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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 0126.PDF
HEADLINES DEFENCE STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC Setbacks continue to dog Raptor Avionics snags add to reliability problems, while GAO warns of cost overruns ahead for troubled fighter programme The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F/A- 22 Raptor was haunted last week by warnings of another potential schedule delay and a Congressional watchdog agency's claims that more cost overruns lie ahead for the $71 billion programme. A deci sion to go ahead with the next phase of testing was set for 22 March, but US Air Force Secretary James Roche is cautioning that the fighter might not be ready. Lockheed Martin is still working to validate new test data that indi cates the Raptor's avionics software can sustain the required perfor mance for 5h mean time between instability events, but the Defense Acquisition Board could nonethe less delay the start of initial opera tional test and evaluation (IOT&E). Roche says avionics software is only one of the reliability headaches that cut the number of flights achieved during the first phase of the F/A-22's operational testing, begun five months ago. Extended turnaround times had prompted air force officials to con sider adding a second spare F/A-22 The USAF must produce a business case to justify continued funding to serve as a back-up to sustain four-ship operational test flights. Previous delays already had com pressed the IOT&E schedule to about four months, requiring fairly quick turnaround times for flights. In a new report released on 15 March, the US General Accounting Office (GAO), which is the inves tigative arm of US Congress, says any new IOT&E schedule delays could "jeopardise the full-rate pro duction decision in December 2004". The GAO's auditors estimate that the Raptor has already con sumed $40 billion in development funds. They challenge the air force to develop a new business case to justify a remaining investment of $31-40 billion more over the next 15 years. The air force's decision in 2002 to broaden the F/A-22's air-to- ground capabilities will require the service to spend an extra $11.7 bil lion in developing the system. Only $3.5 billion of this excess has been budgeted by the air force through to fiscal year 2009. The GAO report also discloses that the USAF is being forced to replace a primary microprocessor powering the F/A-22's avionics suite. The manufacturer, Intel, informed the air force last year that it is phasing out the 32-bit, 25MHz i960MXchip due to obsolescence. The service was already aware that the chip lacked the power to sup port the F/A-22's planned air-to- ground enhancements beyond 2013, but it may now need to revamp the aircraft's computer architecture and avionics proces sors to support the last 60-120 Raptors produced after 2013. It is also considering a retrofit pro gramme for the first 155 F/A-22s that are to be delivered with the older microprocessors. "This mass changeover of the F/A-22 computer architecture and avionics processor will be a time- consuming and costly effort and will likely create additional pro gramme risks," says the GAO report. Non-recurring development costs alone could exceed $300 mil lion, it says. GENERAL AVIATION GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC 747-based Supertanker fires up for flight testing Evergreen International Aviation was poised to begin water-drop flight tests of its converted Boeing 747-based Supertanker firefighting aircraft late last week. High-altitude "dry" flights of the converted 747- 200F freighter, fitted with a proof- of-concept tank system, were con ducted in February. Low-altitude "wet" tests were planned to begin at Marana, Arizona late last week. The Supertanker can carry 91,000 litres (24,000USgal) of retardant in main- deck tanks, delivered through four nozzles in the lower fuselage aft of the wing. Work on the Supertanker began after the devastating 2002 fire sea son, and late last year Evergreen responded to a request for informa tion on a next-generation aerial tanker from the US Department of Interior. "We are waiting to hear back," the company says. Studies suggest it will take around 7min to fill the tanks. Retardant will be pressure-delivered over an 8-10s period - with the Supertanker flying at 130-140kt (240-260km/h), 500-800ft above ground level - to ensure the aircraft remains within its load-factor lim its. Evergreen plans to operate a fleet of Supertankers converted from freighters within its 747 fleet. Evergreen's Oregon-based airline division has a fleet of 10 747- 100/200 freighters used for interna tional and domestic cargo services. HELI-EXPO 2004 Bell sets end of decade deadline for first in modular family line Bell Helicopter says the first in a highly common family of commercial helicopters developed under its Modular Affordable Product Line (MAPL) initiative will be certificated by the end of the decade. Under MAPL, the company is designing a new light turbine single, light twin and intermediate twin to be produced at its Canadian plant. Goals for MAPL include a 20% productivity improvement through higher speed and useful load; a 20% reduction in operating costs; a 10dB noise reduction; and 99% dispatch reliability. Technology matura tion for the main rotor, drive train, autopilot and noise control is under way. Chief executive Mike Redenbaugh says three- and five-blade main rotors and both a tail fan and advanced tailrotor are under study. Seven technologies will be applied to the upgraded 427IFR light twin to be certificated in late 2006, he says. Bell delivered 97 commercial heli copters last year - 62 light singles, seven light twins and eight intermediate twins, plus 20 Model 412 medium twins. SEE SHOW REPORT P23 The first MAPL family member is set to receive certification by 2010 4 23-29 MARCH 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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