July 15, 1985

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Aviation Week Pilot Report

ATR42 Offers Commuter Airlines Simple, Efficient Operations

Toulouse—Aerospatiale/Aeritalia ATR42 offers regional airlines a 46-passenger aircraft that is simple and efficient to operate and has the ability to carry standard cargo containers. It has the largest seating capacity of the new generation of turboprop aircraft entering commuter operations.

By David M. North21 min

Aerospace In China

Chinese Design Supersonic Bomber, Pian Joint Efforts to Build Momentum

Xian, China—The People’s Republic of China has begun preliminary design of a new twin-engine supersonic bomber and at least one other new military aircraft as the country seeks to maintain momentum in aircraft manufacturing with defense programs and cooperative civil aircraft agreements with foreign partners such as McDonnell Douglas and Boeing.

By Craig Covault10 min

Aerospace In China

Test Centers Near Beijing Expanding Space Design, Checkout Capabilities

Beijing, China—Satellite development and test centers near the Chinese capital here are building large new facilities to upgrade their ability to design space optical systems and conduct preflight checkout of Chinese spacecraft. Both the Beijing Institute of Control Engineering and the Beijing Institute of Environmental Test Engineering focus on the development of systems and checkout involved with science, communications and remote sensing satellites.

Air Transport

Many Carriers Credit June Traffic Gains to United Pitots’ Strike

Washington—Major U. S. airlines reported traffic gains in June ranging from 11.5% to 73.1%, with many carriers attributing a portion of the increases to extra passengers carried as a result of the strike against United Airlines. Many smaller airlines also shared in the traffic diverted by the pilots’ strike against United.

By Carole A. Shifrin8 min

Avionics

Joint Ventures Draw Focus During 36th Paris Air Show

Paris—Marketing approaches employed at the 36th Paris air show by manufacturers of electronic equipment included pursuit of joint ventures such as one advanced during the show by France’s Sfena to boost capability for penetrating the global market for electronic flight instrument systems.

By Jay C. Lowndes6 min

Aeronautical Engineering

Ground Proximity Warning System Requires Further Test, Development

Edwards AFB, Calif.—Early flight evaluation results of a USAF/Fairchild Republic A-10A close support aircraft equipped with a ground proximity warning system indicate that computer warning devices can alert military pilots when flying at low altitudes, but further refinements and testing of alternate systems will occur before such a system is installed on active Air Force tactical aircraft.

By Keith F. Mordoff6 min

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July 15, 1985

July 15, 1985