Newsdesk — General Aviation

The new 172 was flown by production test pilot Lionel Diamond, who stayed aloft for 25 minutes. Production aircraft will be rolling out of a new factory at Independence, Kansas, from December this year.

CASA Board Fight Hots Up

Attempts by new Minister for Transport John Sharp to replace non-aviation members of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s board with people experienced in the industry have been so far thwarted, with the relevant members refusing to resign.

In response, Mr Sharp is threatening to terminate their appointments if they continue to refuse to cooperate. The minister has moved to take direct charge of air safety regulation and has demanded an explanation from the CASA board as to why they rejected advice from the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) that extra safety checks were necessary on some aircraft. BASI recommended the checks following the investigation into the crash of a de Havilland Dove shortly after takeoff from Melbourne’s Essendon Airport.

Mr Sharp is concerned at the lack of aviation expertise on the CASA board, saying: “It is my belief that if you are going to have a board administering aviation safety regulation in this country, then the people who are best equipped to do it are people who have expertise in the aviation industry, understand the technical requirements, understand the personalities and history of the industry”. The minister is also reported to be looking at the boards of Airservices Australia and the Federal Airports Corporation.

CASA’s chairman, Justice Bill Fisher (who is also president of the NSW Industrial Relations Board and one of Mr Sharp’s targets) has tried to make the board’s aviation inexperience into a virtue, saying that it was inappropriate for people who have aviation experience to be running the organisation!

Chinese Ultralight Joint Venture

Queensland-based Austflight ULA—manufacturer of the Drifter ultralight aircraft—has joined forces with China’s Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory to market the aircraft in the USA, Europe, and Asia.

The 50/50 agreement has resulted in the formation of the Shanghai Fenton Light Aircraft Company, and under its terms the new company’s Shanghai plant will produce 100 Drifters in its first year and 160 in its second.

Austflight has been manufacturing the Drifter at its Boonah (near Brisbane) plant for 12 years and has sold about 500 aircraft, mainly in Australia, where it is extensively used for station management, flying training, and recreation.

First flight of the 200 took place on April 2 with company founder Walter Extra at the controls. Much of Extra’s market is in the USA and the company is opening a new factory in Florida later this year.

Extra had a big month in April, flying the first EA 400 all-composite advanced six-seat touring aircraft on the 4th.

Pilot Recruitment Drive

The US general aviation industry is to launch a campaign from next year aimed at increasing the number of pilots.

The GA Team 2000 initiative will combine the efforts of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in an attempt to attract 100,000 student pilots in 2000 and following years. Founding members of GA Team 2000 include companies such as Cessna, Piper, Raytheon, AlliedSignal, Continental, Mooney, and FlightSafety International.

Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee has awarded AP-23 airworthiness certification to the five-place Ilyushin Il-103 light aircraft, with US FAA FAR Part 23 certification due during May. The Il-103 is the first aircraft to be certificated under shadow certification, where Russia and the US recognise each other’s certification processes. The five-seat Il-103 is intended for training and private flying and is powered by a 210hp (155kW) Teledyne Continental IO-360ES. The certification of the Il-103 clears the way for larger Russian transports to gain FAA certification.

Raytheon had expected to deliver the first Beechjet 400As featuring totally redesigned interiors during May. The new interiors are designed to maximise passenger and crew comfort while also providing good accessibility to system components within the cabin to minimise downtime during aircraft maintenance inspections. (Raytheon)

The move coincides with Cessna’s return to light aircraft manufacturing and the end of Piper’s woes and its return to financial stability. US GA is currently suffering a high pilot dropout rate, with the population expected to drop from 650,000 at the moment to 530,000 by the turn of the century if the current trend continues. If successful, the GA Team 2000 program could see the latter figure improve to 700,000.

The program is targeting the 25 to 65 years old age group with a household income of more than $US50,000. It will also try to make flying courses more attractive to women.

Eagle Modified

Production of the Australian/Malaysian Eagle XT-S all-composite and unconventionally configured two-seat sports trainer has temporarily stopped while aerodynamic modifications are incorporated.

The modifications are necessary because the aircraft failed to meet the 45kt (83km/h) maximum stalling speed allowed under JAR/VLA rules. As a result, it has been approved for operation only at a reduced takeoff weight which effectively limits it to a single-seater. The modifications involve a redesign of the aircraft’s flaps to increase their span and chord. A full recertification program will be flown.

Sporty’s Pilot Shop in the US has just released the popular US Navy G-1 leather jacket in women’s sizes. The authentic aviator jacket is based on the original US Navy design, including the goatskin leather and genuine mouton wool collar. The flight jacket is available in women’s sizes 6 to 16 for $US290. Call Sporty’s in the US on +1 513 735 9000, or fax +1 513 735 9200.

The XT-S is currently built in Perth, but a second factory has recently been completed in Malaysia.

Aero Clubs Call For Abolition Of Fuel Excise

At its most recent Annual Conference in Toowoomba, the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia agreed on a motion to replace Avgas excise with a suitable method of alternative funding.

Such an alternative, which is yet to be determined, could include, but is not necessarily limited to, location-specific charging. The motion was supported by the delegates at the subsequent Flying Training Towards 2000 Conference.

Both the Industry (including the RFACA) and the Authority (initially the CAA and now Airservices Australia) have long agreed that an alternative method of charging is necessary. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association argues for location-specific charging as the best solution. Such a system, which charges for actual usage of the capital city secondary airports, is equitable. However, it requires all the aircraft movements to be recorded and the administrative costs can be considerable.

AOPA argues that these costs can be contained and, combined with further economies by Airservices Australia, can result in a system of charges which is both equitable and affordable.

The success or otherwise of AOPA’s preferred location-specific charging will depend on the end cost to the user. The RFACA is yet to be convinced that AOPA has solved the problems that defeated similar efforts in the past; however, it does agree that the fuel excise is inappropriate and must be replaced.

Air Race Helps Flying Doctor

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is at or near the top of any list of worthy causes in our book, and an air race being held this August is intended to be a major fundraising event for the organisation.

The Mobil Outback Air Race is being conducted between August 10 and 24, taking competitors from Perth and back via Kalgoorlie, Nallan Station, Meekatharra, Newman, Fitzroy Crossing, Kununurra, Derby, Broome, Port Hedland, Coral Bay, Mt Augustus, Gascoyne Junction, Carnarvon, Nanga Station, and Geraldton.

It will be a great way to see the Outback, and time has been set aside to explore the Kimberley, Lake Argyle, the Bungle Bungles, and other areas.

There are various prizes on offer including a trip for four to London, awards for the best and most imaginative fundraisers, and daily prizes for the winners of each leg. Contact the RFDS on (09) 414 1200 for details of what could be the adventure of a lifetime, all in aid of a great cause.

Incorrect Chart Alert

Pilots conducting instrument approaches into Armidale NSW and using the new Armidale NDB Approach Plate for runway 05 (effective June 20 1996) take note—the airfield elevation is shown as 355ft instead of the correct 3556ft.

The mistake has been blamed on ‘computer error’ (naturally), and a correcting amendment has already been issued. Nevertheless, it’s mentioned here just in case a pilot unfamiliar with Armidale and not in possession of the amendment tries to land on a runway listed as in effect being 3200ft underground!

15 Minutes Of Fame

It appears the crash of the Cessna 177B Cardinal carrying seven-year-old Jessica Dubroff, her father, and a flight instructor during a trans-USA ‘record’ attempt in April resulted from a combination of atrocious weather conditions (including windshear), a high-altitude takeoff from Cheyenne, Wyoming, an overloaded aircraft, and a classic case of “pressonitis”.

Early investigations into the accident show the aircraft and its fuel weighed 1016kg (2240lb), leaving just 118kg (260lb) for the three occupants and their substantial amount of baggage and equipment. This, in combination with Cheyenne’s 6156ft (1876m) field elevation, resulted in a notable reduction in the aircraft’s performance. It crashed shortly after takeoff after having been observed to reach a height of not more than 400ft (120m) and suffering roll oscillations.

The flight was an attempt to set a new record for the youngest ‘pilot’ to fly across the USA. The instructor was pilot in command for the entire flight and was flying the aircraft when it crashed.

AA Comment: Unfortunately the laws of libel prevent us from expressing how we really feel about this misadventure, this search for Andy Warhol’s ’15 minutes of fame’ and a place in the record books for a ‘pilot’ who wasn’t—and couldn’t be—at her age, at least not legally.

The fact that an important television commitment awaited Jessica at the other end of the flight probably offers the real explanation for the decision to go and the tragic result. The fact that the aircraft was overweight (and probably out of balance—investigations continue) also seems to suggest a lot about the standards of airmanship involved by those who should have known better.

Seeker Certificated

The locally designed and built Seabird Seeker three-seat multipurpose light aircraft has been awarded certification by the US FAA.

Suitable for training, observation, policing, border patrol, bushfire patrol, and a host of other roles, the Seeker is under examination by customers in Spain, Mexico, and Thailand. It has been shortlisted by the Thai Army for observation and training duties.

Tamworth Academy Wins Contracts

The Australian Air Academy at Tamworth has won three major contracts for pilot training.

Malaysia Airlines will send 32 cadets to the Academy during the course of 1996, while a joint venture contract with the National Taiwanese University will provide training for a number of Taiwan airlines plus the Taiwan Civil Aviation Authority. Air China is another recent signing to the Academy, with the first of 32 cadets from Chengdu’s Flying College of China arriving last January.

In addition, the Academy has won a contract from Airservices Australia to provide initial training for new air traffic controllers.

Pilots Live Longer

A survey of 2200 pilots and flight engineers conducted over a 25-year period seems to indicate they will live longer than their non-flying counterparts.

All the pilots surveyed were former American Airlines crew who retired at age 60. Their median age of death was found to be just under 84 years, refuting previous theories that the stresses associated with professional flying tend to reduce the life expectancy of pilots.

GPS Policy Approved

US President Bill Clinton has approved a national policy for the management and use of the global positioning system (GPS) with the intention of balancing military and civil needs.

The system will be managed by an interagency executive board chaired jointly by the Defense and Transportation Departments, but overall control will remain with the Pentagon. The Selective Availability feature of GPS, which can be used to intentionally degrade its accuracy for military use, will be discontinued within 10 years. Measures will be developed to prevent the hostile use of the system to ensure that US military forces retain system accuracy without adversely affecting civilian users.