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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 2211.PDF
-y FARNBOROUCH INTERNATIONAL IRST NEWS MAX KINGSLEY-JONES, PAUL LEWIS, GUY NORRIS, STEWART PENNEY, MICHAEL PHELAN AND GRAHAM n-i"iiii' IRST NEWS The world has changed considerably since the aerospace industry last met at Farnborough in 2000. As it gathers again for the 2002 show (22-28 July), attendees are expecting few airliner orders and an increased focus on security initiatives - reflecting the reality of the post-11 September environ ment. In defence, the spotlight is still on unmanned air vehicles, while European programmes, including the A400M and Meteor, continue to be blocked by government indecision. Business jet manufacturers are further adapting their products to satisfy growing markets. UNMANNED SYSTEMS .Ael joins team bidding for Watchkeeper Aerosystems International (Ael) has joined Lockheed Martin UK Integrated Systems' team bid ding for the UK Watchkeeper unmanned air vehicle (UAV) programme. Ael - a 50:50 joint venture between BAE Systems and GKN Aerospace - will provide systems engineering and integration. Work has started on the soft ware and design of a software integration facility (SIF). Ael says the SIF will be used to bring together the Watchkeeper sys tems' software components and integrate them. The company says it will "provide the 'glue' that allows the end user to operate the off-the-shelf software pack ages as a unified whole". If Lockheed Martin is selected as one of the two sys tem integration assessment phase (SIAP) competitors, Ael will build the SIF at its Yeovil headquarters. Lockheed Martin has also confirmed it has selected the EADS Eagle to meet the medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV requirement (Flight International, 25 June-1 July). Watchkeeper is to provide intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance at battle group, brigade and divi sional level. It will consist of UAVs and a system for distributing and exploiting the intelligence. The UK is seeking a 2005 initial operational capability. BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and Thales are also bidding for Watchkeeper, which the MoD expects to be worth more than £500 million ($775 mil lion). A downselect to two teams is due by the end of next month, with a final decision next year. AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT The prototype Learjet 40 is a former Learjet 45 flight-test aircraft Bombardier begins work on new light business jet Derivative of Learjet 45 specified to beat payload/range performance of rivals Bombardier has unveiled the Learjet 40 light business jet, a shortened version of the super- light Learjet 45. Formal launch is expected at the National Business Aviation Association convention in September, but work has begun on the prototype, formerly a Learjet 45 flight-test aircraft. The prototype will fly this quar ter, with US certification scheduled for the third quarter of next year and first deliveries for the first quar ter of 2004. "This is a very quick, very low-risk programme," says Claude Chidiac, vice-president product planning and program mes, Challenger and Learjet. The Leafjet 40 has the same wing, engines, avionics and sys tems as the Learjet 45, but a shorter fuselage, seating six passengers, compared with eight in the 45. A 600mm (24.5in) plug has been UPGRADE Learjet adds XR to 45 Bombardier is upgrading its Learjet 45 to offer higher performance. The new Learjet 45XR has a higher take-off weight to increase range and uprated engines to improve hot-and-high performance. The XR will cost $575,000 more than the basic 45's $9.18 million, but the 45 will stay in production. Maximum take-off weight is increased by 450kg (1,0001b), which allows the aircraft to carry "a true eight passengers and full fuel" and gives the 45XR an 830km (450nm) range advantage over the rival Cessna Citation Excel, says Chidiac. The engines are uprated Honeywell TFE731-20BRs, providing a faster time to climb, higher cruise speeds and improved balanced field lengths at higher temperatures. Both the 45 and 45XR receive a new interior, with increased leg room and greater seat width. The interior is restyled and maintainability is improved, says Chidiac. The latest Universal UNS-1E flight management system will be fitted. Deliveries of full-up 45XRs will begin by the middle of next year. Existing and new Learjet 45 customers will be able to retrofit the performance upgrade later for the same $575,000 price tag. Chidiac believes charter, fractional and other "high-density" operators will prefer the XR. removed from the forward fuse lage, rear-fuselage fuel tank capac ity reduced and the optional auxil iary power unit eliminated to rebalance the aircraft. Low acquisition cost is the high est priority in the light jet market, says Chidiac, and the Learjet 40 is priced at $6.78 million in 2002 dol lars. But the aircraft beats the pay- load/range performance of its rival light jets, the Cessna Citation Encore and Raytheon Beechjet 400A, he says. The Learjet 40 has a Mach 0.8 high-speed cruise, 51,000ft (15,500m) ceiling and 3,330km (l,800nm) range with four passengers. The aircraft can carry a full passenger load and full fuel on missions up to 3,150km. The cabin has a new interior modelled on performance cars. "We are positioning this as a perfor mance aircraft," he says. The Learjet 31A will remain in production for now, although the Learjet 40 offers a 36% larger cabin and 35% more range for only a 10% higher price. "We will see how market demand evolves," he says. Bombardier is aiming for a dom inant share of a "premium" light jet market forecast at 3,000 aircraft over 10 years. The company has looked at an all-new light jet to replace the Learjet 31 A, but believes the lower end of the mar ket is moving towards entry-level jets which do not offer an attrac tive return on investment. www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 23-29 JULY 2002 11
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