Niugini Aviation, PNG, to acquire Twin Otter(s)

[Mumbai Merlin]

Port Moresby based Niugini Aviation, whom recently acquired Central Aviation (Mt. Hagen) has posted on their web site they are looking to acquire at Twin Otter.

[Gne]

Sounds like a good idea. Plenty of others in the region and a proven track record. Unlike another regional domestic airline which is going to be the launch customer for a piston twin not previously operated in maritime or tropical environments.

[Pinky the pilot]

for a piston twin not previously operated in maritime or tropical environments.

Care to elaborate?

[Gne]

Contacts in the mid Pacific tell me this aircraft has been ordered https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecnam_P2012_Traveller .

Unless you have deep pockets and lots of experience launch customer in aviation usually ends up in tears.

[Petropavlovsk]

I would consider the Sehchelle Islands to be a tropical, hot, humid operating environment. On that basis Gne, you are off the mark.

BTW, the original thread was about Niugini Aviation, based in PNG and they are talking about a much larger STOL aircraft.

[Ndegi]

Agree re Seychelles climate, very close to PNG and Pacific. The link provided by GNE show Cape Air in the USA as being the launch customer. Google searching shows that they have over 20 aircraft now in their fleet with more expected over the next years, (up to 100 according to Wiki.) To me this aircraft looks like an evolution of the BN which operated successfully in PNG and through the Pacific.

[SIUYA]

To me this aircraft looks like an evolution of the BN which operated successfully in PNG and through the Pacific.

Well it looks a lot more 'refined' than the good old BN2, and I certainly hope like hell that it's a lot quieter. :8

For those of you who didn't experience the joys of flying the BN2 (and 'yes', in PNG too), see hooligan88b's totally accurate description of the aircraft here (post #2) BN2 Islander - PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/private-flying/601374-bn2-islander.html) :}

[tail wheel]

At US$2.6 mill starting price for the Tecnam and only nine punters down the back to pay the bills, it could be hard to make a dollar with the Tecnam in PNG.

Even with much lower new aircraft prices in the late 1960s/early 1970s, new aircraft were rare in PNG. Of the dozens of BN2 Islanders in PNG I think Douglas Airways only ever bought two new aircraft and Talair, who at one time operated 23 Islanders also only bought two new aircraft.

Could get a good DHC6-300 Twin Otter with good engine hours for the same dollars.

[geeup]

At US$2.6 mill starting price for the Tecnam and only nine punters down the back to pay the bills, it could be hard to make a dollar with the Tecnam in PNG.

Even with much lower new aircraft prices in the late 1960s/early 1970s, new aircraft were rare in PNG. Of the dozens of BN2 Islanders in PNG I think Douglas Airways only ever bought two new aircraft and Talair, who at one time operated 23 Islanders also only bought two new aircraft.

Could get a good DHC6-300 Twin Otter with good engine hours for the same dollars.

PNGAir leased brand new ATR72-600s
Hevilift operated brand new Viking 400s

Both didnt make money or sense

[Mumbai Merlin]

geeup,

Need to correct you a little bit....

There is a difference between leasing and buying and the ATR's are on a very generous deal.

As far as new aircraft are concerned; Hevilift operate Viking 400's (present tense) they have three of type, P2-IRM, P2-KSY and P2-IRN (presently F-OVEA and parked at Skytek, Cairns) so I'm sure they are making money.
Talair bought new EMB100 Banderiantes
Douglas bought new Nomads and Partenavia's
Provincial Air bought new Nomads after inheriting Independent Air Transport used Nomads
MAF has bought new aircraft C206,'s new C208 Caravan's
I've left SIL and Adventist out as they are sponsored aircraft.

The Tecnam will never come to PNG, the wheels and tyres are too small....

The late Yorkie Mendoza was the best agent; he could sell a fly crawling up a wall. Yorkie did a great job persuading Bouganville Copper to sell the Merlin III and buy a Westwind Jet. (P2-BCM)

.

[packapoo]

Could be a future here for that Sri Lankan cricketer, forget his name, who managed to sell among other things, Maseratis into PNG for that hornswoggle coupla years back.....

[tail wheel]

The late Yorkie Mendoza was the best agent; he could sell a fly crawling up a wall. Yorkie did a great job persuading Bouganville Copper to sell the Merlin III and buy a Westwind Jet. (P2-BCM)

I'd forgotten Yorkie's involvement in the purchase of the BCL Westwind. That must have been early 70s? The Merlin certainly wasn't the right aircraft for BCL. I also recollect a senior DCA officer pranging a DCA Merlin at Mt Hagen many years ago, possibly forgot to dangle the Dunlops?

Talair bought new EMB100 Banderiantes.

Three new out of a total 12 Bandits in the fleet - P2-RDM, P2-RDN and the very short lived P2-RDL, were bought new, average price new around US$700,000. Repayment (to Banko de Brasil) was "subsidized" by the other, older 30 plus aircraft in the fleet at that time. Talair only ever bought two new Islanders (out of 23 Islanders in the fleet) which created significant financial pressure. Limited to Day VHF in inclement weather, the maximum airframe utilization was around 800 hours per year with heavily controlled, often irrationally low air fares. Considering the high direct operating costs in PNG, the income generated was never enough to service a debt equal to the aircraft new purchase capital cost plus spares package. As a guide, the Bandeirante and Twin Otter charter rate in the late 1970s was approximately $750 per hour.

[Kagamuga]

The Bouganville Westwind was early 1980's
The Australian agent was 'Jet Corporation' which morphed out of Schutt Aviation. Massive tax deductions were on offer by the government to stimulate business. Bottom of the harbour tax minimising schems were prolific at the time.
York received a huge 'brown envelope' for putting the deal together.
Good engineer; I remember Hevilift's first B-200 arrived one afternoon on delivery from USA. Col. John Scott, Scott Aircraft Sales was on board. Scotty put the deal together and came on the the delivery flight. Next day I went to Yorks hangar and told him the rego was going to be P2-VIC, for (the now late Vic Bott's) Placerdomes GM in PNG. Took one day for the PNG CofA and the next day I flew to Aiyura for the guy's there to Weight the aircraft. Then onto Hagen.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1772x1175/p2_vic_at_port_morseby_1980_s_1_3e33d044eb32ac9b33d6479787f6 f5d6a86053fc.jpg
PNG CofA
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1187x793/scan0003_a168f46d73b0eb8db1c1b05598f5db503715ec84.jpg
Yorkie's hangar

[geeup]

P2-IRN & P2-IRM are owned by landowners in Tabubil and I thought were only to be operated for them at TB.

[sundaun]

I do recall Ken Wooten telling me after landing the CAA Merlin P2-CAI at Goroka with cabin altitude set to zero feet he made a spectacular arrival onto the apron which the usual crowd appreciated.!! Most types equalise with oleo compression.(suddenly). I thought Merlin 3 P2-BCL was slick and economical but a bit small for the mine.

[tail wheel]

That can't be Yorkie and Doug's hangar - no P2-BOX parked outside! :} :} :}

Yorkie's wife Karen worked for Talair.

[Propstop]

One day Shags took off in BOX into the wind, flew the length of the strip, reduced power and landed back at his takeoff spot. First time I had seen its performance.
Friday arvo at Yorkies hangar was an institution. The keg was tapped as the ANG B707 took off for SIN at 1630.
I have also on more than one occasion experienced the wonderful hospitality of Karen and Yorke at their home. Memorable times in a unique country!