Civil Register Update

The other two new registrations are both Kawasaki built Bell 47Gs owned by Heli-Muster at Victoria River Downs and both take up markings that have been worn by Heli-Muster Bell 4 ?Gs before. The original sue was withdrawn from use some time ago whilst the first JWQ crashed near Old Arafura, NT on 2 July 1989.

Two aircraft make up the restoration section this month, a Pawnee and a Super Skymaster. The PA-25 Pawnee 235 was one of 452 built during 1964 and was delivered new to New Zealand as ZK-CEN. It came to Australia in June 1975 and was registered CPV on 23 July. Due to the changing demand for ag aircraft, the Pawnee has been withdrawn from use and then restored to the register five times in the last fifteen years. Cessna 337 Super Skymaster DVY has been out of the air for almost ten years having been withdrawn from use on 4 October 1983.

Some additional information has come to light concerning aircraft listed in recent issues. Last month Socata Trinidad SOA and Rockwell Commander MCN were officially shown as being withdrawn from use, in fact both aircraft were sold overseas, SOA to New Zealand and MCN in the USA. The Trinidad has become ZK-JFC with J Cleland of Auckland who has also bought another Australian Trinidad believed to be JSH. This second aircraft is no stranger to New Zealand skies as it was bought from Singapore and arrived in Australia via the Singapore to Auckland AirRace last year. Rockwell Commander MCN was registered N4820W in the USA but since then has been sold in Europe and is now owned by J Leroy of Spa, Belgium and carries the markings OO-EJL. Another aircraft lasting only a short time in the USA was Falcon 10 MEI. It was shown last month as going to N133FJ but has since moved on to Brazil. Jet Ranger XDM, cancelled last month after its sale in New Zealand, is now flying with Wing and Rotor Aviation at Papakura as ZK-HFC. We can now confirm new registrations for two aircraft that were listed as sold in the USA in the June issue. Lear Jet BIB is now flying as N71CK with Connie Kallita and Beech 90 King Air CRM became N6659V and departed Brisbane as such on 6 May.

New markings for aircraft listed in the May and March issues have also come to light. Islander FLO has become P2-MBD with Milne Bay Air while also in PNG Cessna Stationair LAX is now P2-NTB, flying with New Tribes Mission. Citation 550 ORE is flying in theUSA as N12AC and Mitsubishi MU-2s MUK and JMU are now N290GC and N65198 respectively. Another Mitsubishi that was cancelled and became N771DP did not leave the country and it is believed that this will become WYY with Western NSW Airlines to replace their Mitsubishi which crashed at Bathurst last year. Cheyenne 400LS PTG, also sold in the USA recently, was to be registered N404TW but instead became N77KK.

Falcon 20 DWA which was sold in the USA as N725P during October 1989 now resides on the French Cote-Du-Azure owned by C Cambou and is based at Cannes as F-GJCC. Operating in a cooler climate is the Bell Jet Ranger HKH which was sold as N3900Y in June 1989. It is now owned by Vancouver Helicopters and flies as C-GZPZ. Another helicopter of note is the ex National Safety Council’s Bell 212 NSJ which went to N212NK after the collapse of the NSCA. It has been acquired by Bristow Helicopters for work in Nigeria in April 1991 was registered 5N-AYX. A second ex NSCA machine has changed hands recently – Dornier 228 NSZ which was sold to an agent in the USA during February 1990 along with its sister ship NSH. The April issue carried details of NSH going to Executive World Airways on Reunion Island and now NSZ has been bought by the same company and operates as F-ODZH.

Details of the crashes of Cessna 210 FMW and Grumman AA-5 FXU, listed in the May and March issues respectively, have now been revealed. The Cessna 210 was destroyed two miles east of Alice Springs on 29 May 1989 during night circuit training when the two pilots were either disorientated or their attention was diverted by a partial electrical power failure in the area. FXU crashed 40 miles north of Laverton, WA on 13 December 1989 under much more careless circumstances. The pilot of the Grumman Traveler took three of her work colleagues for a short flight to view some mine pits and on their return made a low pass over the camp. She had been warned about this practice before and this time made the pass with the canopy fully open in order to drop water bombs. Probably as a result of the open canopy’s effect on the aerodynamics of the aircraft it stalled during the climb out and collided with some trees. The first accident claimed two lives while the second caused serious injury to at least one passenger. One cannot help but wonder how the pilot of the Grumman would have felt had her foolishness caused a death.

Preparation of Australian Aviation’s entire civil register is well underway and will be the most accurate and up to date publication of its type ever produced. The basic information obtained from the CAA is being checked and, if necessary, amended for accuracy and the new format will enable us to include aircraft construction numbers in the listing. The register consists of over 9,200 aircraft and will be an indispensable reference for the industry, pilots and enthusiasts. The proposed release date is 1 September and full details of how to order your personal copy will be in next month’s issue of Australian Aviation.