Newsdesk – General Aviation

Each 13 week course will host 6-8 students while flying training will be undertaken at one or two successful flying training organisations. The first course is scheduled to commence this August for graduation prior to year end.

Graduating students will then owe Qantas a return of service of one year for each $5,000 invested by the company. If employment is not gained with Qantas within 18 months, bond is absolved as it is also if the recruit is dismissed for any cause. The bond is also absolved after five years of Qantas employment.

Graduates are not, however, automatically offered a position with Qantas. The sole objective of the scheme is to provide a facility to allow successful applicants the means of gaining the additional practical experience required so as to be better qualified for possible employment by the airline.

Either way, the new scheme represents an excellent opportunity for young people to achieve their ambition to fly for major addition to solving Cantas primary problem of not being able to attract sufficient highly qualified applicants from the GA environment.

The scheme also boost for the local flying training industry is, if successful, probably more than one school will be appointed. Additionally, compassing simulator m will also benefit will the myriad of ab into ying schools is more purple gain their int CPL in the hope of Ganga scholarship Cartas are currently employing an additional 100 pilots a year and do not see this requirement slacking before the end of the cry

Centrespread

Days long gone and memories long remembered. Heathrow, circa 1972 and the pride of the BOAC fleet rest before recommencing their world girdling services.

This photo also contrasts the best in long-haul commercial jetliners of the sixties from both sides of the Atlantic. While Boeing’s 707 went on to ultimately sell over a thousand examples in its multitude of variants (and is still in production today), the Vickers VC-10 epitomised the divisions within the UK aircraft industry of the era and only managed to sell 54 examples. Like so many British aeronautical products of the 1945-75 era the aesthetically pleasing VC-10 was produced too late to be an effective alternative to its American rivals.

Like the 707 though, today the VC-10 soldiers on as a tanker in Royal Air Force service, a role that, like its Boeing cousin, will see it flying well into the twenty first century.

Monarch Aviation Take Over Pilatus Britten Norman Distributorship:

Keith Pleson’s Monarch Aviation has taken over the regional representation of Britten Norman Elective mad May, the move allows Monarch to sell ander aircraft throughout Australia, New Guinea and select South Pacific lands Engineering and support will still be supple Hawker Pacific throughout the region which is presently home for more than 72 Anders and Monarch see a greater presence for both additional new and used anders in the years ahead One possible application is the use of of Costwatch configured slanders to be operated by the Securites Divan of the Canberra based Australian Federal Polos Monarch argues that new lander would be cheaper to operate in the dose-n oral surveillance ask than existing aircraft and would abo offer excellent field performance for landing on remote airstrips.

Abo in the Monarch representation is the Commuter Air Transporta conversion for the Beech King Air. Means of the US have already ordered a number of this area which in effect area commuter version of the King Air 90 and 200 series Seating either 9 or 14 passengers, the conversion add new four blade propelers, large surface lockers, ceased nose baggage ar weather radar, enhanced landing gear and 550hp PTSA-21 turbines. Monarch are of around $1. 5m for what is essentially a long range 275mph pressurised commuter.

Coastwatch Report Likely to Report Major Changes in Coastal Barrier Protection:

The Hudson Report into the viability of Australia’s ca operated Costwatch oral surveillance programme is expected to recommend a number of sweeping changes to the present system.

A move away from mulDepartmental funding in favour of a new single source agency, thought to be either Customs or the Austra Federal Policy in an effort to steam In Costwatch Additionally, move to operate two different types of aircraft-one for dose-insurance and one for longer ranging seanca mooted.

Surveillance principally involves beach crew’ where the primary attribute of the aircraft to be able toy low and slowing effort to identify activities at close range. A more capable art to locate, identity and interceptor targets though qu ethics are large, typically in the Faker Mads, and cany sophisticated electronica and radar need, Skywest continue the day today Costs with rest of Apresstme the Commander

One of Skye was sup for sale for pice of $40m which includes Why low passenger growth as Western Australia, soldered that new operator, who would not be able to cros abuse hom the more lucrative charter Cowatch don would have to see me tom of subidy from the State Government to maintain some of Skywest’s more remote services.

Us GA Sales Show Encourage Ment in First Quarter:

Fears that the October stock market crash would torpedo why waste of the ang Ama have been w and truly laid to rest wing the release of the quintet results by the US G Aviation Manufacturers GAMA ports to deliver for the qua at 200 units against only 227 1987. More importantly beings were up from SU2 1987 SUB377 for 1958. movers were corpo,up 60% and paths, p 150% Turboprops pained a modest 15% when pain singles remained plate with 151 GAMA embers now have a wide range of some 33 mode Ning in a from the recently launched Peer Super Cub to Gutstreams O. Big in the quarter were Celana’s Ceation and Caravan, Peers PA-28, Seneca and Mabu and the Beninza and King Air.

Piper Win Large Trainer Order:

New Piper owner, Sat Mar has certainly reigned Pier Ancrat Company Ingenta more the fem has won a for Piper Caders from FlySafety Inter, has placed the Super Cub bak into production and committed to producinga change of GA act for 50 and The order from Flight Another 50 opened of the new Cadet model. Easy, the Cadet is a specially developed tre-congued version of the prog PA-20 Warter. Paghalety already operate of over 50 Pipes and has a gradum 8,000 conception in 1965. The US tal price of the Cadets BUS45,995 VF and $US540in IFR con Pisos produces a full range of ot including the recent launched Super Cube 160hp Warior and Cadel 10hp Arch. 235hp Do, 200hp Tuto Arrow 300 Saratoga and Sato SP, Seneca win and the renowned Malibu

Blooper Blowout!

Our thanks to the veritable avalanche of readers who part ted in our Blooper hunt (rele pe May AAL. To say the least we found if the amount during to team that the may of readers had a great deal of duty tracking down the primary blooper. I say pay, as there was actually more than one, int these were a few that we had not even picked up ourselves. Bet of course the Englan Chanel, not the Aanheden 1500 and for his efforts won the sum of £1,000, non that amount The lucky winner were Me A Them at Bri ban Roger of Beaumaris, Louis Jar of Hoard Park, Peter Buckley of Blacktown and Cawtom of Kingston, an Though our anginal take was gene bot of Capt Smith eang the structure of the Tanc by deliberately h west admit hidden do get you to read our great Farnborough tour you’re not going then theres 10 change your mind and join Stewart Win and Co on what will definitely be an unforgettable experience.

Bicentennial Air Race Attracts Large Entry:

The GE sponsored Around Australcenter Race has attracted large bed of 120 The two week race will commence from Nomine on September 18 and will Canton October1 to a propeler drive aircraft capable of manta at 105 use speed over a sector range of 420 Es have come from the USA, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, England and New Car The RAAF by a Carbondale 748 while Cheel of the SA Marshal Ray Fuel, will Panely, Pratt & When stands a strong chance of wing the General Electro sponsored event, something that no doubt could lead to some lighthearted though competitive bing the eventual giving many Other notable entrants de VAES, TAA’S feat DC-3, which has been made airworthy by a dedicated band of enthusiast Aushan Ates while one of the OS’s DHA Drovers so lang part with a New Zealand grew. A Beth Staggering coming om the US Monga, China and Bon where its plot, Capt Phap Livingstone, is making a documentary on his adventures.

Essendon Lives On:

Ongoing fears that Essendon airport would eventually be closed and sold off to boost government revenue have been allayed following a firm decision by the Federal Government to retain the facility The government however does not intend to relax the present night-time curfew and will not allow expansion of the airport or increase the range of aircraft operations presently undertaken at the airport. The govemment will also move to tighten the existing night curfew by excluding operations by larger aircraft that have unusually high noise footprints and by restricting the maintenance running of aircraft engines to minimise noise pollution. in the meantime, the FAC, which now controls Essendon, is looking to improve the airport’s financial performance by means of additional static aviation and non aviation related businesses.

Aviation Artists:

Are you an aviation artist? If so, then you can now join an association with other artists to promote the aims and objectives of art in aviation. For more details contact the Australian Society of Aviation Artists, PO BOX 406, Carnegie, 3163.

People

Mr R D Somerville has been appointed as chairman of BAe Australia while Mr Ted Harris has been elected to the BABA board. Capt Bill Hanrahan has been appointed to the new position of Manager Flight Projects with Ansett Airlines. Mr Alan Page has been appointed as general manager of C3 Pty Ltd Dr John Bartlett has been appointed the Adelaide manager of C3 Pty Ltd. Mr Alan Woods has retired as chief adviser and head of the DoD. Liz Hotham returns as the RAAF chief public relations officer for NSW, welcome back Liz.

The bottom line

• Qantas has announced an unaudited group profit from operations for the year ending March 31 of a record $153. 3m, profit after the sale of abnormal items and aircraft was $131. 1m as against $63. 8m the previous year.  British Airways has announced a record pret-tax profit of £228m for the year ending March 31 on a gross turnover of £3. 756m. Singapore Airlines has reported a record profit of $5608m on turnover of $S3,778m for the year ending March 31.

Allegis, parent company of United Airlines has reported a first quarter profit of $US27. 9m compared with a loss of $US54m for the first quarter last year, most of this being from United operations Delta Air Lines has recorded record first quarter profit of SUSS6 2m. American Airlines has reported a record first quarter profit of $68. 4m as against only $US19. 9m for the same period last year. Lufthansa has posted an operat ing profit of DM209m on a a 1987 turnover of DM11bn recording in the process an increase in passenger traffic of 19% Boeing has reported a net profit of $US136m on the sales of $US3. 6bn for the first quarter of 1988. McDonnell Douglas has reported a nett profit of $US51. 2m on sales of $US3. 20 for the first quarter of 1988. TNT has reported a profit of $126. 4m for the 9 months ending March 31.  News Corp reports a profit of $286m for the 9 months ending March 31, News and TNT are joint owners of ATI.  Fokker has reported a loss of D107m for 1 1987 as against a profit of D19m for 1986, largely owing to writing off accumulated losses due to delays in the F50 and F100 programmes.

Books

Wolfpack:

Jerry Scutts Another Vietnam air combat book and just as good as its predecessors. This hard cover effort details the achievements of the 8th Tact- cal Fighter Wing flying F-4 Phantoms. The 8th refined wolfpack tactics to an art form in luring the NVAF out to fight with the result that this wing scored more kills than any other.

The book again highlights the legion of silly mistakes that were made during the air war largely as a result of a total misreading of the tactical and political situation by the Pentagon and the need to always have a back up plan in any war scenario. Mankind seems hell bent on deliberately forgetting the lessons that history deals him with regular monotony. Books like this indeed help to keep alive the doctrine of combat tact tactics so that perhaps good men don’t always have to die for another man’s folly. We can only hope.

Well illustrated and expertly written, Wolfpack at 138 pages is good value for $49. 95 and is available direct from Princeton Books, PO BOX 24, Cheltenham 3192

Hawker Hurricane:

Robert Jackson The Spitfire may have claimed the glory and the Mustang may have won the long-range air battles as an escort supremo but the Hawker Hurricane was often the true battler which saved the day on so many of WW2’s battle fronts.

Romantically we associate the pride of RAF Fighter Command taking on Hitler’s best over southeast England in the northern summer of 1940 in squadron after squadron of Spitfires. The truth was that the old Humcane, slower and less agile than the Spit, was used in far greater numbers during this momentous period of history. Without the numerically superior Hurricane, the battle would have certainly been lost. Again in North Africa, Malta,Russia and in South East Asia, the Hurricane fought on gain its reputation not as a show pony, but as a hard working, reliable, tough and durable figh- ter that could function just as well in the snows of Russia as in the heat of the tropics and the driving sands of the Western Desert.

to This excellently produced 160 page hard cover book is available direct from Capricom Link, Lincoln Street, Lane Cove 2066 for a RRP of $45. 00.

 Charles Kingsford Smith:

Pedr Davis This 160p hard cover book is aptly subtitled, ‘Smithy. The World’s Greatest Aviator” and while that claim may be open to contention, it is certainly true that Australia owes Smithy a lot more than it has ever given him.

The man himself constantly had to battle lethargy and disinterest at home at a time when he not only achieved a lot for aviation but also his homeland. It is sad that it takes more than a half century to pass before his talents and achievements are given due accord. This book to some extent nights that wrong and is certainly recommended to anyone wishing to know the full story of our most famous of aviators.

Published by Marque Publishing, PO Box 203, Hurstville 2220 and available from leading specialist book shops.

Airbus – The European Triumph

Bill Gunston It is always good to read history that narrates a tale of triumph over adversity and, from the corporate sense, this is certainly one such tale.

When the Airbus consortium was first mooted in the late sixties, its formation as a viable future competitor to the giants of the US aerospace league was met largely with derision on both sides of the Atlantic Through a period where few people, even many Europeans and in particular the British, took it seriously, Airbus Industrie has risen to the point where the very mention of its name in Seattle will turn a conversation cold. To be a competitor is one thing but to be a successful one simultaneously is another altogether it would seem matter This book documents the complete corporate history of the consortium and expertly relives those turbulent early years when Al’s alles were very few indeed. Author Gunston has done an excellent job and full marks to him.

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

 Whirlwind:

Victor Bingham The RAF’s first single seat twin engined cannon armed fighter was a contemporary of the Spitfire and Hurricane; it was fast, a delight to fly, a brilliant performer as a low level strike fighter using bombs and guns by day or night and well able to hold its own with an FW 190 in a dogfight. Yet it only equipped two RAF squadrons and was withdrawn from service in 1943, its full potential neither fully explored nor exploited. Why? For the answer to that you will have to read the book, though if you read our Short Finals column in the March AA, then you just might get an inkling as to to why this beautiful aircraft was held back from action. Fact unfortunately is stranger than fiction and the Westland Whirlwind was certainly one of the greater casualties of the RAF high command of the era. Available direct from Princeton Books, PO Box 24, Cheltenham, 3192 for a RRP of $43. 95.

Whirlwind: Modern Civil Aircraft Series

These two lan Allen soft back offerings cover the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (Alan Wright) and the Boeing 757 & 767 twinjets (Philip Birtles).

Both books delve into the history of the type and give an interesting rundown on how and why the types were inñally developed in addi- tion t to looking at their operation in day to day arine service.

Both are available at a special AA reader price of $17. 96 inc postage from Natbooks, Suite 207, 396 Kent St, Sydney 2000

Argentine Air Forces in the Falklands Conflict:

Salvador Huertas & Jesus Briasco This interesting book, or rather booklet, is actually No. 45 in the Warbirds Bustrated series from Arms and Armour Press in the UK Essentially the production is a compilation of photographs, several of which are in colour, of aircraft employed by Argentina in the Falklands conflict. If you have built up a file on this subject then obviously this book is a must buy.

RRP is only $12. 95, available from Capricorn Link, Lincoln St, Lane Cove, 2066.