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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 0563.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT PROGRAMMES Let purchase allows start of L-610 revival The Let L-610 regional turbo prop programme is set to be revived, after its purchase by Czech company Letecke Zavody from Let Kunovice's bankruptcy assets. Letecke Zavody was cre ated last year by the merger of Czech training aircraft manu facturer Moravan and Let. Let, which went bankrupt in 2000 after being purchased by now defunct US company Ayres, had been developing a Westernised L-610G version of the 44-seat twin turboprop equipped with Rockwell Collins avionics and General Electric CT7 engines. The sole L-610G prototype is in the USA, where Ayres had been undertaking the certification programme. The development plan is still being finalised, but possible avenues include: a simple freighter version; a stretched cargo version; and one equipped with a rear loading ramp. Development cost is put at between CKr700 million and CKi-2.5 billion ($19-68 million), depending on the version, with a further CKr200 million for series production. Letecke Zavody expects the aircraft to appeal to the mili tary as its unit price ($8-13 million) could be around half that of its competitors. FLIGHT-TESTING PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC Embraer revises 170 plan after delay to first flight Manufacturer still hopes to keep certification of the large regional jet on schedule Embraer is working on a revised plan to recover lost time and keep certification and first delivery of the new 170 large regional jet to Swiss (formerly Crossair) on sched ule for year-end, following a six-to- eight-week delay in the first flight of the new Brazilian aircraft. Embraer 170 prototype 0001 completed a successful maiden flight on 19 February at the company's San Jose plant. The aircraft had been due to fly late last year, but was delayed by soft ware testing which required two more loads than originally planned. Another three software loads are planned to be installed as they become available, adding fur ther system functionality. The Embraer 170 was airborne for the first time on 19 February "Our strategy is recover from the delay of the first flight, "says Luis Affonso, Embraer 170 programme director. "As a function of the delay, air craft number two and three will Push to minimise delay Embraer has mapped out an 1,800h-long flight test programme and it is hoping that, with all six 170s to be airborne by mid-year, the delay in terms of actual flying time will be the equivalent of only one week. The first two aircraft are dedicated to validating handling qualities, flutter and stall, while the second pair will be used and system testing. The final two aircraft will feature fully configured interiors for will be used for function and reliability testing and final certification. The 170 Ironbird has already clocked up around 1,800h, while loads testing will now start in April and fatigue testing of a second airframe by mid-year. The first 70-seater is due to be delivered to launch customer Swiss by the end of the year, with the larger 175,195 and 190 following in July and December 2004 and December 2005, respectively. now fly by the end of March and our plan is to keep aircraft four, five and six on schedule for April, May and June, respectively," "We're now reviewing the sched ule, but this is a small delay in terms of overall available flying hours. The objective is to gain certi fication within this year," he adds. Embraer has sought to make a quick start to testing, cycling the landing gear four times, includ ing once in freefall, and in combin ation with different flap settings during the maiden flight. The aircraft attained a maximum •altitude of 15,000ft (4,600m) and an indicated airspeed of 210kt (390km/h) during the 2h 50min- long flight. The aircraft executed a missed approach, with wings being rolled during a low-level fly before landing. EXPANSION Newly named Cargojet Canada looks to expand Cargojet Canada (formerly Canada 3000 Cargo), the recently renamed freight arm which survived the bankruptcy of Canada 3000 Air lines, is to expand services to Asia and Europe, as it rebrands to dis tance itself from its defunct parent. Ajay Virmani, who owns 50% of Cargojet Canada, has acquired the rest of the cargo airline from the bankruptcy trustee of Canada 3000. The cargo division became part of Canada 3000 last year through the purchase of Royal Aviation. Virmani bought his 50% stake last year through a holding company for C$10 million ($6 million). The freight operator serves the Canadian market with a fleet of eight wet-leased aircraft - four Boeing 727-200 freighters, one 737 freighter, two Beech 99s and one Fairchild Metro II. It had revenues of about C$60 million ($38 mil lion) in 2001 and expects sales to rise to C$70 million this year. The cargo arm had utilised belly capacity on the airline's passenger fleet for its international opera tions, which equated to 3,000t of cargo a week. With the loss of this capacity after the airline folded, temporary deals were signed with Asian and European carriers, but a long-term solution is being sought. Virmani plans to replace the 727- 200s with Boeing 757 or Airbus A310 freighters to provide the flexi bility to operate the aircraft at week ends on long-haul services. "We could fly one aircraft on Friday from Vancouver to the Pacific and two out of Toronto to Europe," he says. Virmani is applying for an air operator's certificate to enable the company to operate its own aircraft. Talks are under way to carry cargo for Oneworld alliance partners. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 26 FEBRUARY - 4 MARCH 2002 11
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