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IT is a fact of life that aircraft are expensive — too expensive to allow them to stand idle. Yet aircraft are needed for things like training and publicity which, though perhaps not productive in themselves, are vitally necessary for operators and manufacturers.

IN the two years since the last Farnborough Air Show was held by the Society of British Aerospace Companies the aircraft industry has achieved an almost complete metamorphosis from the body blows in the form of major programme cancellations that almost felled it in 1965 to the very healthy position that it holds today.

PRODUCTS and processes from many companies were shown at this Exhibition at Manchester which emphasised the place that advanced composites and reinforced plastics now play in almost every area of activity. In the aerospace field, developments are occurring at a rate which has seen the introduction of these materials into components that have always been regarded as essentially metal construction.

Available from Permali Gloucester Ltd. is a new brochure describing the range of sandwich laminates which the company manufactures to the specific requirements of different applications and industries.

ALTHOUGH some large companies had a noticeably low‐key presence and there were absentees compared with previous years, the tone of the Show reflected a determination to look forward to a more rewarding environment. Several new types made their appearance, perhaps the most significant of these being the Airbus A340 which was one of six development aircraft now flying. All aspects of the flight test programme for both the ‐200 and ‐300 vesions are proceeding satisfactorily and simultaneous certification is expected in December with first delivery to Lufthansa in January, 1993. The A340‐200 series can carry a typical load of 263 passengers for up to 7,800 n miles (14,500 km) and the larger A340‐200 can carry 295 passengers for 7,250 n miles (13,400 km). Meanwhile, the first A330 two‐engine medium‐to‐long‐range counterpart with accommodation for 335 is nearing its first flight which is planned for the end of October. Another new Airbus type, the A321 seating 186 passenges is due to begin its certification programme in March next year with entry into service early in 1994.

DESPITE the fact that the number of new aircraft appearing at Farnborough is an unreliable yard‐stick with which to measure the progress of the British aerospace industry, it is nevertheless true that these new aircraft give a valuable indication of emphasis within the industry and as pieces of finished ’hardware' they obviously deserve pride of place in any report on this year's S.B.A.C. Show.

Soviet, Polish, European, American and British civil and military craft will be displayed — and flying — at Helitech 91, the international helicopter technology and operations exhibition being held at Redhill, Surrey, UK, now known as the ‘Farnborough’ of the helicopter world.

THE twenty‐fifth international air show which is to be held at Lc Bourget, from June 6 to June 16, promises to be the largest and most competitive of any of the Salons which have been organized by the French Union Syndicalc des Industries Aeronautiqucs ct Spatialcs, since the first in 1909. Approximately 400 companies from seventeen countries will present their latest aerospace products on the ground and in the air—the British industry being represented by 65 leading firms.

THE evolution and basic design philosophy, aerodynamic design, structural design, power plant, systems, interior arrangements, flying controls and automatic landing, reliability, quality control and maintenance of the Short Brothers and Harland Belfast C. Mk. 1 strategic freighter have been dealt with in considerable detail in the preceding eight articles. The object of this final article is to provide further ‘backup’ information especially on the systems side but whereas the earlier articles have dealt with overall systems and philosophies, it is intended here to describe specific pieces of equipment and the contributions made by a number of Companies within the industry to the Belfast programme.