Civil Aircraft Register Update

Register Review

The new allocations this month contain a wide variety of types from the smart little Skyfox Gazelle to the opulent Gulfstream IV executive jet. Five more Gazelles are listed, making 10 in the last two months and more than meeting Skyfox’s aim of producing four a month at the company’s Caloundra facility. Another Australian success story is the Gippsland GA-200, the 18th of which appears as BPD. Gippsland Aeronautics started by rebuilding and improving on old Piper Pawnees. By 1991 the improvements to the airframe were so far removed from the original that a new Australian type certificate was issued. Two of the first three aircraft to leave the production line used parts of crashed Pawnees however, number four onward were all completely new machines. The third aircraft, KRT, was sold in China during 1993 and the design proved to be such a good workhorse that Gippsland received orders for another eight machines from that country. Since the Chinese order was completed in early 1994, Gippsland has produced another seven aircraft, two of which are now active in New Zealand. Of the seven helicopters listed two are Aerospatiale/Eurocopter Squirrels for the Australian Eurocopter agent Eurocopter International Pacific. DGV comes from the USA whilst BPE is a 1989 model from Japan where it last flew with the electronics giant Sony. Yungur Aviation’s Squirrel YAS has also been imported from Japan where it was operated by Nishi Nihon Kuyu of Fukuoka. The Piper Cheyenne, which first flew on October 22 1969 was a development of the Pressurised Navajo but with turboprop engines and additional wing tip fuel tanks. In 1978 Piper introduced a lower powered version called the Cheyenne I whilst the original version was renamed the Cheyenne II. During 1979 Piper developed the Cheyenne IIXL which was a Cheyenne II with a modest fuselage stretch and it is the prototype of this model which is now flying in Australia as RSW. Built in 1979 and registered N2446X on February 28 1980 the aircraft was used by Piper for development work and for demonstration flights around the US prior to customer deliveries beginning in June 1981. PPR is the third Piper Archer III to arrive in Australia and is the latest development of the very popular Cherokee series of single engined Piper aircraft (refer Airtest p60, Nov 95 AA). During the early 1950s Piper wanted to produce a low wing, four place, all metal, single engined replacement for the TriPacer. Piper looked at buying a Mooney design (later to become the very successful Mooney 20) as well as the Thorp Sky Scooter and Ercoupe but none of these were found suitable. Eventually Piper decided to build its own aircraft and engaged J Thorp, the designer of the Sky Scooter, to lead a design study for a completely new aircraft. The result was the PA-28 Cherokee and the prototype, N9315R, flew for the first time on January 10 1960 with a 150hp (110kW) Lycoming engine. The third prototype, N2800W, was built with a 160hp (120kW) engine and when deliveries began during 1961 either engine was available as an option. N2800W was fitted with a 180hp (135kW) engine during 1961 and production aircraft built between 1963 and 1967 were available with any of the three powerplants. The two smaller engines were dropped from the option list for the 1968 “D” model which also had a third fuselage window (originally used on the Arrow), an elongated propeller spinner and an improved instrument panel. The line continued with the “E”, “F” and “G” models up to 1973 when the Cherokee Challenger was released. It had a 13cm longer fuselage and a 61cm increase in wingspan, and although it was only produced for one year, 1973, it boasted over 600 examples built in that 12 month period. The name was changed to Cherokee Archer for the 1974 model which had improved nosewheel steering whilst the 1975 model had a vertically adjustable seat and better sound proofing. For 1976 the name was changed again to Cherokee Archer II and the most significant changes so far were incorporated into the new model. The semi tapered wing of the Warrior was used with hinged ailerons instead of aerodynamically balanced ones and a 3kt increase in speed and an 45kg increase in gross weight was achieved with the wing changes and a more advanced Lycoming engine. Between 1976 and 1987 the type continued in production with minor improvements each year. In 1979 the name Cherokee was dropped in favour of Archer II and by 1987 over 10,000 Cherokee 150s, 160s, 180s and 181s had been produced. Since 1987 very few Archers have been produced due to the global downturn in aircraft sales and the crippling American product liability laws. However, 1994 saw the birth of the Archer III and Allan Bligh’s Piper Aircraft Sales at Bankstown is confident of the local market expanding to equal the sales figures of the late 1970s and early 1980s. ZZY is the last of six Islanders for Surveillance Australia, a subsidiary of National Jet Systems, for the much publicised Coastwatch contract. With the single Aero Commander 500 already in the country and the three Reims Cessna F406s listed above, that only leaves the three Dash 8s to complete the fleet. The 406 is a new type to this country and is basically a French built Cessna 404 Titan fitted with PT6 turboprop engines. The French connection came about on February 16 1960 when Cessna bought 49% of Max Holste Aviation. The company changed its name to Reims Aviation and apart from supporting the Max Holste Broussard and producing Nord 262 components, the company committed its resources to building Cessnas for sale in Europe and the Middle East. The Cessna 172, 150 and A150 were initially built by Reims from kits supplied from the USA but production advanced, progressively, to the complete airframe being built in France with only the engine and avionics being supplied from America. During 1968 Reims began developing a series of aircraft, based on Cessna designs, but types not produced by the parent company in Wichita. The first of these was a high performance Cessna 172 powered by a 210hp (155kW) Continental engine and named the Reims Rocket. 675 Rockets were built in France whilst in Wichita, Cessna engineers were adapting the French design to a military version of the 172 designated the T-41. The second unique Reims aircraft was the FTB-337 Milirole, a development of the 337 Skymaster and designed for military use. It was fitted with a pair of 225hp (170kW) turbocharged Continental engines, underwing hardpoints for weapons or stores pods and STOL modifications developed by Robertson Aircraft. Only 61 Miliroles were produced and when Cessna announced, in 1980, the end of American production of 337s, Reims involvement with the type also ended. The recession in the general aviation industry hit Reims hard and by 1982 virtually no aircraft were being built as the parent company could easily supply world needs from its Wichita plant. During these lean years of 1982 and 1983 Reims developed the F406, based on the unpressurised Cessna 404 Titan but utilising PT6 turboprops and a new enlarged tail assembly. The prototype flew for the first time on September 22 1983 and was named the Caravan II. The Cessna 208 Caravan I had flown less than 12 months earlier in the USA and why the same name was chosen for two such different aircraft is a bit of a mystery. Production of the F406 has continued, very slowly, over the past 12 years with 80 aircraft being built so far, including the three for Surveillance Australia. 90 Australian Aviation December 1995 Both aircraft listed in the restoration section this month have been on and off the Australian register several times for different reasons. Beech Duchess WZC has been transferred to the Hong Kong register twice during 1995 to assist with the paperwork required to rate overseas trainee pilots on the type. In fact the Duchess remained in Australia whilst it was registered as VR-HKQ. Aerospatiale Squirrel NLR is on its fourth trip to Australia since it first came here during 1991. The aircraft is owned by Rural Aviation of Auckland, New Zealand and is leased each year by Helicopter Resources to help service a contract to supply helicopters and crew in support of expeditions to the Antarctic each summer. Helicopter Resources used the same aircraft for its 1991/92, 1992/93 and 1993/94 contracts. During the 1994/95 Antarctic summer NLR was again used, but in the hands of Helicopters (NZ) who leased it from Rural Helicopters using its Kiwi markings of ZK-IWJ. This year it is back with Helicopter Resources and will be one of a four aircraft supplied from Tyabb for the contract. Two local machines will join NLR, along with a fourth aircraft, HRK (see additions to the register), recently bought from New Zealand. Of the 23 aircraft contained in the deletions section, unfortunately almost half are due to accident damage. Most of the deregistrations are a result of damage incurred during 1995 however some were involved in accidents some time ago but have only just been taken off the register. Cessna 310 FYZ crashed during January 1993, Airtourer AHW was damaged at Grafton during September 1989 whilst Aerostar NOA crashed at Canberra as long ago as July 1988. Registration changes account for six entries in the deletions section. Cessna 172 RBE has been changed to PDG to reflect the name of its new owners, Pink Diamond Jewellers and Cessna 182 HYQ has become LYQ, presumably to allow Ansett to use HYQ on its next Airbus. Only one aircraft has been withdrawn from use, which is unusual, whilst seven have been sold overseas. Bell JetRanger HJG has gone to Spain, Beech Duchess MVG to Hong Kong, Hughes 500E PMA to Papua New Guinea and Navajo Chieftain WGT is now flying in the Solomon Islands. Three aircraft are destined for the USA, Hughes 500D PPD, Beech Bonanza XRV and BAe 125 PAB. Although the 125 is officially listed as “to be exported”, it is almost certain that its final destination will be America. Interestingly F33 Bonanza XRV was delivered to the USA via Brisbane, Tontouta, Pago Pago and Christmas Island over August 29-31, whilst a similar type of Bonanza, CS-AZI, was being flown along almost the same route at the same time, by a paraplegic Spaniard intent on breaking the round the world record for this class. The changes of CoR holder section this issue contains some interesting entries including Stick and Rudder Aviation acquiring its fourth Robin R2160 Sport. Stick and Rudder specialises in aerobatic pilot training and has found that the Robin is ideal for their basic aerobatic courses. As well as owning more than half of the R2160s in Australia, the Bankstown based flying school also operates a couple of two seat Pitts Specials and the only SIAI Marchetti SF260 flying in Australia (refer Airtest p40 Mar 93 AA). Dakota National Air has increased its DC-3 fleet to five with the addition of BPN and PWN from Dick Lang in Adelaide. Dakota National Air provides a wide range of flights in the elderly airliners from $20 “Air Experience” flights in the Bankstown circuit area, through Sydney scenic flights to outback tours lasting two or three weeks. A sixth aircraft, DNF, is in storage at Warnervale, just north of Sydney, and will be added to the fleet as demand increases. Navajo Chieftains SVN and SVV, previously with Seaview Air, are now registered to Kentialink Airlines of the same address and on a more sombre note the ownership of Chipmunk XBS has passed on to Andrew Searle after the untimely death of his father Bruce. Details are now available about three aircraft recently exported to New Zealand. Cessna 172P HJR and Partenavia FAB, listed in last months deletions, are now flying as ZK-MAG with G and M Aviation at Auckland and ZK-PFT with Parakai Aviation at Kaukapakapa respectively. Cessna 210 RJS, noted in the October deletions, is now ZK-RJS and is owned by Mr C Mellsop of Hamilton.