Civil Aircraft Register Update

Register Review

Six new helicopters are listed in the New Allocations this month and along with two re-registrations they cover a large cross section of types from the two seat, home built Exec 90 to the big twin engined Bell 412. BMR is the ninth Exec 90 to appear on the Australian register whilst ESD is only the second Bell 412HP version to be seen in this country. Helitech at the old Brisbane airport were responsible for converting both Queensland Emergency Services’ ESD and Careflight’s CFT to the EMS role which includes facilities to carry four patients and four medics faster and further than any other EMS helicopter in Australia. Helicopter Charter’s JetRanger HTB comes from PNG where it has been operating for Pacific Helicopters since delivered new in December 1981 whilst Reef Helicopters’ RHC is a brand new, Canadian built 206L LongRanger. Enstrom is enjoying a minor resurgence of interest in this part of the world and AYN joins three other F-28F Falcons already flying in Australia. Two Twin Squirrels change registrations this month, both to reflect their new owners media name. HSV Channel 7 in Melbourne has bought HRA and changed its markings to RSV and Sydney radio station 2UE have acquired XTV and changed it to UEE. Radio 2UE began its association with helicopters in the early 1980s when it used a Robinson R22 for traffic spotting duties. Since then it has upgraded to a Bell JetRanger and now to a Twin Squirrel, confirming its commitment to helicopter operations in the electronic media role. Supermarine Spitfire FVB is one of three warbirds listed in this issue and joins Col Fay’s HET and Jim Czerwinski’s XVI as the only three Spitfires on the register. The restoration of FVB began when the fuselage and cockpit section of Spitfire serial number BL628 were discovered derelict on a farm at Saint Merryn, Cornwall, UK during 1977. The remains were recovered by Peter Croser and Michael Aitchison and shipped to Melbourne. It was intended to rebuild the aircraft in Australia using wings and other parts obtained from scrapyards in England however it was decided that this was not viable and the machine was returned to the UK for rebuilding by Dick Melton in 1988. Aerofab Restorations at Thruxton, England completed the rebuild using some parts from Supermarine Seafire serial number SW800 and registered the aircraft G-BTTN for its test flights in the UK. TOA is one of several North American Harvards with obscure histories which came to Australia recently. The machines were imported from the USA and are believed to be from the Paraguayan Air Force, which had previously acquired them from the Mexican Air Force. The Paraguayan Air Force has a reputation for not buying any aircraft for its Air Force but seems instead to rely on friendly South American countries donating aircraft that are surplus to their own requirements. BAC Strikemaster ZEP is the second Royal New Zealand Air Force Strikemaster to be restored in Australia and joins a growing number of jet warbirds that will be seen on the airshow circuit in coming years. The DH.82A Tiger Moth was designed as a primary trainer for the RAF and first flew from the famous Stag Lane airfield on October 26 1931. By 1937 production overtook military commitments and de Havilland was able to supply aircraft for civil use. One such aircraft was UYQ which was built at Hatfield, England and arrived in Australia during November 1937. After less than three years of civil use it was impressed into the RAAF as A17-676 on July 22 1940. It returned to the civil register on November 10 1955, this time registered CCE, and was withdrawn from use 20 years later on May 7 1975. After another 20 years the veteran biplane is flying again, this time as UYO, as its original markings, UYQ, are now carried by an Auster. DBC is another Tiger Moth back on the register although this one has a slightly different history. Originally built by de Havilland Aircraft at Bankstown during 1942, it was delivered to the RAAF as A17-543. It was demobbed during 1948 and first came onto the civil register on June 3 of that year as BIW. It became DAP on May 8 1959 and changed again to DYI in November 1964. It was withdrawn from use between July 1970 and August 1978 and again on May 3 1980 before finally being restored as DBC on June 16 this year. Five entries are shown in the Aircraft Returning to Register section including a very early production Cessna 337 DND. The 337 Super Skymaster was a development of the 336 Skymaster which utilised a pusher engine in the rear of the fuselage, between a twin boom tail arrangement, and a second engine in the nose. The design alleviated the asymmetric effect during a single engine failure as both engines delivered power along the centreline of the aircraft. Several 336s came to Australia but most operated in PNG, including four with Ansett/Mandated Airlines and two with Territory Airlines. However the 336 was not popular worldwide and within a year the 337 had replaced it on the production line. The 337 Super Skymaster was of a similar design but fitted with a retractable undercarriage, a slightly more powerful engine and an air intake on top of the rear fuselage. This model remained in production from 1965 to 1980 and included licence built models by Reims Aviation in France and two interesting military variants. The O-2A was a Forward Air Control machine used widely in Vietnam, while the O-2B was a psychological warfare aircraft fitted with loudspeakers and leaflet dropping hatches. DND was the sixth production 337 Super Skymaster and was delivered new to Australia in March 1965. It was damaged during 1980 but has been rebuilt and now joins 37 other 337s active in Australian skies. Fokker 50 FNJ returns after two years leased in Austria, firstly to Austrian Airlines and then Tyrolean Airways. Although registered to Ansett the Fokker is being leased to Flight West Airlines plying the Queensland coastal towns between Brisbane and Cairns. Cessna 182 TKK returns to Australia after eight years in Vanuatu flying as YJ-RV16 and QueenAir PCQ returns after three years in PNG. The elderly QueenAir originally came to Australia from Kenya in October 1978 and joined the RFDS fleet as FDM. It became PCQ in September 1979 and went to PNG three years later during July 1992. After three years with Milne Bay Air at Port Moresby it has now returned to Australia and joins Southern Cross Air at Cairns. Auster KEV was built in England during 1955 as a J/5G model and was registered in Australia as API on March 11 of that year. It became KEV during August 1957 and was withdrawn from use 17 years later on December 2 1974. The 90 Australian Aviation September 1995 aircraft has been rebuilt using a Gipsy Major I engine instead of the original 155hp (115kW) Cirrus Major III, effectively changing its designation from J/5G Cirrus Autocar to J/5B Autocar. It is interesting to note some Auster costings applicable to a J/5G built during 1953 which include 1060 manhours at four shillings per hour (£215), £207 for raw materials, £405 for the engine and £64 for the propeller. Add to this £24 for subcontract work and you had a brand new aircraft for around £900. Twenty six aircraft are listed in the Deletions section and apart from Monnett Sonerai HMS changing to Australian Ultralight Federation markings, Aztec WJJ going to Tahiti and Bandeirante FCG being exported to Vanuatu, all the other cancellations are due to damage, change of markings or export to New Zealand. Of the trans Tasman travellers Dash 8 XFU was delivered via Lord Howe Island and Auckland on June 28 on lease to Ansett New Zealand to replace ZK-NEY which crashed near Palmerston North on June 9 with the loss of three lives and Mitsubishi XMZ was delivered via the same route on the June 17. Cessna 182P IEX flew Bankstown/Lord Howe Island/Norfolk Island/Auckland/New Plymouth on May 16 and 17 whilst Partenavia UUG was delivered to its new owners in Christchurch via Lord Howe, Norfolk and Auckland on May 12 and 13. Cherokee BIO was badly damaged at Toowoomba whilst landing, JetRanger GEO is believed to have hit power lines before crashing into the Grafton River and killing its two occupants and Cessna 210 SMA crashed near Lake George after engine problems during a training flight from Bankstown to Canberra in bad weather. A change of operating name from Esso Australia to Esso Australia Resources sees most of that company’s helicopter fleet listed in the Change of COR Holder section this month. The only other entry of interest is Cape Flattery Silica Mine’s Islander CFZ moving on to Australian Jet Charter at Mascot after the Islander was replaced by a new Cessna Caravan CFL as shown in last month’s listing. Following up on Australian aircraft now flying overseas, Raven S77 Balloon HIC is now flying in Canada as C-GTRU with SRP Adventure Tours of Langley BC, even though it was shown in the September 1993 issue as going to the USA. Friendship EWR which joined the EastWest fleet in September 1977, was returned to the manufacturer as PH-RUA in March 1983. After spending time in Denmark and Zaire it has now joined several other former Australian Friendships in the Jersey European Airways fleet at Jersey, UK flying as G-JEAP. Cessna 402C UCL was exported to the USA in September 1991 as N373R but has recently moved onto Kenya whilst, Bush Field Aircraft of Augusta, Georgia is operating two Mitsubishis that have seen service in this country, N370SA and N513SA. The former was MUO before going the States as N4284V whilst the latter was UZD which was damaged at Brisbane on December 24 1989 and subsequently went to the USA for rebuild. Cessna 421 BUR and Cessna 182 MAB are now in Thailand flying as HS-HIS and HS-HER respectively. HS-HIS is owned by Piya Malakul Na Ayudhya and although the owner of HS-HER is not known the two machines must be connected in some way! Details have recently come to hand about aircraft de-registered because of accidents. Robinson Mariner R22 COS crashed near Benson, 70nm (130km) east of Tucson Arizona, USA on September 21 1994 and Seneca CRT was damaged at Minlaton, SA on June 9 1993. Cessna U206 PLI crashed near Brunette Downs, NT on April 2 1993 during bore inspections and Piper Arrow IWJ was lost near Evans Head, Qld on April 9 1993 and no obvious reasons have been found for these two fatal crashes. Beech Baron SGB was damaged near Oakey, Qld on April 28 1993 when the aircraft cartwheeled during a forced landing after fuel problems and Navajo UFO was destroyed near Archerfield, Qld on July 20 1993 when it crashed onto a road killing the pilot. Both the Baron and Navajo are believed to have come to grief due to the pilot selecting auxiliary fuel tanks prior to takeoff when only the main tanks had been refuelled.