurocopter BO105s, which will be replaced with a Eurocopter EC 13 5 in Cornwall this year, with an option to allocate an EC135 to Devon subject to funds being made available. Bond has flown over 10,000 missions in Cornwall and 5,000 in Devon. ATG launches Javelin into the sportsjet marketplace GUY NORRIS/LOS ANGELES A VIATIONTECHNOLOGY XAJGroup (ATG) of Colorado has revealed plans to develop a two- seat, twin-engined executive sports jet known as the Javelin. With an initial price of $1.9 million, the proposed design is des cribed by company president George Bye as a "downsized" cross between the Northrop T-38 and the Boeing F/A-18. Incorporating twin canted tail fins, a 7m (23 ft) span wing swept at 3 5°, and a pres surised tandem cockpit, diejavelin is designed to cruise at 528kt (977km/h) or Mach 0.92. "There is nothing else looks like it, and diere has never been a chance to build it before now with certified engines and avionics," says Bye. The Javelin has been made pos sible because of the new generation of low-thrust turbofans and afford able state-of-the-art avionics in development for the growing number of entry-level personal and corporate jet programmes like die Eclipse 500 and the Satire S-26. Unlike the other new projects, the Javelin is aimed at owners seek ing a "sportscar of an aircraft," says Bye, who believes it will "comple ment" aircraft such as the Cessna Citation. The aircraft is also being seen as a possible military trainer, as well as a promotional aerobatic aircraft for large corporations. ATG has had initial talks with Agelis which is developing the TF12 00 engine for the Safire S-2 6, and Williams-Rolls over the FJ33, "or its equivalent," says Bye. No contacts have yet been made with Pratt & Whitney Canada over the PW600 family, or with Honda which is also developing a small turbofan family. ATG requires two engines in the l,200-l,5001b thrust (5.3-6.7kN) range for the aircraft which will have a maximum take-off weight of 2t (4,4001b). The firm is negotiat ing with manufacturers including BFGoodrich and Rockwell Col lins, though "Collins has the top tick at the moment," Bye adds. ATG is taking $25,000 refund able deposits for the first aircraft amid "tremendous interest", Bye says, with plans for the first pro duction aircraft to be ready in 2 003. Wndtunnel tests of a one-sev- endi scale model are to begin with in weeks at the University of Washington Aeronautical Labora tory, while bids have also been issued for a full-scale engineering mock-up to be built by mid-year. ATG plans to begin building the first flying prototype "this aut umn", with the maiden flight of the Javelin due in the first quarter of next year. Bye says die Javelin is a "low risk" design with convention al aluminium construction, dual hydraulic flight controls with man ual back-up, and simple systems. Although capable of Mach 0.92, altitudes up to 51,000ft (15,550m) and a rate of climb of 70m/s (13,800ft/min) thejavelin is expec ted to have a flaps-down, gear- down stall speed of 81kt and an approach speed of between 105kt and 1 lOkt, 10ktto20kt slower than most comparable corporate jets. • ATG aims Javelin at becoming a sportscar of the air CarterCopters to rebuild gyroplane after crash FLIGHT TESTING of the CarterCopters (CC) prototype gyroplane is expected to resume in March pending die completion of a rebuild after a landing accident at Olney, Texas, on 13 December. The crew was building up to a zero-roll landing, one of the five NASA goals established for the programme, when they landed without lowering the collective. The aircraft landed at 26kt (48km/h), but failed to slow down below 17kt as it slid off the runway. Extensive damage was done to die nose boom (part of the ballistic parachute recovery system). The rotor was destroyed, the rotor mast damaged, and both rudders were clipped off by the rotor. The right wing was also broken. Initial analysis of flight test data indicates diat failure to reduce die collective angle from 8.5° (at 180 rpm) was the main cause. At diis point, the collective angle should have been reduced to zero, but with the angle maintained on touchdown the rotor was still gen erating 1,130kg (2,5001b) of lift CarterCopters says the pilots operating handbook will be revised to include a new section on fast- stop procedures while taxiing. Revisions to die design will include a shorter nose boom, landing gear modifications, rebuild of the cool ing air cowl flap to improve propeller performance and a lighter rotor. This is the CC's third landing accident since September 1998. • 22 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9 - 15 January 2001
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