Newsdesk – General Aviation

In the month leading up to the grounding, the USMC had suffered fatal crashes involving Bell AH-1W SuperCobra and UH-1H Iroquois helicopters and a non fatal one by an AV-8B Harrier II.

Cessna Will Build Pistons If.

Cessna has indicated it will resume production of some piston single light aircraft if legislation to limit product liability now before the US Congress becomes law.

The new proposals are the umpteenth to be presented to Congress, all previous attempts having failed due to the powerful US Trial Lawyers Association’s lobbying to keep the laws as they are now in its own interests. The new proposals limit product liability to 15 years and if successful, could become law early in 1994.

If this happens, Cessna says it will build up to 2000 172, 182 and 206s in the first full year of production, generating $US200m in sales and at least 1500 new jobs. The company will need 18 months to two years from go ahead to first delivery and is already examining the condition of stored tooling, studying improvements to the aircraft and looking for a final assembly site. Cessna suspended production of its piston engined line in 1985.

Piper also says it will increase production to meet the expected demand if the product liability reforms go ahead. Currently producing only about 100 aircraft per year (see elsewhere this Newsdesk), it could increase output to about 500 per year in a short time and double its workforce to about 700.

Cessna chairman Russ Meyer believes a revitalised industry could create 25,000jobs in five years, something which the members of the US Congress can surely not ignore, even if most of them are lawyers! Some 100,000 permanent jobs have been lost following the collapse of the US general aviation industry, almost entirely due to the product liability situation. An in depth review of the damage done by the US product liability regime this past decade was featured in our August issue.

Fairchild Helps Ilyushin Light Aircraft Venture:

Fairchild Aircraft is reported to be assisting Russian design bureau Пlyushin with the US certification of the new D-103 single engined light aircraft to FAA Part 23 standards.

The aerobatic I-103 is to be built in training and touring versions and can seat up to four adults, two adults and three children. It is powered by a 210hp Continental IO-360 piston engine and has a fixed undercarriage and low wing. First flight is scheduled by year’send with deliveries beginning in 1996.

European distribution for the aircraft has already been set up with the establishment of Euro-Russian Aircraft Sales in Britain at North Weald. It is likely that Fairchild will become the US distributor for the aircraft, and the US manufacturer has already established a link with the former Soviet bloc by acquiring a substantial stake in the Czecho-slovakian manufacturer Let.

 Tamair Offers Free Flights:

Tamworth-based charter, regional airline and flying training operator Tamair has introduced an interesting way of drumming up business among those who want careers as professional pilots.

Holders of student or private pilot’s licences who genuinely wish to go further with their flying careers have the opportunity to be flown from Sydney to Tamworth (and return) free, gratis and for nothing to inspect Tamair’s facilities and then hopefully select it to continue their training.

Write to Lance Farrell at Tamair (PO Box 28, Westdale, 2340) and tell him why you’d like to train at Tamair and you might find yourself aboard one ofits Metros. The offer remains open until December 31.

Piper Flies on Without Pilatus:

Pilatus Aircraft’s $US43m bid to take over Piper and thus remove it from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection has been rejected by the US bankruptcy court after having first approved it last June.

It was Piper’s creditors who urged the court to reject the offer this time, citing product liability concerns and continued profitability as the reasons. Had the Pilatus deal gone ahead, most of the $US43m would have gone into a trust fund to meet future product liability claims and very little would have been repaid to the creditors.

Piper has been profitable in every quarter since April 1992 and creditors are aiming to get the company out of Chapter 11 by March next year either by coming to an arrangement which does not involve a public liability trust debt for equity.

Piper’s plans for 1994 call for a production rate of about two aircraft per month for each of six models: Super Cub, Archer, Dakota, Saratoga, Seneca and Malibu Mirage. Dropped for the moment are the Cadet/ Warrior and the Cheyenne twin turboprop.

 Falcon 2000 Performing Well:

Dassault’s new corporate jet, the Falcon 2000, is performing better than expected during flight testing with lower drag and better climb and field performance than was initially predicted.

The performance is such that Dassault will build production Falcon 2000s with a derated version of the 6000lb thrust GE/ Garrett CFE738 turbofan which powers it. Changes incorporated into the Falcon 2000 since its first flight include improvements to the auxiliary power unit, ventilation, modified wing leading edge hot air circulation and tuning of software on digital systems such as air conditioning, nosewheel steering and brakes. The aircraft is scheduled to be certified late next year.

Rossair Expands in Top End:

Rossair has upgraded its service capacity in the Northern Territory with the opening of a new $700,000 general aviation facility at Darwin airport.

The new facility is designed to service aircraft up to de Havilland Dash 8 and Saab 340 size and provides a full range of engine, airframe, electrical and instrumentation services to commuter airlines, charter – N221BP , government agencies and private operators. To complement these services, Rossair also retails a wide range of parts, engines, avionics exchange components from the new facility and plans to expand its sphere of influence to eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Rossair’s main base has long been at Adelaide’s Parafield Airport where it has recently invested $300,000 in new facilities largely relating to the inspection and repair of Garret turbine engines.

 Airplan Studies Melbourne Airport Options:

Aviation and airport consultants Airplan has been appointed by the South East Airport Study Steering Committee to investigate the need for an airport in Melbourne’s southeast growth corridor.

The aim of the study is to carry out a detailed demand and cost benefit analysis to determine whether there is a need for a new regional airport in the area, and if so, what its role and function should be. The first part of the study is to investigate the demand aspects and will be completed by the end of this year. The second phase – if needed – will evaluate site options for the airport as well as considering its staging and financial viability. This should be completed by the middle of next year.

Mitsubishi Joins Canadair on Global Express:

Canadair has contracted Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to supply the wing and centre fuselage sections for the forthcoming Global Express long range corporate jet.

Mitsubishi joins the Global Express programme as a risk sharing partner, joining BMW Rolls-Royce, which is designing and building the new BR710 turbofan for the aircraft. Mitsubishi’s current aerospace manufacturing programmes include Boeing 767 and 777 aft body panels, 747-400 inboard flaps, the MD-11 tail cone and MD-80 trailing edge panels.

Mitsubishi will deliver the first wing shipset in early 1996 and the first flight of the Global Express – which is designed to fly 6000nm (11,100km) non stop at Mach 0. 85, is scheduled to take place later in the same year.

 Lopresti’s Modded Mooney:

Noted aircraft modifier and performance improver Roy LoPresti has revealed his latest project, a and modified Mooney 231.

The basic change is the replacement of Mooney’s original turbocharged 210hp Continental TSIO-360 engine with a normally aspirated 260hp Lycoming I0-540, LoPresti noting that the vast majority of 231 pilots don’t operate them above 12,000 feet and therefore don’t really utilise the potential of the turbocharged engined.

The Lycoming will offer better takeoff and climb performance than the original along with greater speed below 12,000 feet. Various drag reduction items are included in the design, such as a new engine cowl design as used on LoPresti’s current Comanche and Twin Comanche conversions.

The prototype Mooney 231 conversion will fly later this year and customer deliveries should start late in 1994. LoPresti considers his modded Mooney as an aircraft that “a large number of people will find terribly enticing and irresistible”.

Citation V Ultra Launched:

Cessna has announced a new version of its successful Citation V small business jet,the Citation V Ultra.

The Ultra will replace the standard Citation V on the production line from September next year and features new avionics and more powerful 2,900 lb thrust P&WC JT15D-5D turbofan engines. Maximum weight is increased and the Ultra is capable of climbing to 43,000 feet in 29 minutes, 10 minutes faster than its predecessor.

The standard avionics package is based around the Honeywell Primus 1000 integrated digital automatic flight control system (with EFIS displays) and the Global Wulfsberg GNS-XES flight management system.

 Eagle Xt-S Certificated:

The Eagle XT-S all composites two seat light aircraft has been awarded its Certificate of Type Approval by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The unconventional aircraft has been designed to meet the European Joint Airworthiness Requirement for Very Light Aircraft (JAR VLA), a standard recognised by the CAA and currently being assessed by the US Federal Aviation Agency. The XT-S was developed in Western Australia and after several financial reorganisations, Eagle Aircraft is now wholly owned by Malaysian interests.

Major Airshow for Moorabbin:

February 25, 26 and 27 next year will see an airshow at Melbourne’s Moorabbin Airport, to be held in conjunction with the Moorabbin Festival.

The show will double as a trade fare to promote employment opportunities in the area and it is seen very much as a community event. The Moorabbin Community Employment Forum is behind the show and the local council has agreed in principle to provide $30,000 towards it on condition the money would be refunded with profit afterwards. Put the dates in your diary!

Where’s Their Elt?:

A Jetranger disappears in the Victorian high country, a Trinidad disappears without trace enroute Bankstown/Moree.

Recent crashes that involved dozens of expensive to operate aircraft searching of- ten in conditions little better than which obviously claimed their prey. This is dangerous for all involved (as a tragic accident several years ago out of Camden illustrates), is extremely expensive and only heightens public awareness as to the fallibility of GA. Readers might well ask why these two expensive aircraft weren’t carrying modern Electronic Locator Transmitter beacons (ELTS) that would have activated on impact (or manually prior to impact) and thus transmitted to a satellite their precise location so that rescuers could reach the scene with minimum delay.

Several years ago we highlighted this problem in Recce and reported on moves by the CAA to issue an ARP on the matter of compulsory ELTs for GA aircraft. Needless to say the result was bathed in apathy with most of the handful of respondents voting in the negative on the basis that (a) they only flew circuits or (b) it would never happen to them, it would always be the other guy. Consequently the CAA was forced to withdraw its legislation though in light of recent events it is considering reissuing a new ARP if the Government can assist by making ELT’s a little more affordable.

At present all such devices are subject to sales tax, import duty and an excise which is pretty ridiculous on any item deemed to beenhancing safety. Whilst cheap ELTs can be had for around $250, the better units are those that operate on the new international 460 megahertz standard, which will in fact become the only type available by the end of the decade. These unfortunately cost nearer $1000 though could be a life-saver if the aircraft’s occupants are injured but could still be saved if rescue can be facilitated in a reasonable time period.

The CAA is now lobbying at a political level to get the various Government taxes removed from ELTs and to be able to bulk buy a large quantity of quality units for cost price on sale to industry. We live in hope, but also stress that if another ARP is issued on the subject that you, the pilot or aircraft owner, have enough social conscience and wherewithal to vote positively for an item of kit that one day could prove to be the smartest thing you have ever invested in.