FLIGHT International, 7 October 1971

WORLD NEWS

DC-IOs for Western Western Air Lines has ordered four

McDonnell Douglas DC-IOs, previously held on option by American Airlines, with which Western hopes to merge. The cost of the aircraft, which are to be delivered in April, June and July of 1973, is $85 million including spares and ground equipment. If the merger is successful, the new enlarged American Airlines will buy the air­craft; if not successful, Western will buy the DC-IOs, although it will still

Pan Am/TWA Merger Off Discussions on a merger between

Pan American and TWA have been broken off, it was learned in New York last week. The airlines' spokesmen indicated that the two carriers were open for merger talks with other air­lines.

No reason for a breakdown in the talks was given, although TWA is reported to have rejected a suggestion that the US Government had let it be known that a merger would be unacceptable. A TWA spokesman said that the airline no longer believed that the merger would be economi­cally fruitful.

British doubts on MRCA With the multi-role combat aircraft

recently entered into the contract stage, some of the implications of the work-sharing agreement entered into by Britain in concert with Germany and Italy have begun to attract public notice. In The Times for September 29 Mr Kenneth Warren, Conservative MP for Hastings, draws attention to the shortcomings of proclaiming collabora­tion as a national policy, and points out that the Government "is building up a bill for the British taxpayers out of all proportions to the value of the aircraft."

Mr Warren disputed the main argu­ment for collaboration, which is the reduction in cost to each country resulting from the larger market. Costs would be at least 30 per cent higher, due to differing political, indus­trial and economic situations between countries, and the "consequent vast international bureaucratic manage­ment organisation" necessary to run the project. Particularly worrying was the situation concerning the award of avionic contracts largely gained by American companies and Mr Warren called for the British Government to

have to arrange finance for them. If the merger falls through Western will need nine DC-IOs. Until a US Govern­ment decision is announced whether to allow the merger, American will make the progress payments on the initial four aircraft. In September, Western ordered three 727-200s with options on another three for delivery next spring.

• SAS has converted two of its eight DC-10-30 options to firm orders.

re-negotiate the MRCA contract. "This was the area where British engineers had challenged and beaten the Americans on their own ground; where their technology is second to none in the world. And to stay in front requires not only design genius, but a government prepared to back you to the hilt."

He emphasised the shortcomings inherent in the rigid division of work load irrespective of national ability to undertake the task, leading directly to the MRCA b e c o m i n g easily accessible to the American industry.

AICMA on Collaboration New moves to strengthen the links

between the leading aviation and space companies in Europe were being discussed at Edinburgh last Monday and Tuesday during the annual general assembly of AICMA (The Association Internationale des Con-structeurs de Materiel Aerospatiale), and Eurospace. Among subjects under

discussion was a proposal for closer liaison between governments, airlines and manufacturers in planning to meet the future civil aircraft needs of Europe. Another suggestion was for the establishment of a world-wide rep­resentative body of aerospace manu­facturers.

AICMA is the aerospace trade asso­ciation of Britain (through the SBAC), France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland. Its 400,000 employees between them generate an annual turnover of £1,700 million. Eurospace is the corresponding association of firms specialising in space activities.

Luna 19 in Lunar Orbit The latest Soviet Moon probe Luna

19 was placed in orbit around the Moon on October 3 to begin its pro­gramme of scientific measurement. This flight is possibly a replacement mission for Luna 18 which was lost on September 11 after apparently landing on the surface (the craft is thought to have overturned on a steep gradient).

Miami Deadlock lata airlines meeting in Miami to

agree fares for all areas except the North Atlantic reached deadlock early this week over European fares. BEA's proposal for Apex (Advance-Pur-

N e w wide bodies The first A-300B fuselage is now structurally complete at Toulouse, combining the cockpit built on site by Aerospatiale with forward section from VFW-Fokker and the rear fuselage from HFB at Finkenwerder. Right, the first Boeing 747F on the line at Everett.

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