Newsdesk- General Aviation

Merry Christmas

May the small staff at Australian Aviation take this opportunity to sincerely wish all our readers a happy and safe Christmas and nothing less than an excellent nineteen eighty nine. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and we look forward to being able to be YOUR aviation magazine in the year ahead. Thanks and best wishes.

Industry Report Identifies Hopes and Problems Associated With Indigenous Light Aircraft Manufacturing Industry:

The Australian Light Aircraft Industry Study Group have released a lengthy report which highlights the need for industry to work together as a group and for the regulatory authorities to assist and not impede the capabilities of this sector of Australian aviation.

The report by the Australian Manufacturing Council found that there were pockets of design capability and expertise of considerable value that featured a high degree of innovation. It also found that much of this was supported by fiscally deficient companies with scant resources or direct project management expertise and that present CAA airworthiness standards discouraged the implementation of many of these projects through to commercial status.

Primary recommendations made by the reporting group, which comprised members of industry, the GA community and the CAA, include that all light aircraft manufacturers and designers join the Association of Australian Aerospace Industries (AAAI), that should extend the mandate to the CAA that it should foster and encourage the Australian industry, particularly in the issuance of first of type certification standards and that industry should become more involved with the numerous industry assistance bodies such as Austrade and NIES to further extend their potential export marketing horizons.

On the thorny issue of certification standards, the report concluded that the CAA should produce a publication intended as a guide for existing and prospective Australian manufacturers of light aircraft. Many people were bewildered by the complex certification process and found it difficult and confusing with respondents often finding contradictory advice when dealing with the CAA and its predecessors.

Respondents for instance cited the developmental category of ANO 101. 31 as being fairly irrelevant in real terms due to the manufacturer having to prove the bulk of data prior to first flight. In view of the strictly experimental nature of this category and its non commercial applications (ie. no end user sales) most respondents considered that it should be more akin to the US Experimental Category if innovation and new projects were to be fostered in the longer term.

The report also cited the severe lack of engineers and suggested greater efforts at upgrading the Regulation 40 endorsements in conjunction with the CAA. There were 4,561 LAME’s as at June 30th, 1987. The report also recommended a greater level of cooperation between Governmental agencies such as ARL and DSTO and industry in establishing fatigue and test data analysis where applicable to light aircraft development Industry sources estimate a domestic market for single engine GA aircraft of between 160 and 280 units per year or $21m to $40m assuming an average retail price of $140,000. The Report also envisages a considerable export market, particularly in the market for two seat advanced-design trainers using new generation engines and aerodynamic structure

Piper’s New Malibu:

Piper has introdu- ced a new version of its successful Malibu pressurised single after more than 400 of the original model were produced. Called the Malibu Mirage, the latest model differs from the earlier version by having a 350hp Lycoming TIP-540-AE2A six cylinder engine replace the original 310hp Continental TSIO-520-BE. The extra power results in a 10 knot faster cruise at 25,000 feet (now 225kt), better climb performance and increased useful load.

Other changes include a revised interior design, improved panel layout, computerised fuel management system, integrally heated pilot’s windshield and a new paint scheme. Basic price of the Malibu Mirage is $US349,000 IFR equipped with radar, de-icing and air conditioning available at extra cost.

Schofields May Be Developed as Major GA Facility:

The fate of Sydney’s Schofields airport is again up in the air following the recent release of a joint State/Federal government report into the aviation needs of the Sydney Basin (refer Recce).

The two options are essentially that Schofields is either sold for housing or either it is fully developed as a major GA airport capable of handling up to 180,000 movements a year under the control of the FAC, which is currently actively bidding for it Conversion to housing is not considered a viable option as some of the land surrounding the small airport is flood prone.

The FAC has also stated that neither Hoxton Park nor Camden will be closed at any time in the future, despite public comments to the contrary by some local councilors. Hoxton Park is actually undergoing a substantial rejuvenation which includes the addition of a large production facility aimed at possibly placing the Victa Airtourer back into production The bottom line need to boost Schofields, Hoxton Park and Camden could well come from the eventual requirement to shift commuter operations across to Bankstown Airport. Bankstown is currently Australia’s busiest air- port and is at traffic saturation levels with over 450,000 movements logged in 1987/88 alone. Addition of commuter aircraft (as the report recommends) and the resultant different approach to present GA based air traffic control procedures would effectively limit this major airport’s capacity to as few as 250,000 movements a year. Thus the majority of basic training would have to shift to outlying airports if GA activity was to continue at present levels within the Sydney basin Development of Badgerys Creek as a GA facility is also canvassed with the initial plan being for a dual 1,000m runway operation costing $20m. Lengthening the main runway to 1,600m for commuter aircraft would take this investment to $40m while a third option which extends the main runway to 2,600m for 737 size aircraft would cost about $250m. However, industry sources question these estimates, claiming that the government estimates would need to be at least doubled to be taken seriously

Longer Legs for Challenger:

An upgrade which can be retrofitted to existing Canadair Challenger 601s and 601-3As will shortly become available. The kit’s prime purpose is to increase the Challenger’s NBAA IFR range to 3,600nm (6,668km) which will allow it to fly non-stop from London to New York against a typical 53 knot headwind.

By comparison, the Challenger’s major competitors, the Falcon 900 and Gulfstream IV, have NBAA IFR ranges of 3,800nm and 4,300nm, respectively. The main parts of the kit are a tail fuel tank (plus its associated plumbing) which is incorporated into a reshaped rear fuselage and a 1,500lb increase in maximum ramp weight. Three Challengers have recently been ordered by Australian corporations, Palmer Tube Mills, Associated Airlines and CRA

Solid Piper Sales:

Piper has nearly a two year order backlog worth more than $US100m after the meeting of its dealers following the NBAA Convention last October. At the convention, the dealers ordered 63 Cadets (the training version of the Warrior II). four Archers, one Šaratoga SP and 20 of the new Malibu Mirages (see separate Newsdesk item). Cadet sales now exceed 300 while the twin turboprop Cheyenne IIIA continues to find a steady market with the airlines for training. Its latest customers include Lufthansa (a repeat order) and All Nippon Airways.

In addition, the University of North Dakota has agreed to buy as many as 250 Piper aircraft over the next five years for use by its 1,800 aviation students. The $US29. 8m deal covers 100 Cadets, 95 Arrow retractables and 58 Seminole twins. The initial agreement covers 24, 18 and eight, respectively, to be delivered by October 1989. It’s good after all these years of doom and gloom to see a GA manufacturer on the move!

Gulfstream Sst?:

Gulfstream Aerospace is developing the concept of supersonic business aircraft designed to carry 10-12 passengers at a speed of Mach 1. 5. The 80,000lb MTOW aircraft is still in its very early conceptual stage – with a ‘go/no go’ decision still some years away. It would cost more than $US1bn to develop and the aircraft would sell for at least $US50m based on 1988 values.

 Stolen Learjet:

The US Federal Aviation Administration’s air safety investigators re- cently came across a most unusual accident with bizarre circumstances and a tragic ending.

An aircraft mechanic without a pilot’s licence stole a Learjet and flew it 2,500km from Newport News, Virginia to Denver, Colorado, made a successful landing and then committed suicide by shooting himself. The 2. 30am departure from Newport News and subsequent flight was real Hollywood stuff with police vehicles attempting to block the Lear as it took off, one of them being clipped by the aircraft’s wing as it did so (shades of Capricorn One!). After special ATC handling all the way to Denver, the mechanic was “talked down’ by an experienced Lear pilot who knew the man, but before authorities could reach the aircraft he had shot himself.

Four Way Bizjet:

A new small business jet, the Swearingen SA-30, has been launched in the United States with the support of four international aviation corporations.

Designed by Ed Swearingen, the SA-30 is a six to eight seater powered by two 1,800lb thrust Wiliams FJ-44 turbofans. It will cruise at 430kt over a range of 2,000nm and at a quoted flyaway price of $US2m is considerably less expensive than any other jet and in fact less than most corporate turboprops.

The companies involved in the project are Swearingen Engineering. Gulfstream Aerospace (who will market the aircraft). Williams International and Rolls-Royce, who will provide technical and marketing support for the Williams powerplants. Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce have a long history of cooperation through the highly successful Gulfstream I, II, III and IV heavy corporate aircraft.

 Crashworthiness Standards Revised:

In its first major change since 1969, the FAA has updated some of its crashworthiness requirements for general aviation aircraft.

The upgraded standards apply only to newly certified aircraft and stem from research carried out by the General Aviation Safety Panel in 1983 and from an in-depth study of GA accidents carried out by the National Transportation Safety Board using anthropomorphic dummies in simulated crashes.

The new requirements are that seats should be able to withstand up to 26g (instead of only 9g previously), shoulder harnessestory since 1986-must meet stricter standards and all aircraft equipped with two or more seats must have an emergency exit. The FAA says the new rules could reduce the number of serious injuries by up to 34% while the new seat and harness requirements could reduce them by up to 90% and fatalities by 20%.

 Hungry for Aviation!:

On a lighter note (after all it’s Christmas), the ABAS people have released some interesting data on just how much food and drink was consumed by the quarter million plus people who enjoyed the great air show.

How about 7 truckloads of ice cream, 55,000 cans of soft drink, 71,000 cans of beer (John Elliott and Alan Bond would be pleased with that one!), 35,000 hot dogs, 600kg of barbecue beef, 440kg of prawns, 114kg of crayfish, 110kg of sirloin steak, 100kg of pork, a tonne of ham and 2,800 chicken drumsticks. Last but not least was the three dozen packets of lollies that ABAS officials used to keep kids happy in the lost children’s compound!

New Australian-Developed Simulator Wins Approval With Qantas Purchase:

A new, locally designed and manufactured synthetic flight trainer, the Novasim FT-1 is soon to go into production by Newcastle based company Spengat Technologies.

Using computer generated instrumentation and scenery, the FT-1 can be configured as either a single engined (Cessna 172) or twin engined (Piper Comanche) aircraft. A prototype model configured as a Boeing 747-200 has also recently been purchased by Qantas to assist in their trainee instrument familiarisation evaluation. With provision for both day and night simula- tion, the trainer has the capability of allowing the instructor to ‘fail’ instruments and/or engines as well as enabling him to generate differing weather conditions. These facilities enable the student’s progress to be monitored, in addition to assessing his or her ability to handle emergency procedures. Navigation aids covering the east coast of Australia permit pre-determined flight paths to be flown’ which may be recorded or printed out for later analysis.

Other features include the ability to ‘save’ a particular scenario for later recall, flight dynamic displays which indicate the various forces acting on the aircraft at any given time as well as on screen aids to assist in landing the aircraft.

 Bae/Ansett Joint Training Venture:

The apparently insatiable demand for airline pilots for the future has set the scene for yet another professional training operation in Australia.

In addition to the already up and running Qantas training scheme through Navair in Sydney and CATA at Cessnock plus Hawker de Havilland’s recent acquisition of the Australian Aviation College at Parafield, British Aerospace and Ansett have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a flying college in Australia to train pilots to International airline standards.

The proposed college is scheduled to commence operations this year, probably at a rural location well away from the traffic problems of the capital city general aviation airports. Regarded as a hot favourite for the location of the $40m school which will have a capacity of 256 cadets at any one time.

British Aerospace’s Prestwick (Scotland) Flying College opened in 1987 (refer p. 54 May 88 AA) and at the moment trains cadet pilots for British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Gulf Air and has a fleet of 11 FFABravos, 28 Piper Warriors and 9 Piper Senecas. Trainees attending the new college are expected to be sourced mainly for Australian and Pacific region airlines.

125 Survives Missile Attack:

A brand new BAe 125-800 corporate jet carrying the President of Botswana landed safely in Angola after a heat seeking missile mistakenly fired from an Angolan MiG-21 tore off an engine and seriously damaged the starboard wing and fuselage.

Flown by a Botswana pilot and a BAe co-pilot, the aircraft was cruising at 35,000 feet when it was hit. It immediately suffered an explosive decompression and fell for 7,000 feet before the crew regained control. At the time the crew wasn’t aware the engine had seperated from the aircraft. It landed 6. 5 minutes after the incident with no injuries to passengers or crew. Angola later apologised to Botswana for the incident and provided an aircraft to complete the flight. The 125 had just 29 hours logged and will be repaired.

More Beeches for Australasia:

As an indication of confidence in the general aviation market, Australasian Beechcraft distributor Hawker Pacific has ordered 11 new aircraft from the factory at a cost of over $23m. The order was announced at the Bicentennial Air Show and comprises six Bonanza F33As, two Super King Air B200s, two Beech 1900 commuterliners and a single Beechjet light corporate jet. It is hoped that four of the six Bonanza F33As will be sold to ‘a major Asian airline’ for training purposes.

Metro III Wins UK Type Certificate:

The British Civil Aviation Authority has issued an Aircraft Type Certificate for the 19 passenger Fairchild Metro III regional airliner. This strong selling, pressurised, twin turboprop air- craft has been in world wide commuter/ regional airline service since its original FAA certification in the United States in 1981.

The Metro I was certified in the United States under SFAR Part 41 and meets ICAO Annex 8 requirements for European operations. Some modifications to the aircraft were required to win the CAA ticket.

Certification in the United Kingdom was at the request of Air Metro, a new regional airline based at Bournemouth. After route authority is approved, the Metro III will be operated from Bournemouth and Lydd airports in the southern part of England to Amsterdam and Paris.

Aerospace Foundation Is Go:

As a result of the financial success of the Australian Bicentennial Air Show at Richmond last October, one of the stated aims of the organisers-the establishment of an Australian Aviation and Aerospace Foundation – will be met.

The intention of the foundation is to promote Australian aviation generally and it will be set up in the first quarter of this year. Although at presstime the final figure which will be used to establish the foundation cannot be specified due to the air show’s accounting having not yet been finalised, it is still expected to be a significant amount.

According to the show’s Executive Chairman, Mr Ian Honnery, “The Foundation will be established as a result of the overall financial success of the show and will be handsomely endowed. Although we can’t specify a figure as yet, it is expected to be several hundred thousand dollars. We expect the foundation to be formally announced around March 1989”. Good one!

More GA Suffering?:

The never ending extra financial and operational burdens it appears General Aviation has to bear in Australia looks set for a further increase with the submission of a new schedule of landing charges to the Minister, Mr Gary Punch, by the Federal Airports Corporation.

The proposed new fees will reportedly quadruple existing levies during peak periods and are seen by many to be the first step in a process which will ultimately force supplemental commuter airlines away from major airports. Although Mr Punch has denied the charges will apply to commuter airlines, they certainly will apply to aircraft such as business jets operating in the private, aerial work and charter categories.

 Citation V a Winner:

Cessna’s new Citation V business jet (basically a stretched, more powerful version of the best selling Citation II) looks set to follow the sales successes of its predecessor.

The $US3. 995m aircraft is scheduled to enter service this March with the 1989 produc- tion run of 36 aircraft booked out well before the end of 1988. Cessna’s other Citations are also enjoying good sales. The Ill doubled its 1987 performance in 1988 and the II’s order backlog extends well into 1989.

Sah-1 Away?:

After some five years of struggling to raise production funds, the Orca (formerly Trago-Mits) SAH-1 fully aerobatic two seat trainer is set to go into production in England. Powered by a 118hp Lycoming O-235 engine, production of the SAH-1 is scheduled to begin this month. Deliveries of the first 15 aircraft will be made between September 1989 and March 1990 with four aircraft destined for Scandinavia and the remain-der for the UK. A version with a 160hp Lycom- ing 0-320 engine is also planned.

New Pratt Flies:

Pratt & Whitney Canada’s latest turboshaft, designed to power a new generation of light helicopters, has made its first flight in an MBB BO. 105LS after 4,000 hours of bench testing. Designated the PW2058, the engine is the lead model in P&W’s new PW200 family. In its production form the PW2058 will offer 500shp for takeoff, increasing to 625shp for 2. 5 minutes if one engine of a twin installation fails.

People

Mr Andrew Craig has been appointed MD of Sikorsky Aircraft Australia replacing Mr Jim Harrell who returns to the US. Mr Scott Williams has joined the Aymever consultancy team and will specialise in areas of strategic planning, programme evaluation and review. Mr Patrick Walters, ex-SMH, has joined Mr Kim Beazley’s staff as the Minister’s private secretary. Mr Peter McGuane has been appointed as Executive Secretary with the Civil Air Operations Officers Assn of Australia.

The Bottom Line

Air New Zealand reported an unaudited $NZ29. 7m operating profit for the six months ended Sept 30. This is 29% up on the same period last year and is on target to return the company a profit of $NZ75m for the full year. Boeing has reported sales revenue of $US12bn and net earnings of $US440m for the first nine months of 1988. Flying Tigers reported a third quarter net profit of $US23. 7m. United Airlines earned $US179m during the third quarter on total operating revenues of $US2. 41bn.

Lockheed Corporation has reported eamings of $US123m on sales of $US2. 4bn for the third quarter. Aerospatiale has reported an 88/89 first quarter profit of $A32. 4m on sales of $A2. 4bn. Malaysian Airlines has recorded an after tax profit of $A72. 2m for the year ended March 31, a 35% increase on the same period during the previous year.

Videos

Black Jack’s Last Mission:

Tara Productions Black Jack is a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress that ditched off New Guinea following engine trouble on a raid against Japanese fortifications on Goodenough Island in July of 1943. Three of the crew were injured but fortunately, all survived and were rescued by local villagers.

Thus Black Jack lay serenely 150ft beneath the surface near Rabaul, long forgotten for almost half a century. She was finally discovered by a dedicated team of Australians who at the time knew only that a B-17 had ditched somewhere in the area during mid ’43. What the team found was a virtually intact aircraft, complete with tail guns that still moved freely in the turret. The resulting documentary is both fascinating and thought-provoking, particularly so as the aircraft’s commander, Ralph De Loach, returns with the diving team to be reunited with the villagers that saved their lives on that dark night in 1943.

RRP including p&p is $44. 50, available from Tara Productions, 31 Parkland Rd, Mona Vale 2103, (02) 997 2962.

The Australian Bicentennial Air Show:

Video You saw the event, you read the book so now you can also keep it all for ever on video. CEL, a division of Australian Consolidated Press, have produced what is a very good effort on October’s ABAS. The team utilised the best footage from a crew of 40 camera and associated technical staff in what is a very entertaining 90 minute video. The only criticism we might have is that there could have been much more commentary added in view of the interesting nature of the many aircraft involved. A minor complaint though which is more than compensated for by the overall excellent, and very professional, footage taken by a well briefed and obviously knowledgeable crew. RRP, including p&p is $43. 95, available direct from CEL Video, PO Box 297, Gladesville 2111, (02) 268 9000.

Books

Too Young to Die:

Bryan Cox Something that has had little reporting in recent years is the RNZAF’s efforts during WW2 in the Pacific. This book is essentially one man’s account of his involvement in that war as a Corsair pilot and of events afterwards which include much RAAF material leading up to the Korean War in 1950. Apart from the large ex- Kiwi contingent now resident in Australia, we feel this book would be a good read for anyone interested in this fascinating slice of world his- tory.

Bryan Cox himself is an equally interesting person in that, of over 8,000 pilots who entered the RNZAF in WW2, he and just one other are the sole remaining pilots still holding CPLs in NZ. Not for long though as Bryan intends retiring at the end of 1989, a point in time where his log book will have exceeded some 20,000hrs on more than a hundred types.

RRP is $24. 95, available direct from Century Hutchinson, Sydney & Melbourne or from any major aviation orientated bookshop.

 High Corridors:

John Gunn This is the third and final book in a series which was specially commissioned by Qantas to document our national airline’s history.

Both the earlier works. The Defeat of Distance and Challenging Horizons, have been reviewed by this magazine over the past two years and this latest effort is certainly every bit as good as its predecessors.

Better in fact, as High Corridors takes us into an era that most of us can physically associate with. The heady days of international expansion via Qantas’ first real intercontinental airliner, the Constellation, the introduction of the early 707 jets and the decision to purchase the then revolutionary 747 are all intensively documented via the book’s 470 pages.

Also of note is that John’s first book, The Defeat of Distance (covering Qantas from 1919 through to 1939) has now been released in paperback form for an RRP of $16. 95. RRP of High Corridors, currently only available in hard back edition, is $44. 95. Both books are available direct from the University of Queensland Press, PO Box 42, St. Lucia 4067, (07) 377 2452.

Hornet:

Lou Drendel Another of the soft cover, magazine format Squadron Signal publications. This latest effort by well known military historian, Lou Drendel, documents virtually every nut and bolt of the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Homet.

This naturally enough is not only of supreme interest to we Australians but also to the keen modeller who is particularly interested in the finer technical points of the type. Available from most major aviation orientated bookshops.

Malta – The Hurricane Years:

Christopher Shores, Brian Cull & Nicola Malizia Malta, that tiny speck of granite in the then most strategic portion of the Mediterranean, was a major irritant to the Germans in their efforts to reinforce the beleaguered Afrika Corps. From the other side of the coin, it was just as much a symbol of the allied ability to not fall to the pressure of the Luftwaffe and German Navy. Malta throughout the critical years of the battle for North Africa hung on by a mere thread with mostly only a handful of operational Hurricane fighters. Reinforcement was continually fraught with danger and disaster as supply ship after supply ship was sunk whilst trying to reach the battered British sentinel. This hook narrates the day to day history of the battle for Malta with particular emphasis being placed on the all important Hurricane squadrons employed in their largely one sided battle to survive. Available from Capricorn Link, Lincoln St, Lane Cove 2066 for an RRP of $55. 00. Also in the same series is the Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, little known in Australia but undoubtedly of interest to those whose roots lie in these lands.

Flypast:

Neville Pamell & Trevor Broughton This CAA sponsored 541 page book deserves special commendation in that it represents the first serious attempt to fully document every major Australian aviation event dating from 1843 right through to our bicentennial year.

In this context, Flypast deals with every aspect of Australian civil aviation with general reference being made also to military aviation and space. Text entries include flight, the design and manufacture of all-kinds of aircraft, the history of various aviation companies, the many achievements of Australians overseas, government bodies and the laws and regulations governing aviation. If it happened in the last 145 years in aviation, then you can rest fairly assured that it has been documented in this very in-depth book. Ably illustrated by more than 450 photos we can personally recommend this book for anybody even remotely requiring a reference work pertaining to the complete history of Australian aviation.

RRP is $69. 95, available direct from AGPS mail order services at GPO Box 84, Canberra, ACT 2600 or from your capital city AGPS bookshop.

The Bombers:

Robin Cross Of 224 pages this book represents a fairly thorough appraisal of the growth of the bomber, from the early Zeppelins through to the stealth technology aircraft of tomorrow.

The primary development of the bomber of course has been motivated by the two major wars this century. During WWI the basic concept was conceived and a number of lumbering and mildly effective aircraft and zeppelins were introduced to military service. Though their physical effect was minimal, the impact they made on national psyche and morale was something else. WWII saw the emergence of the first truly strategic bombers and indeed the very vehicle that served as the launch platform for the weapon that ended the conflict (and ushered in a new era) was of course the bomber. Vietnam, the Libyan F-111 raid and Operation Corporate are also included as is the post WWII period which saw the birth of such notable aircraft as the B-36, B-47,B-52, V Bombers and a number of similar Soviet aircraft.

Available from major bookshops or Transworld Publishers, 20 Young St, Neutral Bay, 2989 for a RRP of $35. 00.

Carrier Aviation

Peter Garrison/ George Hall The domain of a large USN super carrier always provides a fertile environment for both photographers and writers. This Arms & Armour Press book presents a neatly arranged compilation on the wheres and wherefores of carrier aviation. The photography is excellent while the simple storyline answers many questions that the non naval aviator is likely to ask. Good value at an RRP of $23. 95 and available from Capricorn Link, 5C1 Lincoln St, Lane Cove 2066.