S-58T in Australia ?
 

I received an email today from a friend of mine in the USA asking whether I knew of an S-58T operating in Australia ?

Supposedly it was rebuilt from a 58T that was damaged by fire in 1997/98

I checked the CASA register and lots of S-76 and S-92s but no S-58Ts

Are there any operating in Oz ?

Relying on my old fading memory, I don't think a S58T ever operated in Oz due to the restrictions put on by CAA. They did operate in PNG but only allowed to carry freight as it didn't have 2 independant fuel systems, so I'm told.
The S58 & Wessex 60 did operate here but many years ago. The Wessex Mk2 were going to come here from NZ but their CAA stopped it.
Now to find out if my memory is right!!:ok:

So where did those Wessex go ????

Last 58T's I saw in this part of the world were Indonesian Registered operated by Airfast I believe.

My response to my American friend was someone was probably misidentifying a Wessex as an S58T in a museum somewhere :)

A lot of the Indo 58Ts were written off in accidents I've searched around trying to buy engines and major components for US buyers but anything remaining was sold off or scrapped long ago

PK-OBN (1) Sikorsky S.58DT 58-1492 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1980

PK-OAD Sikorsky S.58ET 58-601 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1974 CofA expired

PK-OAF Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1129 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1974

PK-OAO Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1071 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1973 W/O nr Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi

PK-OBF Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1527 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1979

PK-OBL Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1612 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT Missing in Java Sea nr Masalembu Island

PK-OBM Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1663 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT W/O in Irian Jaya

PK-OBO Sikorsky S.58ET 58- 721 Airfast
Svs Indonesia PT 1980 Dismantled at Seletar 97

PK-OBS Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1111 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1980 W/O nr Tabang, East Kalimantan: found 5/8/94

PK-OBT Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1098 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1980 W/O at Kutai-Kelawit, East Kalimantan

PK-UHN Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1126 Natl Utility Helicopters PT 1973 W/O nr Karimun-Achmadyani AAF: hit sea

PK-UHW Sikorsky S.58ET 58-374 Natl Utility Helicopters PT 1974 W/O in Thailand

PK-UHY Sikorsky S.58ET 58-1612 Natl Utility Helicopters PT 1974

PK-OBL

PK-OBX Sikorsky S.58T 58-1093 Airfast Svs Indonesia PT 1981 Canx

PK-UHV Sikorsky S.58T 58-1101 Natl Utility Helicopters PT 1973 W/O at Muara Tewe

7 out of 16 helis on the register written off is a pretty high accident rate (44%)

I do occassionally run across some smaller S58T components (when we buy surplus mixed spares packages) with Air Asia Taiwan (Air America) tags on it !

Sold to an undisclosed buyer and still in storage (but in different locations than previously) in NZ and the UK.

There was talk of them being operated in Africa but they are all overdue for 48 month major inspections and getting approval for restricted commercial ops even in Africa doesn't seem to be that easy.

The biggest problem for the Wessex now is getting good engines. The mountains of surplus Gnome engines have migrated to the USA for tractor pulls and racing boats and there's no shop that can overhaul them anymore.

The fun part of that project was I did get to start one (under supervision) , sitting up in that cockpit was like a helicopter version of a B747.

-

Mmmmm ...

The last S58T that I saw in Australia was on Thursday Island (refuelling) and then departing towards PNG .... I think sometime around September of 1979.

It was in Airfast (Indonesia) colours and was being ferried by one John Bayfuss (?) to someplace in Indonesia..... but I cannot for the life of me remember why?

I think also that Helitrans (Australia) in Cairns operated 58Ts for sometime but again cannot remember the details though I remember seeing them there at the airport (so many years ago).

I was also told of a Super Frelon which was in Australia (for operations in PNG) in the very early 70's but had some problems again with the then DCA re helipad requirements.

I do know that my (Oz) Senior Commercial Helicopter exams had in them quite a few questions based on S58t operations and that was in 1982! so I assume they (the 58Ts) were on the Australian register at some time.

Cheers :ok:

I'm fairly certain the S58T didn't get onto the Oz register for some stupid CAA technical requirements. Helicopter Utilities had one in their Mascot hangar which I was going to fly on the strength of having 1035 hours on the Wessex Mk5! In about 1969 or 1970 it went to PNG, not too sure what rego. Eventually Airfast had several in Indonesia which were steadily crashed! Gladstone had a S58 which could outperform the S58T until that too crashed on the runway! The Super Frelon did a good job in Kiunga I think it was.... they built a massive pad for it.

Mmmm...

Hi Nigel ... I think you could well be right about the 58T not having been on the Oz register ... and I cannot remember what reg the Helitrans machines were on ...

Was not Wally Watkins and Alain Le Lec flying the Super F (AS321) on that Kiunga job ... I know they were both very knowledgeable about the a/c and Wally knew all there was to know about the 58T ... a long time ago !!!


:uhoh:

Wally and Alain: there's a couple of names that I haven't heard for a long time!

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/p...erlantar01.jpg

This Super Frelon airframe is on an air base in West Java looking more like Noah's Ark than a helicopter

Assume the Frelon airframe in java is the former Pertamina ship ...PK-PEf ,which before that was in OZ Don't suppose it still has the instrument panel in it ? Looking at the picture it might have and I know the Heli Museum are looking for one....they don't want the instruments ...just the panel !
They have a bunch of Gnomes too.

Paint job looks like Pelita Air Service (Pertamina)

I'll see what I can do

-

Mmmm....


That's the one .... Perf1 3 Engines in 1967 ... :eek:

The Airfast 58 that went down in Darwin Harbour early 70's following the loss of a tail rotor was it a Wessex or 58T? Jed Hart pilot.

Yes, Jed did go down in Darwin, so that must have been the only Oz registered 58T.
I don't think Wally flew the Frelon, being ex-US Marine & an ex-Sikorski test pilot, I doubt if he flew a "foreign" machine! Alain & Frank Hillier certainly flew the Frelon, don't remember the others.

Mmm ...

Ha Nigel ...

Yes I know what you mean .... However I flew quite a few hours with him in the PUMA and he always kept telling me how much Sikorsky had helped Sud Aviation with the design of the Frelon and the old 330!

So .... :confused:

Darwin.?
didn't a 62 go down in darwin as well, during autos, "you've got it, no you've got it!!"

also wasn't Alain at the controls of a standard 58 that got a bit of vibe in Darwin upon landing and ended up spread all over the flat. I remember with quite some affection his entertaining stories of the frelon and his life in the navy.
other names, not simmler?? or something similar. no pun intended, a top DC3 pilot I think. super ted was another name, was he on the 61 also???

i think it was Hillier who was captain who flew the 61 back to darwin on the eve of Tracy. A very highly respected gentleman by us down in the sticks. He would turn up ANYWHERE with a spare set of sticks in his pocket and state that NOW was a good time for a check ride.

Mmmm ....


Yes .... Froggy Navy and "Sunderlands" seems to come to mind! (whats left of it) ....


;)