Newsdesk — General Aviation

Of interest is the fact that Cessna achieved its total without its most popular model, the Citation II. The last was delivered in 1994 and its replacement — the Citation Bravo — won’t become available until later this year. Cessna will expand its product line further in 1996 with the introduction of the high speed Citation X, while another new model, the Citation V Ultra, has been selected by the US Army to fill its C-XX medium range transport requirement. The army will buy 35 Ultras over a five year period. The piston engined total includes American Champion 46, Aviat 42, Bellanca one, Classic Aircraft seven, Commander 25, Maule 68, Mooney 84, Piper 165 and Raytheon 138. All except Aviat and Bellanca were up on 1994.

Aermacchi M-290EX Redigo

Aermacchi has acquired production and worldwide marketing rights for the Finnish Valmet L-90TP Redigo turboprop trainer following a recently signed agreement between the two companies. Aermacchi has renamed the 450shp (335kW) Allison 250 powered trainer the M-290TP Redigo.

Aus Aircraft Accidents Down In 1995

Figures recently released by BASI show that the number of aircraft accidents during 1995 were below the three year average, reports Norman Lee. There were 245 accidents in all categories which included 27 fatalities. The number of accidents was highest in the private/business category at 94, with 40 accidents recorded in the charter category, and training, agricultural and aerial work accounting for 38, 29, and 23 respectively.

When queried as to the apparent upsurge in fatal accidents over recent months, BASI offered the view that these will prove to be within the yearly statistical average when that calculation is made for 1996. Notwithstanding this, the general public would have the perception that fatal accidents have been reported seemingly weekly in the general media over that period.

A study of BASI statistics shows that in the 10 year period 1985/94, the fatal accidents/year ranged from a low of 16 in 1985 to a high of 40 in 1990. A sample of 75 fatal accidents extracted from the BASI database shows that the largest proportion (36%) occurred on private/business flights. The three most frequent first occurrences in accidents were loss of control; collision with terrain (control unknown); and wire strike. Most accidents had more than one contributing factor. Over 70% of accidents involved pilot factors with the most common being poor judgement and decision making, but BASI has come to recognise that although pilot factors loom large, accidents frequently have their origins in systemic or organisational failings. It will be interesting to see if the inquiries presently being conducted into GA and training produce any long term reduction in the overall accident rate.

GA-8 Airvan Written Off In Testing Accident

During February the prototype Gippsland Aeronautics GA-8 Airvan was lost when it failed to recover from a spin, reports Dave Prossor. The Airvan, which was operating under a trade plate registration, had completed more than 100 spin tests. On February 7 the aircraft took off from the Gippsland Aeronautics base at Latrobe Valley airport in Gippsland, Victoria, for a further spin test at the aft end of the weight and balance envelope. When the aircraft failed to recover with normal control input the test pilot, David Wheatland, operated the anti-spin drogue parachute and initiated dumping of the lead shot ballast. However, the aircraft continued in the spin. The test pilot bailed out and suffered injuries on landing. The aircraft came down in forest plantation country in the Hazelwood North area. Video cameras on board the aircraft, used for flight test recording, were expected to assist in unravelling the cause of the accident.

A second aircraft, the definitive version of the Airvan, is already under construction and will be powered by a 300hp (225kW) Lycoming engine. The prototype had the same 250hp (190kW) engine used by the Gippsland Aeronautics GA-200 agricultural aircraft. Industry indications are that the eight seat Airvan has big potential in the tourism and short haul freight sector of the market, an area where the initial outlay and ongoing cost of a turbine powered aircraft often cannot be justified.

Aviation Safety Awards To Be Presented At Mangalore

Following the 1995 inaugural presentation of the AAUP sponsored Australian Aviation Safety Awards at the Avalon International Airshow, the 1996 awards presentation is to be made at the Mangalore Airshow on Easter Sunday April 7. The awards are designed to reassure a concerned public that Australian general aviation is in safe hands. Awards were established to recognise air safety excellence in nominated aviation categories, and to reward the air safety initiatives of individuals or organisations. Initiated by the major general aviation industry associations the awards have already become a keenly sought benchmark by general aviation companies. Famed Australian aviatrix Nancy Bird Walton will make the 1996 awards presentations.

University Surf Patrol

Five aviation students from Perth’s Edith Cowan University have been building up their flying hours by performing aerial patrols of Perth’s beaches during the summer. Sponsored by radio station PMFM, the ‘Sky Runner’ patrols have been flown each Saturday, Sunday and on public holidays, conducting broadcasts on beach and weather conditions, hazards such as rips and sharks, plus car parking problems. The students piloting the aircraft have been studying the Bachelor of Science (Aviation) course at the university. Edith Cowan is the only WA university offering an aviation programme. The first intake of students was in 1992 and these have now graduated with their BSc (Aviation) degrees.

Extra Extra

Best known for its competition aircraft, German manufacturer Extra-Flugzeugbau should have flown the prototype of its new six seat pressurised touring aircraft by the time these words are read. Called the Extra EA400 and built from composite materials, the aircraft is powered by a single Continental Voyager TSIOL-550 six cylinder, water cooled and turbocharged engine and is a high wing design with a T-tail. Full certification is planned for the end of the year and Extra is intending to sell the aircraft at a basic price of $US885,000. The EA400’s main market potential is seen to be the USA where it will be aimed at customers who wish to replace their old twins.

Pilot Project

The University of New England has launched an adult education Graduate Certificate programme for ground instructors at the Australian Air Academy in Tamworth. The programme has been developed in association with the Academy to help ensure the centre’s flight instructors have formal qualifications in adult education and training. The Academy has over 150 instructors. The programme covers three units in adult teaching and learning techniques, programme development, and programme evaluation over a three semester period. It integrates distance education teaching techniques with face to face tutorials, conducted by University of New England lecturers at the Academy. Fifteen instructors are now working through the first course.