Fixed-wing – Page 1390
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US military spending continues to decline
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC US DEFENCE procurement expenditure will fall to its lowest level since 1950 in fiscal year 1996. Procurement should begin a slow rebound in 1997, however, if Congress passes the Clinton plan. The Administration's request for $246 billion for the Department of Defense (DoD) ...
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New rotor reduces UH-60 vibration
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES INITIAL FLIGHT TESTS of a new wide-chord rotor blade on a Sikorsky UH-60L testbed show that the design produces substantially lower vibratory hub loads, in addition to other hoped-for improvements in payload, speed and manoeuvrability. The "growth" main-rotor blade now being tested on ...
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Partners set date for FLA pre-development phase
Douglas Barrie/LONDON and Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH THE FUTURE Large Aircraft (FLA) partner nations are aiming to begin the pre-development phase of the military-transport aircraft project in 1996, with development of a production-standard model to start in 1999. Advancing the FLA project has been discussed by senior French, ...
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US Navy to test BAe ASRAAM to meet AIM-9X
THE US NAVY has awarded British Aerospace an $11 million contract to provide Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAMs) for US military evaluation. Under the Pentagon's foreign comparative-testing programme, the ASRAAM will be evaluated by the USN to determine its suitability as the next-generation Sidewinder air-to-air missile, the AIM-9X. ...
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Funding shortfall hits Russian army plans
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW SERIOUS FUNDING shortfalls are shackling the Russian army aviation corps' attempts to acquire an all-weather rotary-wing attack capability, according to its commander, Col Gen Vitaly Pavlov. The Russian army will receive only 46 billion roubles (about $11 million at market rates) for acquisition in ...
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Dassault lays claim to fighter leadership
Gilbert Sedbon/PARIS SERGE DASSAULT HAS staked his company's claim for leadership of a next-generation European combat-aircraft programme, saying that Dassault would be willing to work with Germany on a programme beyond the Rafale multi-role fighter now in development. "Present indications," says Dassault, "point rather towards Germany, ...
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Snecma woos India on trainer
A HIGH-LEVEL delegation from French engine-manufacturer Snecma has held discussions with the Indian Government in an attempt to win a lucrative order to meet the air force's New Jet Trainer (NJT) requirement. The Indian air force is considering purchasing either the Snecma-powered Dassault Alpha Jet or the Rolls-Royce/Turbom‚ca-powered ...
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Tiger contracts date advanced
Julian Moxon/MARSEILLES IN A LAST-DITCH MOVE to convince the Netherlands to buy Eurocopter's Tiger anti-tank helicopter, the Franco-German group has brought forward by two years the date for the award of long-lead production contracts. France will receive some Tigers in 1999, to help Eurocopter meet the ...
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BAe and Saab sign
BRITISH AEROSPACE and Saab have signed an initial agreement which will lead to the joint marketing, support and manufacture of variants of the Saab JAS39 Gripen lightweight multi-role fighter. BAe confirms the signing, but adds that the final agreement, along with the approval of the two respective Governments, ...
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In defence of the Robinson R22
Sir - Much adverse material has been published recently about the Robinson R22 helicopter. In defence of the aircraft, may I point out that the company of which I am chief flying instructor has been operating R22s for training and commercial work for the past ten years and ...
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Cracks cured
The US Air Force's fleet of 244 Lockheed C-141B transports is now operational with no restrictions, following completion of wing-crack repairs. Aircraft requiring a wing lower-surface replacement to overcome weep-hole cracking were the last to be returned to service. Source: Flight International
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FLA in Japan
Sumitomo has agreed to market the European Future Large Aircraft (FLA) in Japan. The country's Defence Agency has a requirement for a new long-range transport aircraft to support its overseas peace-keeping operations. The McDonnell Douglas C-17 and Kawasaki's proposed C-X will also be considered. Source: Flight ...
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JDAM for F-22
The US Air Force has awarded a $105 million contract to Lockheed to develop a capability for the F-22 combat aircraft to carry the Joint Direct Attack Munition weapon. The work is to be completed in March 2002, according to the USAF. Source: Flight ...
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Saudi F-15 maintenance
The US Air Force has awarded McDonnell Douglas a $257 million contract to assist Saudi Arabia's McDonnell Douglas F-15 fighter maintenance programme. It says that the work is to be performed at various sites in Saudi Arabia through to December 1996. Source: Flight International
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All change in Japan
Japan is facing up to a major transformation in its aerospace industry. Paul Lewis/TOKYO Japanese defence spending over the last 40 years has been largely responsible for sustaining a small, but highly capable, local aircraft industry. This will change as a post-Cold War reduction in military spending has ...
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Bell launches Model 407
BELL HELICOPTER Textron has launched its Model 407, with orders for more than 40 of the new light-turbine helicopters. As expected, the single-turbine 407 and twin-turbine 407T are based on the current Model 206, with the four-blade-rotor dynamic system from the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. Launch customer is Niagara Helicopters. ...
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EC.120 assembly to start shortly
FINAL ASSEMBLY OF THE first Eurocopter EC.120 light single-turbine helicopter will begin soon at Marignagne, France. The first flight is scheduled for the second half of 1995 and initial deliveries for 1997. The 1.5t gross-weight EC.120 is being developed jointly by Eurocopter France, Singapore Aerospace and CATIC of ...
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...as Robinson turns on FAA and NTSB
FRANK ROBINSON, owner and founder of Robinson Helicopter, says that inadequate training is the cause of the recent spate of rotor-strike accidents affecting the company's R22 and R44 helicopters. "It's not a helicopter problem, it's a training problem," he says. The US Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation ...
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Allison unveils details of new turboshaft for Bell 407
Allison Engines has revealed details of a new variant of the 250 turboshaft for the Bell 407. The C47M is based largely on the C40, launched recently on the new Bell 430. The C47M's compressor incorporates a new high-flow impeller, which increases airflow by 7%, and a brush ...
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Hueys destined for US drug work
THE US BORDER Patrol is expected to begin using five LHTEC T800-powered Bell UH-1H Hueys in April 1995 for drug interdiction and patrols. The last of the five UH-1Hs is being fitted with its T800 engine at the US Army's Fort Rucker Aviation Technical Test Center in Alabama. ...