Clubair’s Mini Airliner

The evaluation reached its completion – the Nomad having established itself as a clear favourite “on paper”. Then a seven-day route proving was undertaken which only served to confirm the project findings, and an order for one Nomad N22B was placed. Three months later, the airliner was delivered and on June 30, 1978, VH-WRT entered scheduled services. Load factors had continued to grow at the same percentage during the three-month period whilst awaiting delivery and flight frequency had been increased to four flights a day. The introduction of the Nomad, capable of uplifting an extra four passengers per flight eased the overcapacity situation. Mr Swanson had thought that Clubair might have been nearing their peak. But he has a definite dictum for running his airline: to do it properly, to give the public the most reliable, efficient and safety-conscious service. In consequence, maintenance and pilot standards are of the highest order. Since this strong policy had obviously been provoking the passenger growth rate, a lot was going to rest on the shoulders of the Nomad to just maintain the status quo. And it has. After nine months in service, Mr Swanson is still as enthusiastic about the airliner as he is ever likely to be. He talks of the design concept as being brilliant; is full of praise for the ruggedness of the airframe and what the airliner will allow him to do. For instance, in Clubair’s flight tor, even with a full passenger load and fuel, only the normal flight cruise throttle setting is used for the take-off. The Nomad did cost more to purchase than some of its possible competitors. But aside from the usual small and thereby almost inevitable problems associated with any aircraft, Mr Swanson knows he has an aircraft engineered to far higher standards. The return on the extra investment will come by either a longer in-service life or by a higher trade-in price thus fully justifying the greater initial outlay.

As a passenger, I could only be impressed by the size of the fuselage. Fitted out as a 12-seater, in the aisle, space and headroom were at once noticeable for their abundance. Neither sparse nor de-luxe, the interior is of a good standard for an airliner of its type where the average flight isn’t likely to be for much more than an hour. The 13th passenger sits alongside the pilot (in the right-hand seat). Entry to this seat cannot be affected from the main cabin but by a side door.

After being impressed by the height of the aircraft the next thing is to watch out for the propeller as it virtually lines up with the door. It’s a two-step-up operation to enter the cockpit. En route, noise was no undue problem though the front seats are the noisiest. But I’m biased in favour of aircraft, so I checked out with some passengers after our flight. All felt that the aircraft was a degree or two quieter than other light aircraft they had flown in.

So far, very good. What else can an airline do with the aircraft and how easily? As an example, Mr Swanson told me that it took between eight and nine minutes only to remove 12 passenger seats plus the cabin door recently when the aircraft was chartered for parachuting. For freight conversion, just six minutes, since the cabin door remains intact. As of now, Clubair is getting more and more freight work bringing about even higher utilisation but at no time has any serious attempt been made to find work. There hasn’t been the time! But to return to the small problem areas. The more extensive use of fibreglass instead of plastic; the repositioning of served switches; and stronger, longer-lasting trim tabs are needed. One or two other small points but which, collectively, can make a good product really great. But these items have to be emphasised as being minor when you consider the Nomad has been designed, from the outset, from a different approach concept by a company without any track record in this particular area. Some of the suggestions made by Mr Swanson are now being introduced on to current production aircraft.

So how has the Nomad settled into its role as a commuter airliner? With Clubair, it does four return flights daily of an average of 36 minutes each, from a small, non-radio airport to a major international gateway. Two extremes. Nearly the biggest aircraft at its home base yet mixing it with the largest Boeings. Initially, no spectacular passenger increase at first but bear in mind, that the company hadn’t expected this. Yet the same old 10% to 12% growth pattern continued. The Nomad proved capable of the demanding schedule of undertaking freight work at night and extra charters at the weekends. No major problem showed up at all. And within a few months, the extra capacity offered by the introduction of the Nomad was all taken up. Two ways for the airline to go. One. To sell the Nomad and get a bigger aircraft again, possibly the Nomad 24B. Or two. Get a second aircraft. Another Nomad even. By doing this, the company would be able to operate extra flights and/or have a backup aircraft. In terms of passenger seats available, a second aircraft would be a big jump and take longer for the growth rate to bring it into profitability. However, remember that the approach of Mr Swanson was to give the best possible service. The purchase of a second Nomad was justified. The second aircraft VH-RCC duly enter. ed service in November last year and at the same time, the weekday schedule was increased to five return flights daily. Clubair had really become an airline. The dependability of the original Nomad makes this practicable.

Early this year, the schedule was increased yet again, to six return flights. By April, parallel flights were being run. Now that this has happened, the second aircraft is no longer a backup thus Clubair are being made to look at either obtaining a third aircraft or back-trading for two of the Series 24 aircraft.

Currently, these two Nomads are the hardest working of their type in service. They are based close enough for both Forrester, the sales agents, and the factory to keep in contact with their product. Further, potentially interested purchasers are making their way to Clubair for in-service experience impressions from Mr Swanson. Both operators and overseas sales agents.

Not long ago, the Nomad was cleared for operations in the USA by the CAB. Such approval is tantamount to worldwide approval. Nomads were again sent to the 1979 Paris Air Show to generate further overseas interest. Some Nomads are being purchased for surveillance work by private companies in the Northern Coastal regions. In fact, at this time, a lot is happening for the Nomad while the Government recently authorised the production of yet another batch of 25 aircraft. All these factors currently indicate a very good future. With fuel prices rising all the time, more and more people will seek the relative cheapness combined with the convenience of air travel, with services being offered by increasing numbers of townships. As the reputation of the Nomad spreads the sales will appreciate.