VH-AEA (3)
Beech A56TC/A1 Baron
(c/n TG-91)
This, the third
allocation of the rego VH-AEA barely creeps in under my inclusion
criteria, having
been first registered in September 1970. Geoff Goodall took
the above shot at Cairns in August
1974 at which time the aircraft was owned by Queensland Aerial Survey
Company Pty Ltd and
the
inscription on the fin reads 'Qasco Air Surveys'. This large
aerial survey company had taken
over Adastra in
1976. David Carter saw it (below) at Bankstown after it had just
come in with
the crude ferry rego of N9091Q. This aircraft is actually
quite rare.
Only 12A56TC Turbo
Barons (its
correct designation) were built. It differed from the
standard 56TC Turbo Baron
(and only 82 of
those were produced) in minor system and trim changes. Power was
supplied
by two Lycoming
TI0-541-E1B4 turbocharged engines in enlarged nacelles. This
aircraft went
on
to perform other
survey tasks with Airesearch Mapping Co of Brisbane well into the new
millennium, although it is no longer
on the register.