Newsdesk- General Aviation

“Hawker Pacific is second only to the Beech distributor for Venezuela in total sales and this is only because of a massive purchase there by major oil development companies,” said Bryan O’Loan, manager of Hawker Pacific’s General Aviation Division.

“Included in the year’s states were 12 Beech King Airs. This brings to 50 the number of this type delivered by Hawker Pacific,” he said. “Our performance highlights the resurgence which is taking place in general aviation. The move to turbine power plants is continuing but the level of states of piston-powered aircraft has improved steadily with the stabilisation of the availability of Avgas,” he said.

ANC Rise:

The 20 per cent rise in air navigation charges announced in the Budget will cost the general aviation industry about $880,000 during the remainder of this financial year. This calculation is based on several factors: The Government collected $6. 6m in ANCs from general aviation during 1980/81; DoT estimates the industry will grow by 7. 5 per cent during 1981/82; and the October 1 introduction date for the new higher charges means that DoT will only collect the higher charges for eight months of 1981/82 (allowing for one month delay from October 1).

If DoT’s growth projections for the industry prove correct, it means that the Government will collect approximately $7. 5m in air navigation charges from the general aviation industry during 1981/82. This represents a real increase of almost 100 per cent over the past five years.

Board Urges Non-instrument-Rated Pilots to Develop a “Turn Back” Psychology in the Face of Weather:

The safety record of general aviation co1:1ld show dramatic improvement if non-instrument rated pilots faced with adverse weather conditions could learn the life-saving value of two words; Turn back. Despite decades of repeated warnings, the phrase “continued VFR (visual) flight into adverse weather conditions” continues to appear with disheartening regularity as a probable cause of accidents.

A typical profile of this type of accident involved a non-instrument-rated pilot of a Mooney M-20C who was killed when he crashed near Elk, Calif. The pilot, who had not filed a flight plan and was not known to have obtained a weather briefing, encountered fog near Elk with a ceiling of less than 100 feet. But he elected to continue the flight and was seen by witnesses at tree top level prior to the crash.

Decisions to “turn back” may cause pilots and passengers inconvenience, but the accident statistics plainly show that for many non-instrument-rated pilots, the alternative can be a fatal accident.

Pilots who consider themselves “professionals” should guide themselves by these rules when coping with possible weather problems along a proposed line of flight:

1. Get a weather briefing. Adequate briefings, properly understood, and applied, are the best bases for determining whether your flight should be executed as planned.

2. Establish clearly in your mind the current route conditions, the en route forecast, and the “escape route” to good weather.

3. Once you begin your flight, update your weather information frequently.

4. Unless you are instrument-proficient and have an instrument-equipped aircraft, avoid areas of low ceilings and visibilities.

5. File an appropriate flight plan.

Hawker Pacific Reports Sales Lift:

Figures released by the General Aviation Distributors Association show Beech and Falcon aircraft sold new by Hawker Pacific during the year to June 30, 1981, totalled $20. 4 million.

This is an increase of 70 per cent on the total of $12 million for the previous year.

Hawker Pacific’s total represents 25. 9 per cent of the Australian market of $78 9 million for piston and jet General Aviation aircraft.

The company’s Beech dealership extends into Asia where additional sales of three King Airs and two pressurised twin-engine Barons amounted to $6. 2 million in the year to June 30, 1981.

Hawker Pacific was appointed distributor for Falcon 10, 20 and 50 business Jets in February 1981, and notched up the sale of a Falcon 10 to Drayton Investments, the Brisbane-based charter operator, before the end of June. This was valued at $4 million.

Members of the General Aviation Distributors Association represent 10 overseas manufacturers and the Government Aircraft Factories in Melbourne.

Between them, they sold 223 new aircraft.