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Bizjet Fleet Changes 01/10/90 Thru 30/09/91

In the period covered nine aircraft were delivered, while 21 were sold overseas. Of the new arrivals eight were split evenly between two types, the Citation and Westwind. The Citation fleet of 24 units now constitutes 31% of the total bizjet fleet. In second place is the Westwind with 16 units which is 21% of the fleet. The Boeing 737-33A, Cessna (650) Citation 3, Falcon 10 and Lear 36 are all types that have disappeared from our bizjet fleet since the last Directory. Also disappearing from the Directory were the last New Zealand registered bizjets, BAe 125-800B ZK-RJI and Falcon 200 ZK-MAY.

Deliveries

Skywest Aviation took delivery of three Westwind Sea Scan aircraft to service their Australian Customs contract. All were purchased in the United States through Ansett Transport Industries, N253MD msn 253 to VH-LLW, N315JM msn 259 to VH-LLX and N723R msn 272 to VH-LLY. Westwind II N95WW msn 395 was delivered in 01/91 to the Queensland Government for operation by the Bureau of Emergency Services. The Westwind replaced in service BAe 125-8008 VH-SGY, which was then reregistered VH-LKV to allow the Westwind to carry the marks VH-SGY.

Paul Terry Investments based in Albany, WA, replaced their PA-42 VH-PTG with Cessna 550 Citation 11 N3986G msn 0657 in 12/90. The Citation 11 remained with Paul Terry until 5/91 when it was sold in Brazil. In turn it was replaced by Citation 5 N6801H msn 0106, which was later reregistered N560PT. Air Oceania, who are based in Raratonga in the Cook Islands, were another propjet operator upgrading to jet equipment. In 05/91 Air Oceania replaced their RC-690A N721BU with Cessna 551 Citation 11 N127BU.

EagleFlight Systems based with lnterair at Essendon took delivery of Citation 5 N8HJ msn 0108 in 05/91 and later registered it VH-NHJ. Grocon Constructions took delivery of CL-601/3A Challenger VH-BRG msn 5064 in 12/90. The Grocon Challenger is based at Essendon where it is hangared with Associated Airlines.

Overseas Sales

Five Falcon jets were sold overseas in this period. Former Bond Corporation Falcon 900 VH-BGV had been hangared with Australian Jet Charter since early 1990 while awaiting sale. In 03/91 VH-BGV was flown to the US and in 09/91 sold through Falcon Jet to Brunner & Lay of Chicago.

Pacific Aviation Falcon 20E VH-RRC was ferried to the US in 06/91 for sale. Pel-Air Aviation sold two of their ex RAAF Falcon 20C’s VH-JSX and VH-JSY to HunterAviation, Maryland in 12/90. Before departure from Sydney the Falcons were registered N6555C and N6555L respectively.

Dunedin-based Wilson-Neill sold their Falcon 10VH-MEI in 12/90 to an operator in Brazil though initially it was registered N133FJ to Falcon Jet. New Zealand registration ZK-WNL was reserved for this aircraft but it was never carried.

As a result of losing the Defence Forces contract three former Lloyd Aviation Learjets were sold. Learjet 35A VH-LGH in 09/90 to N678S with AMR Combs, Florida. Learjet 35A VH-HOF in 11/90 to N16BJ also to AMR Combs. Learjet 36 VH-BIB in 03/91 to N71CK with Kallita Air Services, Michigan.

The BAe 125-800B fleet was badly hit in this period with the sale of three aircraft. The Queensland Government replaced their BAe 126-800B VH-SGY in 01/91 with a Westwind 11. To allow the Westwind to take up the marks VH-SGY the BAe 125-800B was reregistered VH-LK\/. In 07/91 the BAe 125 departed Brisbane as N900MD on delivery to PSI Funding Inc of New York. Robert James Investments, Auckland sold ZK-RJI in 02/91 to the Salvatore Corporation of Houston, Texas as N499SC. In late 1990 Elders/IXL closed down their Flight Department with BAe 125-8008 VH-IXL departing Melbourne in 02/91 for the UK. After overhaul and refurbishment VH-IXL was sold in Italy as 1-IGNO.

Elders Boeing 737-33A N731XL returned to the United States in 12/90, where it still awaits sale. Pel-Air Aviation sold Westwind VH-AJQ in 05/91 to Western Piper Sales, California as N4251H. Westfield Aviation CL-601 Challenger VH-MZL was sold in 10/90 to Quantum Inc. , Nevada as N54PR, while Heytesbury Holdings terminated their lease on Boeing 727-100VR-CCB. PRL Aviation, who are part of the Consolidated Press Group, have operated Gulfstream 11B N711SB from their Sydney base since 12/86. Earlier this year N711SB was transfered to UK based operations. Consolidated Press have leased MDC DC-8-62 N8970U msn 46071 and though the DC-8 has visited Sydney it has not been in residence for a period long enough to warrant adding it to our list.

Lcena Aviation Citation 500 VH-NEW was sold to the United Arab Emirates in 05/91. Trans Media Enterprises Citation 550 VH-ORE departed Sydney in 01/91 for the US, where it has since been registered N12AC to the Aero Consulting Corp of Miami. Citation 650 N133LE, which was based in Sydney with IEPL Aviation, was sold in 12/90 to Great Plane Sales of Tulsa. Australian Jet Charter Citation 650 VH-KTI, which was the last of its type in the region, departed Sydney in 05/91 for the US where it was later registered N644CC to Chrisair International, Illinois. Finally Citation 501 VH-LCL, which was removed from the register in 04/90 after an accident on Lord Howe Island. The damaged VH-LCL was sold to Dodson Aviation of Ottawa, Kansas in February 1991.

During the year several foreign bizjets operating in our region were locally registered. Citation 500 N947CC of Aeromil became VH-LJL before being leased to the Australian Flying College in Adelaide. Citation 500 N70454 of Neilsen & Moller, Sydney which has been operating in the region since 08/89 finally took up its reserved registration of VH-NMW in 08/91. Citation 560 N26643 of North Broken Hill, Melbourne was registered VH-NTH in 01/91. Falcon 200 ZK-MAY, which was based in Sydney with Moana Airlines became VH-NGF with GFW Aviation in 09/90.

In Prospect

Hopefully fleet numbers have now stabilised and in the next twelve months some new aircraft may be expected in the region. Freeport Indonesia, who operate BAG 111/401AK PK-PJF from their Cairns base, will replace the 111 with Boeing 737-247 PK-OCF. IEPL Aviation, Wellington will replace their Falcon 900 N42FJ in 12/91 with another of the same type N468FJ msn 104. Former Hancock Exploration BAe 125-700B VH-LRH is presently registered to Continental Aviation Sales, Illinois. After a period of inactivity at Perth VH-LRH was put on line in 04/91 by Pacific Aviation, Sydney and hopefully it will remain in the country. L ater this year Esso Australia, who operate Citation S550 VH-EMO and Learjet 35A VH-EMP, will move their corporate Head Office from Sydney to Melbourne. The Citation will then be operated out of Essendon, while the Learjet will be sold.