VH-FSG  Shorts SC-7-2-200 Skyvan 3                           (c/n  SH.1838)

                                 
                                      
                                      Forrester Stephen Aviation at Essendon were agents for all kinds of interesting aircraft in the 1960s
                                      and 70s - Piaggios, Pilatus, etc. They brought in two Skyvans VH-FSG (ex G-AVJX) and -FSH
                                      (ex G-AWJM) as demonstrators.   VH-FSG was leased by Hicks Aviation at Jandakot for mining
                                      freight contracts when Geoff Goodall  took the shot (above) at Perth's GA Airport at Jandakot in
                                      October 1969.  His second image, (#2) immediately below was at the same locale in February 1971
                                .     Geoff recollects Hicks pilots stating that, despite its looks, it was a good aeroplane. The color image
                                      (# 3, below) is from the CAHS collection and shows the Skyvan at Essendon circa October 1968
                                      just after it had received its Australian rego.   Finally at the foot of the page is another Goodall photo
                                      (# 4) showing it at Essendon a month earlier, and wearing its UK rego just after it arrived.  At the
                                      end of the lease in September 1972 the Skyvan returned to the UK briefly as G-AVJX before
                                      departing for the US as N10TC.  It later became N40GA and then was sold in Finland as
                                      OH-SBB(2)    On 1 November 1989 the starboard engine quit at 2000 ft whilst in flight and
                                      the crew elected to divert to Mariehamn.  Shortly after, and while on final approach, the port
                                      engine also stopped and the aircraft was ditched into the sea off the Finnish coast.  The reason
                                      for the accident was given as fuel starvation. 
                    2.
                                
                       3.
                                
                     4.
                                                                .