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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 2234.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT CERTIFICATION PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC Boeing seeks extended 777 ETOPS Four-engined aircraft such as the Airbus A340 could be dragged into the debate over long range operations Boeing is pushing to have its new ultra-long-range 777-200/300 derivatives cleared for at least 240min extended twin-engine operations (ETOPS). At the same time it is lobbying for a standard set of long range operations (LROPS) rules that also apply to four-engined aircraft such as the rival Airbus A340-500/600. The 777 is currently cleared for 180min ETOPS on most routes, including the new services over the North Pole. The US Federal Aviation Administration last year granted some operators of 777s on North Pacific routes a 15% exten sion to 207min in the event that weather or volcanic activity forced FLEET ACQUISITION JAL set to order DC-10 replacement Japan Airlines (JAL) is expected to announce an order at the Paris air show for a mix of Boe ing 767s and 777s to replace its 15 McDonnell Douglas DC-10- 40s, industry sources say. "We are close to deciding on replacements for our DC-10s, which we are phasing out," says JAL. The airline declined to com ment on whether an order would be announced at the show. JAL ordered eight 777- 200ER.S and three 767-300EP.S in late 2000 as part of a deal with Boeing to trade back 10 MD-11s. It chose the General Electric GE90 to power the 777s, having ordered eight Longer Range 777-300s in March last year, for which the GE engine is the exclusive powerplant. The carrier had previously used Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines to power its 777s. JAL's earliest 767s are equipped with Pratt & Whitney JT9Ds but the airline later switched to the GE CF6-80C2. JAL's DC10-40s are all more than 20 years old. the closure of some of six desig nated alternate airports in Russia, the Aleutians or Alaska. There remain large areas of the Indian Ocean, South Atlantic and Pacific which are off limits to the 777. "The aircraft is at a point where we would like to see an increase in diversion time. We're structuring testing to meet future requirements for unlimited appr oval and would hope to have 777X operational approval for at least 240min," says Chet Ekstrand, Boeing ETOPS vice president. Boeing adds it would "feel more comfortable" with an increase in ETOPS clearance for trans-Polar routes, which are being used by JAT Yugoslav Airlines is aiming to have around around half of its operational fleet on lease to other carriers this year. The airline is undertaking a major refurbishment of its aircraft, and may return more to service to meet leasing demand. Ten of the airliners JAT holds in an airworthy condition are ex pected to be placed with other air lines on wet or ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) leases. Target markets are primarily regions where the latest noise legis lation is not enforced, such as Africa, and where JAT's non- hushkitted Boeing 727-200s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9s can fly. Goran Crljen, JAT's director operations, fleet and services mar keting, says talks are taking place to lease Boeing 727-200s and 737- 300s to operators in Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania and Tunisia, as well as one 737 to be "based in Budapest". In Europe, one of two JAT ATR 72s fly for Air Srpska while MAT Macedonian Airlines is oper ating two Boeing 737-300s and two Stage 3 hush-kitted DC-9-30s. Nigerian operator Bellview is leasing two DC-9-30s for a third year in a deal that has netted the Yugoslav carrier $14.5 million over several 777 operators, such as Continental Airlines. This would ease the problem created by a lack of reliable data for forecasting weather at any of the diversion air fields in the Russian Far East. The FAA aviation rulemaking advisory committee (ARAC) was tasked last June with formalising ETOPS regulations. Boeing would like to see the committee eliminate time restrictions on the 777, and to have LROPS rules governing four- engined aircraft brought in line with twin-engine jets. The ARAC is due to conclude its work before the end of the month. "We feel it's time to level the playing field between the twin- 28 months. Another DC-9 is already in service with fellow Nigerian carrier Sosoliso Airlines, which started operations last year using a 727-200 also leased from JAT. Crljen says that Nigerian oper ators have requested more DC-9s. However, with no more aircraft readily available, JAT is considering returning to service some DC-9s which are stored in Belgrade. The airline is also in discussions about placing its McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 on an initial four-month ACMI lease with Nigeria Airways to operate on and quad-engine aircraft," says Ekstrand. "I believe the majority of people involved in ARAC accept that the 777 is as safe as any long-range aircraft operating today. We feel planning requirements for fuel and alternative airports needs to be consistent for all aircraft." Boeing claims only one 777 engine has been shut down during the ETOPS part of a flight between 1995 and March 2000, and that the aircraft demonstrated a lower air turnback and diversion rate than the A340 during last year. The com pany adds that only twin jet aircraft are required to carry enough cargo hold fire suppressant for the maxi mum diversion time plus 15min. Lagos-London-New York flights. Company sources also say that Mongolian start-up Justice has shown interest in Boeing 737 and ATR aircraft. Ahead of the planned fleet renewal with Airbus narrowbodies, JAT is gradually upgrading its fleet. One DC-9 has already been completely refurbished, and the materials for two more DC-9s and the whole 737-300 fleet was purchased recently. Work on the DC-9s is about to start at JAT's technical department in Belgrade. FLEET DEVELOPMENT IGOR SALINGER / BELGRADE JAT chases lease market in Africa JAT has placed two DC-9s with MAT, and is dicussing a lease of its DC-10 26 19-25 JUNE 2001 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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