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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1925.PDF
GENERAL AVIATION ACCIDENTS EMMA KELLY / PERTH GA sets safety standards for aviation in Australia Bureau credits better awareness and education for decline in fatal accidents period, primarily due to a drop in GA fatalities, says the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). The bureau says that accident, fatal accident and fatality rates for GA all show strong declines over the period. The GA accident rate was 47.6% lower in 2002 than in The overall accident rate for Australian aviation has dropped significantly between 1993 and 2002, driven largely by improve ments in general aviation safety. The overall fatality rate, which remains low, has fallen by an aver age annual rate of 8% over the REVIEW CASA changes mind on SR20 and SR22 CPL training ban Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has backed down on its decision to prohibit the use of the Cirrus Design SR20 and SR22 piston sin gles for commercial pilot licence (CPL) training. CASA had blocked the use of the new-generation SR20 and SR22, say ing the aircraft did not meet its constant speed propeller requirements Flight International, 2-8 September). Although the aircraft have a constant speed propeller unit, its functionality is different to that of older types because the unit combines the throttle and propeller pitch control into one lever instead of separate items. After reviewing its original decision, the authority says that the Cirrus air craft can be used for CPL training and tests. Students who train on Cirrus aircraft will also need a constant speed propeller endorsement on their licence and an endorsement gained on the Cirrus aircraft will be limited to this type. "To fly older aircraft with 'manual' constant speed propeller controls, a pilot would need additional training," CASA adds. The decision will shortly be published as an aviation ruling, it says. • CASA is seeking to address the shortage of aircraft maintenance engi neers in regional Australia by sponsoring eight scholarships for apprentices. The scholarships will help one student from each state and territory. 1993, the fatal accident rate was 54% lower and the fatality rate was 49.4% down, says the ATSB. The decline has been attributed to improved safety awareness and education in the GA community. In 1993 in total there were 10.57 accidents per 100,000h flown and a fatality rate of 2.13 per 100,000h. By 2002, this had dropped to 5.28 accidents and a 0.88 fatality rate. The accident rate has declined at an average annual rate of 6.7%, says the ATSB. There were 433 fatalities recorded in the GA sector during the period, accounting for 96% of all fatalities. Agricultural operations and the private/business sector have consistently had the highest accident rates, says the ATSB. During the period, hours flown in the GA sector remained rela tively flat, with 1% fewer hours flown in 2002 than 1993. While charter operations and aerial work increased, the agriculture and pri vate/business sectors both reported a drop in hours flown. Regular public transport hours flown increased by 18% to 927,800h, due to a 30% rise in high-capacity operations. DEVELOPMENT Kazan's Aktai to fly 'early in 2004' Russia's Kazan Helicopters plans to fly its Aktai three-seat training heli copter "early in 2004", after further ground tests. The company is aim ing for Russian, followed by European, certification. The Aktai will cost "less than $950,000", Kazan says, and will be powered by a single 270shp (200kW) VAZ 4256 turboshaft. The trainer has a single three-bladed rotor and twin-bladed tailrotor. It has a maximum take-off weight of 1,150kg (2,5301b), a maximum speed of 97kt (180km/h) and ceiling of 13,000ft (4,000m). The Aktai training helicopter will cost less than $950,000, says Kazan FIREFIGHTING France adds capacity as forest fires continue Faced with the worst season of forest fires in 15 years, the French government is to launch a tender to replace two Conair- modified Fokker F27s, the oldest aircraft in its fleet of 25 firefight ers, says the civil security department. Interior minister Nicholas Sarkozy has promised that the F27s, which carry 4.9t of fire retardant, will be replaced with medium-to-large capacity (12-15t) aircraft as soon as pos sible. New blazes were sweeping through southern France last week. In July alone, France's air borne firefighters, consisting of 11 Bombardier CL-415s, 12 Conair-modified Grumman Trackers and the two F27s, had clocked up 7,000h against 3,665h for the same period last year. Aircraft and pilots have been pushed to their limits and acci dents "only just avoided". One of the Trackers has been grounded after hitting a power line, although the pilot was able to land safely. From 1 July to early September, 54,000Ha (133,400 acres) had gone up in flames across southern France and Corsica, against 20,800Ha for the whole of 2002. The difficul ties for the pilots lay in a combination of factors, including the number of simultaneous fires and because the fires were mov ing at 3-4km/h (2-2.5mph), compared with 800m/h normally. In response, France made rare use of its mutual assistance accords with Greece, Italy and Spain, which each loaned two CL-415s, while Russia loaned two Mil Mi-26T helicopters that can carry between 10t and 12t of water. Italy also loaned a Sikorsky S- 64 Skycrane with 9t capacity In addition, France has rented a Convair 580 from Canada until the end of this month. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9-15 SEPTEMBER 2003 27
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