GAF Nomad
Encyclopedia
The GAF Nomad is a twin-engine turboprop, high-winged, "short take off and landing
" (STOL) aircraft
. It was designed and built by the Australia
n Government Aircraft Factories
(GAF) at Fishermens Bend, Melbourne. Major users of the design have included the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
, the Australian Army
and the Australian Customs Service
. The Nomad is to be re-engineered and put back into production as the GA18.
production. The first prototype (VH-SUP) flew for the first time on 23 July 1971. The aircraft was now known as the N2 and was aimed at the military and civilian markets. The designation N22 was to be used for military aircraft (becoming N22B in production) and N24 was to be used for the lengthened civilian version.
The original design intention was that the entire empennage
would be hinged, such that it could be swung open providing rear loading access (the target payload was a small vehicle). This necessitated the raised cruciform tail.
The Australian Army Aviation Association has a comprehensive article on the Nomad's development and demise at http://www.fourays.org/features_2005/nomad/nomad_1.htm
The Nomad design was considered problematic and early Royal Australian Air Force
evaluations were critical of the design. An early, stretched-fuselage variant crashed, killing GAF's chief test pilot Stuart Pearce (father of actor Guy Pearce
), and the assistant head designer. The Nomad has been involved in a total of 32 total hull-loss accidents
, which have resulted in 76 fatalities.
Only 172 Nomads (including the two prototypes) were manufactured, due to the limited foreign sales achieved by GAF. In 1986, GAF was incorporated into Aerospace Technologies of Australia.
On 18 June 2008, Gippsland Aeronautics
announced they had won bidding to take over the Nomad's type certificate and would probably be restarting production. Some of the GippsAero
design and testing engineers, including co-founder George Morgan, worked on the Nomad development at the Government Aircraft Factories
.The N24-based GA18 will be re-engineered with new engines, propellers, glass cockpit and weight-saving measures. It is planned to bring it into service after the development and certification of the new 10-seat GA10
, due to be complete in March 2013.
As of December 2009 only one Nomad is still flying in Australia, with another four in New Zealand.
N.22
N.22B
N.22C
N.22F Floatmaster
N.24
N.24A
N.24B
GA18
Nomad Missionmaster
Nomad Searchmaster
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster B
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster L
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster LI
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster LII
Malaysia
Samoa
Suriname
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
" (STOL) aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
. It was designed and built by the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Government Aircraft Factories
Government Aircraft Factories
Government Aircraft Factories was the name of an aircraft manufacturer owned by the Government of Australia based at Fishermans Bend, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria. It had its origins in the lead-up to World War II, during which it was known as the Department of Aircraft Production...
(GAF) at Fishermens Bend, Melbourne. Major users of the design have included the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
, the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and the Australian Customs Service
Australian Customs Service
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is the Australian Federal Government agency responsible for managing the security and integrity of the Australian border, facilitating the movement of legitimate international travellers and goods, and collecting border-related duties and...
. The Nomad is to be re-engineered and put back into production as the GA18.
Design and development
Development of the Nomad began in 1965 at the Government Aircraft Factories as Project N. The Australian government funded two prototypes in January 1970 for the twin engined, multi-purpose transport. The government was keen to build an aircraft in order to maintain aircraft production at GAF after the end of Mirage IIIDassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
production. The first prototype (VH-SUP) flew for the first time on 23 July 1971. The aircraft was now known as the N2 and was aimed at the military and civilian markets. The designation N22 was to be used for military aircraft (becoming N22B in production) and N24 was to be used for the lengthened civilian version.
The original design intention was that the entire empennage
Empennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
would be hinged, such that it could be swung open providing rear loading access (the target payload was a small vehicle). This necessitated the raised cruciform tail.
The Australian Army Aviation Association has a comprehensive article on the Nomad's development and demise at http://www.fourays.org/features_2005/nomad/nomad_1.htm
The Nomad design was considered problematic and early Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
evaluations were critical of the design. An early, stretched-fuselage variant crashed, killing GAF's chief test pilot Stuart Pearce (father of actor Guy Pearce
Guy Pearce
Guy Edward Pearce is an English-born Australian actor and musician, known for his roles as Leonard Shelby in Christopher Nolan's Memento, Lieutenant Ed Exley in L.A...
), and the assistant head designer. The Nomad has been involved in a total of 32 total hull-loss accidents
Aviation accidents and incidents
An aviation accident is defined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, in which a...
, which have resulted in 76 fatalities.
Only 172 Nomads (including the two prototypes) were manufactured, due to the limited foreign sales achieved by GAF. In 1986, GAF was incorporated into Aerospace Technologies of Australia.
On 18 June 2008, Gippsland Aeronautics
Gippsland Aeronautics
Gippsland Aeronautics are an Australian aircraft manufacturer based at Latrobe Valley Airport in Morwell, Victoria. The company builds single-engined utility aircraft. These include the GA8 Airvan and the GA200 Fatman. The company is owned by Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group...
announced they had won bidding to take over the Nomad's type certificate and would probably be restarting production. Some of the GippsAero
Gippsland Aeronautics
Gippsland Aeronautics are an Australian aircraft manufacturer based at Latrobe Valley Airport in Morwell, Victoria. The company builds single-engined utility aircraft. These include the GA8 Airvan and the GA200 Fatman. The company is owned by Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group...
design and testing engineers, including co-founder George Morgan, worked on the Nomad development at the Government Aircraft Factories
Government Aircraft Factories
Government Aircraft Factories was the name of an aircraft manufacturer owned by the Government of Australia based at Fishermans Bend, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria. It had its origins in the lead-up to World War II, during which it was known as the Department of Aircraft Production...
.The N24-based GA18 will be re-engineered with new engines, propellers, glass cockpit and weight-saving measures. It is planned to bring it into service after the development and certification of the new 10-seat GA10
Gippsland GA10
-See also:-External links:*...
, due to be complete in March 2013.
As of December 2009 only one Nomad is still flying in Australia, with another four in New Zealand.
Variants
N.2 Nomad- Prototype, two built.
N.22
- Initial production version for 12 passengers for the Australian Army.
N.22B
- 13 passenger civil version.
N.22C
- N.22B with Maximum Takeoff Weight increased to 4050 kilograms (8,928.7 lb).
N.22F Floatmaster
- Twin floatplane version.
N.24
- Utility transport aircraft with a fuselage lengthened by 3ft 9in (1.14m).
N.24A
- Improved version for 17 passengers, 40 built.
N.24B
GA18
- Re-engineered 18-seat N24 in development by GippsAeroGippsland AeronauticsGippsland Aeronautics are an Australian aircraft manufacturer based at Latrobe Valley Airport in Morwell, Victoria. The company builds single-engined utility aircraft. These include the GA8 Airvan and the GA200 Fatman. The company is owned by Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group...
.
Nomad Missionmaster
- Military transport and utility aircraft.
Nomad Searchmaster
- Maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft.
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster B
- Coastal patrol aircraft, seven built.
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster L
- Improved version of the Searchmaster B, 11 built.
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster LI
- Improved version of the Searchmaster B, fitted with the APS-104(N) 2 radar.
Nomad N.22 Searchmaster LII
- Improved version of the Searchmaster B, fitted with the APS-104(V) 5 radar.
Civil Operator
- Air Pioneer - Currently owns the last remaining Australian Registered Nomad VH-ATO
- Airlines of TasmaniaAirlines of TasmaniaAirlines of Tasmania, also known by the name Par-Avion, is a small regional airline based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It operates a fleet of light aircraft on scheduled and chartered services between Launceston in Tasmania, Flinders Island and Essendon Airport in Melbourne in Victoria on the...
- Australian Customs ServiceAustralian Customs ServiceThe Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is the Australian Federal Government agency responsible for managing the security and integrity of the Australian border, facilitating the movement of legitimate international travellers and goods, and collecting border-related duties and...
- National Safety Council of AustraliaNational Safety Council of AustraliaThe National Safety Council of Australia is a nonprofit organisation in Australia promoting safety awareness and offering consulting, auditing and training services. For much of its life NCSA was a volunteer organisation concerned largely with accident prevention...
- Royal Flying Doctor Service of AustraliaRoyal Flying Doctor Service of AustraliaThe Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
- Sunstate AirlinesSunstate AirlinesSunstate Airlines is a subsidiary of Qantas which operates regional flights under the QantasLink banner throughout Queensland; and on the trunk routes between Sydney and Canberra, and between Brisbane and Canberra...
- Transportes Aéreos Isla Robinson Crusoe
- Alimediterranea
Malaysia
- Layang-Layang Aerospace, Sabah Air
- Air SafarisAir SafarisAir Safaris was a British scheduled and charter airline from 1959 to 1962.- History :Air Safaris Limited was formed on 26 November 1959 with four-engined Handley Page Hermes and twin-engined Vickers Vicking airliners to operate scheduled and charter flights based at London Gatwick Airport...
- Great Barrier AirlinesGreat Barrier AirlinesGreat Barrier Airlines is a New Zealand airline that was established in 1983. They flew their first scheduled service to Great Barrier Island in December 1983, departing from Ardmore Airport, an airport three nautical miles southeast of Manurewa in Auckland, New Zealand.The head office is located...
- Taupo Tandem Skydiving
- Paraguay Air Service
Samoa
- Polynesian AirlinesPolynesian AirlinesPolynesian Airlines is the national airline of Samoa and has its headquarters in the Samoa National Provident Fund Building in the capital, Apia. It formerly flew all over the Pacific but with the establishment of Polynesian Blue by the government and Virgin Blue , Polynesian Airlines has...
Suriname
- Gum Air
- Rhine Air
- North London Skydiving Centre
- United States Customs ServiceUnited States Customs ServiceUntil March 2003, the United States Customs Service was an agency of the U.S. federal government that collected import tariffs and performed other selected border security duties.Before it was rolled into form part of the U.S...
Military operators
- Australian Army AviationAustralian Army AviationAustralian Army Aviation is a corps of the Australian Army, and was formed on 1 July 1968 with a strength of 106 officer pilots, although it has a history dating back to 1911, when the Minister of Defence at the time, Senator George Pearce, decided there should be a flying school in the Defence...
- 173rd Surveillance Squadron (Australia)173rd Surveillance Squadron (Australia)The 173rd Aviation Squadron is an Australian Army aviation unit which forms part of the 6th Aviation Regiment. It is currently based at Holsworthy Barracks and is equipped with Bell Kiowa helicopters....
- School of Army Aviation
- 173rd Surveillance Squadron (Australia)
- Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
- Four Nomads (RAAF serial A18-316, -401 to -403) were in service with the RAAF.- No. 75 Squadron RAAFNo. 75 Squadron RAAFNo. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the...
- Aircraft Research and Development Unit
- No. 75 Squadron RAAF
- Indonesian NavyIndonesian NavyThe role of the Indonesian Navy is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone , to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI...
- 42 Nomad N22/N24 - 23 in storage : status AOG, 19 airworthy and 6 in service.
- Papua New Guinea Defence Force
- Philippine Air ForcePhilippine Air ForceThe Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
- 20 Nomads (3 in service) - Philippine NavyPhilippine NavyThe Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
- 15 Nomads (N.24A)
- Royal Thai Air ForceRoyal Thai Air ForceThe Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
(N.22B) - Royal Thai NavyRoyal Thai NavyThe Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...
(N.24A)
Notable incidents
- On 28 January 2010, a Nomad aircraft of the Philippine Air ForcePhilippine Air ForceThe Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
(PAF) crashed shortly after take-off into a residential area in Cotabato CityCotabato CityThe City of Cotabato is one of the cities of the Philippines located in Mindanao. Cotabato City is an exclave of the SOCCSKSARGEN region found within the boundaries of Maguindanao province, but is independent of that province...
, killing Maj. Gen. Butch Lacson, commander of the PAF 3rd Air Division, and seven other officers on the plane. - On 7 September 2009, a Nomad aircraft P-837 of the Indonesian Naval Aviation Unit, PENERBAL, crashed in the area of Bulungan, East Borneo. The aircraft was on a routine patrol near Ambalat Oil Block. The accident caused the fatality of one Naval officer, as well as three civilians on board. The pilot and copilot received serious injuries.
- On 30 December 2007, a Nomad aircraft P-833 of the Indonesian Naval Aviation Unit, PENERBAL, crashed in the area We island, Nangroe Aceh Darussalam Province.
- on 4 May 1987, a Nomad aircraft P-817, Indonesian Naval Aviation Unit, PUSPENERBAL crashed at the Mapur Island, Bintan Area, Riau Province. The aircraft was a total loss on the hull and airframe.
- Tun Fuad StephensTun Fuad StephensTun Haji Mohammad Fuad Stephens, previously known as, Donald Stephens, was the first Chief Minister of the state of Sabah in Malaysia. He played a fundamental role in bringing the state of Sabah into the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. He held the chief minister post until 1964, and again in 1976...
, the first chief minister of SabahSabahSabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
, Malaysia, died in the crash of a Nomad in the state capital, Kota KinabaluKota KinabaluKota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
, on 6 June 1976. - On the 9 of September 1991 an Australian Army N-22B Nomad crashed near Drake in northern NSW with the loss of 4 people including the pilot.