Newsdesk – Military Aviation

The proposed changes will revolve around improved conditions – better pay for specialists, higher retirement ages for officers and less time at sea for sailors. Age restrictions on pilots are part of the review. This in itself is a major factor in the RAAF resignation rate as experienced and fully trained pilots are grounded and given a desk to ‘fly’ at a relatively young age, thus removing the reason they joined up in the first place.

Under these circumstances pilots will and do look elsewhere, usually the airlines. Pilots, air traffic controllers, doctors and electrical engineers are those most often targeted by the private sector, the lure of much higher salaries usually proving too attractive to ignore. The review is scheduled to be completed by July. For further information on the RAAF’s situation refer Defence Update p87 May 95 AA.

USAF Looks At Leasing

The USAF is examining the merits of a lease-to-buy plan of transport aircraft proposed by manufacturers.

The plan’s main advantage over a conventional purchase is that it defers upfront purchase costs for three years or more while the operator has the benefit of the aircraft being in service during that time. The negative aspects are that manufacturers will in effect have to carry the cost of the aircraft themselves until the delayed settlement is made. This leaves them vulnerable to changes of policy which could see the deal never completed, with the result that manufacturers could be stuck with an expensive inventory of specialised aircraft, mainly large freighters.

Such an arrangement could be applied to the Non Developmental Airlift Aircraft (NDAA) programme, designed to supplement the McDonnell Douglas C-17 fleet with an ‘off the shelf’ transport aircraft.

The USAF has already requested information on lease-to-buy options on the replacement of its elderly VIP fleet, particularly the Boeing VC-137.

Legends In Their Time

There are aircraft that make history and those which are indeed famous due to the historic times in which they fly. These aircraft are rightly remembered as legends. It comes as no surprise then that we decided back in 1992 to name our latest series of books Legends Of The Air.

The first book in our all new Legends series goes on sale this month and documents the history of three of the most important and famous jet fighters of the fifties. The North American F-86 Sabre, the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 and Britain’s excellent Hawker Hunter.

Three aircraft from design teams and aircraft manufacturers of impeccable heritage. Three aircraft that were to dictate the future of fast jet operations long after their active careers closed. Indeed, three aircraft that almost half a century after their conception remain in active service in various far flung corners of the world.

Legends Of The Air, Volume 1, deals with these exciting aircraft in the thorough style expected of author Stewart Wilson. He has unearthed quite a lot of new and previously little known information on three famous aircraft types that you have probably wanted to know more about.

The Sabre, MiG-15 & Hunter is on sale at most major newsagencies or is available by mail from Australian Aviation, please refer to our advert on page 58 of this issue for full details.

The second Volume in the Legends series will be out this October and will cover the three famous heavy bombers of WW2 – The B-17, B-29 and Lancaster.

As in our popular Australian Airpower series, these high quality yet low cost books will be released every six months and will also cover a number of civil types such as the Constellation, Viscount, Douglas DC series, Concorde, 707 and Comet.

Begin your collection with Volume 1, on sale now, you won’t regret it!

Pearce Is RAAF’s Busiest

RAAF Pearce has emerged as the Air Force’s busiest airfield with the number of annual movements exceeding many of the major civilian airports around Australia.

Helped by the large amount of activity generated by its extensive flying training activities, Pearce now sees more than 130,000 aircraft movements each year. This is still well behind Australia’s busiest airport (Sydney’s Bankstown with nearly 651,000 movements in 1993/94, all of them general aviation) but makes an interesting comparison with other airports around the country. Some 1993/94 movement statistics include (rounded to the nearest 1000): Sydney KSA 240,000, Melbourne Tullamarine 134,000, Brisbane 126,000, Adelaide 97,000, Essendon 60,000, Darwin 87,000 and Canberra 150,000, the latter including an 81% GA component.

The major general aviation airports naturally have much greater activity, examples including Moorabbin (339,000), Archerfield (251,000) and Parafield and Jandakot (330,000 each).

More Fulcrums For India

India is to buy a batch of approximately 13 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters, sufficient to equip an additional squadron.

India already has three operational squadrons equipped with MiG-29s but 33 other squadrons are equipped with the now obsolescent MiG-21. A Memorandum of Understanding covering the purchase of the MiG-29s was signed two years ago but it is only now that the deal has been confirmed. Deliveries will be made in the second half of this year.

Rockwell Favoured As ASTA Buyer

The Federal Government has announced that the local subsidiary US corporation Rockwell International has been selected as the preferred tenderer to acquire part of Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA).

The deal – which is expected to be finalised by the end of June – includes acquisition of ASTA’s core Defence, Components and Engineering operations but significantly excludes the company’s troubled maintenance arm ASTA Aircraft Services (ASTAAS), Avalon Airport or New Zealand manufacturer Pacific Aerospace Corporation in which ASTA has an interest.

ASTA Defence recently won the RAAF P-3C Orion upgrade programme (in association with E-Systems, thought for a time to be a leading contender to purchase ASTA) while Components manufactures airframe parts for Airbus and Boeing airliners. Rockwell Systems Australia has a high profile on the Australian defence scene at the moment including the RAAF F-111 upgrade and Collins class submarine programmes.

No value has been put on the value of ASTA but some commentators have estimated it to be as low as $50m.

The Government is working to resolve ASTAAS’ future but some commentators are suggesting it looks bleak. It was the main contributor to ASTA’s $61m loss in 1993/94 and 160 of its more than 700 workers have recently been made redundant. The government wanted Qantas to assume control of ASTAAS by either buying it or entering into a long term management arrangement but this is unlikely, Qantas offering only management services under contract.

Russian Air Force Woes

The Russian Air Force is in serious trouble according to evidence given to a hearing by its deputy commander-in-chief, Col Gen Mikhail Soraka.

Col Gen Soraka has told the enquiry that the air force has cut the number of in service aircraft by 40% over the last two years, half the inventory comprises outdated aircraft and that by the first half of the next decade only about 20% of the current fleet will be operational, with the remainder retired due to reaching the end of their lives. Some 250 to 300 aircraft need to be procured annually to maintain a viable combat capability but in 1994 only 32 were obtained. The 1995 budget for military aviation has been cut by 68% compared with 1994 and for the first time no new aircraft are scheduled for delivery this year.

Other problems outlined by Col Gen Soraka include the fact that only about 65 of Russia’s 209 operational military airfields can be used at night and in bad weather and that more than 130 are in need of major repairs and reconstruction. Only about a third of the required spare parts are being received and the average mission readiness rate is down to 30-50% at operational units as a result. Fuel shortages are also a serious problem with the average pilot flying only 30-50 hours per annum.

In other bad news for the Russian Air Force, the first flight of the MiG 1.42 stealth fighter has suffered further delays due to the establishment of new management and the serious illness of senior Mikoyan designer Rostislav Belyakov.

Malaysian MiG Pilot Problems

The first of Malaysia’s 18 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters are due to be in service by the time these words are read but there is a problem with finding sufficient pilots to fly them, according to press reports from Kuala Lumpur.

A delay in approving a contract for a simulator is believed to be the main cause of the holdup. The contract was due to be finalised some time ago but at the time of writing still had not been settled. A simulation package is supposed to be in the process of being developed jointly by a Canadian electronics group and the Moscow Aircraft Production Organisation.

Malaysia has also ordered eight F/A-18 Hornets 28 BAe Hawk 100/200 trainer/light attack aircraft with the simulator contract for the latter also apparently not yet finalised. The first batch of 21 Hawks have already arrived in Malaysia.

US-UK JAST Agreement

US and British defence officials have signed a statement of intent which will see British involvement in the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) future combat aircraft programme.

The JAST has potential as a deep strike replacement for the RAF’s Tornado GR.4 strike aircraft and the Royal Navy’s Sea Harrier, the latter via an Advanced Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) variant. If a Memorandum of Understanding is signed as scheduled by the end of this year, development of a common Anglo-American airframe and common subsystems can go ahead. British Aerospace and McDonnell Douglas have already formed a consortium to bid for JAST work.

USAF Retires More F-111s

The USAF will retire 74 General Dynamics F-111E/F aircraft later this year and replace them with 54 Lockheed F-16C/Ds. An F-111 training squadron will also be disbanded.

The latest round of USAF F-111 retirements affects aircraft based at Cannon AFB, New Mexico where all USAF F-111s are based, but does not apply to the 25 EF-111 electronic warfare aircraft operating from the same base. Their future is still unclear but it appears they are safe for the moment. An F-111 avionics upgrade programme has also been curtailed but it is reported that aircraft already undergoing modification will be completed.

Meanwhile, the US Navy has decided to increase its fleet of Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic jamming aircraft from 100 to 120 and has committed itself to the aircraft over the long term. The Prowlers will be modified to a common configuration and upgraded to low band jamming capability, intended to counter older but very numerous surface-to-air missiles.

Prowlers are electronically more capable than their USAF EF-111A cousins though the advantage the 111s have is that they have greater endurance, a Mach 2 egress dash capability and can operate at higher cruise speeds whilst escorting deep penetration strike packages.

A full scale model of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Hornet is lifted by crane onto a 13m (42ft) high test tower at Smartt Field in St Charles, Missouri. The model will be used throughout the life of the F/A-18E/F programme for all antenna systems testing. (MDC)

The World’s Premier Sport Aviation Event – EAA Oshkosh

1995 promises to be one of the most exciting Conventions yet.

In addition to the hundreds of aviation related activities throughout the week, highlights will include a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II; “revisiting” the Golden Age of Air Racing; a 20th anniversary celebration of Burt Rutan’s VariEze design; and the end of an era – the Oshkosh leg of the Eagles Aerobatic Flight Teams’ farewell tour.

All will add to the unforgettable EAA Oshkosh experience, like no other within the international aviation community. The skies above Wittman Regional Airport Oshkosh, will be filled with airplanes of virtually every size and shape.

1995 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II and the EAA is coordinating a significant tribute to the men, women and aircraft who fought and died to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. World War II aircraft are expected to participate in record numbers as part of the tribute, including fighters, bombers, trainers, liaison aircraft and more. A very special airshow programme is also being coordinated to include a virtual aerial history of WWII, from the AVG Flying Tigers and Pearl Harbour to VE and VJ Days, concluding with a huge formation flyover.

Past visitors to Oshkosh have learned that you can travel the world over and never find the number and variety of aircraft that come to Oshkosh each year. Oshkosh 1995, July 27-August 2. For complete Oshkosh Tour details call Torii Tours Sydney on (02) 233 8500 or fax (02) 231 2758.

Japanese Aircraft Purchases Down

The Japanese Defence Agency’s purchases of new aircraft has reduced by 21% over the last five years thanks to the effects of the Gulf War and reduced budgets.

Total military aircraft purchases in 1991-95 amount to 375 units valued at $US13.6bn, 98 aircraft and$US5.7bn less than what was originally planned. By comparison, the previous five year period (1986-90) saw Japan purchase 508 military aircraft.

Programmes which have suffered during the 1991-95 period include the V-22 Osprey (four planned but none ordered), the Kawasaki T-4 intermediate jet trainer (67 obtained instead of 90) and the Mitsubishi built F-15J fighter which has had its five year planned procurement of 42 reduced to 28, bringing the overall F-15J total to 194 since 1981.

Despite the cuts, Japan persists with development of the hugely expensive FS-X fighter bomber which is little more than a reinvented F-16, only with a dry weight some two tonnes heavier and a unit price tag four times its American cousin.

Say Againski?

A Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-142 ‘Bear’ bomber/reconnaissance aircraft caused mayhem and chaos in British airspace in July last year while it wandered around the sky en route to the International Air Tattoo.

The Bear was in company with another of its ilk and an Il-76 transport when it became separated from the group and proceeded to change heading and altitude regularly, effective communication from air traffic controllers proving difficult because none of its flightcrew seemed capable of speaking reasonable English.

Instructions had to be repeated several times and when they were eventually obeyed it was only after lengthy delays. Two RAF Tornados were sent up to intercept the Bear and to escort it through the maze of civilian airways in the area. Their effect was minimal and the Russian aircraft at one stage caused the collision avoidance system aboard a KLM Boeing 747 heading for Los Angeles from Amsterdam to sound. The two aircraft passed 500 feet vertically and 3.5nm (6.5km) horizontally of each other.

The Bear eventually got down safely and its apparently random altitude changes (up to 700 feet at a time) are being put down as possibly the inaccurate conversion of feet to metres. So much for English being the universal language of aviation and altitude measurement in feet being the international standard method.

RAN Looks At Israeli Missile

The Royal Australian Navy is evaluating the Israeli Barak-1 point defence missile for possible installation on its fleet of FFG frigates.

Already operational with the Israeli Navy, the vertically launched missile weighs 98kg (216lb) and has a maximum range of 5nm (9km). It is claimed to be capable of intercepting all existing anti-ship missiles.

Israel already has strong connections with the Australian Defence Force through the Boeing 707 tanker conversion programme and the AP-3C Orion upgrade which will feature the Israeli EL/M-2022A radar.

Marines In The Top End

United States Marine Corps aircraft have arrived at RAAF Darwin for a regular two month training deployment to northern Australia.

Although based at Darwin, the aircraft will exercise in combat and strike training manoeuvres over the Delamere Air Weapons range, 130km south west of Katherine. The US exercise, known as Southern Frontier, involves 12 F/A-18 Hornets, three EA-6B Prowlers and a KC-130 Hercules as well as about 230 USMC personnel. RAAF Hornets are also involved in the exercise. Future USMC exercises in the Northern Territory will be based at RAAF Tindal near Katherine because of noise sensitivities.

General Aviation

Piper Reorganisation Plan

Piper has presented a reorganisation plan with the US Bankruptcy Court which if accepted, will see the company out of bankruptcy and operating normally.

The plan has been lodged jointly by Piper and its unsecured creditors and proposes the sale of substantially all of Piper’s assets to Newco Pac Inc, a new entity owned by creditors Teledyne Industries and Dimeling, Schreiber and Park (DS&P) for $US95m.

Teledyne’s activities include electronics and aerospace interests (Continental engines among them) while DS&P is a multi faceted organisation with various industrial and computer interests. It also owns Rocky Mountain helicopters.

Lycoming Parts Update

Updated and correcting information has been received regarding the discovery of some bogus piston rod bolts for Lycoming engines, as reported on p12 of last month’s Newsdesk.

As far as Australia is concerned, Superior Air Parts’ (the unintentional source of the bolts) local office has advised that only 24 of the suspect bolts were shipped to Australia and all of them have been accounted for by the company’s Brisbane office. However, people whose Lycoming engines are being overhauled should ensure that the rod bolts have SL75060 etched on the head (approved parts manufactured by Superior Air Parts); or AL75060 forged into the head (approved parts manufactured by Aircraft Technologies Inc).

Woman Pilot Of The Year

The winner of the 1995 Sir Donald Anderson Award for the woman pilot of the year has been announced. She is 21 years old Donja Marlies Heemskerk of Boronia Heights Qld.

Miss Heemskerk gained her Private Pilot Licence in June 1993 and is now in her third year of studying for a Bachelor of Science in aviation degree at Brisbane’s Griffith University and in conjunction with the Royal Queensland Aero Club, hopes to gain her commercial licence in the near future. Her ultimate aim is to be an airline pilot.

The award is designed to encourage woman pilots to study for professional qualifications.

Surfers Strip To Close

The only light aircraft gateway to Surfers Paradise, the airstrip at the former Surfers Paradise International Raceway, will officially close on June 30 this year.

The site has massive potential as residential land and has been owned by a Japanese concern for some years. It has allowed aircraft operators to use the strip on a monthly basis.

Possibly the best known operator to fly from the airstrip is Bruce McGarvie, who has been conducting his popular Tiger Moth joy flights for more than 20 years.

Meanwhile, a Tweed Heads community group has warned the Federal Government it should act now to alleviate worsening noise problems at Coolangatta Airport if it wants to avoid demonstrations and blockades in the future. The group has suggested realigning the main runway by 30 degrees to minimise the noise impact on residents.

The Tweed Shire Council has recently approved the building of home units right in the middle of the noise affected area, a move which has been criticised by Transport Minister Laurie Brereton.

SA Police Sell Aircraft

The South Australian Police is to disband its three aircraft Air Wing to save money.

An internal review of the Air Wing has revealed that less than 2% of its operations are for search and rescue or surveillance operations, while 68% involved general transportation which in the vast majority of cases could be performed by commercial services.