Civil Register Update

Warbirds also gather at Mangalore for the Easter fly-in and a Harvard, a Trojan and a Nanchung CJ-6 have been added to the register. Harvard LJQ was flown to Australia as part of the World Vintage Air Rally last year while XVT is the second Trojan to grace our skies and wears the star and bar and sharks teeth of the South Vietnamese Air Force. Nanchung CJ-6 NNA is the first of three such aircraft imported by Lampa Holdings at Canberra, although the aircraft have been rebuilt at Bankstown. The CJ-6 is a Chinese built 285hp trainer derived from the Yakolev Yak-18A and developed in the early 1960s. All three aircraft are now for sale in different stages of completion, either ready to go, with a permit to fly or unassembled.

On a more mundane note but none the less an interesting aircraft, Twin Comanche LEU has been imported by Jim Hazelton for resale. During 1962 Ed Swearingen was contracted to convert ComancheN5808P serial number 24-888 into a twin. Using 160hp engines it first flew on 7 November of that year and the first production aircraft, N7000Y, came off the line in early 1963. The third production aircraft, N7003Y, was used by Max Conrad in December 1964 to set a world non-stop distance record of 6,830nm from Capetownto St Petersburg,Floridain 56. 8 hours. Since then2,001 PA-30 Twin Comanches were produced until 1969 when the type was superseded by the PA-39 which used contra rotating props. LEU is a 1966 ‘B’ model which has six seats and an extra fuselage window, and was delivered new to a French overseas protectorate as F-OCJG. It moved on to Gabon in Africa in June 1967 and to England 12 years later as G-BGSU. It was changed to G-DCOL on 10 September 1980 before being sold in the USA in August 1983. It then became N3WZ when owned by John Poland of Sharon, Massachusetts before coming to Australia last year.

Another aircraft with a long history, although a more local one, is Beaver BOS. The big top dresser was delivered new to James Aviation in New Zealand during 1953 aod first flew for them on the 2nd October of that year as ZK-BDI. It was damaged by high winds at Taupo on 12 August 1958 but was rebuilt as ZK-BMO and used by Aerial Farming Ltd. It crashed at Nihoniho on the 2nd September 1960, and the wreck was sold to Aerial Agriculture at Bankstown who rebuilt it and flew it as AAW between August 1961 and November 1962. At that time it was reregistered RAS but returned to New Zealand in March 1966 as ZK-CPZ. The by now much used Beaver was changed back to its original markings of ZK-BDI on 16 September 1983 with Kairanga Aviation at Palmerston North before its third trip across the Tasman last year.

Only two aircraft in the restoration section this month. Cherokee DOC crashed at Fraser Island on 27 May 1989 but has now been restored, as has Drover FDU which was withdrawn from use on 21 April 1980. The prototype Drover was first flown on 23 January 1948 by Blackjack Walker and FDU was the 12th production aircraft of only twenty built. It was delivered to the Department of Health in Canberra on 9 July 1952 as a Drover 2 with three 145hp Gipsy Major Engines and double slotted flaps. The aircraft became DRF on 21 September 1959 and was converted to a Drover 3 by replacing the Gipsys with 180hp Lycoming 0-360s and Hartzell constant speed props. This increased the initial rate of climb from 800ft/min to 1,040ft/min and its range from 500 to 900 miles, although cruise speed remained the same at 140mph. It returned to its original markings of FDU in May 1964 before being withdrawn from service in 1980. FDU joins four other airworthy Drovers in Australia.

In the deletions section we find the majority of aircraft have been sold offshore. Friendship EWY is the last of the Eastwest propjet fleet to go to Jersey European Airways in England, while theex Qantas Boeing 7 47, EBK, is the first of seven of this type that have been sold in the USA. Qantas is in the process of disposing of all its Pratt and Whitney powered Boeing 747s and the first two have already departed to Virgin Atlantic. EBK has now gone to United Airlines who will take another six machines, two of which are due to leave within weeks. The last two aircraft, leased from Air Lanka, will return in 1993 leaving an all Rolls-Royce powered Boeing 747 fleet.

De Havilland Vampire ICP was ferried from Parkes to Brisbane on 19 November, positioning for its trans-Tasman delivery flight the following day. The Vampire was built at Bankstown and spent much of its RAAF life at Pearce as A79-649. It was withdrawn from active service in 1969 and stored at Bankstown before being completely restored and soon after offered for sale. Unfortunately a buyer could not be found in Australia so the aircraft departed via Norfolk Island with Navajo ZK-ZNZ as escort. The rare warbird has been sold to a New Zealand syndicate and will appear at Kiwi airshows along with restored Venom ZK-VNM.

Turbine Cessna 207 SUQ has been sold in Europe after some time in Australia with the agents Hawker Pacific. Like its sister ship, Turbine Cessna 206 SUL, Hawkers failed to generate much interest in the converted aircraft, so both have now found homes in Switzerland.

Two reregistrations are shown. Navajo SOW is one of a number of ex-Flinders Island Airlines aircraft that were offered for sale when the company ceased operations late last year. T he aircraft has been refitted and now flies as JMD. British Aerospace 125 SGY has changed to LKV to allow the Queensland Government’s new Westwind II to use these markings. The Queensland Premier, Wayne Goss, promised that the expensive jet operated by the previous government would go after he was elected but, ironically, due to the difficulty experienced in selling the 125, the Queensland taxpayers are now supporting two aircraft.

Five aircraft are listed as being removed from the register due to accidents. Beaver NAO floated away while its pilot and passengers were diving on the Great Barrier Reef. It was found several days later waterlogged and unlikely to be able to be repaired, although Beavers do have incredible powers of resurrection. Cessna Centurion X AG was damaged in a forced landing on Lake Eyre during July. It was considered not worth repairing and the fuselage was stripped and left. Saddest of all the accidents was the crash of Civil Aviation Authority Bonanza CAG at Tocumwal on 2 November. The aircraft collided in mid air with Blanik glider GXO killing CAA Examiner of Airmen Bill Lord. A quietly spoken unassuming man, Bill was Chief Flying Instructor with the Royal Aero Club of NSW for twenty years and will be missed by many people in the industry.

Following up on some aircraft that have been exported recently, Dornier 228 NSH which was sold in the USA during February 1990 is now active on Reunion Island. Two Do228s arrived in Australia in November 1988 for the now defunct NSCA and both aircraft were sold in America at the beginning of 1990. One, NSZ, remains in the USA while NSH is now operating with Executive World Airlines on the tiny French owned Reunion Island off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. MBB Bo105D LCS was imported from England during February 1987 and worked as the Westpac rescue helicopter HAM before becoming LCS in March 1990. It returned to England at the end of 1990 and is now used by The Nash Group of Coventry as G-BTBD. Elderly Bell 47D UTU was the only D model active in Australia when it was damaged near Alpha, Queensland on 19 June 1989. The damaged airframe has been shipped to the USA, has been rebuilt and is now flying as N415DP.