Civil Register Update

By far the most interesting aircraft in the Restoration section of this issue is Fox Moth AAA. The Fox Moth was designed in 1930 as a roomier and more economical replacement for the large numbers of Puss Moths being used by feeder airlines throughout the world. De Havilland were able to offer the Fox Moth at a very low initial cost by utilising standard Tiger Moth wings, tail unit and undercarriage and combining these with a larger fuselage and Gipsy III engine. The result was a four or five passenger, enclosed cabin biplane with the pilot seated in an open cockpit to the rear of the cabin and wing The prototype was first flown at Stag Lane Aerodrome on January 29 1932 and was then shipped to Canada for demonstrations on floats and skis. So sturdy was the design that this aircraft flew for nearly twenty years in the severe conditions of northern Canada. Ninety eight Fox Moths were built in England including the 1932 Kings Cup winner G-ABUT and the Prince of Wales’ personal transport G-ACDD. After some time in Belgium during which time it took part in the Egyptian International Air Rally and made several record attempts to the Congo, G-ACDD went to New Zealand where it was used by Air Travel on their pioneering 220km air mail service down the west coast of the South Island from Hokitika to Okuru. It was eventually exported to Fiji where it supposedly ended its useful life, however only last year the remains were returned to New Zealand where it was rebuilt to an exceptional standard and has since been shipped back to Britain.

In Australia a Fox Moth was used by Victor Holyman to inaugurate the 175km Launceston/Flinders Island service during September 1932 and Qantas purchased five to replace the veteran DH50s of the Flying Doctor Service. Two aircraft were actually built in Australia, the first, UZS, was registered during November 1937 and crashed four years later at Katherine NT. The second aircraft was AAA. First registered as AAA on February 23 1938 it was to become BYA but instead became CAS on September 28 1949. It changed again to GAS on June 16 1950 and during the next twelve years saw service with Papuan Air Transport at Port Moresby as well as various Australian operators. It was withdrawn from use during October 1962 but after almost thirty four years, a piece of Australian aviation history is flying again and no doubt will be a popular addition to future airshows and fly ins throughout the country.

Baron BWJ returns to the register after accident damage reported during November 1993 and Bandeirante FCG returns after twelve months in PNG on lease to Nationair of Port Moresby and using registration P2-NAB. Tri-Pacer PAL has had a chequered career after being delivered new to the Royal Queensland Aero Club during March 1956. It was originally registered RQA in line with other aircraft in the fleet but was sold during August 1958 and was reregistered DDR. It changed again during November 1961 to PAL and was withdrawn from use in December 1965, crashed on January 11 1969 and withdrawn again during August 1981. Each time the aircraft has been rebuilt and it now joins the growing number of Tri-Pacers flying in Australia.

Thirty three aircraft are shown in the Deletions section with almost one third of these being reregistrations and therefore appearing in the New Allocations under their new registrations. Six more aircraft have been exported to New Zealand including 1950s vintage Cessna 172 GCM and much travelled Squirrel NLR. The Squirrel has made several trips to Antarctica in support of various explorations and seems to spend half the year on the Australian register and half on the New Zealand register as ZK-IWJ.

Cherokee Six MAN has become ZK-MAN and is owned by Air Adventures of Christchurch. Air Adventures is a new company and will specialise in tourist charter flights to Mount Cook, Milford Sound and the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, utilising the club executive class seating of their Cherokee Six. Grumman Cougar IFX is now flying as ZK-JRV and was ferried via Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands to Auckland on February 19. Also by the same route on February 18 and 25 respectively were Cessna 182 KKM and Cessna 206 CJG. Both aircraft have not yet been deleted from the Australian register although both are prospective New Zealand imports.

Other aircraft departing these shores are Citation JPK to Switzerland, Robinson HII to Germany, Twin Otter IAM to PNG and Cessna 421 AIW and Mitsubishi MIT to the USA. Also enroute to the USA is Extra EA300 XTR, and although officially shown as withdrawn from use, Australia’s other Extra OOE is also believed to be heading for America.

Nine aircraft have been deleted due to accident damage including Metro SWP which crashed near Tamworth on March 9 killing the pilot. Weatherly WEK and Dromader DRO both crashed at Mount Murray Vic on the same day while fighting bush fires. The pilot of the Weatherly was killed and the accidents highlight the tragic loss of life and equipment that bushfires can cause.

In the Change of Ownership/Operator section several third level airlines have increased the size of their fleets including Whitaker Air Charter, based at Maryborough Qld, which has added a third Twin Otter. ATK was previously by Air Kangaroo Island of Adelaide which is are now in the hands of receivers, and the aircraft will be completely refurbished before joining TZL and TZR on Whitaker’s small route network. Air Cairns has added Cessna 310 BPI, Navajo IHA and Chieftain NEH to its fleet, the Chieftain becoming surplus to requirements at Tamworth as Tamair re-equips with Fairchild Metros. Two Cessna Centurions JIL and SQU have virtually crossed Australia to join Surf Air at Surfers Paradise from Brolga Air at Katherine NT.

A recent survey of the PNG register has revealed several aircraft exported to that country during the past six months, details of which have not been reported on these pages before. Chieftain STO is now P2-TED, operated by Sandaun Air Services at Vanimo. Also at Vanimo is Cessna 206 SAJ now with the Diocese of Vanimo and flying as P2-CMV. Cessna 182 WSF was easily changed to P2-WSF and is based at Port Moresby with the South Pacific Aero Club. Also based at Port Moresby is Mapmakers which has added Cessna T210 Turbo Centurion JQS/P2-RON to its fleet used for aerial photography around the country.

Navajo EGK is now flying as P2-BDL with Air Manubada of Boroko. Air Manubada previously used Cessna Stationairs but has recently added several Navajos and a Cessna 402 to its fleet to service its expanding route network since Talair vacated its PNG services. Milne Bay Air is another PNG airline to take advantage of the withdrawal of Talair but has opted for a combination of new aircraft and ex Talair machines to expand its fleet and cope with the demand. Milne Bay now boasts five new Dornier 2288, a Cessna Citation and five Twin Otters to service its route network along with a Super King Air, an Islander and several smaller machines. Its latest acquisition is Twin Otter P2-MBU previously operated by Flight West Airlines as XFH.

In New Zealand no less than fifteen Australian aircraft have been registered during the last two months with several more resident and expected to take up Kiwi markings in the near future. Navajo BZW is now ZK-DOM with the Nelson Aviation College, Cessna Stationairs TRU, TIR, HAC and BBX are now flying as ZK-ERD, ZK-JCH, ZK-JCS and ZK-JDG respectively, whilst one of the smallest aircraft to fly the Tasman, Piper Tomahawk NFY, was initially registered to aircraft dealer Dennis Thompson at Ardmore but has since been acquired by the Ardmore Flying School as ZK-JCZ. Seneca AUW now flies as ZK-MIE, Cessna 182 SHD is now ZK-CJM and Maule MSM simply had VH changed to ZK for its transition to New Zealand markings.

Cessna Agwagon JAR is now owned by Kitto Helicopters and flies as ZK-TJK whilst Cessna 172 Hawk IFC is now ZK- YAT with Mr G Yates of Christchurch. Beaver XIX which crashed during March 1992 was exported in its damaged state but has been rebuilt in New Zealand and is now back in the air using its previous Kiwi registration ZK-CCY. JetRangers YDA and HRB now operate as ZK-HIX and ZK-HRB respectively. HRB, which was a common sight over the Sydney beaches in its Westpac Surf Life Saving colours, was operated by Nationwide Helicopters of Auckland for a short while but has since transferred to Glacier Helicopters of Fox Glacier on the west coast of the South Island.

In an unusual move the New Zealand press have quoted the registrations of two Australian Beech Barons used in illegal bird smuggling operations across the Tasman Sea. The Matamata Chronicle reported on February 2 that two Brisbane based Beech 58s, WLC and EDR, were used during May and September 1993 to smuggle protected Major Mitchell Cockatoos and Galahs from Australia to New Zealand. Unused Kiwi registration ZK-COX was taped over WLC for the first sixteen hour round trip from Wondai Qld to Matamata airfield but no such precautions were taken when EDR was used for the second flight. Several New Zealand men are facing serious charges in their home country whilst the Australian pilot is now serving a prison sentence for his part in the matter, a sombre thought for anyone contemplating using their flying skills to earn money illegally.

There are only a few 1993/94 Australian Aviation Civil Aircraft Registers left now so if you do not have one yet, now is the time to order. This register has been expanded to include ultralights and powered hang gliders (trikes) but even with the increase in the number of pages we have been able to maintain the same price as last year. This is the only publication available that lists registration, type, construction number and owner/operator’s name and address in an easy to read tabulated format. Nearly 10,000 aircraft are listed including those registered with the Civil Aviation Authority, the Australian Ultralight Federation and the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia. The register is only available from AustAirData, PO Box 1142, Toombul, Qld 4012 (phone 074 98 3757) at a cost of $10. 95 including postage within Australia (add 50% for overseas air mail). Details are also available on IBM compatible computer disk in dbase IV or ASCII format at a cost of $50. 00 and credit card facilities are now available.