Civil Register Update

The Beech 99 was designed as a 16 seat commuter using a conventional airframe and twin Pratt and Whitney PT6 engines. It was first demonstrated in Australia during 1968 but no sales were forthcoming. The aircraft was developed through the A99, B99 and finally the C99, each model using more powerful engines. The first 99 to be operated in this area was 99A ZK-LLA which was imported into New Zealand during July 1981. One year later a C99 ZK-JAF arrived in New Zealand for Jamesair and in 1991 a third aircraft, this time an older 99 model became ZK-CIB, the pride of the Chatham Island Airlines fleet. During 1984 Hawker Pacific demonstrated the C99 N68730 around Australia but again no orders were received, in fact that same year the Jamesair machine, ZK-JAF was returned to the USA. Model 99 ZK-CIB and 99A ZK-LLA are still active in New Zealand and OXC becomes the only C99 in service in this part of the world.

Aeromil has recently imported two Bandeirantes from the USA, one of which has now been registered ABD. Both aircraft were made redundant from the massive Westair Commuter fleet, a United Airlines feeder based at Fresno California. As more Jetstreams and Brasilias were brought into the Westair fleet so the Bandeirantes have been retired and N211EB and N219EB were both stored at Peachtree Airport, Georgia awaiting sale. Ownership was transferred to Austin Aero of Austin Texas during November and Aeromil obtained the aircraft from them for resale on the local market. However one machine is believed to be going to the Iranian Postal Service to join four other Bandits supplied by Aeromil.

Several helicopters have been imported including two Bell 412s from Malaysia and two Sikorsky S-76s from Jordan. All four aircraft have joined the Lloyd’s fleet at Adelaide and will be used on oil rig contracts. Of the two Bells 9M-SSO is now LHV while the second aircraft, 9M-SSQ, has not yet been allocated markings. The Sikorskys arrived on November 15 aboard the Pacific Express Ilyushin Il-76 still in their Royal Jordanian Air Force markings and have since become LHY and LHZ. Four more of the sleek S-76s are expected soon.

The BAe-Ansett Flying College at Tamworth has added a new type to its training fleet in the form of two Mudry CAP 10BS YAN and YAO. The two CAPS are the same models that the Australian Aviation College at Parafield has used so successfully for the last two years.

Other interesting aircraft listed are another new PZL Dromader, FOI, for the Australian PZL agent Retsof Pty Ltd at Leongatha, a rebuilt Tiger Moth, DHK, and the second Seabird SB7 Seeker. The appropriately registered Tiger Moth was built by De Havilland at Bankstown during 1940 and delivered to the RAAF as A17-156 the same year. After ten years service with the RAAF it became AHS on November 17 1950 and then changed to BTF during May 1961. Two years later it was deemed unairworthy and it was on May 29 1963. After an extensive rebuild the classic De Havilland is flying again and is a tribute to its owner’s hard work and dedication.

The Seeker, OPT, is the second SB7L model to fly from the Seabird factory at Bundaberg Qld. It was to have been ZAG (the first aircraft was ZIG) but that was dropped in favour of the more appropriate OPT, which was originally reserved for the Optica Scoutmaster G-BMPN which was seen at the 1988 Richmond Air Show but did not make it onto the Australian register.

Only one aircraft can be found in the restoration section, Beech 36 FWL. This Bonanza was delivered new to Australia during 1968 and over the next 24 years flew with a number of owners. In February 1992 Mr S Lapthorne of Lapthorne Aviation bought it and changed its registration to LAP to be used as his personal transport. Less than a year later the aircraft has again changed hands and has returned to its original markings. Of the 24 aircraft shown in the Deletions section, 10 have been sold overseas, eight have crashed or been damaged, four have been reregistered and two have been withdrawn from use. The two machines that have been withdrawn can be expected to return to the air after maintenance along with at least some of the damaged aircraft. Not so Cessna 172 JUU which crashed on Stradbroke Island during forced landing practice. The pilot died but at the time of writing it was not known whether it was a result of injuries from the crash or a heart attack during the forced landing manoeuvre.

PZL Dromader LJF and McDonnell Douglas 369E LLD are also not likely to be rebuilt after their fatal crashes near Deniliquin and Yass respectively. The MD 369E helicopter hit powerlines shortly after takeoff from the banks of Lake Burrinjuck and crashed in flames killing Tony Masling and his two young daughters. Tony was the driving force behind Masling Rotor Wing at Cootamundra who, until recently, was the agent for the McDonnell Douglas range of helicopters in the region (refer p82 Mar 93 AA). Almost half of the number of aircraft sold overseas have gone to New Zealand including three Cessna 182s. All three Skylanes were flown to New Zealand during December with CVH and TBE tracking via Norfolk Island to Auckland on the 12th and 24th respectively while XLT went via Lord Howe Island on the 17th. The other export to Kiwiland is Hiller UH-12E ECQ. This elderly helicopter was originally delivered from Canada to New Zealand during October 1968 where it flew for many years as ZK-HCS. It was converted to turbine power using a Soloy conversion kit in July 1980 and two years later crossed the Tasman to Australia. It has now returned to New Zealand and will probably take up its old markings of ZK-HCS although Kiwi regulations allow the ZK- national prefix to be deleted if the aircraft is only used internally. Also as all helicopters are registered in the ‘H’ block this part of the marking may be deleted as well and therefore most helicopters fly only with the last two letters painted on the aircraft.

Trinidad LQJ has been sold in New Caledonia, two Bell Long-rangers, MQA and SCV have gone to PNG and Beech Super King Air NIH has been sold in the USA. Also heading for the USA is LTJ, the first of the CAAS Gulfstream Commanders to be sold as part of the massive cost reduction programme that the Authority has undertaken recently. Yet another bizjet has departed Australia reflecting the slow state of the economy. British Aerospace 125-800, previously owned by the ANZ Bank arrived at the BAe facility at Chester, England on November 20 to be prepared for its new UK owner.

A large part of the Change Of Owner/Operator section is taken up with the fixed wing component of the Heli-Muster fleet at Victoria River Downs being transferred to the Executive Air Charter fleet at Darwin. Two Barons, two Queen Airs, three Cessna 402s, a Commander 680, a Navajo Chieftain and three single engined Cessnas are part of this exercise and we can expect more to be listed in next months changes as a few have not yet been nominated.

Broughton Air Services of Perth have been operating Super King Air LKF for some time and Oxley Airlines has had Chieftain LTW in service for a while, however the changes have only just filtered through the system, as has the ownership change of Navajo MWC from the Royal Flying Doctor Service at Derby to the Northern Territory Police at Darwin.

 The 1992/93 Australian Aviation Civil Aircraft Register is now available at a cost of $10. 95 from AustAirData, PO Box 1142 Toombul Qld 4012, phone (074) 95 8496. The register can be kept up to date each month using the information contained in the Register Review so be sure to obtain your current register and either renew or take out an initial subscription to Australian Aviation now.