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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0314.PDF
GENERAL AVIATION EC145 on brink of sales offensive JULIAN MOXON/PARIS EUROCOPTER plans to begin taking orders for its EC 145 utility twin helicopter at the end of the year, following major delays caused by produc tion and avionics integration problems at its German plant. Sales of the six-seater, also dubbed the BK117C-2 by joint venture partner Kawasaki Heavy Industries, stand at 40 machines - 32 for the French Securite Civile and eight for the Gendarmerie. Officially, however, the EC 145 has not been launched, since the cur rent orders are around two years production capacity. Eurocopter says it plans to introduce the type at the Paris Air Show, and begin "serious marketing" a few months later. First deliveries of the EC145 to the Securite Civile were set for mid-2000, but will now be in April, when two machines, equipped only with visual flight rules avionics, will be delivered for training. The remainder will be delivered progressively to late 2005, replacing ageing the Allouette 3 s now in service. Senior Eurocopter vice- president Siegfried Sobotta says the delays stem from "overloading" the production line at Eurocopter Germany, which is also responsible for final assembly of the fast- selling EC 135. The main cause has been the change of auto pilot supplier, from Honeywell to Thales Avionics (formerly Sextant). This "left no capacity to meet the original schedule". Sobotta adds that Eurocopter decided to have autopilot commonality between the EC135, EC145 and EC155, based on the EC13 5 system, as part of a general move towards standardised avionics, cockpits and interior furnishings. "We see this as a way to reduce pro duction costs significantly and be even more competitive. It's an Airbus-style approach to achieving commonality across production," says Sobotta. Sobotta insists there is a "substantial" potential market for the new helicopter, which was designed around the Securite Civile mission. "We already have strong interest from several emergency med ical services and police organi sations. Our problem has been to deliver to new customers before 2002," he adds. • The EC145fBKl 1 lC-2s will be targeted at EMS NEWS IN BRIEF • POWER ON CONTINENTAL Bombardier has completed power-on testing of its Continental business jet and plans to begin fuel flow testing imminently. The super mid-size Continental is scheduled for roll-out and first flight in the second quar ter of die year. • PRO LINE CERTIFICATION Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 Continuum avionics upgrade has been certificat ed for the Gulfstream II and IIB. The kit includes the Collins FDS-2000 Flight Display System, which is also certificated for the Gulf- stream III. The Gulfstream II installation includes four FDS-2000 Adaptive Flight Displays, the TCAS-4000 traffic alert and collision avoidance system, dual Collins AHS-3000A solid- state attitude heading and reference system, and a Collins Pro Line communi cations and navigation sensor package. P&WC control supplier selection fuels PW600 launch speculation PRATT& WHITNEY Canada (P&WC) has appointed Woodward Aircraft Engine Sys tems to develop a low-cost fuel metering and electronic engine control system for the initial turbo- fan version of the PW600 family, triggering speculation that a for mal development effort is now under way for a launch application. The contract covers develop ment hardware for the first engine which is due to start test work in the fourth quarter, but "it may" lead to longer term contracts for an even tual production version, says P&WC. There are plans to offer turbofan, turboshaft and turbo prop derivatives. As all are aimed at the lower power bracket, the engine family is expected to pro vide P&WC with successors to the PT6andJT15D. The company adds, however, that the contract award does not signal any "changes to the status", of the PW600 which has yet to formally secure a customer. Woodward and Snecma Control Systems (SCS) of France are joint ly offering the mechanical and electrical hardware, while main taining system responsibility. SCS will lead the electronic engine con trol efforts with its Canadian divi sion, Messier-Dowty. The PW600 accord builds on links with Woodward on the PT6, PW100 and PW2 00 programmes. • Century to acquire assembly facility for CA-100 CENTURY Aerospace plans to assemble its CA-100 light business jet in Macon, Georgia, following the acquisition of an aerostructures facility from TRW Aeronautical Systems (Lucas Aerospace). The Macon facility has been renamed Alliance Aerospace fol lowing its acquisition by Bill and Lori Northrup, principal owners of Century Aerospace. The new company is actively seeking aerostructures contracts that will help underwrite Century's plans to develop the CA-100 twinjet. Century will relocate its opera tions to Macon in February, and plans to manufacture selected parts and perform final assembly of the CA-100 there, but the first aircraft is not scheduled for completion before 2003. The company has yet to secure sufficient funding to complete the project. Lucas acquired the former Boeing plant in 1996, but subse quently moved the cargo handling systems operations to its James town, North Dakota plant. • 32 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 30 January - 5 February 2001
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