REGISTERED FOR POSTING AS A PERIODICAL CATEGORY B JOURNAL AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA PRICE $1.55 A new $500,000 overseas departure and transit lounge at Perth Inter­ national Airport was officially opened on 6 February, greatly improving facilities at the airport for International passengers. The lounge can handle MONTH LY 500 passengers per hour and will allow for better security measures to be taken at the airport. The next two Boeing 727—200 for Ansett and TAA will be registered NOTES VH-RMK and VH—TBM respectively. TAA have already retired,on 14 February 1976^Boeing 727 VH-TJA "James Cook" (c/n 18741) which has flown 37,643 hours. To mark the anniversary of Ansett Airways first commercial flight, Ansett Airlines of Australia carried out a special Melbourne-Hamilton return flight on Tuesday, 17 February, 1976. The initial flight was made on CIVIL 17 February 1936 in a Fokker Universal VH-UTO (c/n 422) piloted by Captain Vern Cerche, During Ansett's anniversary year, a replica of VH—UTO is being displayed at Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine. Fokker Friendship The Federal Government will increase air navigation charges by 15 per VH—FNU (c/n 10334) piloted by Captain John Raby was used for the cent, the increase to apply from 1 December 1975. The Transport Minister, re-enactment flight, and passengers Included Captain Cec Long, one of Mr. Nixon, said the rise was unavoidable because of losses in operating and Ansett's first pilots, and three of the passengers on the 1936 flight. A maintaining air facilities. commemorative plaque was unveiled at Pedrina Park, Hamilton, site of the A deficit of about $90 million was expected in this financial year, he original aerodrome. said. Air fares between Australia and New Zealand rose by seven per cent on The new International Terminal building at Brisbane's Eagle Farm 1 March 1976. The return fare from Melbourne to Auckland and Wellington Airport was brought Into use on 16 December when the first aircraft to now cost $213 and $206 for Christchurch. depart, Qantas Boeing 707 VH—EAA, left on flight QF956 to Christchurch, New Zealand. The first arrival at the new Terminal was Air New Zealand's Qantas Airways Limited disclosed an operating profit of $534,000 for flight TE801 DC-8 ZK-NZC from Auckland. Qantas 707 VH-EAA had their financial year to 31 March 1975 compared to $11,109,000 for the the distinction of being the last aircraft to arrive at the old terminal — late previous year. Directors, In their report blamed heavy cost increases In such on the previous evening. areas as salaries, and jet fuel prices for the disappointing profit. The airline carried a record 1,415,850 passengers for the year and achieved a revenue The Department of Transport, Air Transport Group, released figures load factor of 56.6 per cent which was unchanged on the previous year. during January covering the operations by Australia's airlines for the 1975 year. The figures showed the severe downturn in business being experienced Ansett Airlines of Australia have bought a new Sikorsky S61N. It is by most of the airlines - the total Industry growth of passengers carried expected to make its first flight at Hartford, Connecticutt, U.S.A. in June showed a 3.8% Increase for the year with 9,659,989 passengers being carried. with delivery by sea to Australia in August. It is to operate on the Great The airline with the biggest growth was Connarr Pty Ltd which showed a Barrier Reef and will be registered as VH—BRH on arrival. 9.0% increase, while East-West Airlines showed the poorest growth at 0.5%. Total figures for all airlines are: Ansett Airlines of New South Wales advised the Narrabri based Namoi Passengers Shire Council that it was considering reducing the number of flights to the Ansett Airlines of N.S.W. 382,109 + 2.4% town and as well, to Moree because of poor patronage of the current eight Ansett Airlines of S.A. 210,505 + 7.5% flights weekly and a decreasing trend in the number of passengers being Ansett Airlines of Aust. 3,980,899 + 3.8% carried to the centres. Connair 51,056 + 9.0% East-West Airlines 470,389 + 0.5% Pan Am has replaced Boeing 707's to Melbourne with Boeing 747's. To MacRobertson Miller 327,172 + 3.1% ensure the same capacity Pan Am now have six flights a week out of Aust­ Trans Australian Airlines 4,215,243 + 4.2% ralia of which four start in Melbourne instead of the previous daily service. Qantas — Norfolk Island 22,616 + 7.3% A new national freight airline is to be formed out of Air Express Limited All airlines apart from Connair showed decreased figures for the amount and B.B.A. Air Cargo Pty Ltd (formally Brarn & Brown Airfreighters Pty Ltd) of mail carried; and TAA, MMAS, and Qantas Norfolk Is. showed small according to press reports early in February. Both companies are now increases for freight carried while the remainder showed decreased figures. controlled by the Signet Insurance Group, which in turn is controHed by the Chairman of both companies, Mr. D.H. Trescowthick. In the report, Transport Minister, Mr. Nixon, announced on 20 January 1976 that the Mr. Trescowthick said it had not been decided whether the two freight Federal Government has decided to retain Essendon Airport "for the fore­ airlines would retain their operating titles, or be combined under the tentative seeable future". The decision is the result of a study by a Transport Depart­ name United Airlines Pty Ltd. However, it was planned to import two ment project team and the Treasury. The 27 general aviation operators at further H.S. Argosy aircraft for B.B.A. Air Cargo and to find replacements Essendon have about 100 single and twin-engine planes. More than 2000 for Air Express's three Bristol B170 aircraft. Qne of Air Express's Bristols people are employed by these operators. According to Mr. Nixon in 1974-75, was being advertised for sale In Singapore papers during January. Essendon handled about 46,000 aircraft ’movements and about 23,000 tonnes of freight, mainly to and from Tasmania. Press reports on 30 January stated that East-West Airlines were certain to take-over the Sydney-Norfolk Island services currently operated by MILITARY Qantas Airways. The General Manager of East-West, Mr. J.G. Riley said in the report. .. "we are the only airline in Australia operating suitable air­ craft with the long range fuel tanks needed to operate this service and I'm confident our application will be successful when the time comes for a A RAAF Hercules made an emergency flight on 4 February 1976 to review. Initially, Fokker F27—500, VH—EWN would be used on the service Australia from the New Hebrides with Mr. Jim Russell creator of "Mr. Potts" as it had the necessary long-range fuel tanks, while the two new F27—500's comic strip who had a recent stomach operation. A medical team from No.3 due for delivery later this year will be so equipped". RAAF Hospital, Richmond, led by Wing Commander Peter Degotardi went with the Hercules to attend Mr. Russell on the flight. Qantas Airways announced, on 2 February, that their Sydney-Tahiti flights would end at the end of March as an economy measure, and from 1 Kalgoorlie played host to No.2 FTS, Pearce on 17 February when 21 April, all Pacific services would be flown by Boeing 747 aircraft. Macchis landed there on navexes. Support aircraft were Dakota A65—102 and Iroquois A2—1022 from the 2FTS SAR Flight. The Macchis were A Lufthansa DC-10 on a flight from Sydney to Djakarta on 5 February A7-045, 040, 016, 041, 021, 018, 042, 010, 069, 012, 083, 035, 023, 1976 transmitted a false hijack alarm when it was about 32 kms. out of 056, 082, 095, 034, 025, 036, 043 and 011. Sydney. Within minutes of the radio signal being received in Sydney a full alert was flashed to all major airports and emergency services throughout The F-111 that visited WA in late February, and dropped in at Perth Australia as the Department of Transport did not know that it was a false Airport on 23 February, was A8-136. On 19 March two more F—Ill's alarm until the aircraft arrived at Djakarta. visited Pearce, A8—140 and 143. Continued on page 18 a, . li . s . HSA -JOURNAL VOLUME 17, NUMBER 2. MAY/JUNE, 1976 TABLE OF CONTENTS P age PRESIDENT ELECT MONTHLY NOTES ................................. I. D. McArthur 2 82 FIGHTER SQUADRON ................. 4 HONORARY SECRETARY ELECT RAAF STATION RICHMOND, 1917-23 8 W. DONOVAN BASIL WATSON, 1894-1917 .. 10 BUSINESS MANAGER PHOTO ALBUM ................................. 15 W. HOLSWICH -k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k'k-k-k-k'kk-k-kic'k-k WANTED FOR FORTHCOMING JOURNALS TREASURER ELECT BRONWEN HIRST 1. Urgently required ~ 2 and 3 page filler articles. 2. Photographs of current aircraft or aviation events to SUBSCRIPTION SECRETARY complement Monthly Notes. M. MADDEN 3. Photographs for PHOTO ALBUM**. See page 15 for details. % ■k-k'k-k-k'k'k-k-k-k 4. The September/October 1976 issue of the Journal will be . a special celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Common­ ' - Membership is for one full calender wealth Aircraft Corporation. Material is required for year commencing March 1st. Annual preparation of this issue. Closing date, 6th August. membership fees of $10.00 (Austral­ 5. Required for Journal article on RAAF aircraft in Antarctica, photo of ian currency) will be due for renewal PB2B-25 Catalina, A24-381 in post war markings.