The Ducks Last Flight

[Kaffir]

:ugh:

The last flight out of Aeropelican is on the 1st April at 0700GMT.
Thus ends a 37 year accident free history of RPT service from Newcastle to Sydney. Vale The Duck.

Curly

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

"Vale The Duck" indeed!!

And what a 'prophetic' date for "The Duck" to go?
An icon of Aus Aviation in its own way!
Many many crews have passed this way, I feel, onto bigger and perceived to be better...

Remembered from the days in SY FSC.

All the best to all concerned for the future..:ok::ok:

[Kaptin M]

A sorry day indeed for a popular, well-patronised service that connected Sydney (Australia) to central Newcastle (Belmont), situated on Lake Macquarie, and the surrounding Hunter Valley area.
http://photos.airliners.net/small/8/2/0/637028.jpg

:( Vale Aero Duck Belmont. :(

[411A]

Duck?

From the photo supplied, it looks like a Twin Otter to me.

Duck????:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Taildragger67]

411A,

It's called 'The Duck' as the airline operating from the little strip at Belmont (just south of Newcastle, which is a bit north of Sydney) is called Aeropelican.

A pelican is a water fowl, but it has three syllables. A duck is another waterfowl and, being only one syllable, is easier to say. Hence Aeropelican is known as The Duck.

A bit like Chinook helicopters being known as 'chooks'.

[broadreach]

Taildragger,

Chinook = Chook, ergo Pelican = Duck?

Stretches abbreviation to the breaking point and lateral thinking to the absurd. Sure there wasn't a Goose or a Mallard tucked somewhere in Aeropelican's history?

:-)
broadreach

[Kaptin M]

To our non-Aussie mates - Aeropelican has been known as Aeroduck ever since I can remember having first been made aware of it, back in 1971.
It AIN`T gunna change now! :O

[Taildragger67]

Broadreach,

Why use three syllables when one will suffice?

A pelican isn't that far removed from a duck, anyway. They are both birds.

QED!!

Anyway it's a sad day. The Twotters could just about stop & start within the 16R piano keys. Decent southerly buster and they'd just about go backwards.

[tinpis]

Was it Hilder that started it?

Seem to remember 402's

[treadigraph]

There was me thinking it was a reference to the Duck Billed Platypus, which I suppose is a little like an Otter...!

[OldWiseOne]

There were 402's but the Twotter was the most loved. Does anyone know what happened to one of the pilots named "The Turk"? I seem to recall he was Chief Pilot when I was in Ansett Traffic doing Duck's handling - prior to the Ansett colours appearing on the aircraft.

[Compass Call]

Aeropelican were the best flights I ever had in Oz. Also it was the only airline in Oz that never complained about my diving gear and never charged me excess baggage for it either! Qantas & Ansett always tried to bankrupt me when I took my diving gear on their flights.
I will raise my glass to them and wish all the staff all the best for the future.

CC

[RENURPP]

"The Turk" Ralph Stewart died, I guess at least ten years ago after an op in the Solomoons.

Dalkeith Hilder started aeropelican initailly with an Aztec then 402's (x 7) and then Three twin Ottters.

Masling bought the major % of Aeropelican then promptly sold it to Ansett the rest is history, at least for the moment.

[SASless]

But has a flat bill and lays eggs like ......DUCKS!

[tinpis]

Thanks RENURPP

:ok:

Masling....ahh...another thread perhaps?
:rolleyes: