Yesteryear

•A DH-82 Tiger Moth flown by Flt Lt David Cyster landed at Sydney Airport on 22 March at the end of a 44 day solo fight to commemorate Bert Hinder’s 1928 journey which took 15% days. This current flight took 33 days to reach Darwin and a further 11 days to Sydney.

• The Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Technologies has projected a major increase in helicopter production rates. It expects to build 57 this year, in 1982 the annual rate could be 300 rising to 330 by 1986. Peak production was achieved in 1957/58 when a record 45 helicopters a month was achieved. Among future programmes are 2200 UH-60A Black Hawks for the Army, more than 200 SH-60Bs for the Navy and approximately 50 CH-53E Super Stallions for the Navy and Marine Corps. Production of the commercial S-76 continues with 137 orders to hand and the S-61 is still produced at a low rate.

• Cathay Pacific has become the 54th customer for the Boeing 747 with an order for one aircraft to be delivered in July 1979 plus two options. Other recent 747 sales have been for Qantas with two more 747-200s ordered for Sept/Oct delivery taking their total to 17, and a 747SP powered by Rolls-Royce RB211-524 engines to the Saudi Arabia Government for the personal use of King Khaled for 1979 delivery.

• Following the receipt of Government approval, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada has put a further batch of 24 DHC-SD Buttalo aircraft into production. This will take total Buttalo production to 126 and keep production under way until the middle of 1980.

• Japan Air Lines expects to spend about $400m a year on American aircraft between 1980 and 1985. Unless the airline can find a viable scheme to re-engine its 40 DC-8s with quieter turbofans they will have to be phased out by 1985.

20 Years Ago

• The first details of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 trijet which can seat 252 passengers, were released on 19 February when American Airlines placed an order for 25 at a cost exceeding $400m and placed options on a further 25. The DC-10 will be be 1798 long, have a span of 155’4″ and a maximum takeoff weight of 386,500lb. The powerplant is yet to be decided but will be either three Rolls-Royce RB. 211s or General Electric CF6s.

• Qantas Boeing 707 VH-EAE “City of Bris- bane” arrived in Brisbane on 6 April at the end of a non-stop delivery fight from Seattle. Under the command of Captain AEE Yates the 7500 mile record fight was covered in 14% hours.

• Japan Air Lines has announced a six year programme to expand their current operating fleet of 37 jet airliners comprising 17 DC-85, 7 Convair 880Ms and 13 Boeing 727s to 76 aircraft made up of 48 DC-8s, 10 Boeing 747s, 15 Boeing 727s and 3 BAC/Sud Concordes.

• Qantas has amended the title of its aircraft’s fuselage. The familiar Qantas. Australia’s Overseas Airline has given way to Cantas. Australia with an Australian flag between.

• Because of design improvements, the first flight of the Boeing 2707 supersonic transport has been deferred until early 1971. A canard foreplane has been added to improve longitudinal control and the aircraft’s size has been increased. Dimensions for the 300 passenger aircraft are length 318′, span 1742. 1059 fully swept, height 45’3″ and gross weight675,000lb. Normal cruising speed would be Mach 2. 7 and maximum range over 4000 miles. To date 122 orders and reservations of delivery positions have been received.

• Boeing delivered 277 civil jet airliners during 1967 compared with 218 in 1966 and 385 are expected to be delivered this year. Deliveries in 1967 comprised 155 Model 727s, 118 7077 720s and 4 737s.

• The NSW Premier Mr R W Askin opened Ansett-ANA’s engine overhaul division at Dubbo on 23 April. But at a cost of Sim it will initially overhaul piston engines and will handle turbine engines from the middle of next year. •TAA has ordered four Fokker F27QC aircraft for delivery during December 1968/January 1969 and will enable the DC-4 Cargomasters to be withdrawn from service.

• Following the delivery of the two HS7485 A10-595 and A10-596 to No 34(ST) Squadron, the Department of Supply called for tenders for the sale of the two Convair 440 Metropolitan aircraft A96-313 and A96-353 with associated spares on 20 April.

• The third Handley Page Jetstream G-ATX had its maiden flight at Radlett on 8 March and civil orders now total 165.

•The Icelandic airline Loftleidir has purchased a fifth Canadair CL-44 from Flying Tigers and it will join the mixed CL-44/DC-6 fleet.

30 Years Ago

•The Handley Page twin engined Dart Herald conversion of the original four engined Alvis powered prototype had its first fight at Woodley, Berks on 11 March.

• Because Essendon’s longest runway of 6100 feet is inadequate to permit future Qantas Boe ing 707 operations over stage lengths to either Perth or Fi , doubts have been raised about its future. It would seem that a way must be found to extend the runway to a minimum 8000 feet and if that is not feasible a new airport may need to be built.

• Lockheed delivered its 30,000th aircraft, an F-1048 Starfighter to the USAF during April. Lockheed’s first orders were for the Vega and Orion placed 25 years ago.

•Federal Cabinet on 28 March rejected an application from Ansett-ANA to import four Lockheed Electras and from TAA to purchase two Sud Aviation Caravelles. The reason in part for Cabinet’s decision was that the arrival of these aircraft would “stimulate a competitive race for other new turbine powered aircraft which would have an unsettling effect on economic stability”.

• A celebration was held at Ohakea on 29 March to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the founding of the RNZAF. Aircraft visiting Ohakea included an RAAF contingent led by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall FR W Scherger with three Canberras and a Neptune, and the USAF flew in three C-130 Hercules, four F-100 fighters, two RB-66 bombers, Globemaster transports and KC-50 tankers.

• Representatives of the British aircraft industry visited Australia in March to discuss Qantas’ re-equipment plans. Sir George Ed- wards, Managing Director of Vickers Armstrong has been putting forward the case for the Vanguard and VC10 while de Havilland Managing Director Mr AF Burke has offered the Comet 4 on a buy back basis to be later replaced by the DH 121.

• The Douglas DC-8 jet airliner was rolled out of the company’s Long Beach plant on 9 April. Lockheed are seeking buyers for a proposed supersonic airliner and hope to have a prototype ready for flight in five years time.

• A team from Northrop visited Australia during March to discuss the replacement of the RAAF’s Avon Sabres with the Northrop N-156 supersonic fighter. The proposal covers the rights for licence manufacture in Australia with marketing rights to possibly the entire SEATO area.

• Following the recent extensive modification programme, the RAN’s Sea- Venoms have rejoined No808 Squadron on HMAS Melbourne and No805 Squadron at Nowra, replacing their Hawker Sea Furies. The modification arose from a weakness discovered in the Sea Venoms’s number 2 rib caused by acceleration overloading during steam catapult launching.