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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1241.PDF
RAA SHOW REPORT POWERPLANTS Order bulge powers CF34 production General Electric expects to produce more than 500 CF34 engines in 2003, around dou ble the number for 2001 and the highest single-year tally since the regional jet engine programme began in 1992. The high production rate builds from the 1998-2001 orderbook, when GE won commitments for more than 400 engines a year over the period. Orders tumbled, how ever, to just over 100 in 2002, before showing signs of recovery earlier this year. The delivery increase dove tails with the ramp-up of CF34-8C1s on Bombardier CRJ700S, CF34-8C5S on the CRJ900 and the first produc tion batches of CF34-8Es for the Embraer 170/175. The company forecasts that order and production tallies will continue to build year-on-year, with around 2,500 CF34 engines expected to be in ser vice by 2005 compared with around 1,500 at present. GE predicts an "opportunity" for a CF34 fleet of around 4,000 engines by 2010-11. GE is also getting its Boeing 747 flying testbed ready to accept the first CF34-10 in the third quarter and has taken delivery of the strut adaptor from Middle River Aircraft Systems that will attach the test engine to the No 2 posi tion. The engine is due to enter service on the Embraer 190 with Swiss in 2004, and forms the basis for the -10A being developed for China's ARJ21 regional jet. Joint definition of the ARJ21 is due for comple tion by year-end, with service entry set for 2007. GE is also exploring a series of possible upgrades to the CF34-3A1/B1 engines in service on the CRJ100/200, and is testing improved stage one and two high-pressure turbine nozzle and shroud components that will be avail able for retrofit in 2004. FLEET DEVELOPMENT Embraer 190 poised to fil US Airways capacity hole Carrier may scrap turboprops as it looks to plug gap between mainline and regional fleet US Airways is looking at the stretched Embraer 190/195 regional jet to plug the seat capac ity gap between its planned new MidAtlantic Airlines-operated fleet of smaller 170/175s and the bot tom end of the mainline Airbus A320 fleet created by the retire ment of its 100-seat Fokker 100s. "The 190/195 is attractive to us and we're contemplating an order," says David Siegel, US Airways presi dent. The high degree of cockpit and systems commonality between the 170/175 and the two larger 98- to 108-seat members of the family, combined with the ability to "flow- up" MidAtlantic crews to the 190/ 195, "went into our calculus when we made our decision", adds Siegel. US Airways' recent order for 85 170/175s, plus 50 options, included another 140 options for the smaller Embraer ERJ-145 which it has the flexibility to convert to the 190/195, according to Daniel McDonald, air line vice-president fleet planning. The airline has a potential require ment for as many as 100 aircraft as an eventual replacement for its fleet of Boeing 73 7-300/400s. Siegel warns a decision is at least two to three years away and find ing funding will be critical. The 190/195, like the 170/175, would be configured for two classes, but represents a smaller gauge of air craft than the current 737. An alter native, depending on market con ditions, would be additional Airbus A319s or smaller A318s. A nearer-term airline board deci sion scheduled for the third quarter will be on converting some of the current 85 170s on order to slightly larger 75-seat 175s. The expecta tion is that the 175 will make up around half the order, which allows US Airways to maximise the number of seats permissible under its scope clause agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association. The number of turboprops in the US Airways Express fleet with Allegheny and Piedmont is expected to drop over time to as few as 30 Bombardier Dash 8s. "We're evaluating whether to elim inate the turboprops," says McDonald. The 30 Fairchild Dornier 328s flown by wholly owned subsidiary PSA will be cut from September with the return of the first two turboprops to owner Millenium. The type will be gone by the end of next year. An Avro RJ85 belonging to Northwest regional partner Mesaba is due to receive the first PCAS in late June AVIONICS Hazard avoidance system set for Mesaba service The first Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) combined terrain and traffic colli sion avoidance system (PCAS) to be used commercially is expected to be fitted to a BAE Systems Avro RJ85 of Northwest regional partner Mesaba Airlines in late June under a joint ACSS/BAE Systems factory approved service bulletin. The initial PCAS will be fitted in Phoenix, Arizona, close to the headquarters of the joint L-3 Com munications & Thales joint venture. The system, which received US Federal Aviation Administration approval in February, has also been selected by Airbus as supplier-fur nished equipment on all new long- range, single-aisle and widebody air craft except the A380. The agreement, a major strategic break through for the fledgling avionics manufacturer, includes a schedule covering type certification before the end of 2004. However, aircraft will be provisioned for PCAS before then and service bulletins for retrofit aircraft will be developed to "bridge the gap", says ACSS. First to take advantage of this will be Northwest Airlines, due to fit PCAS to an A330-2O0in20O4. ACSS has also been selected by Fedex to provide PCAS for its planned converted ATR 42 freighter fleet, and has begun work with ATR on an integration effort that will also include ATR 72s. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 27 MAY - 2 JUNE 2003 15
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