There where light jet aircraft operating in freight and fly in out mine changes at the time.

Sorry Fris, I assumed from the first post (quote) that the TV was relayed in real time, not,Would a sliding door be possibly an aircraft set up for skydiving, can't think of any other possible type?

Back in the 1980s I was at Hawker Pacific and we modified a number of B200s for the National Safety Council with inward opening doors. The aircraft could be depressurized and the door opened in flight. The idea was for deploying parachuters, once they jumped out the door was shut and the aircraft could be repressurised. I went on a number of the flights where we tested the process opening and closing the door. It might have been one of those Kingairs after the NSC was wound up - can't remember the time frame of that happening.

I often wonder what happened to those aircraft and if they're still operating.

The NSC collapsed in 1989, but one of their ex 200's would be an ideal candidate.

Thank you WV for that most helpful information. I have been researching the NSCA B200s hence my delay in getting back to you. It seems that they had 6 in total:

VH-NSD BL-55 NSCA #21
VH-NSE BL-10 NSCA #22
VH-NSF BL-50 NSCA #23
VH-NSG BL-09 NSCA #24
VH-NSR BL-40 NSCA #30
VH-NSS BB-12 NSCA #25

All were B200C with the big freight door except VH-NSS which was the ex Thiess B200 with the single airstair door.

It appears that 4 were modified with the inward opening door and the bubble windows aft of the door on both sides. These were NSD, NSF, NSG and NSR.

VH-NSF and NSR departed Australia before the Bullimore rescue in JAN97 so they are eliminated. That leaves NSD and NSG. The NSCA collapsed in 1989 and by 1997 NSG was with Lloyd/Skywest as VH-KZL. NSD had been operating with the North Qld Emergency Response Group in Cairns but on 14FEB97 it was re-registered VH-FDA to the RFDS. I'm guessing that at the time of the Bullimore rescue NSD would have been undergoing overhaul and mods before delivery to the RFDS. That would leave VH-KZL as the most likely candidate.

One interesting anomaly that came up during my research concerns VH-NSR. It definitely had the modified door while with the NSCA but in FEB90 it was photographed at Cairns in Lloyd colours, still with the bubble windows but with a conventional downward opening airstair door! This prompts me to ask if Hawker Pacific reworked the original door or did they build a new door from scratch thus enabling the original airstair door to be refitted as required?

The only aircraft remaining in Australia is the former VH-NSG which is currently with Aus West Airlines at Jandakot as VH-NTG. Disposition of the others:

NSD to USA as N356AA
NSE to Canada as C-FAMB
NSF to USA as N54HF
NSR to Denmark as OY-GEB
NSS to USA as N193GA.

Rgds

Hi Fris B. Fairing, they were good days - lots of innovation and lots of overtime. In relation to NSR I seem to recall once modified it would have been an expensive proposition to be mod back to an airstair door - unless they were able to buy a whole cargo door and replace the lot, so I don't know what was done for that aircraft.

Probably warrants another thread, but Hawkers used to make the door completely. We made formers and went to the rubber press at De Havillands and pressed out O condition 2024 which was then heat treated by them. Once heat treated they were bought back to 275 and put in a jig for assembly of the door. A lot of the latching mechanism was taken off the airstair door and reused on the inward opening door. The door was on articulated arms attached to modified yacht sail roller carriage thingies and tracks mounted on the floor. The door was pulled inwards and rolled forwards into the fuselage. I remember going on the test flights and once strapped in opening the door and making sure it could be closed - there was a deflector on the forward edge of the opening. Have some photos somewhere, after modification the hull was ground pressurized to 1.5 times max diff to check integrity.

Along with the bubble windows some of the aircraft were modified with camera hatches, seem to recall one aircraft had two camera holes. There were also two tubes in the luggage area for deploying (i think) flares in flight, the flares were put in on the ground and released without having to depressurise.

Thanks for the info on where they are now. I wonder if NTG is one of the modified ones.

Thanks WV for that further clarification. I had assumed that the door would slide aft but clearly that would intrude on the observation bubble and the fuselage taper might be limiting anyway.

VH-NTG was formerly VH-NSG which had the door mod. Recent photos of NTG show that the bubble is no longer fitted on the stbd side so I'm guessing the door is also back to normal. Does anyone have recent experience of NTG?

Since my previous post I have found another modded ex NSCA aircraft that reverted to an airstair after NSCA collapsed. Given your experience that Hawkers built the door from scratch using components from the original airstair door, I would imagine that the original door was kept in reserve and removed components could be refitted to return the door to original spec.

Here is a picture of VH-NSG taken at Archerfield on 13 October 1985, just two months after it joined NSCA. The NSCA fleet number 24 has yet to be applied:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmf...30a3d289c5.jpg

Here is a close-up of the door. The apparent shadow at the leading edge of the door creates the illusion that the door opened outwards but is this the wind deflector that you mentioned?

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmf...4d47fd594e.jpg

For good measure here is a picture of VH-NSR taken in Brisbane in June 1989, probably soon after close of business.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.gmf...2b8c7b38ac.jpg

Getting back to the Bullimore rescue in January 1997, it would appear that VH-KZL (ex VH-NSG) is the likely candidate. I will take your advice and create a separate thread to try and locate someone who was flying KZL in Jan 97, probably with Lloyds/Skywest. Thanks again for your help.

Rgds

megle2

All of the NSCA aircraft (except VH-NSS) were Beech 200Cs with the big freight door with the inset airstair door. VH-NSS was a B200 ex Thiess Bros VH-THS and just had the small airstair door. You are correct that VH-AKV (VH-NSE) had the big door.

If you look closely at the door of VH-NSR in the photo above it has two inset handholds, a flush handle and no hinges at the bottom. I believe VH-NSG is the same.

Rgds

The aircraft used in the initial search was a Bombardier Global Express (range 6000+ nm), chartered from one of Australia's Billionaires which was able to pin point the location from the ELT that Bullimore activated.

Chance
I think you might be confused with something else. Bullimore was located by RAAF Orions. The Global Express was not certificated until July 1998.

[Off Topic]
I got a ride in THS in 1975 when it was quite new. Barry? Kerr was the pilot.
He went on to fly the Lear for UTAH Mines!
By today's standard, THS was not an old aircraft when it went to the NSC.

[Back On Topic]

I seem to recall the inward opening door wanted to fall in at the top (there was a top rail or some sort to prevent it falling in) when opened, so to close it from the outside there was another hand hold further up so you could pull the top of the door towards you and latch it with your other hand lower down. While standing on a ladder.

Fris B - yes, you are correct. That is the deflector, not a shadow.