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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0170.PDF
GENEBML VIATION NEWS IN BRIEF • GV FOR JET Jet Aviation of West Palm Beach, Florida, has added a Gulfstream V to its US man aged fleet. The aircraft, which will be marketed by Jet Aviation's partner New World Jet, will be the opera tor's sixth GV and will be based in Portland, Oregon. The 16-seat GV features the latest cockpit technology, including an enhanced vision system, a head-up display and an enhanced ground proxim ity warning system. • DENELDEAL Denel Airmotive will become the sole supplier of auxiliary gearboxes on the Rolls- Royce Tay engine for the Gulfstream rVSP, following the signing of a long term agreementwith Rolls-Royce. The deal is part of the Industrial Participation Pro gramme resulting from South Africa's acquisition of the BAE Systems' Hawk trainer, which is powered by the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour engine. The contract is worth R30 million ($3.96 million) per year over the next 10 years. Denel has also secured a deal with General Electric on the supply of aux iliary gearboxes and power take-off assemblies for the GE CF34 engine, which powers the Canadair Challenger. Deliveries will start in the second half of the year and will continue for a minimum of five years. • CHIP SELECTION Honeywell has selected visu al simulation specialist Evans & Sutherland's REALimage graphics accelerator chip for use in new cockpit displays, under development for the Dassault Falcon 2000EX and Gulfstream V-SP. Honeywell has also chosen M-Systems' DiskOnChip flash disk data storage for the central main tenance computer in its Primus Epic avionics system for business and regional jets. 3D Radar Vision to change tack in a search for funding ANDREW DOYLE/MUNICH GERMANY'S 3D Radar Vision is studying alternative applications for its synthetic imag ing technology, while continuing its search for venture capital fund ing for a system to provide an all- weather operating capability for helicopters. Formerly known as HeliRadar Technologies, the company was spun off from Eurocopter owner European Aeronautic Defence and Space last year to commercially exploit the latter's proprietary rotating synthetic aperture radar (ROSAR) technology (Flight International, 11-17 July 2000). Though the long-term goal remains the development of a syn thetic vision system for helicopter pilots, chief executive Hans-Thilo Langer says that, as an "interim step", the company is looking at offering a less-sophisticated version to airports to enable them to monitor surface movements in poor visibility. According to Langer, venture capitalists have shown strong inter est in the helicopter application but are reluctant to invest in its devel opment because it will take at least four years and around $20 million to bring the product to the market. A system for airports, however, could be sold much sooner because the software algorithms required for a ground-based ROSAR would be simpler, despite using virtually identical hardware. "We halve the time-to-market by doing this so we are looking for partners for the airports applica tion," says Langer. "With this kind of synthetic vision we can help to prevent collisions between aircraft on the ground." The system works by processing output signals from the ROSAR to build up a synthetic image of the outside world. Langer believes that control tower-based air traffic con trollers could be provided with dis plays enabling them to "see" aircraft and ground vehicles in poor visibility conditions. Also, "intelligent" software algorithms could be used to warn controllers of impending collisions. A decision on developing the air port system as the company's initial product is expected by mid-year. Langer admits that though this would provide a vital stepping stone to development of the more sophisticated helicopter ROSAR and "give us confidence in our hardware", itwould delay availabil ity of the airborne version. Another factor is that while the ROSAR promises significant operational cost benefits for heli copter operators by allowing all-weather operations, the airport system would have to be procured on safety grounds alone. • Hydraulic controls prove big hit for R44 sales ROBINSON Helicopters delivered close to 400 heli copters in 2000, due to increased demand for the larger R44 unit and marking the US manufacturer's best year ever in terms of revenue. Robinson has also incorporated a number of improvements as stan dard equipment on the helicopter. The Torrance, California-based company delivered 126 two-seat R22s and 264 R44s last year com pared to 278 helicopters in 1999. While R-22 output remained largely static, sales of the four-seat helicopter jumped by over 100 machines, according to company president Frank Robinson. He adds that approximately two-thirds of sales were for export, fuelled by particularly strong demand in Australia and Latin America and a pick up in the UK market. R22 production since 1979 totals 3,167 aircraft, while Robinson expects to deliver the The Mexican Navy delivery heralds the start of a good 2001 for Robinson 1,000th R44 in February. Robinson attributes the increase in R44 demand to the decision in 1999 to offer hydraulic controls as an option, which it has since made a standard feature on the $300,000 helicopter. The company is also expanding the line of avionics offered on the helicopters to include King and Garmin global positioning systems (GPS). The Mexican Navy in the mean time has taken delivery of two R22 Mariners and a single R44 Clipper. The R22s are being used for pilot training and are equipped with floats, an auxiliary fuel system, GPS and direction finder. The four-seat helicopter is being employed as a transporter. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 16 - 22 January 2001
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