|
AirCentre Aviation News Digest
MARCH 1998
Sunday 1
Operators on the airport are still awaiting the outcome of the sale
of Archerfield which is expected to be announced by the Federal Government anytime now
Meanwhile the Fuel Depot nears completion while a number of aircraft on the 'Field are
still awaiting the completion of their official "paperwork" by the bureaucracy before been
allowed to fly
. . . . . check out the photo of a few of these aircraft in the "waiting" mode
. . . . Hawker Hunter - Acro
Sport - and a AN2 shown mixing it with "good
company", a T28 Trojan, 02 Cessna "Forward Air Controller" and the Douglas DC4
Click for larger view
New Fuel   Depot
Monday 9
The DC4, after spending some time on
the airfield rectifying the "missing" number 3 engine, is now found to be completly "missing"
It comes as no surprise when the aircraft departs the airfield
as soon as it is in "go" condition
and
An interesting aircraft "found" on the 'Field this week, is a new Lancair in the final
stages of completion
It is fitted with a 550 cubic inch engine of 300 hp has twin turbochargers, can be
pressurised and cruises at about 5 miles a minute up where the "jet jockeys" normally
operate
This homebuilt speedster is having the interior professionally fitted out at the moment
. . . just consider this
. . 2 seat "puddle jumper" trainers are flat out making about one mile a
minute
. . . 2 miles a minute is considered "good" for a light aircraft
. . . . 3 miles a minute was for the "twins"
. . . . . 4 miles a minute was for "warbird" types
. . . . . . 5 must be like . . . .well, like, . . . "jet" style
performance!
View of the Homebuilt Jet Challenger
 Wow
. . . . . . . What a Scorcher !
Friday 13
To-day was the BIG day for Keith
Hinchliffe and his excellent home built Acro-Sport Aircraft
After purchasing the plans 12 years ago, Keith was finally satisfied when he along
with Barry Hempel
as the "test pilot" lifted the aircraft "officially" from the ground for the first time
All aspects of the machines handling qualities were explored during the flight with
results similar to the standard of construction - "excellent"
. . . . . . for the "tech heads"
. . . . .engine start 1019 hrs - taxi 1022 - liftoff 1031 hrs
12 Years Later
Airborne 
Flypast 
. . . . . . . at Long Last !
. . . . . . and on sad note
. . . . . . as one home-built gets airborne, another is "lost"
One of five Lancairs on the 'Field, on a flight from Rockhampton to
Archerfield late yesterday experienced problems and issued a "pan" call
. . . . . the owner/pilot and her passenger did not survive the forced landing after
the apparent engine failure
Saturday 21
For those readers not in receipt of the U.S.A. published and very widely
read, E.A.A. magazine, Sport Aviation, the following details may be of some interest
As reported in this news page June 1997 two "self built" Long EZ's
were travelling around the world, one piloted by Mike Melvill and the other by Dick Rutan
of Voyager "non-stop, un-refulled around the world" fame
Page 78 of the February '98 issue of Sport Aviation gives an account of what happened when
the pair were at Archerfield and the problems they encountered trying to clear our customs
. . . . . . yep, . . . you guessed it, the biggest hassle of the trip
. . . . . departing the 'Field should have required a taxi clearance, an airways
clearance, then a take-off clearance
But they departed before the Tower opened at 0800hrs but still required an airways clearance,
then a landing clearance at BN, then another taxi clearance to where the airport customs are
situated and then another clearance, this time, customs
. . . . then after a few short minutes, another taxi clearance for departure,
more airways clearances, line up clearances, take-off clearances and finally, their
departure clearance
The complete page 78 can be viewed by clicking HERE but, be warned,
the file is over 200K and requires time to load
. . . . . and the
B.A.S.I. have taken away the oil filter for inspection from the engine of the Lancair
that was involved in the unfortunate forced landing last week
. . . it apparently was an "approved" automotive type but there appears to be a
problem with it's installation
Thursday 26
Latest "grapevine" reports indicate that details of the "New Owner"
of Archerfield are about to be released by the Federal Government
Meanwhile the 'Field and the inhabitants carry on with normal day to day operations while
still awaiting the outcome of their future
Of interest late mid-morning to day was a twin-engine Cessna 421B landing on runway 28L
Shortly after touchdown and on exiting the runway, the left main undercarriage leg suddenly
collapsed
. . . . . . the leg was torn out of the wing inflicting extensive damage to the
left wing, engine and propeller
. . . . for statistical purposes, is this incident a landing mishap or a taxiing
on the taxiway mishap ?
|
