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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1068.PDF
92 FLIGHT, 15 July i960 HELICOPTERS IN AUSTRALIA A Big Development is Forecast ... WITH several new companies registered for the purpose ofdeveloping regular passenger services by helicopter, andat least one of the major airline operators committed to a Sikorsky S-61 interest, the story of commercial helicopter operationin Australia is entering a new phase. At the same time, the RAAF is beginning to evaluate the American and British helicopters ofthe Bristol 192 class for its requirement for Army-Air Force transport. When it is considered that up to now not one passenger hasbeen carried on a regular scheduled helicopter service in Australia, and that the largest "chopper" in the country is the Sycamore orS-51, an idea can be formed of the revolution that will shortly occur. The big event has been the recent admission by Ansett-ANA that they have paid down £A5,000 as a deposit to Sikorsky in order to be on the production line. Ansett-ANA did notannounce this transaction at the time and when it did appear in the press Mr Ansett explained that this did not constitute adefinite intention to buy the S-61. However", if the policy was decided concerning big helicopters, Ansett-ANA would be in theright place for delivery. Mr Ansett has compared the S-61 deal with that for the Super-Broussard: he has six places on thatproduction line, without a payment. Nevertheless, he is now com- mitted in the public mind to large helicopters, particularly as therehas been very big press publicity for his helicopter plans in the Sydney-Newcastle area. The Ansett-ANA house magazine hasstated that the airline has plans and is moving among the town and city councils of coastal New South Wales to secure localgoodwill. At the moment, the situation has its humour. All the mayorsand councils of the townships and cities within a hundred miles of Sydney are being approached by several companies, most ofthem brand-new, to secure rights to use heliports which have not yet been built (and in general not even thought of before thecontacts were made). Everybody wants to get in first. Some rather peculiar statements are being made in the Press which allege thesecuring of exclusive rights to operate helicopter services into certain townships and even claim to have been given rights by theNSW government. In this country, intra-State operation legally must be sanctioned by the States but in fact the States have giventhese rights to the Commonwealth—there would be chaos other- wise. No State authority would think of granting rights before theDepartment of Civil Aviation has given its approval. It has not. The DCA has given approval for one service, which will be thefirst regular passenger service to be operated with helicopters in Australia. This is between Essendon Airport and a heliport nowbeing constructed on a pontoon in the Yarra, in downtown Melbourne. This 7-miles service will be operated jointly byAnsett-ANA (whose idea it is) and TAA. Built at a cost of about £20,000, this will probably remain Melbourne's heliport untiltwin-engined helicopters arrive. The Department is adamant that single-engine helicopters must not be operated over built-upareas, but in this case the route will follow the river, parks and similar areas to give complete safety in case of engine failure inAnsett-ANA's Bell 47Gs or TAA's Hiller 12Es, which will operate the service, beginning November. Ansett-ANA have incorporatedinto the design of their new office block in Melbourne another heliport, but this cannot be used until twin-engine types are here.If single-engined helicopters could be used over built-up areas, a similar airport-to-city service would be started this year in Sydney,from Kingsford Smith Airport to the roof of David Jones's, a big downtown department store in Sydney. The Department of CivilAviation has yet to pass judgment on this plan; but if its approval is given both airlines would open the service in a few weeks.Ansett-ANA have been planning this service for years. What will happen about other routes is anybody's guess.Ansett-ANA have been studying for some years plans for services from Sydney to Parramatta, Mona Vale, Manly, Newcastle,Wollongong, Port Kembla, and other towns within a hundred miles of Sydney. There is no question that a big potential exists in thatindustrial and tourist complex. Like other cities, Sydney is being strangled, and to get out by car is one of the tribulations of life.The potential is so obvious that some new companies have been registered to operate these routes. Grant's Helicopters Transport Ltd is a Melbourne company,registered recently with a nominal capital of £A10,000,000, to operate services not only in the Sydney complex but also fromMelbourne to such Victorian cities as Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo. Two new firms in Sydney are Copter Air Transport and The Helicopter Corporation of Australia, both with bignominal capital and both planning big networks in the Sydney- country towns area. In Australia, a would-be operator must present his plans toDCA, whose officers consider the organization, the intended equipment, the maintenance facilities and all other aspects of theproposed airline before they will give him a licence to operate. This all takes time and a good deal of money. There is also the ... by Stanley Brogden question of local modifications to the aircraft which the operatorwants to buy. Australia does not blindly accept the aircraft on sale elsewhere in the world, though obviously if an aircraft has a C of Ain Britain or the US it is pretty likely to be approved. Generally speaking, however, there are some modifications required beforepassengers can be carried here. At the moment, it appears that Ansett-ANA have taken the main step, but there are claims flyingabout in the Press by operators who say they have placed orders for S-61s, S-58s and even Rotodynes, with delivery next year!While it is difficult to cut through the claims, it would appear that some S-58s may be on order and that services may be startedwith these. But it will be some months before any real statement of fact on the situation can be made. TAA have a much more conservative approach. They do not seethe helicopter making money yet on passenger services. They are ready to lose money on the airport run to secure experience andgive passengers a break. They cannot see that the big helicopters would show a profit, for the business is not there to fill them. Theywould like a twin-engined eight-seater, which is not available anywhere yet. TAA's hand would be forced if Ansett-ANA dogo ahead with the S-61 project, as it is my personal impression that they will. TAA realize the Barrier Reef area is a very greathelicopter possibility. Both operators carry big loads into Mackay and other Queensland ports for Hayman Island and other islandresorts on the Reef. Getting from the coast to the islands takes hours, or even means an overnight stop on the mainland. Ahelicopter could save all this. Even if it lost money, the airline which first used 'copters on the Reef would take passengers awayfrom the airline which did not. If Ansett-ANA put helicopters on die Reef run, then TAA must follow or lose business. Ansett-ANAhave been studying plans for the Mackay-Hayman Island service. They need more than twenty seats for each service, as their main-land aircraft generally drop more than twenty passengers at Mackay in the season. The S-61 would be ideal for this service—as would the Vertol 107 or Bristol 192, for that matter. Ansett- ANA are very S-61-minded, but their representatives are lookingover other types in America. The Ansett-ANA plan is, I understand, for two helicopters ofthe 24-seat type to be operated in the Sydney complex and the Barrier Reef region. In each case the aircraft concerned wouldneed to fly 2,000hr each per year. This is a long-range view, of course, but 2,000hr is accepted as the essential to secure economicoperation, given more than a 60 per cent load-factor. This would allow a Sydney-Newcastle fare of 50s, with a similar fare on theMackay-Hayman Island route. One aircraft might be briefly operated in these areas, but it is DCA custom to ask that twoaircraft of the same type be available when a new type is intro- duced. I understand that Ansett-ANA have been consideringsecond-hand Vertol 44s to begin the Barrier Reef service, for these could be bought in the USA for about £A110,000 each. Twowould be needed to give the required seating capacity; they would give experience and set the pattern for operation pending futureorders. In the commercial field today, the helicopter is not being verywidely used in Australia. Ansett-ANA have a Helicopter Division, run by Capt Max Holyman, son of the late Sir Ivan. They have aSycamore and three Bell 47Gs, while TAA have two Hiller 12Es and a third on order. TAA have no Helicopter Division as such,but have a senior helicopter pilot, Capt Ivanoff, and pilots who combine helicopter flying with line operation. Ansett-ANA keepall their 'copter pilots on full-time work in the division. This typifies the attitude of mind of the two operators towards heli-copters. Max Holyman has been running ANA's and Ansett- ANA's helicopters since they began operating them in 1956. ASycamore was introduced in early 1956 and put to work in Tasmania, followed by a Djinn in 1957, and another Sycamore
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