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Aviation History
2000
2000 - 0011.PDF
Reims analyses demand for Western version of An-140 FRANCOIS LEGROS/PARIS FRENCH LIGHT aircraft manufacturer Reims Aviation is evaluating die market for a possi ble Westernised version of the Antonov An-140 turboprop. Reims Aviation sales manager Francois Billet says the company's relationship with the Ukrainian design bureau Antonov is "very close" and that it is "undertaking a market analysis" to examine the possibility of producinga Western ised version. The result would be a "35-seat aircraft which would be similar to a Fokker F27", he savs. The Westernised An-140 would probably be produced in Antonov's Kiev, Ukraine, plant, although Billet stresses: "Nothing has been decided. Our examination is at a preliminary stage." It is understood the airframe is likely to remain the same as that of the An-140, but the interior and engines would be upgraded. The two l,840kW (2,465hp) Motor Sitch TV3-117s are considered inefficient and would be replaced by more advanced 2,055kW Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127s. The move comes as Russian manufacturer Aviacor prepares to invest $20 million to underwrite series production of the An-140 at Samara Flight International, 8-14 December, PI7). Designed as a replacement for Russia's ageing Antonov An-24 fleet, the An-140 first flew in August 1997. The first production example is expected to be completed next July. Iran has already signed an assembly deal with Antonov for the An-140. Reims Aviation undertook the market study after one of its test pilots, Paul Roux, flew die aircraft at Kiev. This was the first time tJiat the An-140 had been flown by a Western pilot. • Custom eyes TriStar conversions Custom may turn some of its ex-Saudi TriStars into freighters or tankers CUSTOM AIR Transport is confident it can find cus tomers to allow 10 of the 16 Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 200s it acquired from Saudi Arabian Airlines to be converted into either commercial freighters or military tankers. Custom Air believes it could place some aircraft with pas senger airlines. The Fort Lauderdale-based company has offered some of the aircraft to the four consortia com peting for the UK future strategic tanker aircraft (FSTA) require ment. The company aims to con vert between six and 10 to cargo configuration, and keep one or two in passenger configuration for lease. The rest will be used for spares, says Custom Air general manager Richard VVellman. "We're in constant conversation with Lockheed Martin [which recendy relaunched the TriStar conversion programme using Marshall Aerospace's certificate] and Marshall and certain other repair stations about conversions to freighters," says Wellman. "We've also talked to all four con sortia, including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Flight Refuelling and Circle, about the L-1011 as an alternative solution to FTSA." The UK Royal Air Force already operates nine TriStar 500 trans ports converted by Marshall Aerospace, including tankers and cargo door-equipped models. "We've identified customers that would have a general need for freighters and are focusing on a McDonnell Douglas DC-8 re placement," says Wellman. Fine Air and Kittyhawk operate TriStar freighters and are thought to have held talks with Custom Air. In the meantime, the aircraft remain stored in Saudi Arabia. Also parked are eight Boeing 737-200s that Custom has bought from the Saudi carrier. The com pany's plan is to sell the aircraft directly to an operator with mini mum alteration. This leaves the carrier with 11 more 737s, some of which it cannot replace with new Boeing MD-90s because of airfield restrictions. • Study claims NTSB is 'stretched to limit' THE NATIONAL Transport ation Safety Board (NTSB) is "stretched to the limit", says a study published by independent consul tancy Rand. Rand was referring particularly- to a shortage of personnel. NTSB chairman Jim Hall has accused the US Office of Management and Budget of risking "the safety of the American people" by ignoring repeated requests for more inves tigative personnel. The report suggests, however, that the agency is "insular" in its failure to use the expertise in other agencies and universities. 3 MARKETPLACE ++ Air Seychelles has signed a 10- year lease deal with ILFC for a General Electric CF6-80C2-powered Boeing 767-300ER. for delivery in April 2001. ++ Swiss charter carrier Edelweiss Air has agreed to lease a new Airbus A330-200 from CIT Group from the fourth quarter of 2000. The Rolls-Royce Trent 772B- powered A33O-200 is expected to be Edelweiss Air's first widebodied air craft. ++ An Air Niugini plan to wet- lease a Boeing 737-500 from Ansett Worldwide for two years has lapsed when the aircraft went to another car rier. The airline seeks a similar arrangement to replace a BAE Systems Avro RJ-70 leased from Ade laide based National JetSystems. An airline source says Air Niugini would initially operate the aircraft on a wet lease basis, but would later transfer it to the company's air oper ator certificate. ++ Iranian carrier Mahan Air is reported to be acquir ing three ex-Thai International Airbus A300B4 freighters (including a con vertible) from AR Aviation early in 2000. The two full freighters have been converted by BAE Systems. ++ C-S Aviation has sold two Maersk Air Fokker 50 turboprops to Elmo Ventures on behalf of QIP Aviation. ++ Air Botswana has leased three ATR 42-500s from Air Littoral. The aircraft will be used to rebuild its fleet, fol lowing its destruction in October when a pilot deliberately crashed one of the airline's ATRs into the others. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 22 December 1999 - 3 January 2000 9
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