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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 2754.PDF
HEADLINES AIR TRANSPORT PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC Embraer 170 damaged in testing Manufacturer yet to determine if water ingestion test incident will hit tight development and certification schedule The Embraer 170 flight test pro gramme has had a setback follow ing an incident during water inges tion testing which resulted in one of the test aircraft skidding off the runway and suffering landing gear and nacelle damage. The company expects to know this week what impact, if any, this will have on the 170's tight devel opment and certification schedule. The mishap occurred on 22 August while the aircraft was per forming scheduled water ingestion testing on a flooded portion of the 5,000m (16,400ft) long runway at the new Gaviao Peixoto facility in Brazil. The incident, involving the third 170 prototype, is still under investigation and a report was due to be made to the Embraer board of directors on 13 September. It is understood that after completing several ingestion trials, the aircraft (PP-*JY) left the runway, causing the main landing gear to collapse. The investigation is believed to be focusing on human rather mechanical factors. "The conclusions from the investigation have not yet been finalised," says Embraer. The company hopes to complete repairs to the prototype soon and return it to the flight test pro gramme. The main landing gear has been replaced, and repairs to the General Electric CF34-8E engine nacelle are in progress. Embraer's third prototype flew for the first time in late May and, together with the fourth prototype, is being used mainly for avionics and systems testing. It was the first of six planned 170 flight test air craft to be equipped with a full Honeywell Epic avionics suite. Having suffered a two-month delay to the start of flight testing, Embraer hopes to complete devel opment flying and airworthiness certification by the end of next March, clearing the way for deliv ery of the first 70-seater to Swiss International Air Lines shortly afterwards. "We are assessing the impact this event will have on the programme and hope to issue a position on this shortly," says the company. IN BRIEF BLAKEY AT FAA Marion Blakey has been con firmed as the US Federal Aviation Administration's new administrator, replacing Jane Garvey who left in early August. Blakey's appointment was con firmed by the US Senate. She was formerly head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board She takes up her FAA position this week. PSLV MISSION India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carried a 1,060kg (2,300lb) meteorological satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit on 12 September - the first time that India has used its com mercial launcher for a geostationary mission. The PSLV has had five successful launches - all ferrying remote sensing and experimental satel lites into polar sun-synchronous 900km to 1,100km orbits. The Indian Space Research Organ isation has made three changes to tailor the PSLV for geostation ary satellites - improving the third-stage solid propellant motor performance, increasing the amount of liquid propellant in the fourth stage, and using a carbon-fibre composite payload fairing to reduce weight. DEFENCE Time running out for BAE Systems to challenge for MMA contract Boeing has started work on MMA Component Advanced Development The US Navy is signalling to BAE Systems that time is rapidly run ning out for it to secure a US part ner to compete for the Multi- mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) programme, following Naval Air System Command (Navair)'s sur prise award of only two prelimi nary Component Advanced Devel opment (CAD) contracts to Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Navair MMA programme man ager Capt Al Easterling does not rule out awarding a third pre-devel- opment risk reduction and study contract, but warns: "If there is another, it needs to happen quickly - by next month." BAE originally said it would not compete for the MMA without local manufacturing support, but more recently said it was prepared to go it alone, at least in the initial CAD phase. The planned 17-month CAD period is structured to allow com petitors to vary their teaming, but despite this, BAE has reverted to its earlier position and declined a con tract until a partner is found for its Nimrod MRA4 offering. "We're still in discussions with the Department of Defense and looking at potential teaming arrangements," says BAE. But with Boeing and Lockheed Martin already beginning work on CAD Phase I and the US fiscal year clos ing at the end of September, there is little time left for BAE to pick up the $7 million contract. BAE has held talks with Boeing and, more recently, Lockheed Martin. The latter proposes an Orion 21 new-build version of the P-3C turboprop, but there is thought to be concern within the company that the USN favours a turbofan-powered aircraft. The USN "is not discouraging" Lock heed Martin from talking to BAE, says an industry official. A further complication is a new EADS effort to interest the USN in an MMA version of the Airbus A320 as an alternative to the Boeing 737. Earlier this year Lockheed Martin backed away from a deal with EADS to offer the A320 after internal political concerns. Unlike BAE, EADS does not have the security clearance to compete for MMA as a prime contractor. In five months' time, the USN is due to choose two or three con cepts to advance into CAD Phase II, but industry sources say current rules could be reviewed to allow a bidder to modify its platform offer ing. Navair remains adamant that it must make a final down select by early 2004, or risk losing funding. 6 17-23 SEPTEMBER 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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