Newsdesk – General Aviation

The company delivered 121 King Airs. including 35 of the newly introduced King Air 350s; delivered the first of 11 its revolutionary all composite Starship business turboprop aircraft, delivered 52 Beech 1900 and 1300 commuters, and sold a further 53 airliners in the 13-19 seat category: was selected to supply up to 211 T-1A Jayhawk (military Beechcraft 400A) tanker/transport training. aircraft to the USAF over the next seven years; delivered the first Beechjet 400As to civil customers, the production line having been moved back from Japan to Wichita; and maintained healthy sales of the Bonanza piston single.

Beech’s sales are continuing on a relative high, a firm performer being the Bonanza, of which more than 200 were delivered to customers last year, alongside 33 Baron. twins. Several airlines and specialist schools have purchased the Bonanza recently for pilot training. These customers include Lufthansa, which has ordered 12 specially modified Bonanza A368 for use at the air- line’s Bremen training base. The new Bonanzas will replace F33A model Bonanzas currently in use with the Lufthansa flight training facility.

Caa Awards Ppl to Ultralight Trained Pilot:

The Civil Aviation Authority has awarded the first Private Pilot’s Licence to be attained in Australia by a pilot trained exclusively on ultralights.

Mr Peter Randell, Chief Flying Instructor for the Australian Light Wing Squadron, successfully completed his PPL test on 7 February, with 900 hours on ultralights but just 10 on GA aircraft. The CAA’s new regulations, which allow ultralight hours to count towards a PPL, came into effect during February. The new rules offer substantial cost savings for students aiming for a PPL and for experienced ultralight pilots who now meet the CAA’s new PPL requirements.

The new rules are for pilots with experience on three axis control ultralights which closely resemble light aircraft. The rules open up much potential for the industry enabling pilots to complete initial training on ultralights before doing a conversion course to GA aircraft and qualifying for a PPL. GA flyingschools are already showing interest in the idea, which it is believed has the potential to ultimately put more people into the air.

Kempsey Aviation Achieves High Outback Results:

Kempsey Aviation is achieving a growing reputation for pilot training in the bush, thanks mainly to its operator David Gowing.

Though situated on the mid north coast of NSW, Kempsey Aviation have been training outback pilots at special mobile schooling sessions over the past few years. Relying mainly on word of mouth to date, David Gow- ing has trained managers, staff and family members of outback cattle and sheep stations, at such locations as Birdsville, Long- reach, Windorah and Quilpie, all names synonymous with the outback.

Most flying training is undertaken on a Piper Tomahawk, while the new pilots go on to cattle mustering and spotting, or simply flying the long distances to town rather than driving. Certainly a unique way to broaden one’s training base.

Thruster Back in the Air:

Aerospace Manufacturing, the Australian company responsible for the very successful Thruster ultralight, is back in business with a new model Thruster, the T200, on offer.

Aerospace Manufacturing was forced into liquidation in June last year, but has since been rescued by two enthusiasts, Jim and George Robinson. The two new company directors have retained the previous Thrus- ter assembly team and are continuing to improve the original Thruster design. The T200 is a modified version of the two seat T300, with one seat removed to provide better all round vision, particularly useful, the company believes, for cattle mustering and other light agricultural tasks. Like the previous models, the company believes the new T200 will be both successful and exportable. At least 723 Thrusters have been built, and of these 391 are flying overseas in New Zea- land, the US, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Pakistan. However the company will not be repeating the efforts of the previous company directors, who pushed hard to establish a marketing branch in the UK, but in the process were forced into bankruptcy by their efforts.

The T200 is a single seat model powered by a four stroke engine, slightly more powerful than the Rotax 532 two stroke used on earlier models. Base price is $18,950 with the improved engine, though for slightly more an enclosed cockpit is available. Also still available are the T300, T500, twin seat Thruster Gemini and the Twin Seat Trainer.

Lancair Averages 313 Knots:

The Lancair 4 piston powered kit aircraft has averaged 313kt during a San Francisco/Den- ver, Colorado flight, breaking the previous record of 235kt for an aircraft in its weight class, held by a Beech V35TC Bonanza.

The four seat light aircraft, powered by a single Continental TSIO-550-A six cylinder air cooled engine with twin turbochargers and intercoolers, is being developed by Neico Aviation of Santa Paula, California. During the record breaking flight the aircraft was only throttled to about 63% power to avoid surging, possibly caused by the size of compressor bleeds. Continued testing of the aircraft is expected to achieve even better flight results.

Tasmanian Environment Gets Lift From Aviation:

One of Australia’s bushwalking meccas is wearing out, and helicopters are playing an important part in rehabilitating the area.

According to Tasmania’s Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage, the Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair National Park has become so popular that bushwalkers’ boots are literally wearing out the fragile alpine environment. Hundreds of tonnes of timber have been flown into the park, where department staff are using it to rebuild eroded sections of track. Because of the area’s altitude, net loads are restricted to about 500kg.

Additionally, generations of bushwalkers have reduced supplies of firewood, so huts along the 85km Overland Track have been fitted with coal burning heaters. Bagged coal is airlifted regularly to each hut, using Aerospatiale Squirrels or Bell 2068 from Helicopter Resources in Hobart.

Seabird’s Seeker Flies:

Queensland based Seabird Aviation has flown its new version of the Sentinel, the Seeker.

The Seeker is slightly larger than the SB-4 Sentinel, with the cabin being 30. 5cm longer than the Sentinel’s 1. 83m two person cabin and at 1. 11m in width some 5cm wider. This provides that bit extra room for additional surveillance equipment or even a small rear seat. The aircraft, which is considered by Seabird to be a helicopter alternative, is powered by a 115shp Textron Lycoming 0-235 engine, and will be certificated under FAR Part 23 regulations.

Cessna Earnings up in 1990:

Cessna has reported an increase in both sales and earnings during 1990.

Sales during the year were $US715m, up from $600m during 1989. Similarly, earnings also improved during 1990, up from $US76m to $US106m. The company delivered 171 aircraft during the period, including 101 Citation bizjets, 66 Caravan 1 turboprop utility aircraft and four of the improved Caravan 2 series.

The Citation remains Cessna’s prime earner, capturing 75% of the US market for small to medium size jet aircraft, and accounting for 59% of all aircraft produced in this class. At 31 December 1990 Cessna had a combined Citation/Caravan order backlog of 286 aircraft.

 Second Vector Flies:

The second prototype CBA-123 Vector has made its maiden flight and has entered the CBA-123 flight testing program.

The aircraft weighted in at 8,300kg on takeoff, reached a maximum flight speed of 250kt and an altitude of 10,000ft with two flight crew aboard. The second aircraft will be used to evaluate the type’s hydromechanical, navigation and communications systems, flight loads, external noise and ice buildup. Final certification of the aircraft is expected to be achieved late this year, when the aircraft will be cleared for production. This will indeed be a welcome stage in the project for Embraer, which with its recent and continuing financial troubles really only has the EMB-120 Brasilia at this time to keep the company’s production lines going at a steady and cashflow generating pace.

Spotters Delight Winner:

Spotters Delight No2 was won by P Blackshaw of Neutral Bay, NSW who will receive one year’s subscription to AA. For keen spotters the answers were: Hornet, Chinook, Vulcan, CAP:10, Lancaster, Phantom, DC-3, DC-10 and Longranger.

Water Producer Survival Kit Essential for GA Touring:

A very interesting new product to come to AAS notice is a remote area survival kit produced by Harricks International, of Melbourne.

The survival kit uses the simple scientific processes of distillation and transpiration to produce drinking water in emergencies. It can be used in several survival situations, including forced or crashed landings in light aircraft. The kits essentially consist of well packaged plastic bags with directions for their use, it being recommended that when flying light aircraft one kit be carried per person onboard. Several methods for using the bags to produce or collect vital drinking water are included in the very well set out instruction sheet, the most obvious being wrapping one of the smaller bags around vegetation and letting transpiration produce water in the bottom of the bag. The kit is thoughtfully provided with several bags, string to tie bags to vegetation, and straws to allow water to be drunk without having to untie the bags. Perhaps best of all, the kits are light and take up very little room. Each Water Producer Survival Kit is available for just $3. 40 plus $1. 40 p&p from Harricks International, 32 Donald Rd, Glen Waverley 3150. Ph (03) 561 2629