Business
Down to
hen asked
if I would
like to write
a series of
business
aviation articles
for Australian
Flying, I said
it would be a
privilege to do so.
As this is the first, it seems
appropriate that I give you some
background on my involvement in
the aviation industry.
I have been most fortunate to
witness and be a part of many
momentous changes and exciting
developments in our industry for
more than 50 years.
In the 1950s at the age of 12, I
began pestering my father to take
my brother and me to Sydney
Airport on many Sundays to
watch the aircraft. This was the
era of piston and turbo prop
airliners, such as the Douglas
DC3, DC4 and DC6B, Convairs,
Fokker Friendships, Vickers
Viscounts, Lockheed Electras and
Constellations and the beginning
of international jet operations
with BOAC Comets and Qantas
Boeing 707-138s.
We loved the incredible noise
on take-off of the first 707s and
the black smoke being emitted –
such power!
Little did we know that
emissions and noise would be a
major challenge for the aviation
industry to resolve in the next
half century and beyond and that
business aviation would often
provide a lead role.The Ansett-ANA and TAA
terminals had no security issues,
with low fences and easily accessible
gates onto the tarmac for aircraft
boarding. All so simple and pleasant.
My aviation career commenced
in 1964 with Hawker de Havilland
at Bankstown Airport. After six
years of part-time study, I graduated
from the University of NSW in
1970 with a B.Com in Economics.
During the early years, I was
exposed to all aspects of HdH’s
aviation business both military and
civil, including spares provisioning
for two Qantas DH125 jet trainers
being used for the first Qantas
cadet pilot training scheme. I then
opted to join the aircraft sales team
after gaining my Private Pilot’s
license in 1966.
During university vacations,
I was sent out to sell new
Beechcraft all over Australia. My
first major demonstration trip was
to Northern Territory in 1967.
When I departed Bankstown on
1 December in a new Beech C33
Debonair, I had accumulated
a grand total of 248 hours and
returned after completing a
further 45 hours in three weeks.
This was my first prolonged
business aviation trip, where I was
required to seek out prospective
buyers and demonstrate the aircraft
to them. Also, a great learning
experience. The first few days were
spent in Darwin demonstrating the
Debonair to several local businesses
and charter companies. I then
f lew out to several cattle stations
including Stapleton, Ban Ban
Springs, Victoria River Downs,Newcastle Waters, Brunchilly,
Rockhampton Downs, Brunette
Downs and Willowra. Navigating
was not particularly easy and
sometimes I would need to carry
out square searches to locate
homesteads and airstrips.
I was posted to Port Moresby
in 1971 and spent two enjoyable
and eventful years selling
Beechcraft and de Havilland
boats in PNG, with a Beech S35
V-tail Bonanza as my mode of
transport to far f lung places such
as Lae, Mount Hagen, Goroka,
Chimbu, Madang, Wewak,
Vanimo, Rabaul, Trobrian
Islands, Kavieng, Buka Passage
and Kieta. Also, to Honiara in the
Solomon Islands. The Bonanza
was a logical choice for my
business travel as there were very
few roads and travelling on them
was quite dangerous. Also, I couldvisit several current and potential
customers in a day.
Safety is of paramount
importance to the business aviation
community throughout the world
today. Unfortunately, during my
stay in PNG in the early 1970s
there were many fatal aircraft
accidents including a RAAF
Caribou with over 30 scouts on
board crashing with total loss of
life, due to f lying up the wrong
valley with no way out. Also,
an Ansett-MAL aircraft hit Mt
Michael with no survivors and
there were any more. I was very
fortunate, having undertaken a one
week mountain f lying course with
HdH test pilot Ted Shaw, prior to
my posting. This equipped me with
a very conservative approach to the
problems of everyday f lying in a
fairly inhospitable environment.
Returning to Sydney in 1973,A World of Experience
David Bell of the Australian Business Aviation
Association presents information from the
business and corporate aviation sector.68
AUSTRALIAN FLYING July – August 2018NEXTANT PACIFIC