DoTC Data Mirrors Industry Performance

Hours flown by the industry since 1980/81 have increased by 353,000 hours, although this has been by no means consistent and has been marred by periods of sometimes dramatic decline. The figure peaked at 2,597,000 hours in 1989/90 while the trough ocurred during the lean period of 1982/83 with just 1,906,300 flying hours recorded. More recently total flying hours have declined due yet again to recession. Overall though, the growth is compatible with the increase in the number of aircraft performing GA and commuter operations. 7,086 aircraft operated in 1985/6 increasing to 9,149 operated in 1990/91.

It is very interesting to note in these figures the steady growth in airline RPT flying hours. Growth early in the decade was followed by decline due to recession and then a period of steady growth until a dramatic and extremely severe drop in hours flown occurred due to the domestic pilots’ dispute in the second half of 1989. Once recovering from the harsh effects of the dispute airline RPT hours have soared to pre 1989/90 levels, thanks mainly to the dismantling of the Two Airline Policy, the arrival of Compass and the ensuing air fare wars. Certainly it will be very interesting to see what effects the collapse of Compass will have on the airline industry. and on hours flown.

Easily the largest component in the make up of the total GA flying hours was flight training. Training flights increased by 31% over the last decade. Although affected by outside factors, the hours flown in this sector have always picked up strongly.

Business flying has also grown slightly, but the figures reflect the vagaries of the economy’s performance. A little known fact is that during the domestic airline· pilots dispute the number of hours flown for business (charter) increased markedly.

Unfortunately the worst affected area of General Aviation flying is agricultural work. Flying time is dictated by economic and climatic conditions and generally over the last decade neither of these have been particularly favourable. A graphic example of these two factors was the drought and recession of 1982/83 which caused a drop in the hours flown in the order of a massive 41%. Over the decade the figures have improved somewhat only to decline once more with the onset of a depressed rural sector and poor climatic conditions.

The airports have all recorded increases in movements however, consistent with flying hours, they too have been affected by economic factors. While overall total airport movements have increased, 2,284,319 in the period 1985/6, compared to 2,826,865 in 1990/91, they have peaked and troughed during this period and aircraft movements have begun to decrease once more.

Australia’s three largest GA airports were not surprisingly Bankstown, Moorabbin and Parafield. GA and commuter movements

at these airports respectively were 400,902, 335,522 and 321,295 in 1990/91. Parafield being the only one of the trio whose figures

increased over 1989/90, although overall movements at all three have grown since 1985/86.

Other data published reveals the number of aircraft based in Australia by principal aircraft makes. The largest fleet of aircraft in Australia is, not unexpectedly, the ubiquitous Cessna range. Perhaps surprising is the fact that the number of Cessnas operating in Australia has grown, despite the fact that many of the popular Cessna models have long been out of production. As of 1990/91 3,492 Cessnas of various marks were performing GA and commuter operations in Australia compared with 2,959 in 1985/86. This figure consists of 3,042 single engined and 450 twin engined aircraft. The second most popular manufacturer is

Piper with 2,000 examples. Interestingly, Piper twins largely out number Cessna twins, reflecting Pipers dominance in twin engine commuter operations.

At the other end of the scale there were five Stinsons, five Ryans, five Fugis, five Robins, six PZLs and eight Beagles operating in Australia 1991.

The helicopter fleet has also experienced growth in the order of 76%. Numbers stood at 368 in 1985/86 increasing to 648 in 1990/91. Worthy of mention is the fact that Robinsons are now more numerous than Bells.

Major airliner fleets have also grown, reflecting the large

growth of this sector over the last decade, 149 airliners consisting of all RPT jets, Fokker 27s and Fokker 50s operating by 1991, compared with 131 by 1986. The most numerous airliner in Australia is the Boeing 737 with 36 at June 30, 1991, compared with 12, and the 747 with 27, compared with 22. Other points worth noting is the growth in the number of BAe 146s (12 compared with two) and the decline in the number of 727s (15 compared wlth 2