Register review

The prototype of the 110 flew during July 1946 but by this time it was obvious that American Airlines needed a larger aircraft with pressurisation so the Convair 240 Convairliner was born (240 = 2 engines, 40 seats) powered by two 2500hp (1865kW) Pratt and Whitney R-2800, 18 cylinder air cooled radial engines. American Airlines ordered 100 Convair 240s, although only 75 examples were eventually delivered, after which Pan American and Western Airlines also ordered the type.

The 240 became a favourite with the American airline industry although TWA chose the 240’s main rival the Martin 2-0-2. The first overseas delivery was to Trans Australian Airlines (TAA) during December 1948 quickly followed by Aerolineas Argentinas, Orient Airways in Pakistan, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Swissair, Garuda and Sabena. One hundred and seventy seven Convair 240s were built between March 1947 and October 1950 before Convair developed the Model 340 in competition to the Martin 4-0-4.

Convair also developed several military versions of the 240 including the T-29A crew trainer, VT-29A staff transport, C-131 casualty evacuation version which could carry 20 stretchers and seven medical staff seats and the VC-131D for VIP transport.

TAA received five Convair 240-5s during 1948 with the -5 being the interior fitout code for TAA. VH-TAO, TAP, TAQ, TAR and TAS were eventually sold overseas with two going to Pakistan and one to the US in 1956 and the remaining two going back to the US during 1959.

HARS’ Convair is a VC-131D version which was built during 1954 and was test flown as N8453H before being delivered to the USAF marked as 54-2820. After military service it went to Bolivia where if flew as CP-227 and then to Caribbean Flights in Venezuela marked as YV-914C. Next stop was South Africa where it was registered as ZS-ARV with Rovos Air before being withdrawn from use and stored at Freeway since February 2011.

HARS are to be congratulated in bringing yet another classic type operated by an Australian airline back to life and although the aircraft started life as a VC-131D military version it is understood that it will be morphed into a 240 and be painted in the original TAA colour scheme.

Statewide Aviation at Moree, NSW, have imported the first General Electric powered Thrush S2R-H80 and have now registered it NTV. The type is designated the 510G and follows the classic Thrush lines but is fitted with the new generation General Electric H80 turbine power plant which is said to provide increased temperature margins to enhance hot day take off performance and high altitude cruise speeds. NTV is fitted with Satloc Bantam flow control, air conditioning and a hopper capacity of 510 gallons (1930 litres) or 66 cubic feet (1.93 meters) of dry chemicals.

SKG is the first BRM Aero Bristell to join the CASA register although there are at least 22 on the RA-Aus register – which is where SKG has been since April 2015 flying as 24-2781.

The Bristell was designed by Milan Bristela and is a low wing, two seat side-by-side, single engine sport and touring aircraft produced by BRM Aero in the Czech Republic. Bristela also designed the Evektor SportStar which was also marketed as the PiperSport.

Construction is of aluminium and the aircraft is fitted with a tricycle undercarriage, bubble cockpit and wing flaps. The standard engine is the 80hp (60kW) Rotax 912UL but options include the Rotax 912ULS, ULPower UL260i and iS and the ULPower UL350iS. The Rotax 914 and Jabiru 2200 and 3300 are also available.

SKG is an LSA model with a 9.13m wingspan and a 600kg gross weight although three other models are available, the UL basic spec with an 8.13m wingspan and 472.5kg gross weight, the HD heavy duty model with the same wing but the higher gross weight and the RG which is an LSA with retractable gear.

The final two new types are both gliders, the Jonker JS-3 Rapture and the Distar Sundancer. Todd Clark is the local agent for Jonker Sailplanes and has imported two of the latest JS-3 models, VJS and XUJ, which differ from the earlier JS-1 by having a shorter wingspan. The JS-1 has a 21m or 18m wing whereas the JS-3 has a 15m wingspan. The South African built Jonkers are proving very popular in this part of the world with 18 now flying in Australia and three more in New Zealand.

The Distar Sundancer is an all-composite, self-launching, motorised glider built in the Czech Republic and features a T-tail, tail wheel undercarriage and a nose mounted engine. AUW is 600kg and the 13m wing can be increased to 15m with the addition of wing extensions and winglets. Distar also produce the Lambada motorised glider and the Samba conventional sporting and touring aircraft.

Thirty eight aircraft are listed in the Deletions section this month with a little over one third being exported. As normal New Zealand is the preferred destination with a few unusual destinations such as Gippsland Airvan ACZ to the Philippines, Cessna Citation FOJ to the Cook Islands and SOCATA TBM700 to France.

Of the Kiwi contingent Eurocopter Squirrel BCR has gone to Action Helicopters at Queenstown who have registered it ZK-IHV and who now have three Squirrels, a Hughes 369 and an MD520 Notar and Vans RV-7 VNT is now with Mr D Cranna at Papakura flying as ZK-RVQ.

Eurocopter Colibri NMI is now ZK-IVH with Fiordland Helicopters at Te Anau whilst Robinson R44 ZHW has joined North Shore Helicopters as ZK-IAZ. North Shore Helicopters operate a mixed fleet of Robinson R22, R44, Eurocopter EC130, EC135 and AS350 along with a single BK117 and an MBB Bo105 from North Shore airport at Albany just north of Auckland.

Pilatus PC-12 VWO is the fifth of its type in the fleet of Sounds Air Travel and Tourism at Blenheim and joins four other ex RFDS PC-12s and five Cessna 208 Caravans. Sounds are rapidly expanding its route network and have found the PC-12 the ideal aircraft to service their new destinations.

Cessna Citation INT has returned to its previous US markings of N2664Y and is now with Dodson International Parts at Rantoul, Kansas. Dodson is known for parting out aircraft so the Citation’s fate may have been sealed before even leaving Australia.

Five aircraft have been destroyed in accidents with perhaps the saddest being the loss of Des Porter and his passengers in the crash of vintage DH84 Dragon UXG near Borumba Dam, Queensland, on October 1 2012. The Dragon was meticulously rebuilt by the Challinor brothers at Murwillumbah, NSW, during the 1990s and was Des’ pride and joy. Unfortunately when returning from a fly-in at Monto, Queensland, the aircraft encountered non VMC meteorological conditions, entered cloud and crashed killing all six on board.