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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1770.PDF
HEADLINES DEFENCE P&W studies military roles for PW6000 Pratt & Whitney is studying mili tary applications for the PW6000 turbofan following finalisation of its redesign with MTU's HDV12 high-pressure compressor (HPC) and rescheduling of its certification and development plan for the Airbus A318. A variety of possibilities are in the pipeline, says P&W execu tive vice-president for large commercial engines, Bob Leduc, who lists "C-130-size replace ments and UAVs [unmanned air vehicles]" among candidates. P&W believes the 16,000- 24,000lb (71-107kN) thrust range of the advanced turbofan covers the power requirements for several potential advanced tactical transport concepts as well as larger military UAVs. The move is part of a United Technologies drive to focus the resources of P&W, Hamilton Sundstrand and Sikorsky on the emerging UAV and unmanned combat air vehicle marketplace. P&W provides the JT15D for the Northrop Grumman X-47A, and is working with Hamilton Stan dard on an integrated power module concept for UAV/UCAVs combining engine, inlet, exhaust, starter, electrical generator and accessories into one unit. P&W is anxious to find new applications for the PW6000 since its once 100% market share on the A318 is down by around half. Airbus has 54 firm orders for the PW6000- powered A318, with deliveries rescheduled from early next year to the third quarter of 2005. Flight testing of the PW6000- powered A318 began in January and a second PW6000-powered aircraft joined the test pro gramme on 3 June. The first aircraft will be diverted to the CFM56 certification effort from August after being re-engined. This programme is due for com pletion next May, after which the testbed will be refitted with the revised PW6000, with engine certification due in the second quarter of 2004. TECHNOLOGY CARROLL McCORMICK / MONTREAL Ultra-wideband interferes with avionics, tests show United Airlines says UWB devices led to failure of major systems, despite FCC approval Preliminary tests of ultra wideband (UWB) transmissions have led to failures in aircraft avionics, includ ing the traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS), instru ment landing system (1LS) localiser, and glideslope (GS), United Airlines has revealed. The results support airline and general aviation operators' claims that UWB devices, approved this year by the US Federal Communi cations Commission (FCC), pose a danger to aircraft systems. Radio communications and VOR navigation beacons were not affected during the tests, which were conducted by NASA's Langley Research Center and Victorville, California-based Eagle Wings on Boeing 737-200s and 747-400s. "At intentional emission levels set by the FCC we are observing crit ical flight systems anomalies from a single UWB device," says James Miller, United's flight operations technology department programme manager, who represents the US avi ation industry on UWB issues. Researchers operated a UWB chip at varying distances from avionics system antennas outside the aircraft and in several interior locations. The chip transmitted at the maximum power level set by the FCC. The communication and navigation sys tems broadcast at the lowest levels permitted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. When operating the chip out side the aircraft, NASA says, the TCAS fail light came on, its display indicator turned off and the targets disappeared off the screen. At lower UWB strength (inside the aircraft), says NASA, "the warning light did not come on, but the targets disap peared off the screen. It spoofed the system without any direct warning to the pilot." The UWB source also caused erratic motion and retraction of the GS bar and pointer, and extension of the GS failure flag while transmit ting outside the aircraft. These effects were not observed while transmitting inside the passenger cabin. The source also caused uncommanded motion and blank ing of the ILS localiser course devia tion indicator bar on the horizontal situation display. UWB devices will broadcast weak signals over vast swathes of the aeronautical spectrum. Miller insists that the new FCC regulation "allows unlicensed consumer devices to intentionally radiate into [safety-critical aeronautical] bands under the guise that UWB is not powerful enough to interfere. Any pilot will tell you that injecting any level of interference into the cock pit is an unacceptable consequence of FCC rule making." AIR TRANSPORT NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE Air Hong Kong to get first A300F Air Hong Kong will fly the A300F as part of Cathay's regional cargo plan Cathay Pacific Airways has wet- leased its first Airbus A300 freighter for all-cargo subsidiary Air Hong Kong as part of a makeover that is expected to include the addition of up to 10 widebody freighters for use on regional routes. Industry sources say Cathay has wet-leased the A300B4 freighter (N371PC) from Express.Net Airlines for 15 months from late June. While not officially part of its wider plan for Air Hong Kong, the sources say it is a sign the carrier will almost certainly opt for A300Fs over Boeing 767Fs for the bigger overhaul. Cathay said in April that it would refocus Air Hong Kong on intra- Asian services and transfer long- haul freighter services to its own cargo operation. Two of the three Boeing 747-200Fs leased to the sub sidiary will be brought into Cathay's freighter fleet, which includes four 747-200FS and five 747-400Fs. From July, Air Hong Kong will stop serving Brussels, Dubai and Manchester, and instead serve Osaka in Japan and Seoul in South Korea. Cathay will add Brussels and Manchester to its own cargo net work. It already flies to Dubai. Air Hong Kong will then build its regional presence. In March Flight International revealed that Cathay planned to extend cargo services with its first regional freighters, most likely as part of it partnership with DHL, using Air Hong Kong as the vehicle. Cathay has been in talks to acquire five to 10 A300Fs or 767Fs for Air Hong Kong. 8 18-24 JUNE 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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