Register review

During 1947 German inventor Anton Flettner moved to the USA to continue his research into helicopter design and soon became chief designer for Kaman. During the war Flettner had designed the Flettner FL282 Kolibri which had twin, contra-rotating main rotors mounted on separate vee-shaped pylons set at around a 20 degree angle to the vertical centreline of the aircraft. The two intermeshing rotors proved to be a very stable design and Kaman went on to produce several models using this system as well are more conventional designs including the world’s first turbine powered helicopter which first flew in December 1951.

The latest Kaman design using the twin, contra-rotating, intermeshing rotor system is the K-1200 K-Max which made its maiden flight during December 1991.

The K-Max was the first helicopter to be specifically designed for external lifting operations and has a narrow, single seat, fuselage section with bulging side windows for maximum downward visibility. Other helicopters used for external lift operations are adapted from those used primarily for passenger or internal cargo carrying duties with their inherent restrictions during external load carrying operations. The K-Max can carry an almost 3,000kg external load – more than its empty weight.

IUU is the 29th K-Max built and spent much of its life with the Colombian Army before being delivered to Skywork Helicopters at Warkworth, New Zealand, in December 2008. The helicopter has now crossed the Tasman, but remains with Skywork Helicopters.

Two British-built classics are listed, John Gallagher’s Tiger Moth LXY and Howard Jones’ Auster J/1N Alpha UXB. The Tiger Moth was built during 1954 and was issued the RAF serial R5251 before being put on the UK civil register as G-ANXT on December 18 1954. It was immediately shipped to Australia where it became VH-BIC on June 17 1955 with Robert Tracey of Scarborough, Queensland. WP Kemp of Bardon, Queensland, obtained the aircraft during 1957 and changed the registration to WPL to reflect his initials. After a couple of other private owners Don Newson of Lidcombe, NSW, bought the aircraft during May 1989 and during 2004 he left it in the very capable hands of John Gallagher for a ground up rebuild. Unfortunately Don passed away before the restoration was complete and John bought the unfinished aircraft from Don’s estate during 2006. With WPL re-allocated to a Cessna 172 John has de-registered his Robin Sport LXY (see deletions section) and claimed the registration for the Tiger Moth in honour of his daughter Lexie. The aircraft has not been worked on for a while, but now John has retired he hopes to have the Tiger Moth back in the air in around 12 months.

Auster Alpha UXB was built in England during 1945 and first registered G-AGVF on December 7 of that year. It served most of its life being operated by the Exeter and Plymouth Aero Club although it spent most of its time at the latter airfield. It was badly damaged at Enstone, Oxfordshire, on January 2 1976 but was repaired and shortly after shipped to Australia. The aircraft was stored at Buckley Sawmill at Euroa, Victoria, for many years before moving to Western Australia and now being registered UXB with Howard Jones at Langford.

Tasman Cargo Airlines’ Boeing 757 TCA has become the only 757 on the local register and is only the fourth ever to be registered here. The last 757 with VH markings was Nordstress Australia’s NOF, which departed to Cameroun via the US in May 2002.

Of the 16 entries in the Deletions section this issue almost two thirds have been exported with the USA the favourite destination. GippsAero Airvans NOH and AQO are now in America with the latter becoming N495KB with the Bank of Utah whilst Beech Baron OMS in back in the US after only six months on the local register. The Baron has been returned to Beechcraft at Wichita, Kansas, as N581SR and a replacement is due soon. Skytrans Dash 8 QQJ has been sold to ERA Alaska Airlines and is now N880EA. ERA are the largest airline in Alaska and operate a fleet of Beech 1900C and 1900Ds along with Dash 8s.

BN Islander EGE has gone to Vanuatu to replace a damaged aircraft in the Air Vanuatu fleet whilst Pitts Special JAX is now in South Africa and was noted being packed in a container at Camden during July. Two of Heli-Go’s Bell 412s, UAH and ZZV have been sold in Germany with the latter known to have become D-HHPP and Jetstar Airways Airbus A320 VQT has been returned to its leasing company in Ireland and was registered EI-FCF for a short time before moving on to China where it now flies as B-9948.

The sole amateur built Druine Turbi on the CASA register, NVP, has been transferred onto the RA-Aus register and is now marked as 19-8327.

John Gallagher’s Robin Sport LXY suffered engine failure at Bringelly, NSW, on February 15 2003 and was badly damaged during the forced landing that followed. John was going to repair the damage but it was found to be uneconomical and the wreck was sold to Air Australia International at Jandakot to be used as a spares source for Robins JXY and XXY which Air Australia operate. John had now cancelled the Robin’s registration thus allowing his recently restored Tiger Moth to use the same marks.

Catching up on a couple of GippsAero Airvans that have recently departed our skies. EPR, which was noted in the May deletions section, is now known to be flying as N1753S with Summit Aviation at Middletown, Delaware, USA, whilst EZS, which was listed in last months deletions is now with Skydive Umea at Umea, Sweden and marked as SE-MES.