Innholdsfortegnelse for July - August 2023 i Australian Flying

Textron Aviation announced earlier this year that the Garmin Autoland system would be a standard feature of the new Denali single-engined turbo-prop. Autoland is a system that enables passengers to press one button and the aircraft will select an airport and land itself in a case where the pilot becomes incapacitated. It is already optional on Piper’s M600, Daher’s TBM 960 and the Cirrus SF50 Vision jet. “The Autoland system is an excellent addition to the Beechcraft Denali and the G3000 avionics suite, and we’ve included it in the program as a direct response to continued conversations with our customers,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Flight Operations. “The feature makes the Denali even more desirable to a wider audience as it adds yet another element of assurance…

AOPA Australia announced in May that plans were underway to stage a repeat of the classic 1976 Australian Air Race. The air race took place from 20-24 October 1976, and ran from Perth to Sydney via Adelaide and Melbourne. AOPA, with support from SkyFuel and new owners Viva Energy, will stage their race beginning on the same dates in 2024. According to AOPA CEO Ben Morgan, the idea grew from the desire to work on something exciting and positive for the Australian GA community. "From an AOPA perspective, we work on such dry stuff, and it’s not alway inspiring to hear AOPA just talking about medical reforms and the rest ot it. We understand that," he told Australian Flying. "We've spent years focusing on issues that impact general aviation like…

Everything was normal as the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar slid down final at Dallas Fort Worth airport. But in aviation things can change quickly, and for Delta 191, they did … and catastrophically. The aircraft hit the ground one mile short of the runway striking a car and two water tanks as it disintegrated, killing 138 people including the crew and five cabin attendants. The captain was a meticulous pilot with a history of making good weather decisions. The first officer had been assessed as “above average”. It is still bewildering today why they elected to fly through a thunderstorm. Delta 191 was hit by a savage microburst that it didn’t have the power to out-climb, slamming the Tristar into the ground like it was a balsa wood toy. If wind…

1 A Gift of Wings – Richard Bach Richard Bach has a gift for taking the exhilaration of flight and turning it into words. His Jonathan Livingstone Seagull is a classic of all literature genres, not just aviation. A Gift of Wings is a collection of short stories centred around the flying career of the author that presents personal perspectives on flight gathered over hundreds of hours in the air. From fighter jets to open cockpits and endless journeys across the sky, this anthology is inspirational, exciting and evocative; a book to launch a thousand careers. 2 Australian Women Pilots – Kathy Mexted Although only a few years old, this book quickly became a classic of Australian aviation literature. The author sought out some of the country’s most fascinating women pilots and…

As some readers may already be aware, the Australian aviation community suffered a sad loss in March with the passing of former ABAA CEO David Bell OAM. A long-term contributor to this publication, David was recognised as a true gentleman of the Australian aviation industry, and so many were touched by his kindness, intelligence, and sense of humour. As an advocate for the Australian business aviation community, David’s dedication and passion were unparalleled. As Chief Executive Officer of the ABAA for almost 20 years, he steered the association with unfaltering commitment and the utmost professionalism. His achievements on behalf of the membership will continue to benefit our sector for years to come and his loss felt heavily by friends, colleagues, and associates both locally and overseas. David enjoyed a lifetime…

It is important to pay tribute to the Australian aviation industry, for the thousands of men and women who work, day-in, day-out to get us safely to and from our destinations around the country and to the rest of the world. We owe a debt of gratitude to them, especially keeping people and goods moving during the dark COVID days. I am especially proud of our regional aviation sector. Whenever I arrive at a regional airport I am always reminded of the foresight of my predecessors in envisioning, planning and building our regional airport network. Which brings me to the Federal Government’s Aviation White Paper, that I welcomed at the time of its announcement by the Minister in February. The terms of reference, especially around workforce and skills, and better…

Dassault-owned ExecuJet is one of the largest and most diversified maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organisations in Australia. With facilities in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, it handles maintenance for several brands of executive jets, not just those of its parent company. But despite having high-end jets as its bread-and-butter, the company is facing the same existential challenge as much smaller MROs: finding engineers to keep the customers' aircraft in the air. Execujet started in 1991 in South Africa and branched first into Europe and the Middle East, before landing in Australia in 2000, when they brought Australian Jet Charter in Sydney. Further expansion resulted in facilities also in New Zealand and Malaysia. With many aircraft operators relying on their expertise and authorisations, ExecuJet needs to ensure the staff are…

Italian manufacturer Piaggio Aerospace is once again up for sale, after the company fought its way back from the brink of extinction. Extraordinary Commissioners Carmelo Cosentino, Davide Rossetti and Vincenzo Nicastro are opened tenders to purchase the company in May, with a deadline for submissions of 12 June 2023. Piaggio has been in administration since late 2018, with the commissioners rejecting five bids for the company in early 2022. Since then, Piaggio has secured orders worth around €700 million, including a €46 million order from the Italian department of defence. The company, made of of Piaggio Aereo and Piaggio Aviation, produces the twin-turbine P.180 Avanti Evo. "Our goal", explained the Extraordinary Commissioners, "is to seek the best industrial solution for Piaggio Aerospace in the shortest possible time, identifying a potential…

The Federal Government in May extended the ADS-B rebate program​ ​by another 12 months as avionics shortages threatened to derail the scheme. The subsidy program, designed to encourage ADS-B fitment to VFR aircraft, was due to end on 31 May this year, but has now been extended through to 31 May 2024. Around $740,000 has already been provided under the program as of 30 April, supporting instalment of ADS-B systems in 635 aircraft. "We’re grateful that the Australian government has continued to support this very important program that invests in airspace safety," said RAAus CEO Matt Bouttell in a commuique to members. “Many of our members that own aircraft have already taken advantage of this program; however, with the continued shortage of available equipment along with a lack of qualified…

Introduced in the early 2000s, Tecnam’s P2002 Sierra quickly became a popular aircraft from this Italian manufacturer. It quickly became used as a trainer in multiple flying organisations around the world including some military forces. Apparently the P2002 made up nearly 70% of Tecnam’s production during that time. Having a gross take-off weight of only 600 kg, giving a useful load of just over 260 kg, this somewhat limited the aircraft’s capabilities except for initial basic training. In April 2022 at AERO Friedrichshafen, Tecnam unveiled the P-Mentor looking very much like a modernised P2002, but with increased gross weight, performance and avionic capabilities compared to its predecessor. The P-Mentor has close to 290 kg of useful load. The P-Mentor also introduced improvements like a constant speed propeller whilst retaining 100…

This internationally recognised standard outlines the quality system requirements for organisations like Leonardo that are primarily involved in the aviation industry, specifically in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) process. The certification emphasizes the management of repair schemes and maintenance plans, configuration control, as well as the necessary skills and qualifications needed to carry out MRO tasks within the aerospace community. This certification is important for Leonardo Australia as it enables them to provide maintenance and repair services for various civil and defense helicopters and their components. This means that the company is now able to support a wide range of Leonardo helicopters in the region, including over 160 helicopters, which form a significant and diverse fleet. Giorgio Mantegazza, Managing Director at Leonardo Australia, said: “AS9110 certification is a critical…

The Cambridge Dictionary defines the word "recreation" as “(a way of) enjoying yourself when you are not working.” For aviators, enjoyment comes from various elements of flying, be it the challenge of replicating every detail from your training, being efficient, achieving a person goal, sightseeing, or simply the exhilaration of being amongst the clouds. The list goes on, however, no one reason is more important than another because it’s personal. For me, flying is two things, trying to be as accurate as I can be with my planning and execution and because flying lets me explore this great southern land. Earlier this year I received an invite to attend the RV Association of Australia (RVAA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) taking place in Goolwa, South Australia. The RVAA is a relatively…

1 Minister calls for more Information on Moorabbin Master Plan 2 ATSB zeroes in on Dodgy Seat Mechanisms 3 Global PC-12 Fleet reaches 10 million Hours in Service 4 CASA to decentralise Oversight Functions 5 Viva Energy buys SkyFuel 6 ATSB issues Inspection Warning after Acroduster Break-up 7 The Challenges of feeding Sustainable Aviation Fuel 8 2023 CASA Satisfaction Survey goes out 9 Flight Design aims for Four-seater by Year End 10 Diamond launches SAF Development Program SIGN UP TO KEEP UP! The Australian Flying website is updated daily with the latest GA news stories. Visit us online now at www.australianflying.com.au to also check out our free classifieds section, photo and video galleries, blogs, flying tips articles and comprehensive Warbird coverage. And be sure to register for our FREE weekly…

Cirrus Australia East has seen a marked increase in demand for aircraft in the post-pandemic era, driven by customers' inability to rely on airlines. Cirrus Australia East, which is the approved agent for QLD, NSW and ACT, has experienced a demand increase of 400% over pre-pandemic levels for personal aircraft, with 50% of the buyers new to aviation. “COVID has changed the way many travel with people purchasing their own aircraft as they could not rely on commercial airlines anymore," said David Crawford, Cirrus Australia East Sales Manager, "but instead prefer to fly themselves for business and personal reasons.” The increased demand reflects a trend around the world, where Cirrus led the 2022 sales ladder with a 20% increase in deliveries over pre-pandemic levels. According to Cirrus Australia East Business…

Jett Bennet, at the mere age of 17, defies the expectations of a typical teenager. He exudes a quiet and self-contained demeanour, but his dedication to his passion of becoming the world’s best aerobatic pilot is unmistakable. He possesses a single-minded focus on flying, demonstrating his commitment by leaving school at the earliest opportunity to fully immerse himself in his father’s business, where he has been actively involved since he reached the legal working age. Jett’s aviation adventure has been marked by some impressive milestones: he achieved his first solo flight on his 15th birthday, showcasing his exceptional determination. To celebrate his 16th birthday, he flew solo in a Pitts S2A, further solidifying his prowess in the skies. Despite his young age, Jett Bennet has already acquired a remarkable array…

Korum Ellis whipped off his headset, and prompted me to do the same. We had a sensible conversation without competing with the ambient cockpit noise, something I haven’t been able to do airborne since the last time I went gliding. That’s what you get when an electric motor is swinging the propeller. But quieter cockpits are just a side-effect of electric aeroplanes; the main event comes in lower operating and maintenance costs, with simplicity of operation thrown in on the side. That’s the reason why my local flight trainer Lilydale Flying School (LFS) added a Pipistrel Alpha Electro II to their fleet. The Alpha Electro is the classic composite airframe that characterises both the Sinus and Virus range, but the Rotax has been dispensed with and replaced with a 60-kW…

In the minds of most aviators, the word biplane is likely to be associated with vintage aeroplanes, or the Pitts Special. The biplane configuration itself was probably made obsolete in the 1930s, yet there are still plenty of aircraft with two wings flying–and in many cases, flying hard–and home builders keep building them. And you can even buy a brand-new Pitts from the Aviat factory, or a Great Lakes or a YMF from the Waco factory. What makes a biplane a viable option for some aerial activities? It seems that for some applications, biplanes still offer advantages, and for the sake of nostalgia, biplanes can be very attractive. What is a biplane? It seems a simple enough question to answer, but there are some complicating nuances. The Collins dictionary has…

Within the aviation fraternity, the name Bose is synonymous with noise canceling headsets. But of course, outside aviation, Bose is also widely known for its high quality home and car audio systems. Based in Massachusetts, USA, Bose introduced the first Active Noise Reduction (ANR) aviation headset in 1989, and the A20 in 2010. The latest product is the A30 Aviation Headset. The price of the Bose product has crept up, and is now just over A$2000 from most resellers. This makes it the most expensive over-ear ANR headset on the market. ANR works by measuring the ambient sound waves and then generating counteracting sound waves to cancel out the peaks and troughs of background noise. It needs power to work, and in the A30, this comes from two AA batteries…

The astounding evolution in medicine that lets most of us live longer is also keeping many of us flying longer. The life expectancy in Australia of both men and women at the turn of the 20th century was less than 55 years but people born in 2018-2020 can expect on average to live an additional three decades. Much of this is due to medical strategies and technologies developed to deal with conditions once considered crippling or fatal. Many are no longer life threatening and nor do they necessarily mean people need to stop flying. CASA’s aviation medical team (AvMed) has been working hard to ensure we are up to date with the latest thinking on aviation medical issues. There’s a lot going on as they look at new and better…