Newsdesk – General Aviation

What is required now is for the airlines to begin some form of scholarship to the College (and others like it) in an effort to ensure that there are sufficient young pilots available for their needs in the years to come. As Australia moves steadily towards airline liberalization a new need for additional aircrew will surface, just as it has in the USA, the UK, Canada and more recently New Zealand. It is time the airlines stopped poaching the RAAF and the smaller charter and commuter operators and began a formalised cadet pilot training scheme to fill the needs of tomorrow. This was possible two decades ago so why not today?

National Safety Council Goes to the Birds:

The NSCA has introduced a secret weapon in their fight to locate people lost at sea pigeons.

Under a novel programme titled Project Sea Hunt, the NSCA is to house pigeons in a special dome slung beneath a helicopter. During a search mission, if any of the pigeons detect a red, yellow or orange coloured object in the water, they accordingly pick a switch. The switch then turns on a light within the helicopter indicating to the search crew which direction to look. Once sighting is verified the pigeons are rewarded with food.

Physiological and psychological studies of pigeons indicate that they are able to pick out small objects at a distance, over a wider field of view than humans and that they also have a longer attention span than humans. In tests conducted by the US Naval Ocean Systems Centre in Hawaii, pigeons were found to have been consistently able to achieve a search mode success rate of 90% whereas humans could barely manage half this figure. The pigeons also can detect their target out to ranges of 2. 8nm whereas humans cannot see farther than 0. 8nm for the same object The NSCA hopes to have its first Sea Hunt pigeons ready for operation by this April Also of interest is that the NSCA has taken a three-month lease on a specially modified Fokker F27 fire bomber. The aircraft is on lease from Canada’s Connair organization and will depart Australia this April after being on call for the Victorian bushfire season.

Nomad Returns From the Grave:

The GAF Nomad is being resurrected in the USA by its new agents, Nomad Distributors International, who presently hold a stock of 35 airframes Some of these are used aircraft repossessed by the Summa Corporation via Hughes Aircraft. The previous US Nomad agents, while others are new N22 and N24 aircraft. Summa Corp, the owners of the then Hughes Aircraft, have also dropped their $41m lawsuit against the Commonwealth Government. The suit alleged serious deficiencies in performance, quality control and powerplants against GAF, Hawker de Havilland and Hawker Pacific. Most observers though queried the technical competence of the majority of operators that Hughes sold or leased Nomads to during the period as all had gone bankrupt and had minimal maintenance facilities with which to adequately maintain a sophisticated turboprop commuter airliner.

Meanwhile, NDI feels that it can sell a number of N24 aircraft and is offering these for around $US1. 3m, which for a 16 seat commuter airliner is unprecedented new aircraft value. The brightest prospects for immediate sales though lie with a soon-to-be-signed order for 7 Searchmasters for the Florida wing of the US Customs Service. The aircraft are used for littoral and offshore anti-smuggling patrols and in demonstration tests have proven ideal for this specialised mission. These aircraft would be drawn from a supply of 18 aircraft remaining in storage at Oatlands, Vic, and could be the first of many similar aircraft as various other US Customs units, which operate as independent State units, are also considering acquiring Searchmasters.

Primary downfall of Nomad as an airliner was its low power rating, high drag airframe (the price paid for STOL operations) and lack of continuing airframe development. In the littoral surveillance role though the aircraft has performed well and is still the world’s most purchased light offshore patrol aircraft. The Australian Army is also interested in receiving a second squadron of Nomad Mission Masters and are nowadays more than happy with the performance of their Nomads.

 Qantas to Sponsor Bicentennial Air Show:

Qantas will be the major sponsor of the Australian Bicentennial Air Show to be held at the Royal Australian Air Force base at Richmond, northwest of Sydney, from 12 to 16 of October 1988.

The air show will be the biggest ever staged in Australia. It is being organised by the Australian Bicentennial Air Show Organization (ABASO – a division of the Schofields Flying Club Ltd), in conjunction with the RAAF Department of Aviation and the Australian Bicentennial Authority.

Qantas Chief Executive, Mr John Menadue, said it was appropriate that the national carrier, with 66 years service to Australian aviation should be the major sponsor of the event. The executive chairman of the organising committee, Mr Ian Honnery, said the sponsorship contribution from Qantas ensured the air show would be memorable. “The air show will bring together the highlights of other great International shows such as Farnborough, Paris and Oshkosh to create the largest aviation event ever held in the southern hemisphere.

“The theme of the show will be ‘Aviation – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ and years of planning will help make this once only aviation spectacular one of the high points of Australia’s Bicentennial celebrations,” he said.

The Air Show will have five main activities- flying and static displays; an aviation expo (aviation and aerospace exposition and conferences); a fly-in by of all types of aircraft including commercial, military and light, histori- cal displays of commercial and military aviation and family entertainment.

The first three days of the show will be trade days for trade visitors and commercial exhibitors. Saturday October 15 and Sunday October 16 will be public days with at least eight hours of flying displays, complemented by static displays, exhibitions and arena events.

 Cost Recovery Edicts Not Look- Ing Good for GA:

The DotA vs GA Industry Cost Recovery battle continues with our industry looking set for further large increases in costs in the year ahead.

The DotA only got its first dummy invoices operational and out to industry last October/ November, several months later than initially hoped for. For the industry this presented difficulties in that it naturally afforded each person concerned, and their respective organizations, less time in which to evaluate a response. What has annoyed and dismayed the GAA and AOPA though is that during December the Aviation Minister, Mr Peter Morns, publicly stated that he had not received any response from industry and that their implied interest in the matter was minimal.

Industry to say the least was dumbfounded by this political manoeuvring as from the start it had informed the Minister that it would require a full six months to formulate a response to such a far reaching proposal as that presently proposed by the DotA.

The present proposal of course is not wanted by anyone, least of all the bureaucrats who now recognise that it is essentially unworkable, unfair and detrimental to air safety in the extreme.

The present system of taxing GA operators for Cost Recovery purposes is to log their inbound flight strips, record their various flight activities and charge them accordingly on whether they have used controlled airspace, fire fighting services, flight service, etc in an effort to make those who use the system pay more for it. This effectively has increased every person’s operating costs from between 200% and 400% while requiring a minimum of at least 50 additional public servants to sift through the mass of handwritten flight strips, etc.

Of long-term importance though, assuming that there is anyone left with enough money to fly for pleasure, is the implications on future safety. Even the Department’s Flight Standards unit is concerned about the possible decline in safety by private pilots being forced to fly Nosar (no search & rescue) below 5000ft to avoid logging flight plans and using the existing communication services which are a safety asset to all who fly. This magazine alone is aware of quite a number of private pilots who are planning to move their aircraft from major aerodromes and will be duly forced to fly Nosar in an effort to avoid being taxed out of the air for services they don’t require.

Both GAA and AOPA were formulating their in-depth alternative proposals to the presently envisaged system as we closed for press though both organizations reiterated that it is time the Government realised that while they have no objection to the user pays system, the Government should more accurately determine precisely just who the true user is.

 Ultralight, Numbers Growing:

Membership of the Australian Ultralight Federation (AUF) has now exceeded 1000 with 490 members being registered as pilots, 65 as CFI’s and an air park listing comprising 14 pilot training establishments.

To date the AUF has registered 37 aircraft with the DotA under ANŎ 95. 25 while the Gemini, Lightwing (2 place trainer), Vampire and Sapphire have all been approved. Due for approval as we closed for press were the Chinook, Shadow and Drifter.

Following the AUF Federal Council Meeting in December a decision has been taken to apply for an increase of the weight limit of ANO 95. 10 aircraft to 175kg thereby making many of today’s illegal aircraft technically legal. The AUF point out that this would also bring us into line with the FAI class standard, the only recognised world class for ultralights. This would also see an empty wing loading of 17. 5 kg/sq metre or a landing configuration stall speed of 40kts. Additionally, the AUF is pressing to have ultralights certified to operate at altitudes of up to 10,000ft.

 Canadair Examine Stretched Ver- Sion of Challenger Jet:

Canadair are investigating the feasibility of a stretched version of the Model 601 Challenger business jet. The new aircraft, designated CL-601RJ (Regional Jet) would seat 44 passengers to economy standard and be optimised to operate over routes of from 200nm to 800nm at jet speeds. The proposed aircraft is stretched 90in forward of the wing and 75in aft of the wing. Canadair feel that such an aircraft would open up the possibility of major carriers operating longer distance low volume connecting flights into existing major hubs while also being able to operate direct city pairs that nowadays have to fly via a hub. Canadair have estimated the cost of development at $A50m and hope to be able to make a firm decision on whether to proceed with the project by year-end.

Simpler Instrument Rating Introduced:

The DotA has formally announced details of its long-awaited simplified instrument rating.

While not every pilot wants or needs an instrument rating, such a rating allows the pilot to fly in conditions that are unsafe for those not properly trained and qualified.

There were previously 9 types of instrument ratings. Pilots had to pass up to three written exams, master Morse Code and have at least 150 hours of in-command flying experience. The new regulations will now provide for a single instrument rating. There will be only one written exam, no separate Morse exam and no minimum flying hours before instrument train- ing can commence. It will therefore now be possible for trainee pilots to qualify for an instrument rating as an extension of their initial pilot qualification. Flying schools will also now be able to offer integrated flying and theory courses which require only 30 hours of instrument training, instead of the previous minimum of 40 hours.

There would also be substantial benefits for those who presently hold an instrument rating, In many cases the time between rating renewal will double while pilots will also be able to make greater use of synthetic trainers to meet rec- ency and renewal requirements, with considerable cost savings.

The changes, which come into effect on July 1, also include: Night VMC rating will now be a licence endorsement. Period of IFR validity is extended from 6 or 12 months to 12 months. Exam pass rate set at 70% rather than 70% and 80%. Number of written exams reduced from 3 to 1 and number of ratings from 9 to 1. Rating renewal extended from 3 hours flying time to 1 hour flying with 2 hours in the simulator. This latter point should boost potential income and utilization of synthetic trainers considerably in the coming period. The recency requirement also now favours synthetic trainers with two hours of the previous three flying hours each 90 days being able to be logged on simulators. This not only saves much money and time but allows pilots to often undertake their ‘flying closer to home and at a generally more suitable out-of-hours time than would be the case using real aircraft.

 Us General Aviation Production Falls to Lowest Level on Record:

The US General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reports that 1986 was the worst year on record for light aircraft production. For all of 1986 there were only 1495 new aircraft built as against 2029 the previous year which itself represented a steady decline from 1984. Billings also fell by 12% while for 1987 GAMA estimates that the industry will be lucky to exceed 1000 units, an unbelievable situation when it is considered that just ten years ago the total US GA industry was building some 20,000 airframes annually.

Primary culprit for the ongoing fall in sales is of course product liability insurance, which is now estimated to be costing more than $US100,000 per aircraft. This is despite a much-improved safety record nowadays compared with a decade ago. GAMA point out that in 1977 total industry-wide product liability insurance (on 20,000 airframes produced) was a mere $US24m as against the 1966 figure of $US209m for barely 1500 aircraft.

Meanwhile the slump deepens with the recent announcement by Piper that it will definitely cease production of all aircraft except the Malibu from June 30th, 1987. This is the second major cutback in two years and Piper will now only hold in inventory sufficient numbers of aircraft presently under assembly to meet its forward sales commitments through the remainder of 1987. Meanwhile Cessna has also stated that it does not presently envisage getting back into piston-engined aircraft production and will now concentrate solely upon the Citation fanjet and Caravan turboprop market.

 Refurbished Falcons Fly On:

Business Flight Centre of Camarillo, California, are offering an update kit for all Falcon 20 operators that will greatly extend the usefulness of their aircraft.

The modification principally includes the installation of new Garrett TFE731-5A turbofans in place of the existing GE CF700s. While both engines have the same thrust (4,500lb), the all-important bypass ratio of the Garrett (3. 5 vs 1. 6) provides a considerable increase in fuel efficiency and a reduced noise signature.

Meanwhile, Hawker Pacific’s Falcon Jet distributorship has really taken off Down Under with some 5 of type sold during 1986 and several more planned for signing this year. Latest purchaser is Ariadne who will take delivery of a new Falcon 50 trijet this November. The 50 will complement the Company’s existing Falcon 10, to be deployed principally in New Zealand, and their 200 which will be used locally while the 50 trijet will fly primarily long-range offshore missions.

 Turboprop CL-215 Launched:

Canadair have decided to proceed with the development of a turboprop version of the popular piston-engined CL-215 water bomber. The new aircraft will be designated CL-215T and will be powered by the latest Pratt & Whitney PW100 turboprops.

Canadair is looking at a strong market for the upgraded amphibian as many of its early build CL-2158 are nearing the end of their lives and thus requiring replacement Canadair expects the first flight of the prototype CL-215T to take place in September 1988 with initial deliveries commencing some 18 months later.

One in Three Would Like to Fly:

A recent study, conducted by the Roy Morgan Research Centre on behalf of Perth-based CIL Industries, has suggested that one in three Australians has a secret desire to learn to fly.

The study also revealed that around a quarter of people currently holding a PPL have not flown in the previous year while 20% of the rest have logged less than 10 hours in the past year. DolA figures also show that around 90% of private pilots fly less than 25 hours per annum.

The study supported arguments from many GA organizations that leisure flights was rapidly being priced out of the reach of most people and that the average cost of gaining an unrestricted PPL, at around $6000, was greatly inhibiting many people from gaining their wings.

Wangaratta to Host Major Easter Air Show:

Wangaratta airport, home of Drage’s Airworld, will host a major air show this coming Easter. In the absence of an air show at Mangalore, Wangaratta will be going all out to attract capacity crowds at what should be an excellent venue. All of Drage’s 30 flyable aircraft will be in action in addition to a large array of warbirds and veteran aircraft from near and far. The air show will be held on Sunday. April 19 and should certainly be worth the visit.

Calender of Aviation Events:

March 13-14 1987 Australian Light Aircraft Championships, hosted by Murray Border Flying Club at Tocumwal, NSW.

March 21: Pilots Awareness Seminar, Bankstown.

April 19: Wangaratta Easter Air Show. Contact Joe Drage (057) 21 8788 or Kevin Gleeson (057) 21 2051.

April 22: Australian Women Pilots’ Association Conference, Darwin, Northern Territory. Contact The Secretary, PO Box 37359, Winnellie, NT 5789.

April 25-26 Mid Murray Flying Club Jubilee Year, Swan Hill. Contact MMFC, PO Box 260, Swan Hill, or Joy Hardie (050) 32 2444.

May 7-9: RFÁCA Annual Conference, hosted by Canberra Aero Club at the Canberra Rex Hotel June 12: AOPA Annual General Meeting. Canberra. Contact Tony Wilkinson (062) 80 4221.

June 13: Pilots Awareness Seminar, Canberra. Contact Tony Wilkinson (062) 80 4221.

June 26-28. Weekend Fly-in to Broken Hill to mark the 50th Anniversary of the first flight by the Flying Doctor out of Broken Hill. Navigation in the outback will be a feature.

July 12: Interclub Competition Challenge. TBA August 29. Pilots Awareness Seminar, Griffith. Contact Ron Gibbons (069) 62 2706. September 26-27: Donnington County Fly-in, Donnington Airpark, Woodstock, Queens- land. Contact Christian Smith (077) 78 8726. PO Box 10, Aitkenvale 4814.

Videos

Boeing B-29 Superfortress:

AVI Another of the excellent AVI aviation video library productions, this one focusing on the development and operation of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

The B-29 was literally a wonder plane of its era – bigger, faster and more sophisticated than any aircraft previously conceived – the B-29 drove ahead into a new realm of technology that later was to reward the Boeing Company with the technical expertise required to dominate future civil and military aviation for many decades.

Priceless footage runs from the pre-29 days with testing of the unique B-19 and B-32 aircraft, through to the often tragic early Superfor- tress development flying and finally into combat. Flying the longest combat missions in history, higher and faster than most of the enemy fighters, the B-29 carved a niche in his- tory as the delivery system that ended one war and ushered in the nuclear age.

Available from Aviation Video International, c/o Tasmanian Film Corporation, 1 Bowen Rd, Hobart, TAS, 7009 for only $39. 95 plus $4. 00 p&p.

Books

 The Historic Civil Aircraft Regis- Ter of Australia-Vh-Aaa to Vh-Azz:

Tony Arbon and David Sparrow.”As we frequently hear of historical material being destroyed because of a lack of appreciation of its value, it is especially significant that Tony and David are prepared to share their research with other enthusiasts”, comments the president of the Queensland Air Museum in his foreword to this informative booklet.

But this book is not just for historians and enthusiasts. It would be a useful addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in Australian aviation giving details of all aircraft ever registered in the VH-AAA to VH-AZZ part of the register. Tabulated in the same way as the previously published VH-EAA to VH-EZZ booklet, it gives registrations, types, serial numbers, previous registrations and owners or fates and is complemented by seventeen black and white photos inside with a full-colour front cover showing Tiger Moth VH-ASC in mock WW1 German colours. We strongly recommend this book for its content, quality and value for money and the information can be kept up to date with AA’s own register update service.

RRP, including airmail postage within Australia, is $6. 50 ($A7. 00/New Zealand). Available from Aust Air Data, PO Box 37, Sylvania Southgate, NSW 2224.

People

Sir Brian Inglis, formerly Chairman and MD of the Ford Motor Company, has been appointed as Chairman of the new Aerospace Technologies of Australia organization which replaces GAF. Other senior ATA personnel are Mr Jim Leslie, presently also Chairman of Qantas, and Mr L Masel, Director of Dun & Bradstreet, Hong Kong Bank of Australia and Thomas Cook Travel. Dr William Swingler has been appointed as the first chief executive for the new Federal Airports Corporation. Mr Swingler was formerly the director of information services at Qantas. Mr Rollo Kingsford-Smith has retired as Chairman of both Hawker Pacific and Hawker de Havilland. Mr Bruce Price meanwhile becomes the new Chairman of Hawker Pacific and Hawker de Havilland. Mr Mike Ryan, formerly Deputy Secretary of the DotA has left Aviation to join the Dept of Communications.