Aviation Historical Society of Australia
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Aviation Historical Society OF Australia Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical VOLUME IX NUMBER 6 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1968. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION $5.00 (AUST.) ll«!! ! A.H.S.A. Journal -119- KoTember-December 1968 This month's feature article is in the form of a lift out section entitled - Museum and Preserved Aircraft in Australia - and will be found towards the centre of this Journal. _____________ The Tariff Board report on an application by Transavia Corporation for I bounty assistance for the production of the Airtruk, was tabled in Federal Parliament on November 6th. The Board again rejected the application, saying that a bounty of between $8,000 and $9.,000 would be required per aircraft to enable profitable manufacture. Also it is estimated that only about 25 aircraft per year would be sold. On the ISth, the Federal Labour Opposition announced that they would attempt to have the Tariff Board reconsider its recommendations. It was announced on November 28th by the Minister lor Civil Aviation, Mr. Swartz, that the Government would now guarantee loans made by the Commonwealth Trading Bank to country based Aero Clubs to enable them to^buy training aircraft, For the year ending June 30th 1969 loans up to a total of $80,000 would be guaranteed, This am.ount would rise by $4.0,000 per year until a maximum of $200,000 was reached. This scheme will replace the Government's "Aircraft Replacement Fund", which previously helped Aero Clubs to purchase new aircraft. The Senate of the Federal Parliament rejected the Government's Bill which proposes a 500 levy on arriving and departing passengers at Commonwealth owned airports, which handle 35,000 or more passengers, 'ffhen first proposed in the Budget speech, all Commonwealth airports were to be included in the scheme but due to much public criticism, it was amended to the 35,000 or more figure. It is likely that the Bill will be resubmitted to the Senate during February/March 1969. In an announcement made on December 25th, it was disclosed that the Federal Government had approved the acquisition of 15 sites throughout Australia for develop ment as general aviation aerodromes. Six sites are in the Sydney area, with a further six around Melbourne, one each at Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. It was pointed out that the acquisition of the sites was a long term plan to ensure adequate suitable land was available for future needs. Regular operations from Tullamarine Airport will now be delayed about 12 months according to a report tabled in Federal Parliament on November 7th. International operations should commence at the end of 1969 or early 1970 while domestic operations are now due to commence at the end of 1970. Slow progress with the building of passenger facilities and associated works have been given as the delay. It was announced by Canberra Authorities early in November that the streets in the new suburb of Scullin will be named after aviation pioneers. Names include. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith, Charles Ulm, James Mollison, Bert Kinkier, Raymond Parer, John McIntosh, Paul McGinnes, Walter Shiers and Sir Ivan Holyman. In a similar move, made sometime earlier, authorities at Tamworth named the streets of the new industrial suburb of Taminda after aircraft used in the formative years of East-West Airlines. These include Avro St; Anson St; Lockheed St; and Hudson St. The Department of Civil Aviation's first Swearigen Merlin, "VH-CAI, which was delivered on October 25th, crash landed at Wagga Airport on December 6th, The two crew members were not injured but the aircraft was extensively damaged. The Minister for National Development, Mr. Fairbairn, announced on December 22nd, that a party of 23 men supported by four aircraft will attempt a major mapping survey in the Australia Antarctic Territory during the summer. The survey will be in the Prince Charles Mountains, about 250 miles S.E, of Mawson, and also on the east coast of the Amery Ice Shelf. The expedition ship is the "Nella Dan" and the aircraft are DHC-2 Mk.S Turbo Beaver 1/11-UKL (see cover), and Fairchild Hiller FHllOO's, FH- , and , The aircraft are being used for the survey work this season because the Australian mapping programme has extended beyond the practicable range of ground transport. I A.H.S.A. Journal -120- KoTember-December 1968 A QANTAS Electra,'VH-ECD, became stuck in a clay patch at Essendon on November 22nd, after missing the taxiway while departing on a flight to Wellington, N.Z. Hydraulic jacks were used tc lift the aircraft and free it from the clay. The new name for Ansett-ANA :- Ansett Airlines of Australia, officially came into use on November 1st. Little publicity was given to the name change, the first indication being on Company stationary, with other advertising being progressively altered. A new timetable, wholly under the Ansett Airlines of Australia titling was issued on December 16th. Earlier, new Ansett Transport Industries Ltd., symbol - a stylised 'A', was introduced by all subsiary companies so as to indicate they are a member of the Ansett Group. At the Ansett Transport Industries Ltd,, annual meeting held in Melbourne on November 26th, the Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. E.M. Ansett, criticised the Federal Govern ment on a number of points. The main point was the disparity of interest paid by Ansett Airlines and T.A.A. on loans for new aircraft purchasesi T.A.A. being Government owned pays a lesser rate of interest than Ansett. Increased air route charges, aviation fuel tax (which is the highest in the world), ths airport passenger service tax, and high aviation costs caused by Government policy all came under strong criticism from Mr. Ansett. He also expressed concern at the Government's declared policy of ultimate full recovery of expenditure on aviation facilities from the industry. In another area, Mr. Ansett referred to the new International Airport at Tullamarine as "purely a political decision which could not be supported on economic grounds". It has always been clear that Australia, with a population of less than the Greater Los, Angeles, cannot afford the luxury of two major international airports within, 450 miles of each other. It was disclosed at the meeting that the Company was negotiating for a further seven jet air craft | one Boeing 727 and six Douglas DC-9's, which would be introduced into service between the end of 1969 and 1972.• Ansett Airlines fifth DC-9-31, VH—CZE arrived at Essendon Airport on November 4th, after its delivery flight from America. The fifth DC-9-31 for T.A.A, W-TJN, "Paul Strzelecki" arrived the previous day. Both aircraft entered regular service within a few days. Ansett Transport Industries announced on November 22nd., an offer for the remaining ZQ% of shares held by the general public in MacRobertson Miller Airlines. The basis of this offer is two paid shares in Ansett or $1.25 cash for each M.M.A, $1 share. Directors of M.M.A. recommend the offer and re-affirmed Mr. Ansett's statement that M.M.A. would need the whole resources of Ansett Transport in financing jet aircraft purchases which'could only be acheived if M.M.A. were a wholly owned subsidiary. Later, in mid-December, it was ahnounced that M.M.A. would, subject to Government approval, be introducing a Fokker P-28 Fellowship on to their routes in August 1969. Initially the aircraft would be leased from Fokker until M.M.A. received their own aircraft in February 1970. ■ ■ On December 31st the Viscount 700, VH-RMQ, on charter from Ansett-ANA to M.M.A., crashed about 27 mmles from Fort Headland, killing all 21 passengers and 5 crew members, v/hen it broke up in the air. The wreckage was spread over 1^ miles, but both flight data and cockpit voice recorders vrere recovered. VH-RMQ was the oldest Viscount in service in Australia having a total time of 31,800 hours. The remaining Viscount 700's (TAA-3, Ansett-ANA-l) were withdrawn from service as a precaution. The Friendship, VB-FNA, was delivered to M.M.A. on January 1st as a replacement aircraft. A T.A.A. TvMn Otter, VH-TGT, crashed while landing at Brampton Island on November 1st, after a flight from Mackay, Qld. None of the passengers of crew were injured but the aircraft suffered extensive damage, Until the aircraft has been repaired, T.A.A. have chartered the Short Skyvan, VH-FSG, from Forrester Stephen for a three month oeriod. In another incident on November ZAth, a T.A.A. Viscount VH- , lost a baggage hold door soon after departure from Coolangatta Airport. The door and two bags fell into hilly country a short distance from the airport. The financial results of T.A.A. for the last financial year were tabled in Federal AoHoSoAo Journal «121- loYamber-Decainber 1968 Parliament during Novembero A profit of $1^1335384 was declared and a l^o dividend amounting to $1^125,000 is being paid to the Federal Treasuryo Passengers carried during the year amounted to 2^169^562, this being the first time an Australian airline has carried more than two million passengers in one yeaxo According to newspaper reports towards the end of December^. T«AeAo have again applied to the Dapt« of Civil Aviation for rights to operate on the Perth-Darwin route, and now that MoMcAc is virtually a division of Ansatt Airlines, T«A^Ao believe they should be allowed to compete on this fast developing route, East«West Airlines announced at the end of November, a slightly increased profit of $104,088 for their financial year, A substantially increased provision of $488,418 for depreciation was shown in the accounts, but no provision was made for tax.