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Week ending October 25, 1998
+++ Ariane 5 completes a successful third test flight +++ Mission accomplished for ARD reentry capsule +++ Luftwaffe planes crash in USA +++ US Air Force awards EELV contracts +++ Cessna reveals bunch of new Citations +++ Bombardier unveils Continental Jet +++ More orders for Airbus A320s +++ News in Brief +++
Ariane 5 completes a successful third test flight
Dritter Ariane-5-Testflug erfolgreich verlaufen
The new European launch rocket Ariane 5 lifted off from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on Wednesday 21 October 1998 for its third qualification flight at : 01: 37: 21 p.m. Kourou time (04: 37: 21 p.m. GMT) The solid-propellant boosters separated as planned at an altitude of about 62 km, 2m 23sec after HO. The fairing was jettisoned 3mn 13sec into the flight, followed by separation of the cryogenic main stage at 9mn 59sec at 139 km. At H0+12mn, at an altitude of 209 Km, the Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator was released and 3mn 14sec later the storable-propellant upper stage propelled the stage assembly and Maqsat 3, a representative mockup of a commercial satellite, towards its injection point. At H0+33mn 07sec, the upper stage engine shut down and Maqsat 3 was injected into geostationary transfer orbit. The parameters calculated at its precise point in time were: Perigee: 1027 km for 1 028 (+/- 3) km predicted, Apogee: 35.863 km for 35.898 (+/- 200) km predicted, Inclination: 6.999* for 6.998* (+/- 0,054)* predicted. In Kourou, Fredrik Engström, ESA's Director of Launchers and Ariane 503 Flight Director, confirmed : "The third Ariane-5 flight has been a complete success. It qualifies Europe's new heavy-lift launcher and vindicates the technological options taken by the European Space Agency." Jean-Marie Luton, Chairman of Arianespace, emphasised: "I should like to pay tribute to the European Space Agency, CNES and all the industrial and operational teams here in French Guiana and in Europe on having successfully completed this programme. With their support, we will now be offering our customers a launch service combining performances, power, flexibility and availability in line with today's commercial demands and those of tomorrow." Following the success of this third Ariane 5 qualification flight, Arianespace continues to take industrial, commercial and operational responsibility for Europe's new heavy launcher. The analysis of some 1,400 data points and measurements collected during this flight should lead to the official qualification of the launcher in December 1998. Allowing for a gradual service entry, the first commercial flight is scheduled for the end of the first quarter of 1999 and will boost two communications satellites into orbit. The launch schedule will remain flexible, to adapt to satellite availability. However, Arianespace can already offer a capacity of 12 to 15 Ariane 4 and Ariane 5 launches per year during the period 1998-2001. Arianespace also made a firm commitment to the European space industry, by ordering 14 Ariane 5 launchers as early as June 1995. The first of these was launched today - and it was a complete success. Arianespace plans to produce and deliver to Kourou four Ariane 5 launchers in 1999. The next launch, Flight 113, is scheduled in just one week. On October 28, an Ariane 44L will boost two satellites into orbit: the GE-5 telecommunications and television satellite for GE American Communications; and AfriStar, a Worldspace satellite that will provide a brand-new service, direct digital radio broadcasting.
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Mission accomplished for ARD reentry capsule
Mission der Wiedereintrittskapsel ARD erfüllt
The Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator capsule (ARD), released by Ariane 503, has splashed down in the Pacific to be retrieved by a recovery vessel. The ARD was released by the launcher, as planned shortly after separation of Ariane 503's cryogenic main stage at an altitude of about 216 km, 12 minutes after lift-off. The telemetry link with the capsule was established with the Libreville downrange station at T+17 min. and with the first ARIA tracking aircraft at T+1hr 15min, prior to the black-out phase. Emerging from this black-out, the link was restored with the second ARIA tracker plane at T+1hr 22min. Visual contact was established between the capsule and the helicopter which had take off from the Prairial vessel. Splashdown occured at T+43min, at a point situated between the Iles Marquises and Hawaii. Built by Aerospatiale (France) for ESA, the ARD tests and qualifies new technologies and flight control capabilities during atmospheric reentry and landing.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Luftwaffe planes crash in USA
Tornado- und F-4F-Abstürze in den USA
The German Luftwaffe flight training units at Holloman Air Force Base (New Mexico) suffered two accidents within days of each other recently:- On Wednesday, 14. October, two F-4F Phantoms of the 20th Fighter Squadron collided in mid-air at 3:23 pm approximately 60 miles northwest of Holloman while on a training sortie. One aircraft crashed south of Highway 3880 in an isolated area on White Sands Missile Range, but USAF Lt.Col Carl Cartke and Luftwaffe 2nd Lt. Stephen Elfein were able to eject, sustaining only minor bruises. The second F-4 got back to Holloman with a missing wing section.
- On Monday, 19 October, a Tornado belonging to the Tactical Training Center crashed Monday at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, about 40 miles southeast of Ridgecrest, Calif. The German aircraft was on a routine training mission at the time of the crash. The German Embassy in Washington has confirmed that the two-person aircrew died in the crash. They were not assigned to the German Air Force Tactical Training Center at Holloman, but came from the Jagdbombergeschwader at Memmingen. Six persons on the ground were injured or suffered smoke inhalation. All but one of the six were treated and released by Ridgecrest Regional Hospital.
US Air Force awards EELV contracts
EELV-Verträge für Lockheed und Boeing
On October 16, acting Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters announced the award of four contracts valued at a total of $3.03 billion to Lockheed Martin Corporation, Denver, Colo., and Boeing, Huntington Beach, Calif for the EELV launch systems. Each of the companies is being awarded a $500 million contract for engineering and manufacturing development agreements. The two companies are also being awarded contracts for initial launch services for the Department of Defense's EELV program, the next generation of space launch vehicles, that total $2.03 billion. Boeing will receive $1.38 billion, and Lockheed Martin will receive $650 million. During the development phase, fiscal year 1999-2002, the two contractors will complete launch vehicle development, establish manufacturing capabilities, construct and modify launch site infrastructure and activate launch sites at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. During the initial launch service phase, the Air Force will acquire commercial launch services for 28 government payloads scheduled to launch between fiscal 2002 and 2006. Boeing will conduct 19 launches and Lockheed Martin nine launches.
EELV's objective is to improve the affordability and operability of the nation's expendable space launch systems beyond the turn of the century. It will replace the current fleet of medium- and heavy-launch systems (Delta, Atlas and Titan) with two modular families of launch vehicles.
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Cessna reveals bunch of new Citations
Citation Business-Jet-Familie wird erweitert
At the NBAA Convention, which took place October 19 to 21 at Las Vegas, Cessna unveiled no less than four new members of its Citation family of business jets:- The successor to the sales leader in the entry level jet market, the CitationJet, will be the Citation CJ1. Delivery of the first Citation CJ1 will occur in the first quarter of 2000. The Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system, identical to the system offered on the new Citation CJ2, will become standard equipment. The CJ1's 200-pound gross weight increase allows it to carry more payload greater distances.. Maximum IFR range with single pilot and three passengers is over 1,250 nm, and 1,475 nm with VFR reserves. The price of the Citation CJ1 is $3,495,000 in year 2000 dollars.
- Building on the legacy of the highly successful CitationJet, Cessna has announced plans to add a new product to the lineup - the Citation CJ2. The CJ2 will specifically address the needs of a large market segment not currently served. With a longer cabin and tailcone; greater wingspan; larger, swept horizontal tail; new Williams-Rolls FJ44-2C engines; and advanced technology Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, the CJ2 is a bigger, faster version of the CitationJet. The Citation CJ2 is priced at $4,295,000 in 1998 dollars. The first flight of the prototype is anticipated in the second quarter of 1999, with type certification in the second quarter of 2000 and the first customer delivery in the first quarter of 2001.
- The Citation 560 model line will now be represented by the Citation Ultra Encore. The prototype aircraft made its first flight on July 9, 1998, and type certification is targeted for the fourth quarter of 1999, to be followed by first customer delivery in the second quarter of 2000. The Ultra Encore retains the features most valued by current customers and adds new, more efficient engines; trailing link landing gear; more full fuel payload; an updated interior; improved systems; heated leading edge wing de-icing; and improved maintainability. The new powerplant for the Ultra Encore is the Pratt & Whitney PW 535A which provides 3,360 lbs. of thrust at 80 degrees Fahrenheit (a 10 percent increase) and a 15 percent Specific Fuel Consumption improvement over the JT15D-5D engine on the Ultra. Fuel heaters eliminate the need for Prist. A 2,500 hour HSI and 5,000 hour TBO result in less frequent maintenance. The price of the Ultra encore in year 2000 dollars is $6,875,000.
- An additon to the Citation family - the Citation Sovereign (Model 680) is an all new design, with the traditional midsize business jet market in mind. It will have the largest cabin of any traditional midsize; 2,500 nm range with NBAA IFR reserves and eight passengers; the ability to fly coast-to-coast without speed reductions; outstanding runway performance; and a traditional midsize price. The Sovereign will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW306C engines, each with a takeoff thrust of 5,686 lbs. flat rated to ISA+15 degrees Centigrade. The Sovereign uses simple systems and proven technologies. This results in a low-risk development and certification program as well as high dispatch reliability. Manual flight controls, fully modulating speed brakes and electrically powered flaps are incorporated.
Bombardier introduces Continental Jet
Continental Jet von Bombardier angekündigt
On October 18, Bombardier announced an all-new transcontinental business jet. The new aircraft, to be known as the Bombardier Continental Jet, will carry eight passengers and their baggage non-stop across North America at a speed of Mach 0.82 (541 mph), and will enter corporate service with customers in the year 2002. This new aircraft will be Bombardier's product offering in the emerging and important super midsize business jet segment. "We are designing it to deliver the best value in its class by offering a well-balanced, strong performance in all key buyer decision criteria - including great price", said the company.Bombardier Aerospace is now seeking commitments from prospective customers, heading towards for a formal program launch decision next spring. The program is currently in the advanced design and will begin joint definition early in the first quarter of 1999. First flight is anticipated in the first quarter of 2001. Type certification is expected in mid-2002. Bombardier forecasts more than 1,000 new-generation super midsize business aircraft by the year 2012, mostly for the U.S. market, and the company aims for a 30 per cent share of the total market.
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More orders for Airbus A320s
A320-Familie: Weitere Bestellungen
On 19 October, General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), a unit of GE Capital, has followed up on its intention to purchase Airbus Industrie A320 Family aircraft by signing the contract for a firm order for 30 of the jetliners. The order, which was revealed during the Farnborough Airshow, comprises one A319, 15 A320s and 14 A321s. Deliveries of the aircraft will begin in 2003 and continue through 2006. All aircraft included in this agreement will be powered by engines produced by CFM International. Also, Lufthansa has confirmed a firm order for 16 additional Airbus Industrie aircraft, comprising ten A340-300s and six A321s. Lufthansa is Airbus Industrie's largest airline customer with a total of 164 Airbus Industrie aircraft now ordered by the Frankfurt-based airline, including a total of 80 single-aisle aircraft and 41 A340s. The additional order for A340-300s makes Lufthansa by far the largest A340 customer worldwide. The airline was launch customer for the four-engined ultra long-haul aircraft type in the late 1980s and has recently ordered 10 of the latest, higher-capacity version, the A340-600. Delivery of the six A321-200s will begin in December 1999. Lufthansa will fly their A321 fleet, as well as the 33 A320s and 20 a319s currently in operation by the airline, from Germany to destinations all over Europe and the Near East.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
On October 21, Trans World Airlines, Inc. (TWA) announced an order for four Boeing 757-200 airplanes for delivery in 1999. The airline also announced the lease of one extended-range 767-300ER from International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC), also to be delivered in 1999. The acquired airplanes will give TWA a fleet of 27 757-200s and five 767-300s by January 2000.+++
Deliveries for Boeing Next-Generation 737 jetliners reached a significant program milestone when the 100th airplane was delivered to Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) on October 19. "It is rare for a commercial jetliner program to deliver so many airplanes so quickly following initial certification," said John Hayhurst, vice president and general manager - 737 Program. "Overcoming productiondifficulties to produce 100 airplanes in approximately nine months is a tremendous record-breaking accomplishment for our employees - they deserve all of the credit."
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The Delta III investigation team has completed the cause and corrective action investigation into the Aug. 26 failure of the Boeing Delta III launch vehicle. "The roll instability which led to the Delta III failure can be corrected by a change to our control software," said Clarence Quan, Boeing Delta III investigation chairman. The Delta III control system consists of an onboard computer system which controls the main engine, two vernier engines and three solid-rocket motors (SRMs) with thrust-vector control (TVC) assemblies. When designing the roll aspects of the control system, 56 roll modes were identified. A 4 hertz (cycles per second) roll mode caused the roll instability seen in the Delta III launch. The 4 hertz roll mode was caused by the three airlit solid-rocket motors rocking back and forth in unison. As the ground lit SRMs burned and lost weight, the rocking air-lit solids had a greater influence on the vehicle. The mode became significant 40 to 50 seconds into flight.
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Customer response to the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) continues to be positive as 11 new orders were announced at the NBAA Convention by Boeing Business Jets President Borge Boeskov, increasing the total number of sales to 46.
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A Boeing Delta II rocket carried a futuristic NASA spacecraft during a launch on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla. The spacecraft, Deep Space 1 will test new technologies for space missions of the next century. The first of NASA's New Millennium program missions, Deep Space 1 will test advanced technologies to explore the solar system. Among the experiments aboard the NASA spacecraft is an ion propulsion engine and software that tracks celestial bodies so the spacecraft can make navigation decisions without the assistance of ground controllers.
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On October 21, Bombardier Aerospace announced the sale of 12 Canadair Regional Jet Series 200 aircraft plus 12 options to Kendell Airlines of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. The contract for the 12 firm 50-passenger aircraft calls for deliveries to begin in the last quarter of 1999 and to be completed by mid-2001. The transaction propels the Canadair Regional Jet firm orderbook beyond the 500 aircraft mark.
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Dean C. Borgman has been appointed president and chief operating officer of Sikorsky Aircraft. He will report ot eugene Buckley, who continues as Sikorsky's chif executive officer and becomes chairman of the company. Until recently, Borgman was president of the McDonnell Dougla (then Boeing) helicopter activiteis at Mesa (AH-64 Apache, Explorer, MD 500 series).
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Taiwanese Carrier China Airlines might see a large investment from Singapore Airlines. Press reports say that SIA wants to buy up to 25 percent of the shares. "We do regard China Airlines as a good investment", a SIA top executive was quoted. After several crashs in recent years, the image of China Airlines has been severely damaged. As one of the first measures, SIA has sent officials to the airline in order to implement new flight safety and flight management standards.
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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:
October 18, 1998
September 27, 1998
September 20, 1998
September 13, 1998
September 6, 1998
August 30, 1998
August 23, 1998
August 16, 1998
August 9, 1998
August 2, 1998
July 26, 1998
July 19, 1998
July 12, 1998
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Last updated October 23, 1998
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