Newsdesk – General Aviation

Some 75% of all hours flown in Australia are logged by GA and non-RPT operators. Perhaps a good first recommendation from the Inquiry would be for the Government to appoint a Minister for Aviation who not only knows something about his portfolio but is also actually interested in the welfare of those who come under the influence of it! Perhaps not. . . that would be too much to expect.

Boost for Rfds:

That great and worthy Australian aviation institution, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has been given an extra $2. 492m by the Commonwealth Government in order to assist its purchase of three Beechcraft B200Cs for emergency evacuation and routine clinical services in remote areas of Australia. The sum is in addition to the $8. 726m provided to the RFDS under the Commonwealth/State cost-sharing arrangements for operational expenditure in 1988/89.

 Pilot Training Worries:

Research by the Australian Bureau of Air Safety has identified possible weaknesses in the training of student pilots following information gleaned from the recently introduced Confidential Aviation Incident Reporting Programme (CAIR). The programme involves pilots reporting difficulties or incidents without fear of retribution as their reports are kept confidential and destroyed after analysis. The BASI has not revealed the nature of these training problems as yet but undoubtedly will as more information is received and trends established.

 Gait Approval Imminent:

It appears imminent that Aviation Minister Gary Punch will approve the long awaited FAC General Aviation Infrastructure Tariffs (GAIT) scheme.

Effective from the 1st April (the date we are told has no significance, at least to non aviators!) owners of typical single engined light aircraft will be up for between $600 and $800 to park their aircraft at FAC aerodromes.

Non RPT (regular Public Transport) aircraft at Bankstown, Camden, Hoxton Park, Archerfield, Parafield, Cambridge, Moorabbin, Jandakot, Coolangatta, Launceston and Essendon will over a year pay $500 per 1000kg of max takeoff weight. The daily rate (if the aircraft does not have a pre-purchased GAIT sticker) will be $3. 80 per 1000kg MTOW or $80 a month. Helicopters will attract GAIT fees half that of GA aircraft while aircraft undergoing maintenance (without GAIT stickers) will pay $2. 85 per day irrespective of weight. Roving FAC airport patrols will log and identify all aircraft and invoice owners as appropriate.

Meanwhile non RPT aircraft landing at the major capital city airports will incur a charge of $5 per 1000kg MTOW with a minimum charge of $25 (half that for helos) and an $8 per aircraft per day parking charge in the designated GA parking areas. Aircraft tubing around and staying less than two hours are exempt. However, at Kingsford Smith there will also be a $200 minimum landing charge effective between the hours of 0730/1000 and 1630/ 1900. These peak time charges exclude all helicopters and Supplementary Airline (SAL) and RPT aircraft.

Objective of the GAIT scheme is to raise additional operating revenue for the FAC from the GA sector that it previously did not have. As the CAA received the funds derived from the levy on avgas, which the vast majority of GA still uses, the FAC had little direct revenue other than what it could raise from the RPT and terminal/facility rentals on its airports.

Rutan Resumes Control:

Innovative designer Burt Rutan, the man responsible for the design of the Voyager around the world aircraft, the VariEze, LongEze and others, has repurchased his company, Scaled Composites from Beechcraft.

Beech bought the company as a subsidiary in 1982, three years after Rutan was hired as a consultant to refine Beech’s design concepts into the Starship and to build, an 85% scale proof of concept test bed of that design. While as part of Beech, Scaled Composites built two research designs, the Model 81 single engined aircraft and the Cabin Class Twin, the prototype of which was powered by two small Williams jet engines. Both aircraft have completed limited flight test programmes.

 Saving Us Money Caa Style:

Remember when the then DoTC announced that it was going to sell pilot’s their necessary aviation amendment publications via a new and streamlined organisation specially catering for these needs? Remember how at the time it was also stated that this would enhance efficiency and vastly reduce costs, well regrettably in hindsight apparently the only costs reduction benefits that have emerged are those apparently now enjoyed by the CAA.

For example, during 1987, private aviators paid $19. 50 for the VEC/VTC(SE) and INFLT2 annual amendment service. A year later this service costs $52. 00, an increase of an astounding 160%. According to AOPA, the biggest single increase is in the very necessary En Route Supplement which is now jointly produced by the RAAF and CAA, which at $35 plus $3 for the Fiscom chart ($1. 20 in ’87) far exceeds the original cost of the package of a mere $12. 50.

AOPA rightly asks where are the cost savings from joint production of the RAAF ERS. Were such savings truly expected to be realised or is this yet another transparent attempt to wring yet more money from aviation?

More GA Shipments:

Hopeful signs of a slight recovery by United States general aviation manufacturers have come to light following the release of figures for 1988.

In that period General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) member companies delivered 1,143 aircraft, 5. 3% more than in 1987. This was the first year after year increase since 1978, although enthusiasm must be tempered by the fact that 1988 still provided the second lowest number of annual deliveries since records began in 1946.

The demand for larger business jets continued, while light jets, turboprops and light aircraft all improved. Exports to 30 countries accounted for some 450 sales. A revitalised demand for piston engined trainers was a feature of 1988 and for the first time in several years such an aircraft the Piper Cadet-was on the market. Since being introduced in mid 1988, more than 500 Cadets have been ordered.

 Vale Twinotter:

The end of one of the most successful utility aircraft programmes in aviation history came about in December last year with the rollout of the 844th and last de Havilland Canada (sorry. Boeing Canada) DHC-6 Twin Otter from the company’s Ontario factory. First flown in 1965, the Twin Otter has been operated by some 300 civil and military operators in 90 countries around the world on wheels, floats and skis in a myriad of roles.

Liability Bill Blocked:

In an important development in the US product-ability arena, the promised legislation on the subject which would have limited the liability of manufacturers and suppliers to 20 years, applied uniform federal standards to legal action and established comparative liability standards, has failed to reach a vote in the Senate.

The perpetrator was Democratic Senator Howard Metzenbaum who used the various means available to him to successfully block the bill. He later admitted that had it been put to the vote it undoubtedly would have been carried. Metzenbaum’s action has the full support of the Trials Lawyers Association (for obvious reasons) and several consumer groups.

Neither the bill’s sponsor, Republican Senator Nancy Kassenbaum nor General Aviation Manufacturers Association director Kevin Dorn were impressed. Kassenbaum described Metzenbaum’s action as ‘a travesty, while Dom said Metzenbaum “was vicious in his attack”. For his part, Metzenbaum displayed his knowledge of the situation by attributing the current woes of the light aircraft industry to increased foreign competition and the profusion of high quality, lower cost, older aircraft on the market”.

All over the USA, the lawyers who deal in such matters (and rake off a substantial proportion of any damages awarded) no doubt cheered, while the general aviation lobby will have to start the whole process over again.

 Ansett/Bae Academy Flying Decision Training Imminent:

Management of Ansett and British Aerospace hope to be able to announce the winning site for their proposed multi-million dollar joint flying training academy by April.

Some 37 displays of interest were received by local councils throughout Australia. The academy will be modelled closely on the BAe flying training academy that is already in operation at Prestwick, Scotland and will eventually house up to 250 cadets. There will eventually be 16 courses a year with 16 cadets in each. The Scottish facility uses Bravo, Warrior and Seneca aircraft and teaches students right through to full airline standards.

 Fly Aware:

Don’t forget that there will be an AOPA/CAA Pilot Awareness Seminar held near you at some point this year.

These seminars are not only enjoyable experiences where fellow aviators can meet and discuss the issues of the day but foremost they are designed to make you more aware of safety factors and hopefully a better pilot.

Seminars remaining in 1989 include Port Macquarie 18th March, Coolangatta 29th April, Broken Hill 27th May, Canberra 24th June, Perth 29th July, Dubbo 26th August, Rockhampton 23rd September, ML. Gambier 21st October and Moorabbin on the 25th November.

These excellent seminars are sponsored by AOPA and the CAA with support from Ansett and Australian Airlines. For more information contact AOPA direct at PO Box 1065, Fyshwick ACT 2609, Ph: (062) 80 4221

Mooney Launch Their Fastest Yet:

Mooney Aircraft Corp. have announced the imminent certification and production of the Mooney TLS, a turbocharged muscle machine that expands the Mooney line of piston singles and eclipses the speed of its own record setting Model 252.

The TLS is powered by the 270hp Lycoming T10-540-AFIA engine with Airesearch turbocharger and intercooler and driving a 75in three blade McCauley propeller. The muscular powerplant is housed within the extended airframe developed for the Mooney M20-L. Introduced last year with first delivery set for May 89, the TLS stands for Turbo- Lycoming-Sabre. The TLS delivers a max cruise of 223KTAS at 25,000ft and 200KTAS at 13,000ft well ahead of many corporate twins. With a useful load of 1,188lbs the 90 US gallon usable capacity allows a range exceeding 1,000nm.

The stretched airframe produces nearly 11% more rear seat leg room and window area is increased by 43%. Air conditioning is optional.

The TLS comes with electrically operated rudder trim and cowl flaps as well as a sophisticated instrumentation display.

In Australia the TLS is available through Stillwell Civil Aircraft Sales, the new Mooney distributor, and will enjoy a two year airframe warranty.

Covert Theft?

First there was cost recovery for the aviation industry. At the time this was not opposed by any aviation body as the user pay’s system was inevitable and, if managed properly, was fair to all concerned.

What occurred though was a rush by the Federal Government to bring in total cost recovery in around eighteen months rather than the five years that Henry Bosch had recommended in his landmark report to the then Aviation Minister, Mr Peter Morris, back in 1984. While this naturally did not enthuse the industry, at least it coincided with a period of relative growth within the industry and a reduction in the number of overall employees within the then Department of Aviation.

What happened then however was the beginning to a long slide downhill where today the industry must continually pay more and more under the present expansive cost recovery guidelines in order to meet the continually changing guidelines as to what actually dictates recoverable income.

First major example of this form of covert theft was when Treasurer Paul Keating announced in May of 1988 that the $20 departure tax was going to be dropped (along with the illegal and incredibly bungled $5 arrival fee) in favour of a $10 departure tax. The problem here was that the $20 departure tax went completely to balancing the aviation related budget and would have contributed around $80m to cost recovery in 1988 alone. The proceeds of the new $10 departure tax now go straight to consolidated revenue with no positive implications for aviation at all. Result-the aviation industry must naturally find the shortfall of up to $80m per annum (and a figure that was growing rapidly due to the increase in tourism, etc) to balance the Government’s aviation books.

But the story gets worse. Effective January 1st 1988, the Federal Airports Corporation took over the responsibility of operating the bulk of Australia’s larger airports. Six months later on July 1st came into being the Civil Aviation Authority. The task of the CAA was to undertake the previous safety and operational responsibilities of the old Department of Aviation (or the DOTC in its dying days) plus operate the airways and ATC divisions, etc.

However, In creating these two new Authorities, the Government failed to advise the aviation industry that it would have to fund a new round of costs that in this case could only be termed as blatant theft of the industry’s monies. The catch is that the new Authorities, like Telecom and Australia Post, are now in their new semi-Government form liable for a wide range of costs that they weren’t as purely Government departments. In other words both the CAA and FAC are now liable for such additional charges as Sales Tax, Customs Duty, Fuel Excise, Payroll Tax, Motor Vehicle Registration, Company Tax, Local Government rates and taxes and last but not least Government dividends.

On contacting the CAA we found that for 1988/89 they would be up for between $20m and $25m additional costs just to pay these inbuilt “pretend” costs. We say ‘pretend” as the new costs do absolutely nothing to facilitate an improvement to either the CAA or FAC or for that matter anyone in the industry itself. It is simply another blatant attempt to reap greater revenue from an already cost over-recovered sector of Australian industry. The additional revenue (which will have to be achieved as both the CAA and FAC must run by decree at a surplus) comes straight from the industry and straight to Government without it having any beneficial effect on either the FAC or CAA. It that isn’t covert theft then what is? How much the FAC will be up for is unclear. The FAC employs only about a sixth the number employees that the CAA does, so it could be up for between $5m and $8m for 1988/89 on present estimates. This means that industry will now have to this financial year be charged an extra $30m or so just to meet the demands of an ever greedier government.

Australian Aviation considers this situation appalling and we will be tackling this whole matter of charges and cost over-recovery in a coming edition.

 Essendon Fight Still On:

Despite the 1988 Role Study Report which virtually assured the continuation of Essendon airport as a major aviation facility, reports from Canberra indicate that there is still active Federal Government support for selling off the facility as a money raising venture.

It is known that Federal Cabinet’s Expenditure Review Committee is actively canvassing the options of selling off the entire Essendon airport complex and turning it into a vast housing estate. The move would raise a considerable amount of revenue for both the Government and local councils. Spearheading the campaign is Essendon City Council whose mayor, Cr Justin Helman is ironically an air traffic controller.

Amann Wins Case but Fails to Gain Hoped for Compensation:

Failed Coastwatch contractor Amann Aviation won its breach of contract case against the Commonwealth late in December but failed to win the damages that it requested.

Amann Aviation had filed for damages against the Commonwealth of $24m. However in his ruling Justice Beaumont ordered damages on behalf of Amann of only $410,000 while ordering the Commonwealth to pay half Amann’s expected court costs of $2m. In spite of the legal victory, it is expected that Amann could be left out of pocket by as much as $500,000 following the action.

Meanwhile litigation against the proprietors of Amann Aviation continues from Skywest Managing Director, Mr Bill Meeke. Meeke is seeking damages against Amann Aviation and its US supplier Northeast Airmotive Inc plus six other people for $US35m from the US Courtin Portland, Maine. As a consequence Amann has failed in an attempt to counter-sue Skywest Aviation and Bill Meeke for $US60m damages when a US Superior Court judge had refused Amann’s leave to file a cross claim in response to Meeke’s action. Amann is now considering initiating legal action against Skywest in Australia though at presstime nothing conclusive in this regard had been initiated.

 Great Australian Honoured:

Pioneer Australian aviator Harry Hawker, whose name was given to one of the world’s most famous aircraft manufacturers, has been honoured by having Melbourne’s Moorabbin Airport renamed the Harry Hawker Airport.

Born near the airport at Moorabbin in 1889, Hawker went to England in 1911 and became a test pilot for Sopwith as well as contributing to several of that company’s famous designs. His reputation as an adventuring aviator was already established by 1919 when he achieved fame by attempting the first non stop transatlantic flight in a single engined Sopwith Atlantic. After some 1,600km, the aircraft was forced down into the ocean and Hawker and his copilot were fortunate to be rescued by a passing Danish ship.

With the winding up of Sopwith in 1920 due to financial difficulties, a new company was formed to take its place and the name Hawker was immortalised in aviation history. Harry Hawker died prematurely when a Nieuport Goshawk he was flying crashed in July 1921. An autopsy revealed he had suffered a haemorrhage while undergoing loadings in the Goshawk.

Beech Deliveries Up:

Beechcraft in 1988 achieved an 18% increase in deliveries over the previous year and also turned 1987’s loss into a profit.

The company delivered 372 aircraft to the general aviation and commuter markets in 1988 including 21 Beechjets, a healthy 110 King Airs (representing a 90% share of the twin turboprop market), 14 Barons, 180 Bonanzas, 41 1900s and five 1300s. A further 17 King Airs were delivered to the US military during the course of the year.

Editor Green With Envy Dept:

I you want to make the Editor green with envy then just mention that you are visiting LA and are overnighting aboard that hotel of hotels, the Queen Mary at Long Beach.

If you have ever had this memorable experience then you will appreciate first-hand just how rewardingly different it can be in an age where a hotel room in Philadelphia looks much the same as one in, say, Munich or Adelaide. In the Queen you have a cabin and you dine in rooms once patronised by monarchy and the rich and famous of a long gone era.

Anyway, among those who can truly claim this enjoyable experience this year will be those fortunate readers who will be taking our 1989 Oshkosh Tour. That’s right, accommodation in LA aboard the Queen Mary has now been confirmed as has the usually excellent specialist tour at Tuscon’s Davis Monthan AFB, the graveyard of thousands of aircraft. Full details on the tour are outlined in our special advert on pages 52 and 53 of this edition. Bon Voyage!

SUPER2 Progress:

The trouble plagued Island Aircraft (formerly ARV) Super2 low cost two seat trainer looks set to have its production base moved from the Isle of Wight in order to raise extra capital to put the aircraft into volume production.

Island Aircraft took over the Super2’s manufacture last August following ARV’s running into financial difficulties, this being largely as a result of problems with the aircraft’s Hewland three cylinder two stroke engine. ARV built about 30 aircraft while Island has sold three more.

Current Super2s have several improvements over the original including a doubling of the engine TBO to 600 hours, a cabin heater, navigation and landing lights, wider wheels and an increased all up weight.

Flying Leopard:

The unpressurised prototype of the rakish Chichester-Miles Leopard four seat lightweight business jet made its first flight from Royal Aeronautical Establishment Bedford last December.

Production aircraft will be pressurised. Powered by two 750lb thrust Noel Penny NPT turbojets mounted on the rear fuselage, the Leopard will cruise at 434 knots (808km/h) at 43,000 feet and will carry its maximum payload of four people and their baggage over a distance of 1,500nm (2,775km). An indication of the Leopard’s small size is given by its maximum takeoff weight (in production form) of just under 4,000lb (1,814kg), similar to that of aircraft in the Beech Duchess/Piper Seminole category. Its overall length is 7. 52 metres (the same as a Piper Cherokee Archer) and the span of its swept, high aspect ratio wings is 7. 16m.

 1989: Calendar of Aviation Events (Courtesy Aopa):

Mar 18: Pilot Awareness Seminar, Port Macquarie, NSW. Contact Tony Wilkinson (062) 80 4221.

Mar 14-16: RFACA Annual Conference, Perth, WA. Les Thompson (062) 80 6696. Mar 17-18. Australian Light Aircraft Championships Jandakot, WA. Contact Les Thompson (062) 80 6696.

Mar 24-27: Australian Aerobatic Club National Championships, Wondai Aerodrome, Old. Contact Mike Bernays BH (07) 345 8066, AH (07) 273 4938.

Apr 15-16: Rotary – Lockyer Valley Flying Club Fly-In/Airshow. South Gatton, Qld. Terry Grant (075) 62 3222 or AH (075) 62 2915.

Apr 22-23. International C180-185 Club Australian Annual Convention at ‘Eulalia’ Coonamble, NSW. Contact (NSW) David Druitt (063) 37 1151.

Apr 29: Pilot Awareness Seminar, Coolangatta, Qld. Contact Tony Wilkinson (062) 80 4221.

May 27: Pilot Awareness Seminar, Broken Hill. Contact Tony Wilkinson (082) 80 4221. Jun 10: NSW interclub Competition Round 2. Central Coast Aero Club (Warnervale). Contact John Ciardi AH (045) 72 5724.

Jun 24: Pilot Awareness Seminar, Canberra, ACT. Wilkinson (062) 80 4221. Jul 29. Pilot Awareness Seminar, Perth, WA. Contact Tony Wilkinson (062) 80 4221. Aug 26: Pilot Awareness Seminar, Dubbo, NSW. Contact Tony Wilkinson (062) 80 4221.

Sep 23: Pilot Rockhampton, Qld. Wilkinson (062) 80 4221. Oct 21: Pilot Awareness Seminar, Mt Gambier, SA. Tony Wilkinson (062) 80 4221.

Awareness Seminar, Nov 11: NSW Interclub Competition Round 3. Griffith Aero Club Contact John Ciardi AH (045) 72 5724.

Nov 25: Pilot Awareness Seminar, Moorabbin, Vic. T Wilkinson (062) 80 4221.

The Bottom Line

TNT has logged a net profit for the first quarter 88/89 of $54. 4m. United Airlines has posted a third quarter 88 operating profit of SUS300. 6m on total revenue of $US2. 4bn. ASTA has recorded a net profit for 87/88 of $A317,344 on turnover of $55. 7m.

People

Wendy Greiner has been appointed the new Australian Airlines Public Relations Manager, replacing John Tilton who now heads up the airline’s Customer Relations Dept. Mr Paul Block has been appointed the assistant General Manager for Australian Airlines Cargo division. Mr Ron Tayles has been appointed the new General Manager for IPEC Aviation Services. Dr Rob Liddell has been appointed as the new CAA Director of Aviation Medicine.

Mr Alan Heggen has joined the CAA as group General Manager, Safety Regulation. Mr Phil Bowen has been appointed CAA group General Manager, Airways Operations. Mr Alan Rainbird has been appointed CAA deputy chief executive and coordinator of aviation safety. Mr Tim Edwards has been appointed as the new Qantas Freight General Manager. Brigadier Steve Gower has been appointed as the Director of Public Information for the DoD replacing Commodore Philip Mulcare who has taken over RAN logistic implementation duties. Mr George Stuart (MD of ASTA) has been appointed Chairman of the Victorian Aerospace Industry Board. Mr Bob Koger has been appointed the General Manager of Normalair-Garrett, Melbourne. Mr Ian Mason has been appointed to the newly created position of Technical Admin Director, engineering and operations divisions, Ansett Airlines. Mr Ken Morton joins Aviation-Aerospace Media Consultants, Sydney, as a partner and senior consultant, welcome back Ken.

Videos

The Big Boat of the Islands:

Islander Video Australia Anything with flying boats in it is bound to have market appeal. This tape also has special relevance to Australia as it depicts the often traumatic history of one of our best remembered Sandringhams, Beachcomber.

The tape takes the viewer from the day when Beachcomber rolled off the Shorts production line in 1943 as just one of many Sunderland, its near quarter century of service on the fabled Sydney/Lord Howe Island route and finally to a happy ending as a fully restored exhibit at the RJ Mitchell Aviation Museum in Southampton. Big Boat of the Islands contains some wonderful footage of one of the truly romantic eras of civil aviation and is excellently narrated by an old flying boat skipper himself, Capt John Hackett of BOAC.

Available direct from Islander Video Australia, PO BOX 397, Leichhardt, 2040 for $39. 95 plus $2. 96 påp.

Attack Force – The Harrier:

AVI It’s about time that somebody did a tape on the Harrier, an aircraft that truly does, in a real world practical sense, what no other can. It was over 30 years ago that the world began to take vertical takeoff jets seriously and most of this turbulent past is graphically examined in this one hour tape. The story then proceeds to outline the history of the Harrier itself and the many political hurdles the type had to overcome before finally wearing uniform. From the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel, through the era of the Tripartite Squadron in the early sixties, the Harrier finally developed into the superb aircraft that enabled England to retake the Falklands and, in the process, to amass an incredible operational reputation for the aircraft itself.

Available direct from AVI, 1 Bowen Rd, Moonah Tas 7009 for $39 95 plus $4. 00 post & pack. We would also like to inform readers that AVI is now under new management and that the distribution problems experienced by some AVI tape purchasers during 1968 will not occur again.