Newsdesk – General Aviation

AOPA, and other organisations affected by the proposed ruling, want to know from the CAA or BASI what records exist to specifically support this action. At present, most owner/ pilots fly only around 60hrs a year, a rate half that of what would be required to get up to the normal TBO requirement in a 15 year period. With a major now costing between $11,000 and $15,000, the implications for the majority of light aircraft owners is massive as few new GA aircraft have been imported into Australia since the early eighties and the majority of the present single engined GA fleet would be nearing the 12 to 15 year category, most without a major due to the low hours performed in the private category as distinct from flying schools and charter operators. The imminent burden of a major on a light aircraft is obviously not only a significant impediment to selling that aircraft but also serves to reduce its previously estimated value at the stroke of a bureaucratic pen. The impetus for change is now back in the CAA’s court as it must now quantify, in specific technical terms, why this requirement is able to be substantiated in both historic and technical terms. Aircraft owners, via their Associations, must also defend their position with firm evidence on why they do not see this latest edict as having any valid basis of being a safety improvement. If anything, it will provide a litmus test of the CAA’s ability to rescind a decision ifit cannot be technically supported as providing a real world improvement in safety at an affordable cost.

 Coastwatch Situation Develops:

Tenders closed on August 10 for the provision of a four stage provision of Coastwatch operations from 1990 onwards for five years. The tender is being administered by the Dept of Admin Services while the Coastwatch contracts themselves will be operated on behalf of the Australian Customs Service.

The four tasks are: Task One-To provide littoral surveillance by visual means over a corridor reaching 50nm inshore and 50nm offshore using low altitude aircraft from Exmouth to Bundaberg. Also involves overflights of selected offshore reef areas such as the Ashmore Reef, etc. Primary operational bases will be located at Broome, Darwin, Caims and Horn Island or Bamaga though a wide range of secondary airfields will also be regularly employed.

Task Two-This operation involves visual and electronic surveillance of the offshore area stretching from 15nm offshore right out to 600mm offshore using long ranging radar and sensor equipped aircraft. A range of types have been nominated though an aircraft in the modified Lear 35 class is widely considered as exhibiting the essential traits of the requirement in capability terms. Area of operation extends from Perth to Brisbane though Occasionally searches may also take in Cocos, Christmas and Norfolk Islands. Operational bases will be located at Broome, Darwin and Cairns. Much of this task inherits the previous EEZ responsibilities of the RAAF’s P-3C Orion LAMP squadrons with money coming from Defence to Customs to assist in support of a civilian contracted effort in this role. The Orions will ultimately be freed up for their primary role of ASW and dedicated long-range maritime reconnaissance flying.

Task Three-This is essentially a transporta tion of personnel and goods contract to the various locations to be used as bases in support of the overall ACS Coastwatch requirement.

Task Four Involves both visual and electronic surveillance of the littoral role (50nm inshore/offshore) from Exmouth to Bundaberg. Aircraft must be able to perform this mission in both day and night in all weathers and to be able to vary programmed tracks at short notice it pursuit of an intruder is initiated.

Skywest presently operates the Coastwatch contract while it will be keenly bidding this time against what are believed to be a dozen serious contenders including its old foe, Amann Aviation, which has also tendered again for various aspects of the contract. A decision is expected prior to Christmas with the entire four stage Coastwatch operation being fully operational by the end of 1990,

Avanti Away:

Piaggio’s twin turboprop pusher and canard winged corporate aircraft. the Avanti, has had its price and first orders announced Priced at $US4. 13m, the Avanti’s first customer will be US businessman Bob Pond, President of the Advance Machine Company and the man responsible for the forthcoming Pond Racer, an advanced all composite twin boom design powered by two 1,000hp turbo-charged Nissan V6 automobile engines. Designed by Burt Rutan, the aircraft is purpose built for unlimited racing and to capture the various piston engined world speed records. The second production Avanti will go to its USA distributor, AMR Services Piaggio has refrained from taking firm orders until a definite price has been announced and currently holds letters of intent from 20 customers. Featuring a large cabin which accommodates up to nine passengers and a 400 knot (740km/h) maximum cruising speed, the Avanti is powered by a pair of 850shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66 turboprops. The prototype first flew in September 1986 and initial deliveries are expected later this year. The Avanti project first came about in 1979. In 1983 Gates Learjet became a partner but withdrew three years later for economic reasons.

Bandit Bows Out:

After 18 years continuous production, the aircraft which established Brazil’s Embraer aircraft company as a major world manufacturer is about to go out of production.

The 500th and final EMB-110 Bandeirante 18/20 passenger utility and commuter transport is currently on the assembly line and will be delivered to the Brazilian Air Force early next year. Ironically the first EMB-110 was also delivered to the Brazilian Air Force, in February 1973. The prototype EMB-110 first flew in August 1972 and was a larger derivative of the basic EMB-100 which first took to the air in October 1968. In the meantime, 80 operators in 36 countries around the world have purchased the type, including several in Australia. Local agents, Aeromil, in fact report that there are presently 35 Bandits operating in the south west Pacific region, which is an all time high. The Bandeirante will make way for the new 19 seat pressurised CBA-123 pusher turboprop commuter airliner on Embraer’s production lines. That aircraft – which is being jointly developed by Embraer and Argentina’s FMA- is expected to fly later this year.

The Cats Are Back:

Things seem to be looking up a little on the US single engined light aircraft manufacturing scene with the Piper range now firmly re-established and selling well, the former Rockwell Commander 114 shortly to re-enter production following the sale of the line (refer Newsdesk this issue) and now the announcement that the Grumman American Cheetah and Tiger four seaters are about to make a comeback.

A new company, American General Aircraft Corporation of Greenville, Mississippi has taken over the rights to the aircraft and will begin manufacture this month. The company has been formed by 14 former Cessna executives. The 150hp Cheetah and 180hp Tiger evolved from the original American Aviation AA-5 which first flew in 1970 and was itself an enlarged derivative of the Jim Bede designed AA-1 Yankee/Lynx series of two seaters.

There are no plans to produce the AA-1 at this stage. The AA-5 Cheetah and Tiger were last manufactured in 1979. The company is planning to produce 20 new aircraft in the first year, 200 in the second and 400 in the third, while target prices are $US60,000 for the Cheetah (which is intended mainly for the trainer market) and $US75,000 for the Tiger.

AGAC has also announced plans to reintroduce the Cougar light twin at an early stage with more powerful engines (probably 180hp Lycomings) replacing the original 160hp Lycomings. Cougar production also ended in 1979. The Cougar was generally felt to be an excellent aircraft, better in most respects than the competing Piper Seminole and Beech Duchess, though its severe lack of power was enough to see potential clients opt for the competition in the majority of cases. A more powerful Cougar would nowadays fill a niche market for twin training, light charters and private twin engined use that has been left open since the Seminole and Duchess went out of production in the early eighties. Some 70 Tigers/Cheetahs and nine Cougars are presently on the Australian register.

Proposed Rules Worth Watching:

The United States FAA has proposed two new rules applicable to light aircraft operations which, it adopted, could be worth considering for Australian operations.

The first deals with the establishment of a new category of light aircraft- the Primary Aircraft Category. Aircraft qualifying for the new category would be limited to a MTOW of 2,500lb (1,134kg), a single engine of no more than 200hp, accommodation for a maximum of four persons and be unpressurised.

An increased amount of owner performed preventative maintenance would be permitted (provided the owner completes an approved FAA maintenance training programme for his type of aircraft) while restrictions would prevent the aircraft being used for primary flying training or for compensation or hire. The proposed rule would also allow for current types to be certificated in the Primary Category.

The FAA has also proposed the establishment of a new pilots’ licence with lesser standards than that for the current US PPL. Called the Recreation Pilot Licence, its main features include restricting the holder to local area flights within 50nm of base, removing training in sophisticated navigation and radio equipment, intensifying training in basic skills through a 15 hours dual/15 hours solo course, deleting night and instrument training, deleting flying in airspace requiring ATC communications, restricting the holder to single engined aircraft with a maximum 180hp with fixed undercarriage and no more than four seats and allowing the carriage of only one passenger at a time.

There are some similarities with the Australian Restricted PPL in this, although a big difference is that in Australia a RPPL holder may only venture 5nm from his point of departure or within a prescribed training area.

It Never Rains

Sydney’s extraordinarily wet weather over the first half of this year caused all sorts of problems for any VFR pilots and students operating in the area with the lack of suitable flying days severely restricting their ability to get off the ground. All this was very bad news for the flying clubs and schools as well, which suffered a severe downturn in flying hours – and therefore cash flow- as a result. One of the largest schools at Bankstown Airport is Navair (apart from many private students it also has a Qantas Flying Training Scheme contract) an organisation which provided AA with an illustration of just how bad it was.

For purposes of planning and budgeting. Navair assumes 5. 5 fine days and 1. 5 non VMC flying days per week During a lengthy period in the first half of the year these figures were reversed with only 1. 5 days per week suit- able for VFR flying. This reduced income to less than 40% of the normal figure while the fixed costs – finance, staff, premises, CAA/ FAC charges and so on – continued regardless.

Every flying training operator at Bankstown suffered similarly, as did many others along Australia’s east coast, putting further strain on, in most cases, already stretched resources. To add to the problems, the air traffic controllers’ industrial actions also caused disruptions with only limited or no circuit training available on some days, usually the rare fine ones!

Accountant in the Bad Books:

A former accountant who owned up to being part of a $15m fraud scheme which was supposedly designed to rescue the financially troubled Schutt Aviation has been sentenced to 50 months gaol.

Trevor Huttley had promoted a scheme which raised $15m to buy Schutt Aviation but had made false claims about the company’s state of health to prospective investors, withheld vital information and neglected to tell the investors that he would keep $1m of the investors’ funds for himself. Schutt Aviation, trading as Jet Corp, subsequently went under, Huttley blew his million dollars and the investors lost their money. Huttley – now an undischarged bankrupt – was gaoled and stripped of his accountancy qualifications.

Á distasteful part of the whole episode is the fact that such a grand old name in Australian aviation should be associated with such a scam. Arthur Schutt was one of the greats of general aviation in this country and operated one of the country’s leading GA companies at Moorabbin for many years. He flew a Miles Aries light twin from London to Melbourne in 1954 and in 1970 was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE). The entire Jet Corp affair also did a lot of damage to the then growing commercial image of corporate aviation in Australia, destroying the confidence of institutional investors in general aviation and the long-term benefits to be had by operating dedicated corporate aircraft.

Sukhois for the USA:

The Soviet Sukhoi Su-26M single seat unlimited aerobatics aircraft (of the type which thrilled the crowd at last year’s Australian Bicentennial Air Show) is to be sold in the USA following the signing of a deal between the Pompano Air Centre at Florida and Aviaexport.

The selling price of the aircraft is not yet set but is reputed to be in the region of $US200- 250,000. Expensive, but a far cry from the SUS1m the Soviets were originally asking! The latest model of the 360hp Vedeneyev nine cylinder radial engined aircraft features reprofiled wing leading edges and tailplanes and a ‘coke bottle’ waist. It is capable of a maximum speed of 189kt (450km/h), an initial climb of 3,540ft (1,080m)/min and withstanding ‘g’ forces of +11/-9.

Caa Begins Regulation Review:

A Civil Aviation Authority project team has begun a major review aimed at reducing the provision and cost of regulatory services to the aviation industry.

The nine month exercise will review at least 240 individual functions throughout the authority to identify those which can be devolved, discontinued or reduced in cost.

They include licensing and examination of aircraft maintenance engineers and of pilots, Certificate of Airworthiness changes, certiticates of approval of aircraft types, air operators certificates, and maintenance approvals.

It will be conducted in consultation with the aviation industry and staff associations and is to be completed by April, 1990. The team, which began work in June, has already completed a summary of its initial studies in the airworthiness branch.

Its term of reference included: the examination of each regulatory service and determination of which were essential and which could be better undertaken by industry; identification of how to minimise costs and speed delivery of services retained by the CAA; and, development of a plan for devolution and strategies for more efficient service.

 Removing the Albatross:

The new owners of the former Rockwell Commander 112 and 114 single engined light aircraft have come up with a way of helping remove that albatross around the neck of general aviation manufacturers in the USA – product liability.

Commander Aircraft has purchased the rights to the line from the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, who in turn obtained them from Rockwell in 1981. The commanders have not been manufactured since, Gull- stream’s intention always being to resell the line to another owner. Until now, the lack of a suitable product liability approach has prevented this happening. Commander Aircraft will be responsible for product liability claims on any new aircraft it manufactures as well as the approximately 1,000 Rockwell Commander 112s and 114s still flying.

The company’s new scheme is designed to minimise lawsuits by reducing the risk of accidents and therefore limiting insurance payouts as a result. A ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach has been adopted by the company who will insist on three days of initial training for any new Commander customer and an annual check ride, provide $US5m combined single limit insurance, sign non-subrogation agreements with its vendors, including engine manufacturer Lycoming (which prevents them joining any lawsuit against Commander), use a single underwriter to keep premiums down and extend the engine warranty to the time between overhaul. On reaching TBO the aircraft’s owner will receive a reconditioned engine in exchange for his time expired unit, the idea here being to prevent pilots flying the aircraft past their TBO.

Initially, Commander is putting the 260hp Model 114 back into production with the first scheduled to come off the line in December The new aircraft will feature an aerodynamic cleanup which it is claimed will increase maximum cruise speed by 15 knots compared to the onginal.

Beat This:

Makes you feel insignificant, doesn’t it? Seventy-three year old American Ed Long has just broken the world record for the most flying hours logged, when, after landing his Piper Super Cub at Montgomery, Alabama, he notched up 52,930 hours in 56 years of flying. All these hours have been spent in light aircraft of which no fewer than 32,000 have been spent in Super Cubs. The previous record of 52,929hr 40min was held by Max Conrod, a pilot who became famous for his long distance flights in light aircraft.

Advising the Caa:

A committee of leading members of the aviation community has been invited by the Australian CAA to advise it on meeting its responsibilities under the Civil Aviation Act.

According to the CAA’s Chairman, Mr Alan Woods: “The CAA recognises that its responsibility to the broader community to maintain Australia’s high standard of aviation safety can only be met with the cooperation of the aviation industry the CAA is very keen to quickly move ahead with its programme of review and simplification of aviation operational and regulatory provisions. ” Members of the 10 man advisory committee include Capt Buck Brooksbank (senior airline captain), Don Kendell (Kendell Airlines), Peter Patroni (President of AOPA), Capt Alan Terrell (ex Qantas) and Frank Young (Navair Flying School). Light at the end of the tunnel, possibly? We wish the committee well.

New Dassault Bizjets:

Dassault has released details of its new Falcon X widebody twin engined business jet, aimed at the market segment between the ‘narrowbody’ Falcon 50 trijet and the Canadair Challenger. Initially priced at around $US12m, the 12-15 seat Falcon X will have a range of 3,000 nautical milles (5. 557km) cruising at Mach 0. 8 at 41,000 feet and will be powered by turbofans in the 5,000- 6. 000lb thrust class, either P&WC PW300s or Garrett/GE CFE738s. The aircraft utilises the basic, though shortened fuselage of the long range trijet Falcon 900 and is seen as a replacement for the long running Falcon 20/200 series.

 Stretched Bae 125-800:

Due to be unveiled at the US National Business Aircraft Association show in October is a further stretched and re-engined version of the successful British Aerospace 125-800 corporate jet.

Few precise details have been announced but it is known the new 125 will have a moderately lengthened fuselage, a range of

Centrespread

Star of the 1989 Paris Salon was no doubt the gargantuan Antonov An-225 Mriya (Dream) complete with its piggyback Buran (Snow Storm) orbiter. At present there exists only one An-225 which itself is a development of the already very large An-224 Ruslan.

The six engined behemoth also set anew world record for maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 560,000kg on its flight from Kiev to Paris. This compares with the previous record of 404,000kg for a Boeing 747-400 set during the type’s certification programme last year.

4,000 nautical miles (7,400km) and will be poweredby a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s new PW300 turbofans each rated at 5,200lb thrust for takeoff. The current 125-800 is powered by two 4,300lb thrust Garrett TFE731 turbofans. BAe hopes to produce the two models in parallel and describes the new 125 as “the first mid sized intercontinental business jet on the market”.

Books

 Vietnam Cockpit:

Robert F Dorr Robert Dorr is no stranger to documenting the Vietnam air war, his previous book on this subject, Vietnam MIG Killers, was a big success just as we are sure this effort will be COMBAT FROM THE too.

Vietnam of course as a relatively recent conflict is still fresh in the minds of many of us, particularly so as many of the aircraft types used in the drawn out conflict are still in operational service.

It’s odd to think that some F-4s, A-6s and A-7s that flew and fought in front line combat units back in the mid sixties are still plying their trade in the USAF, ANG and USN. Sort of like P-51Ds still holding the fort in 1970 as primary combat aircraft! Vietnam Combat From The Cockpit is of 128 pages and includes a wide array of colour shots of the aircraft used throughout the conflict. Primarily though the book is an accounting, in the pilot’s own words, of his combat experiences including the many MIG kills north of the border. Whether they flew AC-130s, F-4s, A-7s, Hueys or Thuds the pilot’s own personal story is always of special interest particularly in hindsight, as often the politics of the day are also questioned in terms of the gross limitations it placed upon the very men who had to carry the flag in the skies above an unfair battlefield.

RRP is $59. 95 which includes postage. Available direct from Princeton Books, PO Box 24, Cheltenham, 3192.

Great Aircraft Collections of the World:

Bob Ogden This book is a must for anybody contemplating a trip abroad which might also include a little diversion towards things aeronautical. Certainly the best way to be diverted in this regard is to take the opportunity to visit some of the world’s famous air museums that you have so long read about and always wanted to visit.

This high quality 200 page coffee table class book provides a full rundown on 70 of the world’s best aviation museums from North America, Europe and Australasia. Our own RAAF Museum and Wangaratta Air World need little introduction though the inventory of the remaining 68 museums certainly include almost everything that has ever been built and actually flew. Included along with the aircraft in store and on display is the full address, phone numbers and opening hours. In short, everything that any aviation voyeur needs to ensure that he or she does not miss a single museum on the next holiday abroad.

RRP is $29. 95 plus $5. 00 p&p. Available direct from Wings Wheels & Keels, 476 Oxford St. Paddington, 2021.

 Super Blue:

Katsuhiko Tokunaga Another high quality photo essay that would certainly do justice to anyone’s coffee table. Photographer Tokunaga is world renowned for his superb aerial photography and this book is a compilation of the very best of more than a decade’s work.

Tokunaga has spent much time, in fact weeks at a time, living and working with select aerobatic teams and operational units of the world’s major air arms in order to be able to shoot the type of photos that win awards.

RRP is $69. 95 which includes postage. Available from Princeton Books, PO Box 24, Cheltenham, 3192.

People

Mr Dave Robson has been appointed as the Director of Flight Training at the Parafield based Australian Aviation Academy. Dick Thompson has been appointed as Chairman of the newly formed Aviation Industry Council. Brian Nicolson of Derwent Aviation is the new Director of the GAA, replacing Noel Bellamy who has retired. AM David Evans (Rtd) has been appointed as Chairman of Amann Aviation, replacing Vanda Gould who resigned in early July. Mr Terry Wesley Smith has been appointed as the Canberra based Marketing Manager for McDonnell Douglas Helicopters. Dr Graham Harris is the new Director of the CSIRO’s Office of Space Science & Applica- tions (COSSA). AVM Brian Graf has been appointed Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Engineering) replacing AVM lan Sutherland who has retired. Ms Elizabeth Irwin has been appointed by the FAC as the Marketing Manager for Melbourne Airport. Mr John Menadue has resigned his position as CEO of Qantas, Mr John Ward has been appointed as the new acting chief till a new CEO is appointed. Mr David Rowley replaces John Spiers as the aviation and transport editor of The Australian, John now takes up the position of editor on the Daily Commercial News. The full composition of the Board of the newly formed Australian Defence Industries has now been confirmed. Mr Alan Woods is Chairman, Mr Russell Fynmore is Deputy Chairman, Mr Ken Harris is Managing Director while the other Board members include Ms Elizabeth Bryan, Major General Derek Deighton and Mr Malcolm Kinnaird. Mr Roger Parkes has been appointed as the new Qantas Director of Cargo Operations, Mr George Chow becomes Financial Manager Freight and Mr Denis Marcoux is Manager of Freight Information Systems.