Newsdesk – General Aviation

The Australian General Aviation Trade Fair will meet this demand, in quality exhibition facilities less expensive than those being offered at the Aerospace Expo. The Trade Fair will be-housed in a series of six metre wide metal-frame clear-span pavilions, the first time this type of structure has been used at an air display in Australia. The Australian General Aviation Trade Fair will cater for Australian flying schools, charter and aerial work operators, engineering companies and aircraft and component manufacturers and distributors.

It will also provide display facilities for Australia’s burgeoning sporting aviation industry and educational, industry and professional bodies. Participation will naturally be restricted to Australian companies.

 Can You Help?

Intrepid aviator and inveterate explorer, Dick Smith, has asked if we can assist in helping him track down a WW2 vintage sun compass.

Dick requires a sun compass, also referred to as an Astro compass, for his coming foray to the South Pole in a specially modified DHC Twin Otter. If you have just such a device or know where to get one then contact Dick direct on (02) 450 2344.

Avanti Achieves 400KTS:

The Piaggio Avanti has achieved its target speed of 400kts with the aircraft reaching this speed at altitudes of between 27,000 and 30,000ft.

Piaggio has spent much of the past six months refining propeller blade design in an effort to further reduce fuel burn and increase performance. Four, five and six blade designs have been tested in over 500 hours of tests with a five blade design presently performing best. Piaggio have also introduced a new wraparound two piece windscreen and are preparing to build the first batch of 12 aircraft in anticipation of European certification by year end.

Flying High Dinner Dance!:

To raise much needed funds for the Deaf and Blind Children’s Centre, North Rocks, a group of aviation enthusiasts are organising The Magnificent Flying Men & Women without their flying machines Charity Dinner Dance’, in Sydney on August 6.

Guest list is said to include the greatest gathering of top guns from the aviation industry. All areas of the aviation industry will be involved, including Qantas who will be flying famous American astronauts out to Australia as special guests to speak at the dinner. For more information phone Joy Covel on (02) 871 1233.

Civilian Aerobatic Pilots Also Susceptible to G-Loc:

The Bureau of Air Safety Investigation has released a report that indicates that G-LOC should not be discounted by civilian pilots when flying aerobatic manoeuvres.

Previously most G-LOC related incidents had involved fast jet military flying. Evidence indicates that to date one BAe Hawk 200, two Northrop F-20s and a number of F-16 aircraft had pulled sufficient instantaneous high g’s to the point where the pilot had suffered greyout and finally blacked out before being able to identify the problem and reduce his turn rate. All cases to date had been fatal with the conclusion being that in most cases the modern fly- by-wire fighter can easily outperform the normal physiological systems of its human pilot.

For their research BASI used a specially instrumented Bellanca Decathlon aerobatic aircraft. The results of the test indicated that G-LOC could also be easily suffered by civilian pilots under certain circumstances and may well have been a contributing factor in a number of such accidents in recent years. The full report is available from BASI, GPO Box 367, Canberra, 2601.

Jindabyne Still a Haven for Mountain Soaring:

Following our news item on page 11 of the March edition of AA we would like to verify that despite any projected airfield development gliding operations at Jindabyne airfield will continue as they have in previous years.

The extent to which this mountain strip will be developed depends to a large extent on a number of crucial problems being resolved, prime amongst them being to resolve operational problems created by the surrounding terrain and prevailing hazardous wind conditions in the area.

Gliding by Alpine Soaring though will, as always, be unaffected and offers one of the most unique forms of aviation in Australia as the winter mountain wave soaring is traditionally among some of the best to be found in the southern hemisphere. For more information contact Alpine Soaring direct on (064) 56 2348.

 China Selects the Trinidad for the Training of Its Future Pilots:

Aerospatiale’s general aviation subsidiary. Socata, has won a contract to provide China’s civil aviation training school with 28 Trinidad aircraft. The planes will equip the Chengdu pilot training centre operated by China’s CAAC airline.

This major contract was won in the face of stiff US competition, confirming the Trinidad’s success on the growing market for professional general aviation trainers. With 42 planes already in service with France’s SFACT civil aviation training school, the Trinidad and Tobago are also flown by civil aviation training units in India, Tunisia and Australia, as well as the Institut Aeronautique Amaury de la Grange and CIPRA. To date, over 800 Trinidad family aircraft have been sold to 34 countries.

Canadair Receives Outstanding Performance Award for Fifth Consecutive Year:

For the fifth consecutive year Canadair has received the Pride in Excellence award for outstanding performance from Boeing. This award is presented to Boeing subcontractors who meet or exceed Boeing’s demanding standards of performance: superior quality, adherence to schedules and competitive market pricing.

Less than one percent of Boeing’s more than 3,000-strong supplier base ever receive the award. Only two other suppliers on the 767 programme have received the award more than five times, both of them Japanese aerospace companies. Canadair manufac- tures the rear fuselage section for the Boeing 767 airliner. This 9. 5-metre-long tapered section consists of four major components: the rear pressure bulkhead, upper/lower forward segments and the tail section. The rear fusel- age section contains more than 3,400 separate parts assembled with approximately 69,000 fasteners. Since 1979 Canadair has delivered 220 complete units out of a total order of 300 units worth more than $130m and currently produces five units a month. Some 300 employees work on this subcontract which accounts for approximately 10% of Canadair’s capacity.

Canada’s largest aerospace manufacturer, Canadair also produces the Challenger 601-3A widebody business jet, the CL-215 amphibian, unmanned airborne surveillance systems and several components under subcontract for major aircraft companies in addition to Boeing.

 North to Alaska

How would you like to see Alaska with your own local airborne tour guide? No, not another Australian Aviation tour, but an interesting request from one of our North American readers for assistance. Arvid Wetlin is a private pilot who recently visited Australia with his wife and obviously enjoyed the experience enough to want to come back again. Next time though, Arvid would like to team up with a local flier to see Australia from the air as only private pilots can. In return, that person and their family will be shown Alaska (obviously in summer”) from the air.

If this idea interests you then contact Arvid Weflin at PO Box 80311, College, Alaska, 99708, USA. Good flying.

Videos

Just Australian Planes:

Film Australia It’s good to see government sponsored agencies getting commercial in an effort to augment their budgets. One such entity is Film Australia and by our reckoning their aeronauti- cal attempt to raise funds is certainly rated a success.

Film Australia have unearthed the best of their aviation film clips, collected over many decades, and edited them into one well-presented video. The individual segments deal with a variety of subjects ranging from the early days of the RAAF right through to the F-18 Hornet. One of the best sequences though is The Ships That Flew, which aptly describes the great days of the flying boat with particular emphasis on the Ansett Rose Bay/Lord Howe Island services. It is one of this writer’s regrets that he never had the opportunity to fly aboard these majestic ‘ships’ of another age, though this nostalgic video makes up somewhat for missing out on the real thing.

Another great clip concerns Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s ANA, including some of the only air to air footage ever taken of the ill fated Southern Cloud shortly before she vanished over the Snowy Mountains. Excellent material and well recommended.

Just Australian Planes is available for $39. 95 direct from Film Australia, PO Box 46, Lindfield 2070.

Orion, Son of Neptune:

PS Film Productions. Another of the special profile tapes from PS Film Productions, this one dealing with Lockheed’s very effective maritime reconnaissance aircraft, the P-3 Orion.

Primary footage is derived quite naturally from our own Maritime Wing based at Edinburgh, South Australia. The tape looks at the evolution of the commercially unsuccessful Electra airliner into the US Navy’s eventual replacement for the Neptune. The tape concludes with a rundown on the prestigious Fincastle Trophy ASW meet including simulated attacks on both surface shipping and an RAN submarine.

This one hour tape retails for $39. 95 direct from PS Film Productions at PO Box 326, Croydon, 3136. Allow $7 for post & pack.

Books

Modern Combat Aircraft Design:

Klaus Huenecke This is one for the aspiring F-18 driver and grizzled Mirage veteran alike.

Not bedside reading material but a thoroughly researched documentary as to why combat aircraft are designed the way they are. Every factor of aerodynamics and systems engineering is examined in great detail with tasks, aircraft design, aerodynamics, engines, avionics and systems all reviewed to better inform the reader on the finer points of the subject. So if you have ever pondered over the full implications of Mach tuck, gust alleviation, vortex generation, direct side lift control and relaxed stability, then this book is for you.

Available direct from Princeton Books, PO Box 24, Cheltenham, 3192 for an RRP of $60. 00.

 Wings Across the Sea:

Ross Gillett This is the second in our series of aviation books. Wings Across The Sea documents the history of Australian naval aviation from the Great War to the present day.

Much cross checking and research via the RAN has gone into the preparation of this book and indeed a considerable amount of new data has been unearthed since the release of our first book, Australia’s Military Aircraft, last September. As well as documenting the history of RAN air power through peace and war, the 164 page book also provides a very readable narrative on an important phase in Australia’s military history.

The book is supported with more than 290 unique photos, 34 of which are in colour. There are also a few lessons within its pages that future generations could well learn from. Take page 140, which documents the fate of the RAN’s Spitfires, every single one was used for fire training purposes before its charred hulk was unceremoniously bulldozed into a pit and buried! What a tragedy.

Wings Across The Sea is available at most major newsagencies or direct from Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, PO Box 105, Weston Creek, ACT 2611 for $19. 95 in soft cover and $29. 95 for the special hard cover collector’s edition, which is available only by direct subscription.

World Airline Fleets 1987/88:

Aviation Data Centre.

This 328 page book, which is nowadays produced in a handy condensed size, lists the inventories of all the world’s airlines, from small third world commuters to the mega carriers of North America.

The book conveniently lists the registrations and tail numbers for each airliner, provides the manufacturer’s serial number, engines fitted, year of manufacture, previous identities, airline logos, the two letter code and also a Company write-up and description. This may sound all very esoteric butitisn’t as the more you use this book the more you realise its value in determining the relative number of written down aircraft in any one airline’s inventory, etc.

For instance, while both United and the Texas Air Group may appear omnipotent to the rest of the world’s airlines, this book shows at a glance that the majority of their fleets are not only aged (15 years plus) but also primarily Stage 2 aircraft that are likely to be persona non grata in a few years as the noise issue becomes more than a mere political cliche within the halls of Capitol Hill! World Airline Fleets is recommended to anybody, professional or enthusiast alike, who has an interest or a need to know about what equipment the world’s airlines are operating. RRP is $36. 50 from Natbook, GPO Box 1546, Sydney, 2001.

Frigate Bird: PG Taylor

This is a paperback version of the hard cover book of the same name which was originally written by the legendary PG Taylor in 1953 to commemorate his epic South Pacific crossing of two years earlier.

Like all books of its ilk, Frigate Bird awakens in one a sense of adventure more akin to a bygone era. Perhaps the most appropriate place to read such books is while flying at 37,000ft in a 747 non stop between continents. It sort of gives one a déjà vu feeling about the real world traumas, dangers and physical discomforts that the great aviation pioneers endured so we today could circumnavigate the world at ease in our high flying jumbos.

This book is a good read and was specially released by Angus & Robertson in paperback form to commemorate the opening of Sydney’s new Power House Museum, Frigate Bird being one of the major attractions of that particularly interesting museum. Available at most newsagents bookshops at a RRP of $9. 95.

People

Mr Bob Roberts has been appointed as Director of Corporate Services and Company Secretary of Ansett Transport Industries Ltd. Mr Peter Young has been appointed as Ansett PR Manager, Melbourne. Brigadier Ray Sunderland (Ret) has been appointed Marketing Director of BAe Australia. Mr Peter Ekins has been appointed Manager Aerospace Division, PA Hamilton, Manager Space & Communications, CJ Wetherall, Manager Manufacturing Division and Mr N R Bergin, Manager Integrated Logistics Support Division, BAe Australia. Mr John Mulcair has left East-West Airlines as PR Manager and has joined OTC in a similar capacity. Mr Ken Harris is the new Chief of Defence Production while Dr Malcolm McIntosh has been appointed as Chief of Capital Procurement within the DoD. AVM Richard Bomball has been appointed as the RAAF’s new Chief of Air Force Development, he replaces AVM Alan Heggen, who has been posted to the new position of Chief of Logistics Development. Mr Peter Smith, HdH Commercial Director, has expanded his duties to include Manager Corporate Development. Other HdH appointments include Ron Moppett as GM, Sydney Operations, Jack Whitney, Operations Manager Manufacturing, Dan Osborne, Manager PC-9 programme, lan McArthur is HdH Chief Engineer and Jim Driver is now Commercial Manager of Sydney Operations. Mr Max Eady. previously IPEC National Sales Manager, has been appointed GM of IPEC Air Express. Mr John Schaap has been appointed to the position of Director of Airline Operations at Qantas. Mr Nick Hobson has been appointed as GM of the Sydney Emergency Medical & Rescue Helicopter Service operating from RNS and Price Henry hospitals. Dr Peter Preston has been appointed as Superintendent of the Aircraft Systems Division of ARL, part of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation (DSTO). Mr Peter Morris returns to aviation as Minister for Transport & Communications Support, replacing Clyde Holding who in tum had replaced Peter Duncan. Mr Morris’ responsibilities include all operational matters including airports, airways and flight standards and establishments of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which becomes operational on July 1. Mr Jim Scott has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Air New Zealand effective June 1.

The Bottom Line

Australian Airlines has reported a half year interim profit of $42. 5m for the six months to December 31, 1987. This represents an increase of 32% on the same period in 1986 and a 163% increase in profit attributable to direct airline operations. Overall traffic volume increased by 10. 3% while business class patronage increased by 19% and first class by 8%. British Airways has announced a third quarter pre-tax profit of $A84m. Group profit for the nine months till December 31st was $A666m on total airline turnover of $A6368m, an increase of 14% on the previous year. Passenger growth increased by 14% for a load factor of 73. 1%. Air New Zealand has repor ted a first half profit of $NZ22m on a RTK increase of 7. 7% for a load factor of 68. 3% Rolls Royce 1987 annual results show an operating profit of $A867m on a turnover of $A5147m, an increase in profit of 27% and turnover of 14. 3%. Year end engine order book stood at $A7000m. Cathay Pacific has announced an increase of 71% in operating profit for 1987 of $A378m. Revenue load factor improved from 70. 2% to 73. 6% while daily 747 utilisation reached 14. 17 hours. Flying Tigers achieved a record 1987 pre-tax profit of $US147m compared to a loss of $US26m in 1986. The employee bonus programme distributed some $US23m or an average of $US4,300 to each employee. The Texas Air group lost a cumulative $US266m in the final quarter of 1987 for a total 1987 loss of $US466m. Texas Air controls Continental, Eastern, People Express and New York Air.

Pan American has announced a fourth quarter loss of $US245m and total 1987 losses of $US265mcompared with a loss of $US462min 1986. PanAm’s accumulated losses for the past four years now totals $US833m. America West Airlines has posted a net loss of $US18. 8m for the final quarter of 1987. The airline, which is part owned by Ansett, is shedding 6 737s and reducing schedules by 10% in an effort to reduce its $US45m 1987 cumulative loss. United Airlines has posted an operating loss of $US80m for the fourth quarter of 1987 for a year end loss of $US4m. Ryder Systems, parent of Aviall, has reported net profits of $US60m on operating revenue of $US988m for 1987, up 33% on the previous year. Airship Industries has reported a loss of $A7. 4m for the half year to December 31st. McDonnell Douglas Corp has reported a fourth quarter profit of $US92. 6m. Ansett Transport Industries partners, News Corp and TNT, both reported excellent results with News posting a 24% increase in profits to $A227m for the December 31 half year. TNT increased profit by 35% to $A102m for the same period from earnings of $A1767m. Lockheed Corp has reported record earnings of $US436m on sales of $US11. 3bn for 1987 on a total order backlog of $US8. 4bn. Hughes has posted a record 1987 profit of $US670m on turnover of $US10. 5bn for an order backlog of $US11. 4bn. Northrop has reported 1987 operating profits of $US94m, up 129% on 1986, on a turnover of $US6. 05bn for an order backlog of $US5. 8bn.