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Blastoid
6th Nov 2005, 19:43
The last two SH360 in Australia have now been retired from Sunshine Express and are heading OS. VH-SEG completed its last revenue flight last night, unexpectedly replacing a metro for the BN-MYB-HBA evening stint.

Thanks to all the guys at SE for keeping us at ATC entertained with your "best speed to the field for sequencing".... :ok:

Shame there won't be any hosties on the metros!

F111
6th Nov 2005, 22:16
Blastoid,

When we told the FA we had to go back to MYB and HBA she didn't believe us;) If you were working 129.00 last night you were spot on with the weather at MCY.

The final revenue flight was scheduled to be CQ7037 (HBA-MYB-BNE) but due to the Metro preferring to stay on the ground in BNE, the final revenue flight was CQ7038 (BNE-MYB-HBA).

So after 21 years the Shed is gone from the QLD (and OZ) skies.:(

SEG will be heading to Denmark at the end of the month and it will be converted to a freighter, which is a bit of a shame as it is the lowest time Shed in the world (just hit 10000 hours).

SEO will be heading to Africa, and will continue to carry passengers for a few more years.

The retirement of the Shed as also lead to the retirement of Bill F, Bill has been flying the Shed on and off for 21 years and he has accumulated over 8000 hours on them. Bill will now sit back and enjoy life from his boat in HBA.

QF skywalker
7th Nov 2005, 00:17
What is happening to the hosties ?

Have they been given a payout ?

Preference for interviews at sunnies ?

interested to know....

Ultralights
7th Nov 2005, 02:30
being a regular, almost local to Hervey Bay and maryboring, i will miss her..

Capt Claret
7th Nov 2005, 05:28
Are they going to put them back in the box they came in, for return? ;)





ps not original I know, I've b@stardised another's saying

Torres
7th Nov 2005, 09:15
What a contribution the Irish Concorde made to Australia! Despite being built by an Irish ship yard, one must acknowledge it's contribution to Australia aviation history - along with it's relos, the SD3-30, Sunderland etc.

Blastoid
7th Nov 2005, 09:27
One of our guys actually worked for Shorts in Belfast many years ago. He will be saddened to learn he missed their "last hurrah" so to speak, although he is back visiting the home country right now!

F111
7th Nov 2005, 09:57
From the research I've done so far, Sunstate airlines introduced the first Shorts 360 (VH-FCU) in June 1984. Prior to operating the 360, they also operated the Twin Fin 330. Thus the Shorts 360 alone has contributed 21 years 5 months towards Australian aviation history, it's a shame that none will appear in any Australian Aviation Museums.

Uncommon Sense
7th Nov 2005, 10:07
Possibly an oldie:

An Eagle crew came up with a novel idea to play a trick on a new-hire flight attendant. In order to understand this story you need to know a few things about the Shorts 360:

1) It has two doors to the cockpit, one on each side, for the captain and the first officer.
2) There is ground escape hatch right above the FO's head.
3) The Shorts is slow and unpressurized so quite frequently crews will fly with the captains (quite large) window open.
4) There is room to hide a small person behind and underneath the FO's seat. The jumpseat is behind the captain's.
5) At any time the Flight Attendant can pick up the interphone and here what the pilots are saying (and also ATC).

On a rainy, icy, IMC evening flight from JFK to Providence, the crew decided to play a trick. The FO hid behind his seat and the captain called the FA. "Hey I need your help. First of all, please stay calm." "Why? What's Wrong?!?!"

"Please come up to the cockpit and on your way please look out the window and see if you see the First Officer anywhere."

"What? He's outside?" said the startled FA.

"Yes. I sent him out to do a routine ice inspection on the wings and he hasn't returned. It's been about five minutes and he's usually back by now. See if you can spot him. Maybe he's stuck somewhere."

Well of course she was unbelieving so she ran up to the cockpit and opened the captain's door. Peering over him she saw that the seat was empty and the handle for the escape hatch was turned a quarter turn.

"Is that safe?" she asked, pointing to the escape hatch. "Well he has to be able to get back in!" replied the captain.

Convinced now that the FO may actually be outside the plane she proceeded to go back to her seat while peering out the windows, drawing some strange looks from the passengers. Reaching her seat she got on the phone. Meanwhile the FO was back in his seat ready to imitate the company dispatcher on the radio. "Did you see him?" "No! He wasn't anywhere!" "OK well I guess I better call Dispatch and see what's up" (sounds of dispatch being rung up using the keypad on the mic).

FO: "Eagle calling Dispatch go ahead"

CA: "Dispatch this is Eagle 555 and we have a problem. I sent the FO out to do a routine ice check per special memo 42-1 and he hasn't returned in over 10 minutes. Any idea how I should proceed?"

FO: "Stand by"

The FO and Captain took off their headsets and discussed their plan!

FO: "Eagle 555 has your Flight Attendant had wing walking training?" (sound of gasp from the FA)

CA: "Ah no she's a new-hire, I doubt she's had that yet."

FO: "Stand by"

More laughter as they take off their headsets again.

FO: "Eagle 555 do you think she could keep the plane flying while you take a look?" (a startled "No WAY!" from the FA)

CA: "Ah no I don't think that'd work either"

FO: "Stand by"

One more conference on the final blow.

FO: "Eagle 555, we'll have a new FO ready for you in Providence, have to assume we lost one. In the meantime you better get the FA up there so she can learn how to land that thing while you handle the radios."

CA: "OK Dispatch, wilco. I'll get her up here. See ya"

FO: "Good Luck Captain" <click>

So the captain says over the interphone, "You heard that?" She replies very shakily, "Yeeeaaaah, I'm on my way up there..."

At this point the captain throws open his window (making a LOT of noise) and says, "Oh wait! Here he is! Come on up and see!" The FO hurriedly dons his coat and poors his entire water bottle over his hair. She makes it to the door and stares at him. "Sorry I took so long, I had to chip some ice off the tail!"

The best part of the story is that they never told the poor girl what happened. The author found out about this story for the first time while sitting in the crew lounge in Hartford, hearing the girl complaining that she didn't think she was cut out for this job, 'We almost lost our FO the other night!". You can imagine the rest! The author got the rest of the story from the captain who thought this up, who for obvious reasons wants to remain anonymous

Woomera
7th Nov 2005, 10:38
:}

BlueEagle
7th Nov 2005, 10:43
Hate to be a party pooper but the original "SHED" was the SC7 Skyvan, all others are just cheap impersonators!:p

greybeard
7th Nov 2005, 22:33
There was a Skyvan operating in Perth in 1969/70, VH-FSG for Hicks Aviation.
Then the only Avtur A/C operating ex YPJT.

Carried a full size LWB Landrover and a row of seats to many ???places in the mineral boom.

God, it's being around then and now is a bit of a worry.

Cheers

chimbu warrior
7th Nov 2005, 22:45
Uncommon Sense.............love the story!

Was the F/A blond by any chance?

triadic
8th Nov 2005, 21:04
Other than the Hicks Skyvan, the first 330 arrived in Oz in December 1980 for what was then "Jet Charter Airlines". It was the first of 4 SD330's that they aquired. VH-KNN/KNO/KNP/KNQ.

Jet Charter later became "Wings Australia" then Peldale, when Wings folded which became Pelair as we now know it.

KNN operated the closed charter for Queensland Mines to Narbarlek ex DRW from 81 to 88 with relief at times by O & P. The others were used in the early 80's ex SYD on RPT and then freight.

KNQ (reserve power engines - not water meth) later went to Murray Valley Airlines and then into Sunstate after the 360's arrived at MQL. MVX and MVW were the first of the 360's in about July 1983 if my memory serves me right.

LSI was another 330 that was used by Lloyd Aviation in ADL from about 1990 for the KSC run. Later went to the NT and elsewhere I understand.

One of the 330's was scrapped at TVL a few years back and I think the others were exported, along with most of the 360's that finished up at Sunnies.

They were a good a/c for their time.
:ok:

yarrayarra
14th Nov 2005, 17:48
A long retired controller at Essendon (pre Tullamarine) was ADC when the first Skyvan arrived in Oz.
"Nice aircraft Captain"
"Thanks very much"
"Make it yourself?"

Gravox
15th Nov 2005, 00:08
So what was the reasoning of getting rid of the Shed? are the passenger loads dropping significantly with jet services into Hervey Bay?

Does that mean there will be more Metros coming or will they implement the aircraft replacment that they have been talking about for years? Will there be any redundancies? Hope not.

So will the pilots on the shorts all have to take a pay cut to go and fly the metros, or will the T&C increase for those on the metros, thats wishful thinking.

Great timing for withdrawing the shed coming into summer,the metros are great for those hot short sectors, especially between MYB and HBA.

Best luck to you all still there, hope management are looking after you.......

Dog One
15th Nov 2005, 11:06
I believe one of the ex Pelair 330's is parked at Alice Springs. I understand that Roger Leach bought it as a spares source for the two that Airnorth operated out of Darwin.

triadic
15th Nov 2005, 12:11
Ex Pelair 330 VH-KNO was registered to SYNCOM PTY. LTD. at Alice in Nov 2002.
My latest download of the registers shows the same. However the picture on airliners.net shows it far from airworthy and says it has been there since 96.

DUXNUTZ
16th Nov 2005, 02:47
I'm currently in ground school to get rated on one! Bit bizarre to start training when the last one in oz is being retired!!!

For what it is worth we have an ex Sunshine express SD3-60, currently going strong.

Dj Dave
16th Nov 2005, 03:16
Welcome back to the forums, Dux

Make sure you tell 'em ground instructors that The SHED is nothing compared to those 210 you and i were G-Banging around the LOO, so they better give you the endorsement or else i might come me and my bruddas with my spears and curse them.

its borroloooooola for life !

Jaguar7777
16th Nov 2005, 10:37
Damn, That story is beautiful!
:} :ok:

bellsux
19th Jan 2006, 15:31
VH SEO arrived in Bata, Equatorial Guinea on tuesday making it the first Australian registered aircraft to visit the country (we assume), loaded up with a fresh supply of VB. Bata's Australian expat population is now up to five and all of those are pilots. Should be on line soon as 3C SEO doing Bata, Malabo, Libreville, Duala and more.

DUXNUTZ
19th Jan 2006, 22:55
Yeah thought i'd be in a 210 for life.

Gabilian
20th Jan 2006, 06:15
VH SEO arrived in Bata, Equatorial Guinea on tuesday making it the first Australian registered aircraft to visit the country (we assume)...
I'm afraid your assumption is wrong there bellsux. I operated a VH registered Baron out of Malabo back in June 2000 conducting a mineral survey.

Capt Snooze
21st Jan 2006, 01:33
Hi greybeard,
'There was a Skyvan operating in Perth in 1969/70, VH-FSG for Hicks Aviation.
Then the only Avtur A/C operating ex YPJT.
Carried a full size LWB Landrover and a row of seats to many ???places in the mineral boom.'
My recollection was that it was a short wheelbase version. Rumour was that
Felix made more money out of rentals on the landrover than he ever did (or didn't :) ) out of the pievan. The machine didn't go very far with the truck in the back though. :) :)
Wasn't the van originally a demonstrator for Sleighs that they were desperate to place.
I think it was about the same time that the Scrub bird started the MU-2 operation to Barrow. Late '70?
Have to agree with you about the 'then and now'! :D :D (which probably explains diverging memories on the above)
Snooze

tinpis
21st Jan 2006, 02:47
Ah...KNN
Happy days socialising with Captain Owey ...bugger..... 25 years ago now.

RIP old friend.

helldog
21st Jan 2006, 07:50
Yeah the old girl has done ok so far. We left from Bankstown on Friday 13th, we could have gone to Port Headland in one hop but we stopped at Alice do to Bankstown's short runway(note the pun) Used it all up as well. After PH on to Cocos then Maldives then 12H to Nairobi then Bata. I think the total was about 50 hours. Should be punching out the hours in no time here, she will work as hard or even harder than in her first 23 000 hours.

Oh and the Loo pub has the best roof hangy thing ever, a huge white shark with a harpoon in it and blood coming out. Oh and if your there eat early, bring on nine oclock. No Humbug.

Going Boeing
21st Jan 2006, 22:11
23,000 hours is a lot considering that it flew mainly short sectors. The average daily utilisation must have been very high - says a lot about its reliability.

BTW the two QF B747-238RR Combis (VH-ECB/C) had over 95,000 hours each when they departed for the US desert. Different type of flying but still great utilisation. :)

Jungmeister
22nd Jan 2006, 01:13
When I was in DN in the early eighties the shorts 330 (VHKNN) was known as the "Barra" due to its side profile. The way the pilot (Doug S?) rattled off the callsign and destination when taxying was something like "kilonevembernovemberfornarbalek" We knew what he was trying to say!
I think that aircraft was replaced by a 360. I don't recall the operator. A change of policy on uranium mining and exploration in Kakadu saw the demise of that operation.
Any one else recall those OPS?

MU-2
22nd Jan 2006, 05:38
Capt. Snooze.
Sorry to deviate from the thread but re the "Original Van" yes as I recall it was a short wheelbase Landrover + some bits. It is also "rumored" that at least one air start was attempted vis a high speed taxi at Meeka - I guess some started better than others.
Re the MU-2. The original demonstrator operated out of JKT late 1970 replaced in July 1971 by ex factory VH-CJP (L B.)

tinpis
22nd Jan 2006, 07:20
jungmeister

A change of policy on uranium mining and exploration in Kakadu saw the demise of that operation.
Any one else recall those OPS?

Indeed. Read my post above yours.
Doug posts on here from time to time under his name.
Lotta fun was had around old Darwhine then days had a very vibrant aviation scene over the old side.

Doug Stott
22nd Jan 2006, 11:42
Well you have sucked me in to this one!! Yes, those were the days!

KNN (msn SH3060) flew for the first time (at Belfast Harbour airport) on 10 Dec 1980 and arrived in DRW late on Christmas Eve. It then entered service for what was then "Jet Charter Airlines" on a contract to Queensland Mines Ltd (QML) in Jan 81 between DN and Nabarlek. It was the first 3-30 to be registered in Australia. The QML staff worked one of the first fly-in/out rosters. They all lived in DN and worked about 18 days on site per month.

A change of policy on uranium mining and exploration in Kakadu saw the demise of that operation.

Not quite .. the QML contract was for 8 yrs and it went till 1988 almost to the day when the mine closed down (as planned). It was always a SD3-30 with KNO (msn SH3061) and KNP (msn SH3063) filling in from time to time. The 3-30 was rigged up to carry uranium 'yellowcake" in 200 lt drums. During the wet season this was the only way to get it out of the mine to DN. Later in the contract they had a good dry season and were able to road a good supply out and the carriage by air did not occur much after that. The 4th 330 in that batch (KNQ (SH3073)) had -R engines (no water meth) and finished up with Murray Valley Airlines at MIA in late 81 or early 82.

Jet Charter became "Wings Australia" which then became Peldale which became Pelair (and still is)

The first 360 into Aust was for Murray Valley and it passed thru DN in July 1983 (MVX msn SH3620). That was followed by MVW (SH3626) and then FCU (SH3630) to Sunstate in 84. In fact during our endorsement at Shorts in Nov80, we did a trip from Belfast to Farnborough to pick up the wind tunnel model of the 3-60 which they were then all very excited about. In 82 I flew in the prototype 3-60 (G-ROOM) after the show one day at Farnborough. I did not follow the others which I expect were exported somewhere. 3060 (KNN) I believe went to Fiji as DQ-FIJ. KNO I think, is parked at ASP (in bits!). KNP??

Yes, those were the days at DN - we had a parking spot by the old water tower on the S side. The DN a/c hardly ever saw a hanger (there was not one large enough for the entire a/c at DN) and all the maint was carried out on the ramp. Departure reliability was better than 99% for the whole 8 yrs.

Well remember the controllers and the other RAAF chaps – it was a good night in the Mess every week back then (not the same any more I understand). One could write a book on the DN aviation industry in the '80's whilst it was on the South side. Ozzie, NTAC, DAC, AirNorth, Guido and his Fury's, Bones and his Tiger, Ron and his LongEze, The Navy Trackers, 75 SQN, plus others - it was all go.

Life goes on, but gee it was good then! Certainly not the same anymore!

cheers
D
:ok:

fokaoka
23rd Jan 2006, 07:38
ok so youve got me. a lot of people have more hours on the shed than me but i flew it for over 15 years (cheating a bit there as i was out of the industry for 8 of those years but who could fly the thing for 15 years straight anyway?
I went backwards flew the 360 for 2500 hours with MVA then went to greener pastures in ad with lloyds only to be told that they wanted me to go to Ireland and ferry a 330 to aus (lsi) you should remember that one Doug. I think the ferry was 65 hours with paddy from the factory- an excelent bloke who loved a beer and showed me through europe middle east india and asia. when lloyd was shut down i changed carreers for 8 years then took a job in darwin flying you guessed it lsi along with the legendary fred fregerrio ex 330 pelair narbalec. all good times lots of memories.

apparently an american pax arrived in UK and was transfered to a shed, juring the take-off she screamed and did the white knuckle on the seat routine. when the FA whent to comfort her and ask what was wrong she said that she thought she had got on a bus to be transfered to another aircraft (true story). Anyway as doug says, very reliable a/c great to fly lots of memories.