Newsdesk — General Aviation

Cessna Upgrades Pilot Centres

With Cessna about to resume production of some of its single engined light aircraft models, the company is also upgrading its Cessna Pilot Centres. Cessna claims the centres will offer the most advanced computer based flight training curriculum in the industry by introducing a substantially improved private pilot course featuring video cassettes, new instructor guides, quizzes, exams and a completely redesigned student kit with revised textbooks, workbooks and record folders. The new material represents the first step in a series of significant changes the company is planning as it moves closer to the production of piston singles. Cessna will continue research into further advancements in educational media, including computer and CD-ROM based instruction. The new material has been developed with the assistance of Jeppesen Sanderson and is available now to Cessna Pilot Centres.

The US Army has signed for an additional 14 Beech C-12R utility transports, taking its total order for the type to 29. All 29 C-12Rs (militarised King Air 200Cs) will be delivered to US Army Reserve units for use as utility transports. In all Raytheon/Beech have delivered over 300 King Air based C-12s since 1974. (Raytheon)

Raytheon has revealed it is developing an all new six passenger entry level business jet, the Premier I. The Premier I will have swept wings, be powered by two Williams-Rolls FJ44-2A turbofans (of 2300lb/10.3kN), have a Mach 0.8 plus cruising speed and a 1500nm (2780km) range. Its fuselage will be of composite construction and it will feature modern Collins Pro-Line 21 avionics with EFIS displays. Raytheon anticipates a unit price of $US3.9m, a first flight in mid 1997 and certification and first customer deliveries in the second half of 1998. The Premier I will also form the basis for a family of corporate jets, supplementing the large mid sized Hawker 800 and Hawker 1000. Raytheon says its Beechjet 400A will remain in production. (Raytheon)

Soloy’s stretched and twin engine Cessna Grand Caravan conversion flew for the first time on September 13. The converted Caravan is powered by two 650shp (485kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6D-114A turboprops driving a single propeller through a combining gearbox. The Soloy conversion also involves a 1.8m (6ft) fuselage stretch, a new engine cowling and an integral aluminium cargo pod. Soloy plans to certificate the twin Caravan at a max takeoff weight of 4765kg (10,500lb). Certification is currently planned for early 1997. (Soloy)

Australian Aviation Cessna Pilot Centres were an important part of establishing brand loyalty in years gone by. Established in 1970, the network once included 1100 locations worldwide and is expected to return to those sorts of numbers once deliveries of the ‘new’ Models 172, 182 and 206 get underway with an annual combined production rate of 2000 aircraft planned by 1998. Though Cessna has not yet decided to reinstate 152 production it is felt that this decision is inevitable as the company has already committed itself to reintroducing the new look CPC training package.

New Sj30 Launched

The Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation has launched a new, higher performance development of its SJ30 six passenger entry level business jet. The SJ30-2 will be powered by two uprated 2300lb (10kN) Williams-Rolls FJ44-2C turbofans giving a Mach 0.83 or 475kt (880km/h) cruising speed. Increased fuel capacity will give a VFR range of 3000nm (5500km) while the max operating altitude will be increased to 49,000ft. The SJ30-2 is being developed concurrently alongside the original SJ30, now designated SJ30-1, and both variants are due to be certificated and delivered from 1998. Production aircraft will be built at a new assembly plant at Martinsburg in West Virginia. The resurrected SJ30 programme is being funded by Sino-Aerospace Investment of Taiwan.

Gpws For Ga

AlliedSignal is developing a low cost terrain warning system (TWS, or more commonly ground proximity warning system) for single engined light aircraft, the idea tal readout from 30 to 3000 feet and will generate verbal warnings for rising terrain and ground proximity. The equipment will also generate altitude callouts of 800, 500, 200, 100 and 50 feet on the approach as well as warning if improper undercarriage and flap positions are selected for landing. It has a 20 minute flight data storage capability, meaning it can also be used for post flight analysis by a student or as a rudimentary flight data recorder in the event of an accident. The TWS has already been successfully flight tested in a Cessna 182 and Beech King Air and will be available from April next year.

Fogarty’S First Japanese Graduate

Fogarty’s Aviation Academy at the Sunshine Coast Airport has seen the graduation of the first Japanese flying instructor to be trained in Queensland. Nineteen years old Go Morimoto is the pilot in question after completing a 12 month course which gained him his commercial licence and qualification as an instructor. Mr Morimoto has indicated a desire to remain in Australia to continue his flying career.

Illawarra’S Open Weekend

Bankstown based Illawarra Flying School is conducting an open weekend over November 11/12 to celebrate its 45th birthday. Features of the weekend will include a BBQ, dinner, $15 joyflights, $25 trial instructional flights and a static aircraft display. All are welcome, particularly ex Illawarra students. For details phone the school on (02) 790 0626.

Mail Order Pilot Shop

SkySupply is a newly opened Sydney based mail order pilot shop which will regularly mail out a full colour catalogue detailing its product range. The service is optimised for pilots who live away from major population centres, and for those that do live near pilot centres but don’t have the time to go out to them. SkySupply’s first catalogue details various training manuals, navigation equipment, GPS, Headsets, videos and books. Phone SkySupply on 1800 636 707 for more details and a catalogue.