iscover
New Zealand's Fieldair is developing a US-designed V8 car engine (specifically a turbocharged small-block Chevrolet) for use in the Fletcher FU-24 crop sprayer as a replacement for the type's ageing Lycoming IO-720 engine. Converted aircraft will be known as the Fieldair Fletcher FU-24-550. The V8 engine produces 550hp (410kW) at 4400rpm. Liquid-cooled, it will be fitted with a Kiwi-designed gearbox, while power will be delivered through a Cresco propeller. The V8 is slightly heavier than the engine it replaces, but its extra power will allow an 11% increase in payload and boost overall performance. Being an automotive engine (used in uprated form to power Daytona racing cars in the USA), the Fieldair V8 will have accurate fuel metering and ignition control, while component costs will be substantially lower. Fieldair has been developing the engine for use in the Fletcher for the past two years, and the engine will eventually be fitted to the company's 21-strong fleet of Fletchers. Fieldair will also market the conversion to other Fletcher operators. (Mike Davidson)
Newsdesk – General Aviation
0 comment
Faa Tightens Kitplanerules:
The emergence of ‘cobuilder shops’ which help the buyersof high performance kitplanes to complete their aircraft has prompted theUS FAA to crack down on abuses ofthe homebuilt rules. The FAA believes many of these shops are ignoring the amateur built rules by completing kits with little or no owner involvement. They are, in effect, aircraft factories. Amateur built regulations require the owner to perform at least 51% of the tasks necessary to complete an aircraft. There are new regulations which allow the supply of kitplanes in which the builder’s input is less than 51%, but only if the aircraft is already type certificated under the FAA’s new primary category. About two dozen firms have been established to ‘manufacture’ high performance kitplanes such as the Glasair series. One type which could be hit by the crackdown is the Bede BD-10 supersonic jet kitplane. This does not comply with the new primary rules but the manufacturer has contracted another company to complete 10 of the 12 kits now under construction. The company involved – Fox 10 – has already been informed by the FAA it is operating outside the amateur built rules by building aircraft for owners.
Used Turboprop Marketbuoyant:
Although the market fornew 19 seat turboprop commuters hasall but dried up, second hand examples are finding ready buyers, mainlywith new operators but also with established airlines wishing to expand. British Aerospace subsidiary JSX Capital placed 58 regional turboprops with operators in 1993, comprising 25 Jetstream 31s and Super 31s, three ATPs, two BAe 748s, six Shorts 360s and 22 Metros. The company is looking to place 60 used turboprops this year. The company’s stock comes from trade-ins and from the fleets of failed operators. Beech also sold a healthy number of refurbished turboprops in 1993, a total of 35 Model 1900Cs and 99s being delivered to airlines, about one third of them outside the USA.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Safety For Free:
AlliedSignal Avionics is making an offer to airlines flying older jet transports notequipped with ground proximity warning systems (GPWS) which seems toogood to refuse. The company is offering refurbished and updated Mk.2 GPWSs for free to these operators in the interests of safety. About 300 aircraft are eligible, mostly outside the USA and Western Europe. There has been 25 crashes involving airliners flying into terrain whilst under control over the last five years, about half of which were by airliners not fitted with GPWS. AlliedSignal has also introduced its low cost Mk.6 GPWS, designed for commuter airline use but also suitable for corporate jets and turboprops. Business jets suffer controlled flight into terrain accidents four times a year on average, while corporate turboprops have three times that rate while flying fewer hours. The $US11,000 Mk.6 GPWS should help reduce that statistic.
Us Pilot Hirings Up:
Thefirst four months of 1994 have seen USairline pilot hirings jump and reachabout half the number of jobs filled inthe whole of 1993, surely a sign of better times ahead. In all, 2660 pilots were employed in the USA during the period, including 760 pilots by 110 operators in April alone. Regional airlines flying turboprop equipment are the leaders, although seven of the 11 major US carriers are expected to be hiring later in the year, with Delta the odd one out as it is reportedly going to reduce its cockpit crew numbers. Continental Airlines is also contributing to the growth, its new low fare services creating a need for more pilots, some 400 of which will be recruited over the next year.
Crash Victim Relativeslose Case:
Three sisters whowere orphaned when their parentsdied in the crash of an Advance Airlines Beech King Air at Sydney Airportin 1980 have lost what was consideredto be an important test case for nearly$900,000 compensation from the Federal Government. Counsel for the family claimed negligence on the part of the air traffic controllers for failing to provide the aircraft’s pilot with proper directions and instructions after an engine failed immediately following takeoff; andagainst the government for allowing Advance to forgo safety standards by allowing the aircraft to be illegally overloaded and use less than maximum power on takeoff. Justice Alan Abadee in the Supreme Court of NSW found although there had been a breach of duty by the controllers, this had not caused or contributed to the accident. He also found the overloaded condition of the King Air and the reduced power takeoff didn’t cause or contribute to the accident either.
Ajc Wins Russian Contract:
Sydney based operator Australian Jet Charter has been awarded athree year contract with Shell Oil tosupply specialist oil industry servicesto the Russian Sakhalin Islands off thecoast of Siberia. AJC has been working for Shell in the region since 1992, providing a Citation jet service to the islands in extreme conditions. In addition to the new Shell contract, the company has received expressions of interest from several other companies engaged in oil exploration activities in the region.
Calendar Of Aviationevents:
Courtesy AOPA. Aug 5-6 1994: Sunshine State Air Race, Maroochydore, Qld. Bas Owen (074) 43 1166 or Noel Furmage fax (074) 45 0805. Aug 7: RFDS Diamond Jubilee Airshow ’94, Derby, WA. RAAF Base, Curtin. RFDS Sixtieth Birthday celebrations. Barb Stott (091) 91 1211. Aug 14: GAPAN Pilot Refresher Course, Canberra, ACT. Fourth Annual Pilot Refresher Course. Australian Defence Force Academy. Malcolm Mason (018) 22 9405, (02) 214 1111. Aug 15-16: Australian Association of Flight Instructors Annual Conference. Greentree Inn, Bass Hill, NSW. Dianne Cowley fax (065) 43 3378. Aug 27: Mackay Aero Club, Qld. Dr Des Jacklin Memorial Air Navigation Trial. Kevin Sappanen Telefax/ans (079) 57 8529. Sept 1-Oct 3: Across USA Safari. Bernie Sarroff (049) 30 1577. Sept 5-11: Farnborough International Air Show. Farnborough UK. Sept 8-11: Aviation Medical Society of Australia and New Zealand. Annual Conference and AGM, Hobart, Tas. Dr Dougal Watson (03) 368 1450 or fax (03) 368 1714. Sept 10-11: Sun ‘n Fun Flyln. Caloundra, Qld. SAAA Qld Division. Bob Davidson (07) 349 3558. Sept 24-25: “Prairie at Horsham”. Hosted by Horsham Aero Club, Vic. Tony Brand (053) 81 1727. Sept 24: Alpha Aviation 30th Anniversary, Sydney. Greentree Inn, Bass Hill. Sue Bellamy (02) 725 1744 or 772 1307 (ah). Sept 24: AOPA Pilot Information Day, Darwin NT. AOPA (06) 280 4221. Oct 7-9: International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians. Flyln to Wagga, NSW. Peter Walsh (069) 22 3911 or David Riley (075) 73 3870. Oct 9: Caboolture Aero Club Open Day, Caboolture Aerodrome, Qld. Infoline 0055 31875. Oct 16: Strathalbyn SA Spring Flyln 1994. Southern Districts Flying Club. Don Dewar (085) 36 2070. Oct 16-19: Aviation Law Association of Australia & New Zealand. 13th Annual Conference, Hamilton Island, Qld. KK Conference Management Services (03) 428 3155. (008) 33 4143. Oct 22-23: Sir Hubert Wilkins Commemorative Dinner, Jamestown, SA. Saturday evening dinner and Sunday Flyin and official opening of Sir Hubert Wilkins Building. Malcolm Axford (086) 64 1218 or Ashley Hall (086) 64 1421. Oct 22-23: Longines 10th Great Tiger Moth Air Race. Royal Newcastle Aero Club. Bill Hitchcock (049) 32 8888. Oct 23: Gathering of Eagles Air Show. Royal Newcastle Aero Club, NSW. Bill Hitchcock (049) 32 8888. Oct 29: AOPA/CAA Flight Safety Forum, Perth, WA. Murdoch University. Gareth Davey or Troy Watkin, CAA (06) 268 4111. Nov 7-21: Sanyo Electric Flight World Championships. Drage’s Airworld Museum, Wangaratta, Vic. Sandy Talbot (02) 763 2232. Nov 12: Round 3 NSW Interclub Flying Competition. Lawrence Hargrave Commemorative Trophy for Best Pilot, 1994. Schofields Flying Club. John Ciardi (045) 72 5724. Nov 12-13: Seaplane Pilots Assn Splashln. Rose Bay, NSW. Lawrence Hargrave re-enactment. Philip Dulhunty (02) 981 3866. Nov 26: AOPA Pilot InformationDay, Tyabb, Vic. AOPA (06) 280 4221. Nov 27: CAA Flight Safety Forum, Sydney. Bankstown Trotting & Recreation Club. Gareth Davey or Troy Watkin, CAA (06) 268 4111. Feb 11-19 1995: Skyrace Tasmaniaand Pylon Racing at Valleyfield. (003)31 5233, (018) 50 0111. Mar 21-26: Australian International Air Show and Aerospace Expo, Avalon Vic. (052) 24 2020. Apr 29-30: Machinery & Transport Spectacular, Goolwa, SA. Goolwa Airfield. Barbara Martin (085) 56 5931. Apr 22-25: Antique Aeroplane Association Fly-In & vintage car display, Cowra, NSW. Les Crane (063) 42 1400 or (063) 42 2313 (AH).
Skyrace On Again:
If youmissed out on this year’s pylon racingin Tasmania then don’t worry as it’s onagain in ’95. To be held between February 11 and 19, Skyrace will run to a similar format as this year’s successful event leading off with a round Tasmania air race based on traditional navigation skills rather than brute horsepower. The final three days will be dedicated to pylon qualifying and racing at Valleyfield, south of Launceston. The inaugural Skyrace was an exceptionally enjoyable event and was covered in depth in our April and May editions and is certainly worth noting in your activities calendar. The only query we humble minionsat AA have with the timing is that it nicely misses (like totally) a truly unique opportunity to really get Skyrace off the ground (no pun intended) via linking its timing with the major international airshow at Avalon in late March. If, for instance, Skyrace had been run either a weekend before or after Avalon then it would have no doubt attracted many more interesting aircraft that were already situated in that part of the world. The short hop across Bass Strait would have been something that dozens more owners of Harvards, Winjeels, CT-4s, various classics and other warbirds would have considered as they were already planning to be in south eastern Australia at that time. The effect on Skyrace and the all important pylon racing fields would have been incredible to say the least and would have gone a long way towards ensuring not only the financial viability of this new and exciting form of aerial motorsport but also raising the tempo of the event via larger fields of competitive aircraft.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.
