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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 2506.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT SYSTEMS Messier-Dowty secures RRJ landing gear Messier-Dowty has been selected to provide the inte grated landing-gear system for the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ), and plans to develop two main landing gear versions as part of the $400 million contract, writes Michael Phelan. The Snecma group com pany's deal follows the earlier selection of the Snecma/NPO Saturn SM146 engine for the RRJ, which is being developed by Sukhoi in collaboration with llyushin and Yakovlev. Boeing is also involved. Messier-Dowty's contract includes the landing gear itself, as well as practically all associ ated components, except the braking system. The 60-, 75- and 95-seat vari ants of the RRJ have a twin-wheel main landing gear in baseline configuration, but a four-wheel bogie gear option is also offered to enable opera tions from uneven runways. Sukhoi predicts that most cus tomers will only require the twin-wheel gear, but Messier- Dowty says it expects a significant number to opt for the bogie gear, "especially potential operators in Africa, India or even South America". The planned first flight of the RRJ in early 2006 gives Messier- Dowty a 26-month development programme, which the company says is "challenging, but do-able". PROPULSION GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES Rolls-Royce closes in on finalised 7E7 engine bid Powerplant selection, delayed by broadening thrust needs, now due in first quarter 2004 Rolls-Royce has submitted its latest "Phase 3" engine proposal to Boeing for the 7E7 and is vying with offerings from its US rivals for the final downselect decision. The choice, meanwhile, appears to be slipping from the target of late this year into the first quarter of 2004. "We are working hard to con vince Boeing we have the best product as well as the best business solution," says newly appointed Trent 7E7 programme director Dominic Horwood. The company is ramping up the UK-based project team for its Trent 900-based deriva tive design, and is adding staff at its Seattle operation in advance of the Boeing decision on engine supplier or suppliers for the 7E7. Although Boeing was originally due to make the engine selection in late December, all the competing manufacturers now expect the decision towards the end of the first quarter in 2004. This is largely down to the broadening power requirement that now encom passes the 58,000-70,0001b (258- 312kN)-plus thrust range to take in the needs of three main 7E7 vari ants, from the derated short-range domestic aircraft to the baseline and stretched long-range models. R-R has also revealed more about the Trent 900-based design that it says can be more closely tied to the requirements of the 7E7 because of its three-shaft architecture and, in particular, the intermediate pres sure (IP) spool. Key features of the 7E7 Trent include a 2.8m (112in)- diameter, low-speed swept fan, eight-stage IP compressor that will probably counter-rotate, six-stage high-pressure (HP) compressor, advanced low-emissions combus- tor, single-stage HP and IP turbines and six-stage low-pressure turbine. The big changes to the IP spool are being driven largely by the 7E7's "more electric" and zero bleed-air requirements. "To get the power the aircraft needs you normally take it off the HP spool, but the more you need, the more you drive it to insta bility," says 7E7 Trent chief design engineer Geoff Kirk. The need for bleed valves is reduced and, by definition, they will not need to be closed for descent, cutting fuel consumption towards Boeing's 15% target. Another major element of the design is the fan, which will be rooted in a smaller radius hub to lower the hub/tip ratio. This allows an increased mass flow without increasing the fan diameter, enabling a fan bypass ratio of between 10.8:1 and 11.1:1 and sav ing weight as well as containment requirements. Low-speed swept fan Lightweight ribbed titanium containment casing 3D-aero turbine Zero cabin bleed Source: Rolls-Royce Advanced engine health monitoring Eight-stage IP compressor Six-stage HP compressor Low-emissions combustor Shrouded HP turbine FLEET RENEWAL ANDREW DOYLE/PRAGUE CSA Czech Airlines outlines acquisition plan with view to growth CSA Czech Airlines is preparing to invite Airbus and Boeing to bid for replacement of the fast-growing carrier's Boeing 737-400/500 nar- rowbody fleet and its three Airbus A310-300 widebodies. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2005. The SkyTeam alliance member could commit to a mix of orders and options for 50-60 nanowbodies for delivery up to 2014 to replace its 23 737s - plus three more -400s due to arrive next year - and allow for growth, says CSA execu tive vice-president marketing and sales Vaclav Krai. The airline will next year assume ownership of five 737-500s now on finance leases, while the rest of the twinjets are on operating leases. Krai says the CSA supervisory board will be asked to endorse the acquisition plan at the end of November, after which a request for proposals will be issued. CSA's intercontinental network includes Colombo, Sri Lanka; Montreal, Canada; and New York, and the carrier also aims to acquire longer-range widebodies to allow it to serve cities such as Los Angeles and Bangkok non-stop. Despite an onslaught of foreign low-cost carriers at its Prague base, CSA made a profit of $4.1 million during the first half of this year and expects its full-year passenger total to top 3.5 million, up from 3.1 mil lion in 2002. Long-haul services "cover their direct operating costs", and generate feeder traffic through Prague, says Krai. The airline is evaluating 70-seat regional jets that would be used to develop new routes. CSA was a launch customer for the Fairchild Dornier 728 before the project's col lapse, and says it now plans to observe SkyTeam partner Alitalia's introduction of the Embraer 170 before deciding between it and the Bombardier CRJ700. 10 4-10 NOVEMBER 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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