Newsdesk-General Aviation

Caa Navaid Flight Calibration Work to Go to Industry:

The CAA is seeking expressions of interest in either a joint venture, or an independent service contract to undertake the calibration of national and international navaids.

It is understood that the proposal stems from the overall review of costs and efficiencies presently being undertaken within the CAA. Allied with navaid calibration duties is the question of the size and function of the Flying Unit which has this task as its core function. There have been suggestions from industry in the past that it could undertake the navaid calibration task more efficiently. but it is difficult to see how it could be done in either way presently being considered.

Certainly, it will be interesting to watch developments.

They Stuff Up, We Pay:

The Australian taxpayer is being called upon yet again to foot the bill for bureaucratic incompetence, this time through the ongoing Amman Aviation coastal surveillance saga.

The High Court has ordered the Federal Government to pay damages of $6. 6m (plus legal costs) to Amann Aviation after losing an appeal against a 1990 Federal Court decision in Amman’s favour, which sued over the cancellation of the contract shortly after it began. With interest and costs, the total payout could be as high as $10m.

Further to all that comes the news that Skywest, the Coastwatch contract holder before Amann and now reinstated, is suing the Commonwealth for $9. 5m. It alleges. breach of contract, relating to substantial extra costs incurred by Skywest in purchasing three Westwind aircraft and modifying them to “Seascan” maritime surveillance specification. The Commonwealth (through Australian Customs) refuse to accept Sky- west’s claim for the difference, and is in breach of contract, according to Skywest.

All this plus the recent slipping through the Coastwatch net of a ship full of Chinese “refugees”. itself the subject of a departmental investigation.

Emb-145 Third Time Lucky?:

Embraer’s proposed EMB-145 45/48 seat regional jetliner has been subject to yet another redesign, its second since being launched in 1989.

When first proposed, the EMB-145 was a “minimum change” development of the EMB-120 Brasilia regional turboprop, featuring a lengthened fuselage and two Allison GMA3007 turbofans mounted above and ahead of the straight wing in place of the turboprops. A version with less commonality and engines mounted under the wings followed, but now Embraer has announced a further major revision with an all new swept

wing and engines mounted on the rear fuse-lage. Advantages to the new design include reduced exposure to foreign object damage. improved engine out controllability and performance, higher speeds and weight savings.

The redesign means the EMB-145 will be in service much later than was originally planned and years behind the competing Canadair Regional Jet, which is already well on the way to certification. Nevertheless, Embraer claims 300 options on the EMB-145 and hopes to convert 100 of them to firm orders through the course of 1992.

 Canadian GA Engine Available:

The Canadian Airmotive CAM 100 engine for experimental and amateur built aircraft is now available following the completion of bench and flight testing.

Uncertified, the CAM 100 is based on the 1. 5 litre (91cu in) four cylinder, inline, liquid cooled overhead cam Honda Civic car engine and produces 100hp at 6,000rpm, reduced by gearing to 2,500rpm at the propeller. Featuring a very low specific fuel consumption figure of 0. 41lb/hp/hr, the CAM 100 uses 90 octane unleaded automotive fuel (or 100LL avgas). It is naturally aspirated and has a basic weight of 224lb (102kg)

The last time we ran a brief item on this engine we received numerous requests for further information. Canadian Airmotive can be found at 7400 Wilson Ave, Delta, BC, Canada V4G 1E5. Last year, the price of this potentially very popular engine was listed at SUS5,895, although the latest price should be checked with Canadian Airmotive.

Falcon 900B Problems:

The grounding of the latest version of the Dassault Falcon 900 long range corporate trijet, the 900B, was recommended by the aircraft’s engine manufacturer, Garrett, early this year. Powered by three TFE731-58 turbofans of greater power than the -5As of the original. Falcon 900, the groundings are regarded merely as precautionary following the failure of two -5B engines on the same aircraft in separate flights late in 1991. The engines on this particular Falcon had been converted from -5A to -5B specifications by changing the gears driving the fan and in both failures this area was the problem. The overall Fal-con 900B fleet is powered by both new and converted -58 engines. The RAAF’s aircraft are of the original standard.

Missing Stories?

In our last edition we advertised a number of articles scheduled for this issue that have not made it into print. Our apologies.

What happened of course was that after completing the December edition. the airline world went mad (was it ever sane?) with the unfortunate demise of firstly, Pan American and a fortnight later our very own Compass. Naturally both these airlines could not pass without detailed commentary and hence they took priority for space over less topical features.

All being well we hope to be able to bring you our missing features on United Airlines (definitely not a bankruptcy story), simulators and the growth of the Australian warbird movement in our April edition. Thank you for your patience.

 Win a Dream Flight:

The chance of a lifetime, a flight in a MiG-15 fighter is up for the taking.

The Canberra Aero Club, as part of their Sport Aviation Day on March 7 is conducting a ‘Ride-A-Warbird’ competition where there are three first prize flights in a two seat MiG-15. Six second prizes consisting of a flight in a Harvard and six third prizes of flights in a Nanchung CJ-6A are also on offer. Another fantastic raffle, the ‘Pilot Training Competition’ will see one lucky person win free flying training, enabling the winner to gain his or her Restricted Pilots Licence at no cost. The prize includes a free medical, text books and examinations. Valued at over $5,000 dollars, this great competition costs just five dollars a ticket! The Sport Aviation Day looks set to be a major attraction in its own right and will see flying displays and static exhibitions of assorted types of sport aviation aircraft. Demonstrations by ultralights, hang gliders and parachutists are all planned, as are joy flights in light aircraft, warbirds and helicopters. It certainly promises to be an exciting day with great flying action and fantastic prizes. Numerous other raffles will occur throughout the day.

Tickets for the ‘Ride-A-Warbird’ competition cost just $20 and are available from the Canberra Aero Club on (06) 2895012 or write to PO Box 888, Woden ACT 2606. The draw will be conducted on February 29 so you will need to be quick. Tickets for the ‘Pilot Training Competition’ will be available on the day.

 Conquest Relaunched?:

Cessna is reportedly considering reinstating production of its Model 425 Conquest I (formerly Corsair) light corporate twin turboprop, 226 examples of which were delivered between 1980 and 1986.

If the go ahead is given, production will probably be undertaken not in the USA as before but in France by Reims Aviation, a company which built over 6,000 Cessna piston engined models under licence in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. Cessna owned a 49% interest in Reims until 1989, but the French company continues to be the sole manufacturer of the Model 406 Caravan II utility twin turboprop.

If reinstated to production, the Conquest will compete with the Beech C90A King Air and cost about $US1. 4m. Production of 50-60 aircraft per annum by Reims could begin in less than 18 months if the go ahead is given now.

 Optica Optimistic:

The new owners of the stop-start Optica Scout ducted fan observation aircraft are optimistic about its future, saying that up to 50 aircraft could be coming off the Bournemouth, UK, production line by late 1995.

Since Lovaux acquired the design, the Optica has received US certification and several improvements have been made including the installation of a Hoffmann ducted fan of greater efficiency and the strengthening of the main wing spar. Lovaux sees a market for up to 500 Opticas over the next 12-13 years, particularly in South East Asia. Thailand is regarded as a key market (for anti drug patrols) along with the USA, where interstate telephone companies perform cable inspections.

The Optica has been owned by four organisations since it first flew as the Edgley Optica in 1979. Only a handful have been delivered to customers since then.

Hawker Pacific Orders New Demonstrators:

Hawker Pacific at KSA has announced that it will acquire two new demonstrators early in the new year.

The first of these will be a Beechjet 400A, configured for eight passengers. The second will be a King Air 300. It is envisaged that the Beechjet will also be used for corporate charter, excelling in the price range and offering a reasonable degree of comfort for up to six passengers. (Peter Gamble)

Eagle Relisted:

Eagle Aircraft, the West Australian designer and manufacturer of the unconventional Eagle X light aircraft, has been relisted on the Australian Stock Exchange following a $3. 5m capital injection by the Malaysian government.

The company was suspended from the exchange at its own request in 1989 due to funding difficulties but has now set up a joint venture with the Malaysian government to further develop the aircraft. The prototype of the two seat Eagle X first flew in 1988. This aircraft was made from fibreglass but production aircraft will feature Kevlar, carbon-fibre and Nomex honeycomb construction.