Adequate seating for 30 becomes generous seating for 19 in Corning’s <strong>Dornier</strong> <strong>328</strong> corporate shuttle that was completed by Kal Aero of Battle Creek, Michigan. Fred George FROM MARCH 1996 BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL AVIATION. © 1996, THE McGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ANALYSIS <strong>Dornier</strong> this report—the Do <strong>328</strong>-110—is an improved model which received certification in November 1994. It has a modified ambient temperature operating envelope, higher MTOW and upgraded systems. -110 DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS It’s common for a new aircraft design to undergo growing pains, and the <strong>Dornier</strong> <strong>328</strong>-100 was no exception. During development work, for example, one flight-test aircraft suffered severe propeller damage during stability and control tests. As a result, the prop hub and blade shanks were redesigned for more strength, and the flight envelope was limited. <strong>Dornier</strong> also found that the aircraft needed almost 20 percent more horsepower to live up to its 335 KTAS speed claim. As a result, the engines were upgraded from PW119s to PW119B models. The additional horsepower, however, wasn’t all efficiently converted to thrust because the original props were sized for the lower-power, PW119 engines. The upshot? <strong>Dornier</strong> achieved the high-speed cruise numbers. The downside? The extra horsepower reduced the seats-full range to 730 nm. Other shortcomings were discovered, but <strong>Dornier</strong> didn’t want to delay the certification program for fine-tuning past the end of 1993. Those The <strong>Dornier</strong> <strong>328</strong>-110 features the most advanced avionics suite in its aircraft class. A HUD is an option for Category III operations. improvements could be incorporated in the post-certification development program that would culminate in an improved model—the <strong>Dornier</strong> <strong>328</strong>- 110—that would be certificated a year later, in November 1994. The Do <strong>328</strong>-100’s rudder travel, for example, was limited to meet stability and control certification requirements. But, the limited rudder travel also increased VMC, with the ripple effect of higher takeoff V-speeds and longer balanced field lengths than originally forecast. In addition, the -100’s maximum wing-flap deflection was limited to 20 degrees for landing instead of the full 32 degrees, which raised VREF speeds and lengthened landing distances. The -100’s c.g. envelope also was restricted, thereby limiting loading flexibility, especially in the aft baggage compartment. Nearly all the -100’s imperfections, however, were remedied in the -110. Top priority was given to boosting the seats-full range, which boiled down to certificating a 772-pound increase in MTOW to allow more fuel to be carried. The extra fuel increased the seats-full range to 900 nm, according to <strong>Dornier</strong>. The increase in MTOW to 30,843 pounds also required using the PW119B’s 2,180 maximum-horsepower rating for takeoff instead of the 1,851-shp normal rating. Maximum takeoff power, though, only is available up to a 20.4°C (69°F) ambient temperature, compared to a 36.4°C (97°F) ambient temperature for normal takeoff power. The -110, though, DO <strong>328</strong> INTRODUCED PRIMUS 2000 Honeywell’s Primus 2000 integrated avionics system made its debut in the <strong>Dornier</strong> <strong>328</strong> in 1993, and revolutionized the cockpit of the 30-seat regional aircraft. The system immediately became the most sophisticated avionics suite in this class of aircraft. <strong>Dornier</strong> departed from the traditional mixand-match sets of analog and digital avionics that have been fitted to previous 30-seaters. Instead, the firm opted for five of the latest generation, large-format CRT displays, complemented by integrated radio control heads and factory-standard FMS. Notably, the Do <strong>328</strong> is the only aircraft in its class to offer full-function EICAS, including smart-system synoptics that pop into view at the touch of a button if a malfunction occurs. <strong>Dornier</strong>’s standard avionics package includes left- and right-side Primus II radios, dual digital air-data computers, dual data acquisition units, dual Primus II CNI radios controlled by full-color, LCD radio management units, dual fiber-optic attitude/heading reference system (AHRS), plus a single DME, a Primus 650 weather radar, a single FMS imbedded in the left IAC, a radio altimeter and a 3.5-inch diskette drive for database updates and maintenance downloading. A cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder also are part of the package. Avionics options include provisions for a Flight Dynamics HGS 2000 headup guidance system certificated for Category IIIa approaches, Honeywell or AlliedSignal TCAS, Honeywell or Trimble GPS receivers, a VLF/Omega navigation receiver, Laseref III inertial reference system and GPWS. Other options provided for include dual HF transceivers, SELCAL, ACARS, a Primus 870 Doppler turbulence-detection weather radar and a third VHF transceiver. And for customers who insist, <strong>Dornier</strong> will provision the aircraft for MLS. FROM MARCH 1996 BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL AVIATION. © 1996, THE McGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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