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Ansett Australia has leased three Boeing 737-33A aircraft from Ansett Worldwide. The Boeings, which were previously operated on lease by British Midland Airlines, will be delivered in December and January.

Ansett Express returned Fokker 50 VH-FNH to service on November 2. What was surprising about this was that VH-FNH was one of three Ansett Express F50s awaiting delivery to the Indian airline RajAir. VH-FNH returned to service with the Rajair titles and the Indian flag removed from the aircraft but complete with the very colourful tail markings of Rajair. Meanwhile Fokker 50 VH-FNF departed Melbourne on October 7 on delivery to Rajair in Bombay.

Australian Airlines’ final day of operation on October 30 saw it take delivery in Melbourne of Boeing 737-476 VH-TJT ‘Kingfisher’. As F/N AUS6900 VH-TJT, which carried Qantas colours, was ferried from Port Angeles, Washington to Melbourne via Honolulu, Apia and Nadi. VH-TJT was also the 50th Boeing aircraft to be delivered to TAA/Australian since the first, Boeing 727-76 VH-TJA, arrived at Melbourne/Essendon on October 16 1964. The 50 Boeing aircraft delivered comprise six 727-76s, 12 727-276s, 16 737-376s and 16 737-476s. Boeing 727-276 VH-TBP departed Melbourne on November 4th on ferry to Fort Worth, Texas where it was handed over to Extex International. The departure of VH-TBP leaves VH-TBO as the last Australian Airlines Boeing 727-276 in storage at Melbourne.

Finally then what of the last Australian Airlines flight on October 30. Evidently there is very little room for sentiment in the airline industry in this day and age as the last TN service, which was flight 61 from Perth to Sydney, was operated by Qantas Boeing 767-238ER VH-EAK! PACIFIC ISLAND NEWS Air Rarotonga has leased EMB-110P1 ZK-TRL from Aeromil with the Banderiante departing Maroochydore on October 17. ZK-TRL was previously operated by the Wellington based regional airline Tranzair and had been in storage at Maroochydore since June 29.

Airlink has purchased two DHC-6-200 aircraft previously operated by Talair with the Twin Otters P2-RDD and P2-RDF departing Cairns on October 8 for Rabaul. Airlink has also purchased the former Eastern Australia EMB-110P1 VH-WDI. The Bandeirante, which had been operating on lease to October. After preservice maintenance the Bandeirante was Airlink for twelve months, returned to Tamworth in early redelivered to Airlink in mid November as P2-ALY. While VH-WDI was in Tamworth for maintenance Eastern Australia leased EMB-110P2 VH-WDF to Airlink with the Bandeirante departing Tamworth for Rabaul on October 6.

with the recent delivery of P2-MBR msn 8126. Milne Bay Air has added a fifth Dornier 228-200 to its fleet Nationair EMB-110P1 P2-NAL has been withdrawn from service and the aircraft sold in New Zealand. On October 8 P2-NAL departed Cairns on its trans Tasman ferry flight on delivery to Tranzair.

Ferry Flights

There have been a number of interesting ferry flights in this period over a variety of routes. Tamair took delivery of its second Metro III VH-NEJ at its Tamworth base on October 14 with the aircraft being ferried to Australia over a very unique routing by Managing Director Paul Bredereck. On October 7 VH-NEJ departed the Fairchild Aircraft facility at San Antonio, Texas for Seattle, Washington. From Seattle VH-NEJ then headed north and west through Anchorage and Nome in Alaska to Magadan and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in Russia. The Metro then continued its ferry south through Pusan, Guam and Cairns to Tamworth. After preservice maintenance VH-NEJ was christened “Tamworth Pioneer- Jim Packer’ before entering service on November 5.

Air Chathams took delivery of Metro III N623AV over a more established ferry route when it flew into Auckland from Honolulu and Pago Pago on September 18. The Metro was later registered to Air Chathams as ZK-CIC.

Other Metro news concerns Newcastle Aviation, who has placed a third Metro III VH-SSV into freight service. As N350AE this Metro was delivered to Aeromil at Maroochydore last May.

Metro III N614AV was noted at a number of airports in Australia during October. Fitted out as a Multi Mission Surveillance Aircraft N614AV was brought to Australia to be demonstrated to a number of operators who will next year tender for the Coastwatch contract (refer update this issue). Also visiting Australia in this period in relation to the Coastwatch contract was CASA 235MP EC-100 which visited Cairns, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth during the period. Eastern Australia DHC-8-102 N801AW arrived at Tamworth on October 31 after being ferried across the Pacific by Southern Cross Aviation. Enroute stops made by N801AW between Camarillo, California and Tamworth were at Honolulu, Pago Pago and Canberra. N801AW entered service with Eastern Australia in late November now registered VH-TQF. Heron Airlines former Royal Navy Heron VH-NJP ‘E J Connellan’ departed Staverton, Gloucester on September 9 on its epic 27 stop ferry flight to Australia where it arrived on October 8. VH-NJP routed through Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan, India, Burma, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia before its arrival in Darwin. Heron Airlines have also purchased a second ex Royal Navy Heron G-ORSJ for spares however this aircraft made the more liesurely journey from England to Australia by sea.

DC-3 Fleet Additions

The Australian based Douglas DC-3 fleet is presently receiving a major boost with no fewer than eight new aircraft in prospect.

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force has to date provided three aircraft with a fourth in prospect. First to arrive was Douglas C-47B P2-003 which flew into Cairns from Port Moresby on August 21. For its ferry flight south to Moree on August 28, where the DC-3 is based with Marty Taylor owner of the Stockyard Tavern, P2-003 was allocated the trade plate registration VH-PTE. On September 23 P2-004 arrived in Cairns on delivery to Dakota National Air. The C-47 re- mained in Cairns until October 21 when it departed south using the trade plate registration VH-ATO. Dakota National Air has also purchased P2-001 from the PNGDF.

Desert Air Safaris took delivery of P2-005 from the PNGDF and it ferried into Cairns on October 12 before continuing to Longreach and Adelaide on the 14th. Desert Air Safaris have registered P2-005 as VH-PWN, a registration which was carried on another DC-3 that they only sold recently in New Zealand. It is unfortunate that Desert Air Safaris has chosen the same registration for the same type of aircraft so soon after the original was sold overseas. The original VH-PWN was immortalised in the song by John Williamson and many will find it confusing that it is not this aircraft now flying in Australia.

Meanwhile, South Pacific, who operates DC-3 VH-EDC from its Camden base, has imported a second of the type into Australia. Arriving in Cairns from Port Vila on October 20 was N65388 an aircraft which is no stranger to Australia as it was previously operated by the RAAF as A66-102. At the time of writing information is coming to hand of a new Brisbane based DC-3 operator Upover Downunder. Three DC-3 air- craft N2271C, N2271D and N2270M are to be imported with the first N2271C being noted at Archerfield on November 6.

Australia/New Zealand 1993 Bizjet Directory

The 1993 Bizjet Directory covers the period from Nov ’92 to Nov ’93 and shows again a reduction in numbers in our bizjet fleet. The fleet total presently stands at 69 which relates to an overall reduction of four on last years figure of 73. The theme at the 46th US National Business Aircraft Association convention held in Atlanta, Georgia in September was ‘No plane, no gain’. Unfortunately very few Australian companies are presently thinking that way, as although the Directory lists 69 aircraft only 23 aircraft or a third of the total fleet are directly owned or operated by major Australian corporations. The remainder of the fleet of 46 aircraft are used as follows: Charter 24 units or 35%, RAAF/Government 16 units or 23% and Freight 6 units or 9%.

Bizjet Deliveries

For the twelve months ending Oct 31 ’93 we are able to record the delivery of only three new bizjets to Australian operators.

Associated Airlines took delivery of Gulfstream IV-SP VH-ASQ at its Essendon base on Aug 25 with the aircraft being ferried in from Savannah, Georgia via Long Beach, Honolulu and Nadi. The Gulfstream IV-SP replaced in service Gulfstream IIB VH-ASG which was delivered to Associated Airlines in April 1971 and has given sterling service to the company over the following 22 years. All things being equal this means that it will be the year 2015 before we can except to record a replacement for the Gulfstream IV-SP.

Consolidated Press took delivery of Falcon 200 N702SB at Sydney on Jan 28 with the aircraft later being registered VH-CPE. Final delivery for the period was BAe 125-800B G-DCCC, which was delivered to National Jet Systems in Adelaide on Mar 26. Later registered VH-NJM, the BAe 125- 800B is being utilised by National Jet on Medivac flights throughout Australia, SE Asia and the South Pacific. Australian Jet Charter brought CitationJet N210CJ to Australia in August as part of a World Tour by this new bizjet.

Australian Overseas Sales

For the twelve months ending Nov 1 ’93 we saw six bizjets being sold overseas. Associated Airlines Gulfstream IIB VH-ASG departed Melbourne on Sept 26 bound for Savannah, Georgia, as a trade in on Gulfstream IV-SP VH-ASQ. Falcon 200 VH-NGF of GFW Aviation departed Sydney in May ’93 destined for the United States where it is presently hangared while awaiting sale.

BAe 125-800B VH-III was imported in July ’86 and for most of its working life in Australia was operated by the ANZ Banking Group initially from Essendon and latterly Tullamarine. At one stage ANZ even condidered replacing VH-III with a new model BAe 125-1000, however changing financial fortunes saw ANZ close down their Flight Department and sell their BAe 125-800B. VH-III departed Melbourne in Nov ’92 for the UK and on arrival the BAe 125 reverted to its previous registration of G-DCCC.

In March ’93 National Jet Systems in Adelaide leased a BAe 125 from British Aerospace while their own BAe 125-1000 VH-LMP was in the UK for maintenance. The BAe 125-800B allocated by British Aerospace was G-DCCC and so on March 26 the former VH-III was delivered to Adelaide. The circle was complete on July 28 when the BAe 125-800B returned to the Australian register this time as VH-NJM with National Jet Systems.

Paul Terry & Associates based in Albany, Western Australia took delivery of Cessna 560 N560PT in June ’91. In March ’93 N560PT returned to the United States to later be replaced by TBM700 VH-PTG. Two other Citations to be sold overseas in this period were Skywest Aviation Cessna 550 VH-LJK in April ’93 to General Aviation Services of Wheeling, Illinois as N68GA and Aeromil Cessna 500 VH-LGL in Nov ’92 to IHR of Oklahoma Inc, Oklahoma City as N771HR. The sale of VH-LJK and VH-LGL came as no surprise as both aircraft had previously been hangared in the United States while awaiting a buyer. BAe 125-3B VH-CAO has been removed from our listing as the aircraft is no longer on the register though the BAe 125 remains hangared at Sydney Airport and may well see out its days as a vintage/veteran aircraft due to its rarity.

Reregistrations

In the period under review three of our bizjet fleet changed their registrations. Hawker Pacific Beechjet 400A VH-BBJ was sold to Impulse Transportation in Nov ’92 with the Beechjet then becoming VH-IMP, while Hawker Pacific Beechjet 400A demonstrator N81661 was registered VH-BJD the same month. As we forecast last year Fleet Support Learjet 35As VH-WFE and VH-WFJ were reregistered VH-FSY and VH-FSZ respectively in June this year.

Changes of Ownership

The ownership of Cessna 560 VH-NHJ was transferred from Eagle Flight Services to Tilling Associates of St Helier, Jersey, UK. This change better reflects the base and operation of VH-NHJ which though registered in Australia spends most of its time in the Channel Islands. Tilling Associates is also the owner of Learjet 31A VR-CHJ which visited Australia earlier this year. The Learjet is registered in the Cayman Islands but it to is hangared in St Helier, Jersey with the Citation 560 VH- NHJ.

Jet City Aviation, which operates out of the Melbourne Jet Base, sold itsCessna 500 VH-ICX to McCafferty’s Coaches of Toowoomba in March ’93. In turn Jet City purchased Learjet 24D VH-BSJ from Australasian Jet at Essendon. BAe 125- 600B VH-NJA was previously operated by Sherrard Aviation out of Essendon however it is now registered to one of the former partners in that company. VH-NJA, which has flown very little in the last twelve months, was actively advertised for sale by Aeromil earlier this year. Another BAe 125 which has done little flying in the last twelve months, if any at all, is -700B VH-JFT of the Civil Aviation Authority at Essendon. Australian bizjet operators are searching the world for work for their aircraft. Pel-Air Westwind VH-AJJ was leased to Air Support in Kenya in May ’93 for operations into Somalia. Skywest Aviation Cessna 550 VH-WGJ departed Sydney on June 18 for Phnom Penh where it operated on charter to the United Nations. Australian Jet Charter took delivery of Citation 650 VH-OZI in October ’92 however to date the aircraft has not been seen in Australia. VH-OZI is based in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in Eastern Russia on lease to the Shell Oil Company. Transair Cessna 550 VH-TFQ operates on long term lease to Milne Bay Air, Port Moresby.