By James Kightly, Commissioning Editor, Images: Howard Mitchell
A rare Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer STOL transport, universally known as the “Twin Pin” was started up, checked out, and taxied at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), at Illawarra, NSW, Australia on December 23, 2024. At the controls were veteran pilots Don Hindle and Bob Small who, as HARS report, have “flown their fair share of aircraft in their long careers.”
This is the first time the rare machine, registered VH-SYS, was fired up and taxied for first time since its arrival at HARS more than two years ago. Of the 87 of the type built, only ten survive, of which only five are in stable, secure museum ownership — and this is the only example currently able to fly again.
Designed and built in Scotland in the 1950s as a twin engine, larger version of the Scottish Aviation Pioneer, the Twin Pioneer was an unusual Short Take Off & Landing (STOL) transport untended for utilitarian use by both civil and military users where full size airstrips were not available.
A couple of early fatal accidents due to strut-wing failure caused a loss of confidence and an engineering redesign, but the hoped-for market never eventuated, with the widespread availability of larger strips than the Twin Pin could excel within.
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This example, with its own Facebook page, was built in 1962, and as FM1066 served with the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force (renamed Royal Malaysian Air Force) used for clandestine missions in Laos & Cambodia during the Vietnam War for a subsidiary of Continental Airlines. After service, this Twin Pin had a brief heyday as a tourist sightseeing machine in Queensland, Australia as VH-EVB in the 1990s: fitted with 11 passenger seats, air-conditioned cabin, drinks bar, bubble windows for scenic viewing and repainted in a bright scheme with the clever name ‘Double Scotch’!
After a number of years, the aircraft and sister Twin Pioneers languished with several grand plans and little action until acquired by Sy Allsep through a remarkably difficult process, being ferried to Sydney, NSW in 2007. After Sy’s death in 2015, the aircraft was eventually restored to ferry flight status and flown to the HARS base at Albion Park, Illawarra, from Wedderburn, on July 30 2022 by Richard Thompson. It had been re-registered VH-SYS in tribute to Sy in recognition of his achievement in saving the aircraft.
With luck, and the hard work of the dedicated crew, this machine will see a return to regular flight and stable ownership. As the HARS crew report, “Flight next.” Stay tuned!
