Australian Civil Aircraft Register Update

Of the new allocations and starting with the larger aircraft, there are three new Boeings for Qantas. EAM and EAN are in fact the second two 767s to be allocated these markings, the first two being serial numbers 23307 and 23308. Whilst still 0n the production line these aircraft became 2J6 models and were delivered to CAAC of China as B-2551 and B-2552 respectively. Interestingly both Qantas aircraft used the same American registration for testing before being delivered to Sydney via Honolulu. EBW is !HE fourth of an order for five 747 series 300 aircraft and was also delivered to Sydney via Honolulu.

AOC meanwhile is the first ATR42 to be seen in Australia and arrived in Cairns from France via Darwin on the 1st of May. By the 22nd it was in service onAirQueensland routes in its TAAlookalike colour scheme. The aircraft was in fact the thirteenth off the production line but became serial number 12A because of the superstitious connotations of the number 13.

Kendell Airlines put their second Saab SF340 into operation with the arrival of KDP which was painted as KOi when it was rolled out of the factory in Sweden but was later changed when it was found KOi was reserved for another aircraft. Kendell’s also received two more Metroliners in the form of BIF and WGV from the defunct Air Albatross in New Zealand and will add another one or two from the same airline. Opal Air of Adelaide also received a Metroliner, SWP, from Air Albatross. The Aviation Centre has added another Navajo to their fleet, AVF from New Zealand, Sunstate have added an ex Philippines Islander FCJ and Western NSW Airlines an ex-South African Cessna 310 JVO.

Three new Bizjets appear in the listings, two Falcons for Flightways in Perth, FWO and NMN and an interesting Citation for Air North Queensland. The Citation, ANO, was used by Alpha Air Services of Hartford, Connecticut and has been converted by Astec Engineering to an Eagle by the use of a completely new wing giving better performance and economy.

Nineteen new helicopters are listed including three of the latest Beta model Robinson R22s, HBH, HBK and KSY and the second Bolkow 105 on the register, LSA, which was used by Bond Helicopters in England before being exported to Australia. We can expect to see more of this type on the register during the next few years as it is ideally suited to rescue work. Although the three ex Canadian Bell 47s, KHJ, KHL and KHM are registered to different owners, all are used by Kestrel Helicopters of Moorabbin. JetRanger RLV only flew foroneday as ZK-HRO, it arrived in New Zealand from the United Arab Emirates where it flew with Abu Dhabi Aviation as A6-BCB and after only one test flight it was crated for Australia.

Beech 200 NSR operated in Australia for eight months during 1983 before being exported to America. It now returns to this country and joins the ever-increasing fleet of the National Safety Council. The Cessna Agwagon, JFE was delivered to Sydney via Norfolk Island on the 3rd of January as N714WY and joined the four Skyfarmers, JFH, JFI, JFJ and . JFK at Bankstown to await their delivery to China. On the lighter side twelve English-built Cameron Balloons along with nine other makes came onto the register. With the increase of interest in ballooning in Australia, the Department is considering placing these craft on a register of their own in the same way gliders are, but giving them the freedom of using the National prefix, VH-, followed by up to nine letters as is found in some European countries. This would allow balloons to use their registrations for advertising purposes and would also free normal registrations for heavier-than-air machines.

Of the aircraft returning to register most were expected with Jet Ranger FUX back from 18 months with Pacific Crown Helicopters in Fiji, Bonanza SOE returning after only two months off for maintenance and Aerostar UYU after only just over one month. Commander AAG was damaged at Perth in January 1969, Bonanza ILO at BrayHomestead; SA duringMarch 1985 andGrummanTiger, JSK, at Nambucca Heads during March 1983. Hughes RIK was damaged when it was attacked by a bull whilst mustering at Bilbirini Station, NT.

It is nice to,see Australia actually exporting new aeroplanes as we find in the deletions section for this issue. The aircraft are four Transavia Skyfarmers which were delivered to China along with a Cessna Agwagon mentioned in the additions section. The Skyfarmers were noted at Hong Kong about half way through their delivery flight on the 3rd of June and carrying the Chinese registrations B-8501, B-8502, B-8503 and B-8504.

Qantas Boeing 747 EBE was painted in People Express colours before leaving Australia on the 18th of April and although EBE and EBF were taken off the register together the second aircraft was not due to leave for the USA until three months later. Bell 212 HCA has returned to Helicopters (New Zealand) from whom it was leased, Bandeirante MWV has gone to Air Bangkok and the ex Aviation Centre Citation KDP, having been ferried using an American registration, has now taken up residence in Denmark.

Several re-registrations this issue include the Central Pipeline Authority’s Jet Ranger to TFH to allow their new Squirrel to use the marks CPA, Hancock Prospecting’s British Aerospace 125 JCC to LAH (‘Lang and Rose Hancock’) and the ex Theiss Bros. Beech 200 THS to NSS with the NSCA. The almost new and uninsured Maule MBL was written off at Bankstown, Gazelle PWS was damaged whilst lifting empty fuel drums and Robin SXZ crashed near the Bankstown aerobatic training area killing the pilot.

The change of ownership section adds to, amends and corrects the register in the two previous issues of Australian Aviation. There are several aircraft changing owners more than once in the six month period covered, especially with those passing through the hands of dealers which reflects the healthy state of the second-hand market in Australia.

Several homebuilts and antique aeroplanes have also changed hands including the only flying Lockheed 12 in Australia, John Love’s ABH, going to Drages Airworld at Wangaratta. Waratah Air Services who operate a daily service from Tumut to Sydney and return have sold their Aztec, TOK, and have acquired the ex-Singleton Air Services Cessna 402 BIZ. Waratah have also obtained a second 402 from Air Albatross which it is believed will be registered BOZ. This is the sister ship to the aircraft which crashed into Cook Straight on the 4th of October killing several people and in effect causing the collapse of the New Zealand airline. This now means that all the remaining Air Albatross aircraft have come to Australia.

In what must be the biggest second-hand aircraft buy ever in Australia, Civil Flying Services of Moorabbin have purchased, for resale, the JBA fleet from Bankstown. Singleton Air Services have increased their fleet with the purchase of the only Brazilian-built Navajo on the register, HVA and the whole of the Henebery Aviation fleet of Partenavia’s IYL and IYM and Cessna 172 MAI has been registered to Ansonworth Pty Ltd. Several Navair aircraft appear in the listing which reflects the takeover by Frank Yound and finally the NSCA has bought another two Bell 205’s from Esso for fire fighting work.

In Our Next Issue . . .

• Don’t miss our special Farnborough Report. Read about the new aircraft, the deals and the intrigue that is alla part of 1986’s major aviation event.

• November issue again hosts our annual Helicopter Operators Directory which listsAustralia’s numerous rotary wing operators under their respective operational headings. We also list the registrations of each different type of helo along with the applicable numbers in service.

• It’s a long time since Australia has seen four engine propeller driven airliners? Wrong, the folk from the Apple Isle still operate their very own four-engined propliners and while not in the payload league of the Douglas’sof old they nevertheless lend an air of elegance to what would otherwise be merely a parade of Titans and Chieftains. We report on Airlines of Tasmania’s unique Herons, Australia’s only four engine commuter liners in our November edition.

• At the other end of the technology spectrum in regional transport are the newly introduced ATR42s of Air Queensland. These superbly engineered propjets, from the same stable as the Concorde and Airbus, are performing well and also form the basis of an in-depth report in our November issue. Don’t miss it!

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