Local News in Brief : John Wayne Airport : Jetliner Tests Planned by 2 European Firms

Two European aircraft manufacturers plan to test-fly new jetliners at John Wayne Airport soon to see if they can meet the facility’s strict noise limits.

The test flights are in anticipation of a major increase in flights scheduled when the new passenger terminal opens in 1990.

Netherlands-based Fokker Aircraft plans to test its new, 107-passenger Fokker 100 jetliner Jan. 30 and 31, airport officials said. The plane’s range is between 1,200 and 1,500 miles and compares roughly to the BAe-146, a British-built jet that is flown out of John Wayne with a maximum 84-passenger load.

The European-based Airbus Industrie consortium says it hopes to test its new, 150-seat A-320 Airbus at John Wayne in the next few months. The A-320 can fly up to 3,000 miles with passengers and baggage but no freight, according to a company spokesman. The plane is designed to compete with the Boeing 757, which is flown by Delta Airlines and America West out of John Wayne.

Company and airport officials said that Northwest Airlines is interested in using the Airbus, while USAir is considering the purchase of the Fokker 100.