Newsdesk – General Aviation

04min to complete the flight at an average speed of just over 474kts (879km/h). It landed with 45 minutes fuel remaining. The aircraft, named “Pursuit of Perfection’, was flown by Gulfstream Aerospace pilots Dick Whitaker and Harry Butler and is the same aircraft skippered by company chairman Allen Paulson to a new eastbound round the world record in 1978. The GIV now holds no fewer than 78 speed and distance records in its class.

Sport Aviation and Aviation Safety Levy:

Further to the new tax on aircraft owners (refer p67 April AA), the Australian Sport Aviation Confederation has drawn our attention to the fact that as they are to progressively lose their funding from the CAA for their self administration roles ($316,500 FY 92/93), they will in effect be contributing to the new tax Self administration covered the setting and monitoring of safety standards. In addition they expect to have to pay for any future standards setting and monitoring functions conducted by the CAA in respect of the various sports. This is estimated to amount to 10% of the previous funding ie, an additional $30,000 plus per year.

 Bonanza Speed Record:

A turbocharged Beech Bonanza B36TC has established a new San Francisco to New York record for its class, flying the route (via two stops to refuel and replenish the oxygen system) in 11hr 20min.

The average speed was just on 200 knots (370km/h) and the time beat the previous record-set by a Cessna Skylane in 1987 – by more than five hours. The standard production Bonanza was flown by two Beech pilots and a journalist.

First Commander Delivered:

The Commander Aircraft Company of Bethany, Oklahoma, has delivered its first Commander 114B four seat single engined light aircraft.

The retractable undercarriage 114B is an improved version of the former Rockwell Commander 114, which was built between 1976 and 1979 alongside the fixed undercarriage Model 112 which was introduced in 1972 Commander Aircraft acquired the rights to the line in 1988 and since then has been supporting Rockwell built aircraft.

Commander Aircraft’s original intention was to lease rather than sell new aircraft due to American product liability laws, but recent reductions in hability insurance premiums have meant the aircraft will now be sold through distributors. The company plans to build 118 Commanders this year and 200 in 1993, of which 50 will be of the forthcoming turbocharged 114TC.

Kooralbyn School Flying Academy:

In an innovative move, the Kooralbyn International School (Qld) is offering a flying academy for students from year 8 to year 12.

The programme involves a weekly or twice weekly flying lesson plus tuition in the usual ground subjects of radio, meteorology, navigation and flight rules and procedures.

The school’s curriculum is linked to the Bachelor of Science (Aviation) degree course at Griffith (Qld) University and will cater for those students who wish to pro- ceed on to their tertiary studies in the aviation degree programme.

The course will cost approximately $7,500 for the 67 hours involved. This equates to two years at 40 weeks per school year and one hour instruction per week, or one year with two hours instruction per week. Further details can be obtained by phoning the Royal Queensland Aero Club on (07) 275 3244.

 Coalition May Help Airports:

Regional and remote aerodromes may still attract maintenance funding under a Liberal-National Party government, according to the Shadow Minister for Tourism and Aviation, David. Jull.

According to Mr Jull, the coalition has recognised that the Government’s phasing out of the Aerodrome Local Ownership Scheme (ALOP) by 1994 could leave a number of regional, rural and remote areas without air facilities while some local authorities may not be able to maintain air- strips because of a lack of funding.

Regional and rural airports are recognised by the coalition for meeting the needs of communities which are highly dependent on air services, as well as their usefulness re matters of defence and civil emergency.

The Speed Seekers:

Propeller manufacturer Hartzell and famed designer LeRoy LoPresti’s company LoPresti Speed Merchants have launched a programme intended to make single and twin engined light aircraft faster.

A Piper Comanche 260 and a Twin Comanche are currently being modified in the search for more speed, with LoPresti taking care of the airframe aspects of the project. The cowling, spinner and propeller areas of the aircraft are being modified to reduce drag and make more efficient use of airflow from the propeller. It is expected that the modifications will add about 30kts to the Twin Comanche’s maximum speed and 35kts to the single, bringing them both up to around 210kts. LoPresti will market the modified aircraft and similar work is underway on the Piper Arrow.