The Swedish armed forces temporarily grounded their new AgustaWestland A109 helicopters last week after a short-circuit came close to starting a fire on Oct. 2 in one of the rotorcraft. All 11 of the helicopters—known as Hkp 15 in the Swedish military—were brought into the hangar at Linkoping-Malmen AB by the next day for inspection.
Although the U.S. troop surge in Iraq was intended to improve security for Iraqis, enabling them to make political and economic advances, it hasn’t worked out that way. Enemy-initiated attacks dropped by more than 20% in July-August, the period following full deployment of the 30,000 additional U.S. troops. But almost all the decrease was in attacks on U.S. coalition forces. Attacks on Iraqi security forces and civilians stayed at about the same level. The Government Accountability Office tabulated the breakdown, using Defense Intelligence Agency data.
Eurocopter Tiger This tandem-seat, anti-tank/fire support helicopter is designed for all-weather, day/night anti-tank, ground support, anti-helicopter, and armed escort missions. Power is supplied by two MTU Turbomeca Rolls-Royce MTR390 turboshaft enines rated at 1,285 shp. each at takeoff.
The percentage of U.S. airline flights arriving late—over 15 min. behind schedule—decreased in August below June and July levels, but still was the second-worst August ever, exceeded only during the summer of 2000. Twenty-one airlines reported on-time arrivals 71.7% of the time during the month, up from 69.8% in July and 68.1% in June. As usual, Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) was the weakest performer, with delays to 45% of its flights.
Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey The V-22 tiltrotor aircraft is a high-wing monoplane design. Its engines are located in wingtip-mounted nacelles that rotate from full vertical for heliborne operation to full horizontal for forward, wing-borne flight. The engines are a pair of Rolls-Royce AE 1107C turboshafts rated 6,150 shp. each. V-22s are currently in production for the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force, and 72 were built through 2006. Some 256 V-22s are expected to be produced between 2007-16.
The world’s first supersonic business jet could be flying by 2013, but proponents will have to overcome significant regulatory, industrial and environmental challenges to make that flight a reality.
The Australian Navy suspended Sea King helo-flying operations last week after a rotorcraft suffered a fault in its tail rotor assembly shortly after takeoff. It had to make an emergency landing.
Boeing/BAE Harrier II A total of 428 Harrier II V/STOL aircraft were produced by Boeing/McDonnell Douglas and BAE before production ceased. The Harrier II is a single- or two-seat, single-engine ground attack aircraft. Harrier IIs are powered by either a 21,450-lb.-thrust Rolls-Royce Pegasus 11-21 vectored thrust turbofan or a 23,800-lb.-thrust Pegasus 11-61. The British Royal Air Force GR7 model uses a Pegasus Mk 105 vectored thrust turbofan (21,500 lb. thrust), though some have since been refitted with the Pegasus Mk 107.
Boeing B-52 Preliminary design studies for the B-52 heavy bomber began in 1946 and in 1952, a prototype made its maiden flight. Production ran until 1962 and reached 744 aircraft, including two prototypes. The aging aircraft remains in U.S. Air Force service, and is the subject of several modernization programs. The bomber is currently powered by eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofans (17,000 lb. thrust each).
There’s more evidence that the Pentagon is preparing for computer network and electromagnetic pulse attacks that could shred network-centric operations. BBN Technologies won an $11-million contract to provide development of technologies needed to establish inexpensive, ultra-large local-area networks of thousands of nodes that could be put into service immediately after an attack.
Sixty years after Aviation Week and Space Technology broke the news that the mythical sound barrier had been smashed, we look at current supersonic technology projects and review the prospects for viable high-speed flight, in a special report that begins on p. 48. Among the projects, Aerion Corp. is planning to fly its supersonic business jet by 2013 if it can forge a workable consortium to build and certify the twin-engine aircraft. The aircraft would cruise at Mach 1.6 and have a range of 4,000 naut. mi.
Northrop Grumman B-2 The B-2 stealth bomber is a long-range nuclear and conventional strike/attack aircraft operated by the U.S. Air Force. It is powered by four 17,300-lb.-thrust GE F118-GE-100 turbofan engines. The B-2’s maiden flight occurred in 1989, with the 21st and final aircraft delivered in 1997. Only the final two B-2s were delivered in full Block 30 configuration, but the other19 were subsequently upgraded.
NASA has completed a fourth long-duration wildfire monitoring mission using a Predator-B UAV on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service (AW&ST Sept. 17, p. 84). One more mission may be scheduled this fire season before the Predator is shifted to other research roles.
With its launch platform repaired, Sea Launch is moving toward a November return to service of its Zenit-3SL launcher. The Long Beach, Calif.-based company has taken delivery of Thuraya 3D, a Boeing 702 built for Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications. The Zenit has been grounded since a January launch-pad explosion that destroyed the SES new Skies NSS-8 satellite. Metal contamination in a turbopump was blamed.
A recent editorial regarding passenger bumping stated the Transportation Dept. maintains that “controlled overbooking gives passengers a degree of flexibility in making and canceling reservations, and in buying and obtaining refunds on tickets.” And, that overbooking allows airlines to fill more seats and make up for no-shows. This logic must be a holdover from the 1962 creation of the rules. A refund for a no-show or change of reservations? When was the last time anyone was able to obtain one of those?
In a recent editorial, you proposed that airlines terminate overbooking. As this is probably never going happen in our lifetimes, why don’t we make the airlines reimburse stranded passengers more appropriately? First, institute a complete ticket refund—the ticket has been paid for. This becomes especially relevant if a passenger is late for a flight due to an earlier connecting flight (especially on the same airline) arriving late. With today’s sophisticated computer systems, airlines could hold a reservation for someone who’s flight is late.
Boeing F/A-18 Hornet The F/A-18 is produced by Boeing, with Northrop Grumman as a major subcontractor. F/A-18A/B/C/Ds are powered by two GE F404-GE-400/402 turbofans (16,000-17,600 lb. thrust each), while the F/A-18E/F has two GE F414-GE-400 turbofans (22,000 lb. thrust each). First flight of an F/A-18 prototype occurred in 1978. The current model is the E/F, which features a larger fuselage, more powerful engines and additional hardpoints. An EA-18G is to replace the EA-6B Prowler in U.S. service.
Italy plans to declare a second wing of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft operational in the first half of 2009, which will lead to gradual retirement of leased F-16s. The first four Typhoons already have been delivered to the 12th Fighter Sqdn., which forms part of the 36th Wing, and is based at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy. The unit had been flying the Alenia Aermacchi MB-339CD jet trainer, and was tasked with the local area defense role. Previously, the aircrew had been operating the Panavia Tornado F3.
Bradley Perrett paints a glowing picture of Chinese commercial aviation in “Birth of a Giant” (AW&ST Sept. 17, p. 76). He notes, referring to the ARJ21, that it is the “origin of a product range that would challenge the established order of civil aircraft makers.” It appears to me in today’s constantly changing/merging aerospace industry “established order” is a misnomer. It seems like only yesterday that McDonnell Douglas was swallowed by Boeing.
AgustaWestland AW129 An anti-armor/ground attack/utility helicopter, the AW129 is powered by two Rolls-Royce GEM 1004 turboshaft engines rated at 890 shp. each, or two LHTEC CTS800 engines rated at 1,373 shp. each. First flight occurred in 1983, with Agusta delivering 65 aircraft, including five prototypes, through 2003. The AW129 recently was selected to fill a Turkish army requirement for 51 attack helicopters.
The Royal Air Force hopes it can bolster its Tornado reconnaissance capability by finally accepting the Raptor pod for service later this year. Reliability and data storage issues have hampered the introduction of the pod into service on the Tornado GR4. Raptor (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado) systems were deployed to the Iraqi theater, but were withdrawn because of problems.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes is continuing to build its delivery rates. Through the third quarter, it delivered 329 airplanes, including 109 in the July-September period, and is on track to deliver about 400 this year. Comparable figures for last year were 100 airplanes in the third quarter and 295 for the year through Sept. 30. The third quarter’s totals included 81 737s (80 in 2006) and 20 777s (13 in 2006).
D. Dale Browning has been named chairman of Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc. Browning has been a board member and was president/CEO of the Colorado National Bank and president of Rocky Mountain Bank Card Systems.
Lockheed P-3 The Lockheed P-3 Orion is an anti-submarine warfare/maritime patrol aircraft. Lockheed won a U.S. Navy ASW competition in 1958 and began deliveries of the P-3A in 1962. The improved P-3C first flew in 1968. Lockheed produced 647 P-3s, while Kawasaki produced 101 under license. Although P-3C production stopped in 1997, the aircraft remains the subject of numerous upgrade programs. The P-3C is powered by four 4,910-shp. Rolls-Royce T56-A-14 turboprop engines.
