Newsdesk – General Aviation

would continue to rise during 1994/95 to more than $23m by 1995/96, when full cost recovery for these functions would be in place.

The Moorabbin meeting, the first of a series to be held in each State, outlined a CAA proposal to charge for services provided for safety regulation and standards setting, including industry surveillance by CAA officers, on an hourly basis.

Based on what the CAA claims is a 50% recovery rate during 1993/94, but which appears to be only about 30%, the CAA’s General Aviation flying operations surveillance services would be charged out to operators at the rate of $110 per hour, with airworthiness surveillance at $80 per hour.

Under the proposal, basic charges for a Category III (single pilot RPT) Air Operator’s Certificate holder would amount to $4180 for flying operations surveillance and $2640 for airworthiness surveillance. Additional charges would be made according to the number of check pilots engaged in the company, the number of aircraft types and synthetic trainers in use, and the number of revenue hours flown.

At the other end of the scale, a Category V (flying school limited to visual operations) Certificate holder would pay a basic fee of $2200, plus $440 if it also held a charter licence, with a further $1100 for an Instructor Rating course.

Fees for General Aviation maintenance surveillance would range from a basic charge of $4320 plus $2400 per base for a Class A maintenance organisation, to $1200 perbase for a Limited Class B organisation. Substantial additional fees would also be charged to cover surveillance of component overhauls.

The meeting, after being presented in de- tail with the philosophy behind the propos- als by the CAA’s Mr Julien Thompson, was opened for discussion under the chairman- ship of Mr Lawry Cohen, former Editor of Australian Flying (though apparently he remains as ‘Honorary Editor), who now holds the position of Manager, Industry Support Branch, within the CAA’s Safety Regu- lation and Standards Division.

Exercising commendable restraint, the meeting made it overwhelmingly clear to the CAA panel that such charges would be completely unacceptable to the industry. Speaker after speaker declared that if implemented, the charges, even at the claimed initial 50% recovery rate, would force most small General Aviation operators out of business. The prospect of charges based on full cost recovery, was too horrendous even to contemplate. Mr Cohen’s response was to repeatedly state that the direction on cost recovery had come from Government – it was the CAA’s role merely to consult with industry concerning the best ways of implementing the required degree of cost recovery.

But this explanation failed to placate the meeting’s simmering anger at the panel’s evident lack of concern for the industry, prompting Mr John South, Secretary of the Business Aircraft Operator’s Association, to ask why the meeting’s objections and comments were not being formally minuted for the CAA Board. Under repeated promptings from the floor, Mr Cohen finally agreed to convey the feeling of the meeting to the CAA Board.

Concern was also expressed at the lack of adequate notice of the Morrabbin meeting while the CAA’s Aviation Bulletin, distributed through the post only a day or two later, contained no mention whatever of the proposed “industry consultations”.

Before the Moorabbin meeting concluded, it unanimously carried two resolutions: That the proposed safety regulation cost recovery was totally inappropriate and unacceptable, and that in the public interest, the Government should recover the cost from consolidated revenue, as it did in the case of every other industry.

That the proposed charges were unacceptable because they would impose an unfair and economically unsustainable burden on a relatively small industry unable to absorb them. The real beneficiary of the CAA’s safety regulatory function was the travelling public, and the imposition of a minimal ticket tax would not affect the economic viability of the aviation industry at large.

Industry representatives attending the meeting also signed petitions expressing these same views, to be forwarded to the responsible Minister, and the CAA Board.

The Victorian Chairman of the General Aviation Association, Mr Ross Carrington, told the media at the conclusion of the meeting that, as the result of the Government cutting the CAA’s budget for Safety Regulatory functions, the CAA had been instructed to recover the shortfall from the industry. The share of this shortfall to be borne by General Aviation was too great for it to accept. Each small business would be asked to pay between $5000 and $10,000 to make up the government shortfall.

Already reelingfrom the current economic recession, the small General Aviation businesses would simply be unable to find such large sums of money and would go bankrupt, adding to the current unemployment and insolvency in Australia (Macarthur Job)

Air Nippon Students for Tamworth:

Air Nippon, a member of the All Nippon Airways (ANA) group, has contracted with the British Aerospace/ Ansett Flying College at Tamworth to provide training for the airline’s future pilots. Of special note is the fact that the course which has been developed for Air Nippon’s specific needs will receive the official approval of the Japanese Civil Aviation (JCAB) and cadets will be trained to a syllabus designed to meet JCAB requirements. Apart from an Australian PPL, the cadets will receive Japanese CPLs and multi engine and instrument ratings following the successful completion of their training in Australia.

Centrespread

The Introduction of the A340 to airliner service earlier in the year is set to revolutionise long haul commercial transport.

The ultra longrange Airbus is designed to operate routes thin that are unable to support the larger Boeing 747-400, which has a similar range. In our region it is expected to open up a multitude of new route possi bilities, including a number of new hub busting trans Pacific flights, particularly between Asian and US destinations.

The A340 is powered by four 31,000lb thrust CFM56s, and can seat up to 295 passengers in its larger-300 variant, while the longer ranging, shorter A340-200 can operate over distances of up to 7750nm (14,400km).

Current orders and options for the A340, and its sister, the twin engined A330 stand at over 473, quite a notable feat when you consider that it has only now just entered service.

Another overseas airline which is conducting training in Australia is Air China, which has signed an agreement with Ansett for the provision of simulator training at the latter’s Melbourne flight simulator centre. The initial one year contract covers between 1200 and 2000 simulator hours for more than 200 Air China pilots during the course of 1993. Boeing 737-300, 767-200 and BAe 146-300 simulators will be used.

For the Modelers:

Planning for the 20th anniversary running of the Wagga Model Aero Club’s WWII event is now well underway and it will be held at the club’s ‘Connorton’ Field, Wagga, on April 24/25.

This major event – which attracts some 6000 spectators – now includes a category for World War I aircraft and sponsors are sought to provide goods for use in the prize draw or fund raising raffle. If you’re interested in helping, contact the Wagga Model Aero Club, PO Box 543 South Wagga 2650.

Us Kitplane Boom:

While the traditional North American light aircraft manufacturers are having a tough time of it, the makers of kit aircraft had something of a boom year in 1992, selling the ‘equivalent of 2018 aircraft worth $US67m.

The figure-which includes US and Canadian manufacturers, covers experimental category light aircraft but not homebuilt ultralights. Sales of factory built single engined light aircraft has fallen in 13 of the past 14 years, dropping from 14,400 in 1978 to just over 500 in 1992. Over 12,000 aircraft kits have been sold overall, of which 5600 are flying.

Cost is seen as the major factor in the kitplane boom. A high performance aircraft can be had for half the price of a factory aircraft while a basic, lower performance one costs about the same as a luxury car.

Oshkosh for $5:

The MaroochyAero Club is raffling a ticket for this years Torii Tours Australian Aviation trip to the EAA Oshkosh airshow and the many other aeronautical delights of the USA.

The 28 day trip of a lifetime will stop at, as well as Oshkosh, Dayton, Washington, Pensacola, Orlando, Tucson, Seattle, Los Angeles and Honolulu, visiting among others, the Pima County Museum, the famous USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson, Marana Air Park and the Smithsonian Institute the world’s most frequented museum.

The tour departs Australia on July 23 for 28 days. A single ticket costs just five dollars, or $50 for a book of ten. They can be ordered from the Maroochy Aero Club, PO Box 50, Maroochydore 4558, or fax (074) 78 0015. Ya gotta be in it to win it!

Aviation Family Day:

The Caboolture Aero Clubin Queensland is plan is an aviation fun day at the Caboolture Airfield on May 2.

Activities will commence from 9am and will include hot air balloons, parachute jumping and static displays of aircraft including WW2 types. Joyflights will be available throughout the day on a variety of aircraft types including helicopters, gliders, Tiger Moths and even an Antonov An-2 biplane. A fly-in will also be held in conjunction with the day and all are invited to participate.

The day aims to create a greater awareness of local aviation to the community, to bring together a variety of aviation enthusiasts and to raise funds for the aero club. Further details can be obtained from John Plummer on (074) 93 4915.

125’s Good Year:

The British Aerospace 125 mid sized corporate jet had a very good 1992, recording the highest level of sales for some time and bringing its overall tally to 838 aircraft by the end of the year while two more aircraft were ordered on the first working day of 1993.

The medium range 125-800 sold 32 examples in 1992 (the best result for three years) while the long range 125-1000 (or Corporate 1000, as it is now marketed) more than doubled its order book. Strong sales were recorded in the European and African markets and orders received outside North America were at their highest level since 1964, the year the 125 entered full production.

Notable BAe 125 milestones during 1992 included the first sale to the Commonwealth of Independent States (the former USSR) and the delivery of the first U-125 flight inspection aircraft to the Japanese Air Self Defence Force.

Gps Approaches Coming:

The US Federal Aviation Administration has completed flight testing in preparation for GPS guided non precision approaches.

The tests involving an American Aircraft Owners & Pilots’ Association (AOPA) Bonanza forms part of the ground work for the adoption of GPS approaches, which it is hoped will allow instrument approaches at aerodromes not equipped with sophisticated ILS/MLS landing aids. A non precision GPS approach involves assessing position information without glideslope guidance details. AOPA hopes the FAA will be able to formulate GPS approach regulations which could replace around 5000 outdated procedures for GPS equipped aircraft.

 Piper Looking Up:

Light aircraft manufacturer Piper, which is trying to trade its way out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, has had a reasonable 1992 which even included a modest profit.

The company sold 85 aircraft in 1992 worth $US39m and expects to sell 120 this year to a value of $US56m. It has been granted more time to present a business plan as well as having its credit line with Congress Financial – the investor which provided working capital – extended.

Piper has paid off its original $US12m debt to Congress Financial and is now employing 330 people compared with the 45 staff members it had when it filed for Chapter 11 protection in July 1991.

 Anzac Day Air Show:

Fancy a pleasant day watching aeroplanes on April 25? If so, get yourself to Yarrawonga (Victoria) aerodrome on that date to take in some Pitts Special aerobatics, Harvard, Tiger Moth and vintage aircraft flypasts and other delights including gliders and ground displays. The show is for a good cause – to raise funds for the installation of electricity for the air ambulance and other aerodrome us- ers.

 Unusual Measures Taken by Feathered Aviators to Avoid Fac Gait Charges at Canberra Airport:

In an endeavour to avoid FAC General Aviation Infrastructure Tariff (GAIT) charges at Canberra Airport, local birds have taken to hiding their presence by building their nests in aircraft on the flight line.

Recently half a plastic bucket of grass and paper debris was removed from the tail section of a Canberra based Musketeer which is in fairly regular use.

Access had been gained through the tailplane slots in the tail cone and the grass had been deposited on top of the lower elevator pulley and associated cable.