Was the Nomad really that bad?
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Air Melanesiae:
From this period, an Identity I have on occasion wondered "What happened to Trader B" & his English rose?, haven't heard of him for yonks!
H/Snort.
H/Snort.
Sadly, the Fuse is just a little small (by about 4 inches width and height from what i remember) to take LD containers - well they weren't invented in 1969 of course
Join Date: May 2005
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Re-engining would probably not be a viable option. It would require significant certification costs. The PT6A is too heavy and would need major structural changes to hang it out in fromt of the wing. The allison 250 engine issues were mainly gearbox, which I believe were eventually sorted by gearbox mods. The other issue was the 2.5 bearing failures which did not occur in helicopter installations.
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New Nomad to be Gippsland Aeronautics Airvan GA18
Gippsland sold to Indian automotive and IT company
By Emma Kelly - Flightglobal.com - 4 March 2010
The acquisition of a majority stake in Australian general aviation manufacturer Gippsland Aeronautics by Indian automotive and information technology group Mahindra and Mahindra is expected to close shortly.
The acquisition will allow Victorian company Gippsland to restart production of the Nomad twin-turboprop, high-wing, short-field take-off and landing aircraft, which it has renamed the Airvan GA18.
Mahindra announced late in 2009 that it planned to purchase majority stakes in Gippsland and aircraft component and assemblies company Aerostaff Australia in a Rp1.75 billion ($38 million) deal. Mahindra, which is best known for utility vehicle and tractor manufacture, is jointly developing the NM5 general aviation aircraft with India's National Aeronautics Laboratory. Gippsland's product portfolio, which primarily comprises the GA8 Airvan, complements the NM5, says Mahindra.
The investment from Mahindra will cover the GA18 programme, says sales manager Marguerite Morgan. Gippsland is proposing an upgraded version of the 18-seat Nomad, featuring new engines, propellers, a glass cockpit and weight-saving measures including new batteries.
Gippsland purchased the certificate of type for the Nomad from Boeing Australia in June 2008, but the programme has slipped by six months, says Morgan, with a production aircraft now expected to be ready by the end of 2011 or early 2012.
The manufacturer has letters of intent for nine aircraft, plus expressions of interest, with considerable international attention shown at the recent Singapore air show, says Morgan.
By Emma Kelly - Flightglobal.com - 4 March 2010
The acquisition of a majority stake in Australian general aviation manufacturer Gippsland Aeronautics by Indian automotive and information technology group Mahindra and Mahindra is expected to close shortly.
The acquisition will allow Victorian company Gippsland to restart production of the Nomad twin-turboprop, high-wing, short-field take-off and landing aircraft, which it has renamed the Airvan GA18.
Mahindra announced late in 2009 that it planned to purchase majority stakes in Gippsland and aircraft component and assemblies company Aerostaff Australia in a Rp1.75 billion ($38 million) deal. Mahindra, which is best known for utility vehicle and tractor manufacture, is jointly developing the NM5 general aviation aircraft with India's National Aeronautics Laboratory. Gippsland's product portfolio, which primarily comprises the GA8 Airvan, complements the NM5, says Mahindra.
The investment from Mahindra will cover the GA18 programme, says sales manager Marguerite Morgan. Gippsland is proposing an upgraded version of the 18-seat Nomad, featuring new engines, propellers, a glass cockpit and weight-saving measures including new batteries.
Gippsland purchased the certificate of type for the Nomad from Boeing Australia in June 2008, but the programme has slipped by six months, says Morgan, with a production aircraft now expected to be ready by the end of 2011 or early 2012.
The manufacturer has letters of intent for nine aircraft, plus expressions of interest, with considerable international attention shown at the recent Singapore air show, says Morgan.
Join Date: May 2008
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Has any more come from the GA-18? Photos etc? 
I can honestly say that my endorsement will not wanting to be put to use on one, just wanting to see how different it will be when they come into play.
I can honestly say that my endorsement will not wanting to be put to use on one, just wanting to see how different it will be when they come into play.
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Must be a few more Nomad stories lurking out in Pprune land.
"I was Chief Pilot of Independent Air Transport, Wewak when we formed the company in January 1976.
IAT was the first customer (civil or military) to operate the Nomad.
We leased VH-ELN demonstrator from National ?? in Sydney who were designated Agents by GAF. After the conversion at Avalon, we delivered ELN to Wewak via a short (!!) CNS overnight stop.
I operated ELN and IAT on earthquake relief from Sentani for MAF for six months in 1976.
The shortest strip was Nalca, 150nm roundtrip. It was 6500 AMSL, 1200 ft length. First 1/4 10%, 2nd 18%, 3/4 12%, last 24% - into a short turning bay only 100 ft long. Had to do a 3 point turn to escape On takeoff, brakes release was V1......
At that radius of NM we carried the same payload (1300kg) as the Twotter which could not go into the mission strips. MAF liked the N22 so much that they bought their own and I endorsed their guys on it.
The CAA and the Insurance company waived all restrictions to achieve the mission - if i believed the performance figures, i could operate into any strip as per the charts.
I regretfully left IAT in Dec 1976 to join Ansett on the S61 at Proserpine. Another trip on the Nomad was at Avalon in 1977 to endorse Jed Clampett who replaced me at IAT.
I actually did fly the Nomad again in 1982 for a month with Douglas into the Jungle strips near the gap, as well as Kiantiba, Kanabea etc.
Lots of fun !!
Rick"
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Would I be correct in stating, that the Nomad has to be the only plane that killed both its TP (Stuart Pearce) and its designer in the one hit?? (David Hooper)...
For an exhaustive analysis of the Nomad, I believe you can't go past Lt Col Glen Duus (a pioneering 161 Recce man, and later, a RAEME w/shop commander) and his excellent dissection of the failures of both the machine and the system that created it...
Fourays - The Australian Army Aviation Association Inc
For an exhaustive analysis of the Nomad, I believe you can't go past Lt Col Glen Duus (a pioneering 161 Recce man, and later, a RAEME w/shop commander) and his excellent dissection of the failures of both the machine and the system that created it...
Fourays - The Australian Army Aviation Association Inc
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Fourays
While I agree with most of the Fourays article, I must cast doubt on any content I do not have personal knowlege of when I read that the T tail crashed "killing all on board". As the T tail never flew, perhaps he means the N24 prototype, which still didn't kill all on board. Ahh the internet, so much information, how much should we believe?
And how ironic would it be if the Army bought Caravans, 30-40 years after they redesigned (redesighned) the Nomad to a twin from the original concept (mock up) with single PT6 up front!
I am continually astounded by the average Australians view of the Nomad as a widowmaker from the whitewash produced by Four Corners, I have trouble believing anything I view on that show, which appears to be held in such high regard amongst the media and viewing public.
And how ironic would it be if the Army bought Caravans, 30-40 years after they redesigned (redesighned) the Nomad to a twin from the original concept (mock up) with single PT6 up front!
I am continually astounded by the average Australians view of the Nomad as a widowmaker from the whitewash produced by Four Corners, I have trouble believing anything I view on that show, which appears to be held in such high regard amongst the media and viewing public.
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A very poorly designed and constructed piece of junk. Best left in the history books as a failure.
The Dog
The Dog
Addendum to Nomad history
The Allison 250 actually began its life in 1957 as a result of a US Army contest to provide power for a Light Observation Aircraft (LOA) in two versions, turboprop (fixed wing) and turboshaft (helo). The Army decided only to get LOHs with the turboshaft, and the Allison 250 B15C was first used in the Italian SIAI-Marchetti SM1019E first flown in 1969.
The sad loss of the Nomad at Avalon was caused by an elevator anti flutter strip being devised, attached and test flown without supporting wind tunnel tests. The test flight was done on a windy day - 30 knots plus down the strip.
Immediately after liftoff it became apparent that the aircraft was barely controllable in pitch. The PIC elected to turn downwind and lost control in that manoeuvre. The acft crashed with a tailwind of 35kts plus.
The sad loss of the Nomad at Avalon was caused by an elevator anti flutter strip being devised, attached and test flown without supporting wind tunnel tests. The test flight was done on a windy day - 30 knots plus down the strip.
Immediately after liftoff it became apparent that the aircraft was barely controllable in pitch. The PIC elected to turn downwind and lost control in that manoeuvre. The acft crashed with a tailwind of 35kts plus.
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Flew the N22 all over PNG for years, mainly into Cat D strips where the Twin Otter couldn't go. Never had an issue with the machine which could achieve amazing results in the right hands. RB JC DG JB PB KG and others ran the aircraft into some amazing places with exceptional results. Not a machine for fools though. G'Day Ricardo !
Last edited by Olive61; 21st Feb 2011 at 07:12.
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I was involved with a group who are tracking the where abouts of nomad that are still flying in Australia and overseas the last Nomad to fly in here was VH-ATO I not 100 percent sure but i think its overseas now.
Paul
Paul
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ATO was previously operated by Commando Skydivers at Tooradin and was sold to Airlines of Tasmania if I recall correctly, saw it at Moorabbin a few times when they owned it.
Still registered in Australia however pictures are on the web of it in Bintulu Malaysia 2009 and Hamilton NZ 2007. Boy the old girl is getting around if those tags are correct!
Still registered in Australia however pictures are on the web of it in Bintulu Malaysia 2009 and Hamilton NZ 2007. Boy the old girl is getting around if those tags are correct!
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Yes you are right. I went out there and got some detailed pictures of it for a person who was going to build one for flight sim. There was one for fs 98 and one for 2002 I think would like to see for FSX.
When i saw the aircraft at Pakenham it was looking very rough a few years later i spotted it at YMMB and it looked a lot better. When I was skiing in NZ last year I drove past Lake Tekapo they have some N24s there. There is a really good DVD out on the N24 if was filmed in NZ where they seem to operate this aircraft with not much fuss.
Paul
When i saw the aircraft at Pakenham it was looking very rough a few years later i spotted it at YMMB and it looked a lot better. When I was skiing in NZ last year I drove past Lake Tekapo they have some N24s there. There is a really good DVD out on the N24 if was filmed in NZ where they seem to operate this aircraft with not much fuss.
Paul