Civil Register Update

Two interesting helicopter imports are Kawasaki Bell 47G AHU and AS350 Squirrel ELP. The Kawasaki built Bell was operated by Royal Koku Jigyo of Tokyo in 1985 and has not flown in Japan for some years. It may therefore have been imported in a damaged condition or may have been in storage in Japan before coming to Australia. Squirrel ELP was delivered new to Northern Resort Inc of Manila and later went to Fiji as DQ-FHA in February 1991. It has now been imported by the Australian distributors of Aerospatiale products for resale.

Boeing 737 OAM is owned by Ansett Worldwide Aviation Serv- ices, the third largest aircraft leasing company in the world and this aircraft may well be the first of many to be registered in Australia, but leased to overseas airlines. OAM first flew on February 22 1991 and was immediately leased to VASP, the Brazilian airline based at Sao Paulo. It was repossessed by Ansett, along with three other VASP 737s, on November 18 1992 and whilst two of the four went straight to Eurobelgium Airlines of Brussels the remaining two machines were stored at Goodyear Arizona. During December OAM was reregistered N226AW and moved to Phoenix ready to join the America West fleet, however this did not eventuate and the aircraft was painted in Oman Air colours and delivered to Melbourne in early March.

Only two aircraft have been restored to the register this issue, Grumman Ag-Cat FPB and Robinson R22 THI. The Robinson was damaged at Pelican Island NSW on April 16 1992 but has now been rebuilt by Helicopters Brisbane ready for resale. The Ag-Cat has been taken off the register five times since it was delivered new to Australia in June 1964. It was laid up for seven months during 1982/ 83, over two years during 1975-1977 and almost four years between 1977 and 1981. Its latest rest was its longest lasting for over five years from October 1 1986 until February 1993. Each time it has been returned to the air as demand for agricultural air work increased.

Thirty one aircraft are listed in the Deletions section this month and unfortunately nearly half of these are due to accident damage. Musketeer FWI ditched into Port Phillip Bay off Sandringham as a result of engine failure soon after departing Moorabbin for Kerang in Victoria. The owner/pilot was lucky to escape with minor injuries but the aircraft was not so lucky, breaking into two after hitting the water. Beaver IDD was written off on September 20 1989 but has only just been deleted from the register during a general clean up by the CAA. Veteran ag pilot Ken Beardon was killed when the Beaver hit power lines near Orroroo SA. Other crashes to claim the lives of pilots were Cessna 172 KME near Mungerannie SA in November, Skyfox JOY near Camden NSW, Pitts SZA at Clyde Vic and Commander NYG at Tamworth during February 1992.

The crash of the Commander was reportedly due to fuel starvation, surely one of the most preventable reasons for an aircraft crash.

Two people also lost their lives in the much publicised crash of MiG-15 LSN at Canberra in March. Lets hope that the crash of the MiG does not produce a knee jerk reaction from the powers that be to severely restrict the use of warbirds, especially jet warbirds after only one isolated accident.

Six aircraft have been withdrawn from use and while most of these can be expected to appear in the Restorations section of future issues, it is believed that the Cessna 414 has been exported and Skyship HAA has either been exported or scrapped. Of the exports three machines have gone to PNG, three to New Zealand and two to Vanuatu. The addition of Cessna 172 IVL and Schweizer 269C JBU to the register of the tiny island of Vanuatu will increase the register to fourteen aircraft. According to my records the Schweizer will be the only helicopter operating on the island although TV publicity ads show a Hughes 500 operating tourist flights.

Several commuter/charter aircraft have changed hands recently including Cessna 421 Golden Eagle ASE which has crossed the country from Air Sea Aviation in Perth to Biz Air in Queensland. Wingz North Aviation has added Beech Barons ATL and ILM to their fleet while Airtransit of Adelaide has acquired Barons BMT, SMW and WZT and Seneca CRT to add to its mixed fleet which operates as Air Kangaroo Island and includes Beech 18 and Twin Otter equipment. Aus-Air, based at Moorabbin, has also added a Baron INV to their inventory whilst Navajo Chieftain LIL has moved from Oxley Airlines to Western NSW Airlines at Wagga.

Bankstown based Monarch Air has bought Chieftain NDU from Helijet of Mackay to use on its rapidly expanding NSW commuter network which links Sydney with Cowra, Cootamundra, Young, Temora, Mildura and Broken Hill. Monarch Air also owns Southern Air which operates from Sydney to Forbes, West Wyalong and Condobolin, a large maintenance facility at Bankstown and one of the largest used aircraft sales outlets in NSW. Monarch is also the distributors for new BN2 Islanders throughout Australia and PNG. A review of PNG aircraft has revealed subsequent histories of several Australian aircraft recently sold to our northern neighbour. Islanders MET and EER have become P2-SWB (Southwest Air, Mendi) and P2-EER (Garamut Exploration, Port Moresby) respectively while Bell Longrangers SCV and MQA are now flying as P2-PBA (Pacific Helicopters, Goroka) and P2-JND (Papuan Helicopters, Boroko) respectively. Beech Queen Air PCQ needed only a little signwriting to change to P2-PCQ with Milne Bay Air of Boroko while Cessna Stationairs IVP and NBD are now flying as P2-KRM with Transniugini Airways of Boroko and P2-TAZ with Tarangua Airlines of Port Moresby respectively. Southwest Air, Tarangua Airlines and Transniugini Airways are among several relatively new airlines to commence operations in New Guinea since Talair opted out of piston engined operations.

Four aircraft listed in the December deletions have now taken up residence in New Zealand. Fletcher ENX has returned to its old registration, ZK-EMX, with Super Air of Hamilton, Pitts WEB has become ZK-PTO (Please Turn Over) with G Bisset of Ashburton, Cessna Stationair SAP is now flying as ZK-TAM with the Tauranga Aero Club and Beech Duchess YES is now ZK-YES with Haybittle and Lyver of Auckland. One of the three Cessna 1820s which were exported to New Zealand recently, XLT, has become ZK-XLT with Opiki Cropping of Wellington.

Sikorsky S55 ORL which went to New Zealand some time ago has taken to the air as ZK-HSS. The big Sikorsky was built in 1956 for the US Army and came to Australia during May 1985 after civil conversion by Orlando Helicopters of Florida. Based at Archerfield, ORL was operated by Citilink Aviation before being exported to New Zealand in February 1991. The helicopter, the first of its type on the Kiwi register, has been at Hastings since then awaiting a new engine.

Subsequent details are now known about three other recent exports, Citation LGL, Cherokee NER, and Boeing 727 TBJ. The Citation has been sold by Aeromil to IHR Administrative Services of Wilmington Delaware and has taken up the appropriate markings of N771HR while the Cherokee which returned to Germany during July 1992 is now flying as D-ENER with S Petersen of Frankenthal. Boeing 727 TBJ is now active in Mexico with Aero Exo, a subsidiary of Aeroejecutivo, based in Mexico City and specialising in executive charters using mainly Lear Jets.

There are only a few copies of the Australian Aviation 1992/93 Civil Aircraft Register left so don’t miss out-order your personal copy from AustAirData, PO Box 1142 Toombul Qld 4012 ($10. 95 including postage within Australia).

The register details registration, type, construction number and owner/operators name and address and is an essential reference book for the aviation industry, pilots, owners and enthusiasts throughout Australia.