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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1970.PDF
HEADLINES GENERAL AVIATION Taiwanese coastguard to augment air capability Taiwan's coastguard may form an aerial patrol squadron with a fleet of helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). The agency requires the air craft to improve its offshore patrol capability, which is now limited to a fleet of two wet- leased helicopters. Industry sources say the coastguard has begun evaluat ing twin-engined medium to heavy helicopters and twin- engined propeller aircraft with enough range to reach Taiwan's outer islands. But budget con straints and a restructuring of the agency under Taiwan's ministry of the interior (MOI) have so far slowed efforts to acquire a dedi cated coastguard fleet. MOI has been tasked with merging the aviation arms of the coastguard, national firefighting administration (NFA) and police. MOI also oversees a separate government aviation team in charge of providing VIP trans port for government officials and aerial photography. The police operate Eurocopter AS365 Dauphins and the NFA flies Bell UH-1H Hueys and Boeing CH-47 Chinooks. VIP flights are provided with Sikorsky S-76s and Raytheon Beechcraft 1900s. A B-N Group BN-2 Islander is used for aerial photo graphy and agricultural missions. A combined coastguard-NFA acquisition is considered unlikely given their different missions. But the MOI is looking at transferring some S-76s to NFA and some Dauphins to the coastguard. NFA requires six medium and six heavy helicopters. Industry sources believe this acquisition will go forward first because $160 million in funds has already been allocated. The coastguard wants 12 heli copters and six fixed-wing aircraft and is evaluating proposals for reconnaissance UAVs to patrol areas off limits to military aircraft. AIR TRANSPORT NICHOLAS IONIDES & BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE Regional jet orders set to unlock Chinese market Deals for locally developed ARJ21s and built ERJ-145s expected at Aviation Expo China Regional jet deals are expected to dominate the Aviation Expo China exhibition in Beijing this week, with launch orders due for the Chinese- developed ARJ21 and possibly the locally produced Embraer ERJ-145. Industry sources say AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Company (ACAC) will announce commit ments for its ARJ21 on 17 September. Sources say launch cus tomers that may be named this week include Shanghai Airlines, Shandong Airlines and Shenzhen Financial Leasing. The latter is China's first leasing company, which was established in 2000 by local financial institutions and spe cialises in leasing locally produced turboprops to domestic carriers. Shanghai Airlines last week announced its intention to acquire ARJ21s, although it has only made a tentative commit ment and ACAC has not yet con firmed the deal. Shanghai says it plans to acquire five of the type - three in 2008 and two in 2009. The 78-85 seat ARJ21 should be available for delivery from late 2007. The aircraft will be built by ACAC, a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry Corp I (AVIC I), one of two state-owned manufacturing groups. The other, AVIC II, has a joint ven ture through subsidiary companies with Embraer covering the produc tion of ERJ-145S. Launch orders for ERJ-145s assembled by joint venture com pany Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry are expected as early as this week. Sources say customers may include China Southern Airlines and Sichuan Airlines. Harbin Embraer has been in talks with both carriers for some time. Sichuan Airlines is the only cur rent Chinese operator of ERJ-145s, having purchased five directly from Embraer. China Southern committed to buy 20 Brazilian- built ERJ-145s from Embraer in 2001 but the Chinese government did not approve the deal. Sources say China Southern held talks to convert some or all of that old provisional order into firm com mitments for aircraft produced in China. Harbin Embraer plans to roll out its first aircraft in December. The Chinese government is encouraging Chinese carriers to order locally produced regional jets as part of a dual strategy to create a hub and spoke system in China and develop its aircraft manufac turing capability. The government has blocked all regional jets sales since 2001 through taxes on imported aircraft weighing under 25,000kg. This has created pent-up demand for regional jets, which is expected to further increase as Chinese airlines consolidate and improve services to the rural western parts of the country. SEE FEATURE P46 ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LEITHEN FRANCIS IN SINGAPORE AIR TRANSPORT HILKA BIRNS / CAPE TOWN SAA ponders early A319 deliveries The earlier arrival of A319s would allow SAA to retire its 737-200s faster South African Airways (SAA) is discussing the acceleration of its Airbus A319 order, as it closes on a powerplant selection for its Airbus narrowbodies. SAA and Airbus confirm discus sions are under way to bring the start of deliveries of the 11 A319s on order forward from January 2005 to July 2004 to gain earlier cost sav ings. "The earlier delivery is under investigation, but no new contract is in place yet," says the airline, adding a decision is expected soon. Airbus confirms the talks, saying that it has sufficient production capacity to deliver the A319s earlier. The A319s were ordered in May last year to replace the airline's inef ficient fleet of 14 Boeing 737-200 Advs on domestic routes, part of a major deal that included 15 A320s - which will replace its 21 737-800s from 2010 - as well as A340-300s and -600s for long range routes. SAA will decide this month between CFM International and International Aero Engines to sup ply engines to power the 26 A319/A320s on order. SAA has expe rience operating and supporting both engine types - its original A320 fleet was equipped with IAE V2500s, and its 737-800s and A340- 200s (and its soon-to-be-delivered A340-300S) are powered by CFM56s. 8 16-22 SEPTEMBER 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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