Register Update Service

Over two hundred aircraft make up the new allocations with a large variety of types, the largest being the Boeing 747 for Qantas EEi. An early model 100 series, it was built in 1970 and delivered on 27th of November of that year to American Airlines. It was leased to National Airlines and Cargolux before going to Highland Express in Scotland and appropriately registered G-HIHO in June 1987. This airline unfortunately did not last long and went out of business in December of the same year whereupon the elderly Jumbo came half the way round the world to join the Qantas fleet in March to operate in Air Pacific colours.

Other airliners to be registered during the period covered are two F28-3OOO Fokker Fellowships for East-West, EWF and EWG, and nine Fokker 5Os for Ansett. The two Fellowships were initially delivered to Cimber Air of Denmark in 1979 but were leased to Saudia in June 1980. They were delivered to Tamworth in Saudia colours but still wearing their Danish registrations. The first flight of the Fokker 50 occurred on the 28th December 1985 and since then Fokker have produced three test aircraft and two aircraft for the German operator DLT with the next nine of the production line coming to Australia for Ansett. Delivery of the first machine was delayed due to problems with the Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines and some of these problems have persisted whilst in Australian use. The Fokkers, FNA through to FNJ were to be consecutive aircraft but a major problem with the paint on serial number 20109 which was to be FND caused this airframe to be put aside and a later airframe on the production line to actually become FND.

New commuter aircraft in the country include an ex Malaysian Air Charter Shorts 360 for Sunstate Airlines of Queensland (BWO), a Mohawk 298 for Lloyd Aviation (HKS), Navajo Chieftains for Hazelton Airlines (MZF and MZK) and Oxley Airlines (HOX LHD and LHI) and a Beech 200 Super King Air for Norfolk Island Airlines. Hazelton’s Chieftains were delivered to Sydney via Norfolk Island on the 17th April and via Honiara on the 11th of May respectively whilst Oxley’s came via Honiara on 29th Nov, Noumea/Brisbane on 15th February and Honiara/Brisbane on 29th November. Unfortunately HOX did not last long as it was destroyed in a fatal accident on a beach just north of Port Macquarie on the 7th April. LHI although owned by Lord Howe Island businessman J Green is used in the Oxley fleet. Norfolk Island Airlines fifth Super King Air, NIA derives its registration from the airlines IATA code and the aircraft was used extensively on the Cairns to Misima route during early June.

Almost one quarter of the new allocations are made up of helicopters showing the marked development in this section of the aviation industry and almost half of these are Robinsons. All the models are represented, Alpha, Beta, Mariner and HP and this type has now established itself as the second most popular helicopter in Australia following the English trend where the Robinson is now the most popular.

The first Mooney M2O flew on 10th August 1953 and since then almost every version of this sporty single has been seen in Australia. Adams Aviation have been responsible for importing Mooneys for several years now and have recently brought into the country the latest M2OK 252TSE. The aircraft was ferried Norfolk Island/Lord Howe Island/Sydney on the 4th of May and after pre delivery checks at Bankstown it was sent to its new owner in Western Australia as SXQ. Although using the same manufacturer’s designation (M2OK) and serial number prefix (25) as the earlier 231 model this new type is faster and better equipped. Adams expect to have another example in the country soon as well as a 205- a luxury version of the same aircraft – and two Porsche engined models before the Richmond air show.

Of the aircraft returning to the register probably the most interesting is Cessna Airmaster UZU. The Airmaster first flew in 1935 fitted with a 145hp Warner Super Scarab radial engine and only two examples were brought to Australia. Serial number 357 was to be registered G-AUZU but as Australia was allocated its own registration prefix of VH- in 1928, the Cessna did not carry these letters but became VH-UZU on 2nd September 1937. The aircraft went through a series of owners until 29th April 1974 when it was taken off the register but now, after fourteen years of inactivity, the old Cessna is in the air again.

Two Tiger Moths and ari Auster boast even longer periods of leisure. Auster BTQ was withdrawn from use during 1969, Tiger AJG was withdrawn during 1968 and Tiger WPL has been unairworthy since August 1965. After an incredible twenty three years WPL is back in the air and joins 140 other Tigers on the register. Interest ingly, this figure has been steadily increasing since 1974 when about 110 were airworthy.

Three National Safety Council Bell 205s also return after spells in Canada although as can be seen from the deletions, these aircraft left again for Canada during April of this year to participate in the Canadian fire season.

Two Qantas Boeing 747s were exported during the early part of the year with EBG going to El Al, the Israeli airline, and Combi ECA going to Air Canada. Both were fully painted at the airline’s Mascot jet base before departing except that El Al did not want its name on the side until it arrived in Israel for political reasons. Five Fokker Friendships were exported to Chile, England, Pakistan and Canada while Canada was also the final destination for the ex Department Fellowship ATE. The aircraft has been sold to Ansett Worldwide Leasing who have leased it to Time Air.

Two trans-Tasman deliveries have been Cessna 172C Skyhawk RBJ now owned by M Dempsey of Taupo and Nomad SNZ which was ferried Sydney/Lord Howe Island/Auckland as long ago as 11th November 1987. Cessna 172D DEN was destroyed by fire after making an emergency landing on a bush track shortly after takeoff from Pine Creek, Cessna Agwagon HOP and Hughes KLQ were both damaged after hitting power lines, the Cessna whilst spraying beans at Thangool and the Hughes whilst mustering cattle at Scartwater and Cessna 210 UFA was damaged when it crashed into trees during a flight to move it out of the path of an approaching cyclone.

The changes of ownership listing shows the four ex Air Queens- land DC-3s BPN, BPL, EDC and PWN together with the ex Travair machine SBL going to Air Rambler to be used for outback tours (refer story this issue). The first four aircraft have been in open storage at Brisbane airport for some time showing signs of Australian Airlines, Air Queensland and Bush Pilots Airways colour schemes. Also coming out of storage at Eagle Farm are the Australian Airlines Jetstreams which have gone to Eastern Airlines for use on the northern NSW routes recently vacated by East-West Airlines. On the lighter side, four Kavanagh Balloons that were owned by Flights of Fancy are now listed as owned by Balloon Sunrise.

Reservations for the early part of 1988 include NFI to NFN for Gwydir Air, NQB and NQD to NOG for North Australian Air Charters, HLI to HLL for Heliffite, IJA, IJD, IJE, IJG and IJH for Airtex Aviation, JGS for a DH60X Moth and JJB and OVL for DHB2A Tiger Moths.

Unfortunately due to a computer error the following registrations were omitted from the L-Z listing which appeared in our July’88 issue.