Register Update Service

Kerry Packer’s Sikorsky S-76 Helicopter CPH comes from Bristow Helicopters, England although it spent most of the last six years in Nigeria. It arrived at Bankstown in its previous owner’s colours of dark blue and red but has now been repainted in a brighter white and blue scheme. It is used for commuting between Sydney and the Packer property at Ellerston near Tam- worth.

Mohawk HEI was originally built in France as a Nord 262 but along with several others has been converted from the Turbomeca engines to Pratt and Whitney PT6A and designated Mohawk 298. The First Mohawk on the Australian register is the 99th aircraft built and made its First flight on 10th Oct 1972 and was delivered to Ransome Airlines of Philadelphia during Jan 1976. It now joins the Lloyd fleet to be used on the Brisbane routes vacated by Air Queensland.

Lockheed 12A HID was brought to Australia from Honolulu many years ago and has been allowed to deteriorate in the northern Queensland climate ever since. It has now been resto. red from its derelict state and is used by its new owner to commute between his Western Australian home and his business on Thursday Island. Beaver amphibian JDX is the second of a batch of this type of aircraft imported by Air Whitsunday from the USA and HCW, HCX and HCY have been reserved for future Air Whitsunday Beavers.

Jayrow helicopters have imported Australia’s first AS350D Squirrel JRD. The model D differs From model B in that it is fitted with a Lycoming LTS-101 in place of the normal Turbomeca Arriel for the American market and this example has had a further conversion to an Allison C30-M by Soloy.

Heli-Muster’s Kawasaki-built Bell 47G JWJ was operated by Shin Nihon Helicopters, Tokyo before being imported, whilst their Jetranger JWF was used by Air Manila in the Philippines before going to Rotair at Luton England in 1983. The aircraft had been stored at Luton for some time before being shipped to Australia. Meanwhile, the DHC-3 Otter was used extensively by Qantas and TAA in the late 50s and early 60s particularly in PNG. More recently Range Air Taxi Service also operated two such aircraft at Woomera in support of the Weapons Research Establishment. These were exported to Canada during August 1980 and are still active in that country. Tangalooma Island Resort have now imported an Otter for use between their Brisbane River wharf and the resort on Moreton Island and it joins their fleet of an Islander and a Cherokee Six. During the inspection for Australian registration, the sturdy Canadian amphibian which was built in 1959 was found to have cracks in the float supports which had to be replaced.

Aerospatiale Helicopters are now the Australian agents for the SOCATA Tobago line of light aircraft and have imported TB10 Tobago TOI and TB20 Trinidad TRP as their demonstration aircraft based at Bankstown.

Grumman Widgeon WET was first seen in Australia in 1947 when it flew as AZO. It went to New Zealand during December 1950 as ZK-AVM and spent most of its life there on tourist flights from Mechanics Bay in Auckland and around the Bay of Islands for Sea Bee Air. The aircraft could not return to its original markings as these are currently being worn by an Air North Cessna 402C but its owner was more than happy to adopt this more suitable registration.

Only four aircraft returned to the register during the period covered, with three of these after more than six years of inactivity. PXT returns after crashing at Benalla on the 10th July 1986 during glider towing operations. The Pawnee towed an IS- 28 glider GVZ to about 3000ft, released it and returned to the field for another glider. After releasing the second glider from about the same height the tug was again returning to the field when it collided in mid air with GVZ. The glider landed safely but the Pawnee suffered damage to the left wing and spun to the ground.

Two aircraft make up the deletions section this issue with one accident and one reregistration. Long time resident of Western Australia Jetranger KWX now operates with Heli-Jet at Brisbane and takes up a more suitable registration in keeping with other helicopters in the fleet.

The very large section of changes of ownership is due mainly to the lack of information available for the last issue. Frank Young, one time CFI at Illawarra and Chieftain Flying Schools in Sydney and owner of many aircraft on line for those schools, bought Navair during December 1985 and has now also acquired Hoxton Park Flying School. As a result most of the Beechcraft operated from Hoxton Park have now been transferred to Mr Young. Using mostly Beech Skippers, Sundowners and Sierras in the past we can now expect to see a better variety of types appear on the flight line at Hoxton in the future.

Previously owned by the Department of Mineral Resources, Twin Otter BMG has gone to the Missionary Aviation Fellowship and can be expected to be used in PNG.

Queen Air BQL is operated by Reef Trading and has made several trips from its Townsville base to Honiara in recent months. As well as taking over the Department of Health’s Nomads, Skywest Aviation leased two of their Super King Airs, SPQ and TNQ, to Flight West Airlines. One of these has already been returned and the second is expected to be returned when Flight West receive their own aircraft. Two Commanders EXP and EXZ have gone to the much-publicised Amann Aviation for the Coastwatch contract but these are expected to change hands again soon with the withdrawal of the contract by the Government. Interestingly Skywest who are now operating Coastwatch have acquired another ex Executive Airlines Commander EXN.

The BAe 125 which was used for charter work associated with the America’s Cup has gone to the ANZ bank and regularly flies the Tasman whilst SAU, one of the few Beech 18s left in Flying condition goes from longtime owner Savage Air to Crocodile Air Charter at Townsville.

Trans-Tasman deliveries of used aircraft has been brisk over the last four months, mainly Cessnas, Pipers and Beechcraft from the States. Other interesting deliveries have been a Fletcher from New Zealand during July and a Westwind for Bougainville Copper and a Riley converted DH104 Dove during August. A Cessna Agwagon from New Zealand during September and a Bandeirante, a Cessna Citation and a Beech 200 Super King Air during October. The 12th of that month saw the largest number of arriving aircraft in one day for some time consisting of a PA-32 Cherokee, PA-34 Seneca, PA-31 Navajo and Cessna 421 Golden Eagle. ᄆ