Flying in Australia

[pmccarthy]

Some of us have fond memories of a golden era when private flying seemed to be much more popular. The facts seem to be otherwise…

 

In 1965-66 there were 2605 aircraft on the Australian register including 65 makes. Most common were Cessnas. Of the total, 223 were RPT, 763 were charter, 542 airwork and 1077 privately owned.

 

By the end of 2005 there were 12,536 aircraft on the VH register. This was made up of

 

Aircraft below 5,700 kg MTOW 9,218

 

Aircraft above 5,700 kg MTOW 569

 

Helicopters 1,291

 

Sport 1,458

 

According to the CASA 2016-17 annual report there were 15,410 aircraft on the register. I can’t find a breakdown of use. There were 31,110 pilots. RAA had an additional 3,414 recreational aircraft on its register in January 2012, and 9,400 members. That’s a total by now of nearly 19,000 aircraft and 40,000 pilots.

 

So why do we think flying is dying in this country?

 

 

[old man emu]

The stats might be telling porkies again. How many aircraft are on the register, but can't be flown?

 

Once an aircraft is on the CASA register, does it ever come off? Just because it is on the register does not mean that it is flying. I was at Bankstown yesterday and saw PBY-Catalina VH-CAT. It has been sitting in the same position for the past ten years I know of, but is not airworthy. But it is on the register. Look at its entry in the register:

 

Aircraft register search

 

 

[facthunter]

The population of Australia has more than doubled in that time also. Flying hours for each sector would be more informative or also landings.in case the legs are longer distances by different types of planes (capability) to what existed back then. A Tiger Moth has little range or luggage space for instance. Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

A GA plane stays on the register until CASA is advised that it is no longer flyable. To get it off the register it just about has to be impossible to even be repairable. There is no incentive to de register a plane as it does not cost anything to have it registered.

 

that means the RAAus register must be far more up to date as nobody will be paying rego for an unflyable plane.

 

The golden age could well be now as it is easier to fly now than it was last century. To fly then cost a lot and just about all the aircraft were certified types with costly maintenance. The real thing that made flying easier was the allowance of homebuilt planes, followed by a proliferation of relatively cheap factory ultralights, of which Jabiru was one of the leaders.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

from memory, half of that 15,000 fleet was built before 1980

 

 

[GraemeK]

Pretty good memory FT - of the 15,529 on the register today, 7,569 (48.7%) were manufactured in 1980 or earlier.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Mine is a 1974 model and I suspect more than half of the planes at Kyneton are pre-1980. Still flying though.

 

 

[GraemeK]

Here's a histogram:

 

 

 

[Thruster88]

Pretty good memory FT - of the 15,529 on the register today, 7,569 (48.7%) were manufactured in 1980 or earlier.

If you take out the helicopters and jets it would be even higher, old planes are great!

 

 

[GraemeK]

Fair comment - the list is all VH registered, including jets, rotorcraft, gliders, balloons, etc.

 

Would be possible to extract the data - it comes from the CSV file on the CASA website.

 

 

[GraemeK]

60% of the total 10,866 piston or turboprop aircraft (excluding motor gliders and rotorcraft) were manufactured in 1980 or earlier.

 

For just piston, the figure rises to 64%.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

If you like old cars, bikes and planes as I do then it’s a good thing. Good for the environment to use older things rather than scrap them for new.

 

 

[facthunter]

You must always bear in mind they were never built to last that long and service and look after them accordingly. An aeroplane is like a bird. Light and fragile. Nev

 

 

[spacesailor]

NoT all EX RAA aircraft & now none registered, have owners that are still members of that organization,

 

Some are still maintained up to flight specifications. Just waiting for a change to their dreams.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[danny_galaga]

An aeroplane is like a bird. Light and fragile. Nev

Unless it’s a P-47

 

 

[facthunter]

You can pull the wings off most of them, if you really work at it. The armourplate was heavy, but welcome. High flyer, Tough, small range, lots made. Republic seem to build good stuff. Nev