Re: Succesor to the Navajo, Chieftain, Metro
I wonder about composites in central Australia. What happened to the Beech Starship??
Beech put a lot of money into that, and ended up scrapping them all.
Diesel engines are fine (when they have been proved, in about five years) Some of the engines have a long history (in cars) but the gearboxes have not.
Another thread on here tells of a double FADEC failure, and there is an AD which requires mods to the electrical system to avoid engine failure of a diesel.
Deisels have a way to go yet.
Caravans definitely have a future, where there is sufficient regular loading, and they can fly lots of well paid hours. (ie RPT) In 2015 they will probably have taken over fronm the PA31 in the charter area too.
The PC12 and TBM700 have not got started yet (apart from the RFDS), despite being around for a decade or more.
So far, there is not a viable, affordable replacement for the PA31, and there is great danger that our sales people, and our regulator will make life too dificult for the PA31 operators, and huge areas of the country will be deprived of proper air transport.
Many of the new machines are not appropriate for very low density operations.