Aerial Enterprises Derby

[Stationair8]

One of those companies that I haunted and haraased while job hunting in 1987. I think from memory a number of C206's, a C337 and C310. Did they only have a base in Derby?

[kam16]

yes they did

[A37575]

Was that the same operator where you had to have the same religion as him to qualify for a job? Or was that Derby Aerial Services in the late Nineties? Or the same chief pilot (religious of course) that specialised in cutting the mixture on one engine at 50 feet after take off in the 310 or Islander and demanding you bunt over real quick and landing straight ahead on the remaining runway length? There were a few frights doing that but he didn't mind by saying he was just testing your reactions. Bloody dangerous and CASA knew about it. :mad:

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

What? More dangerous than continuing from below Vyse on a runway as long as Derby's? :confused:

I'd rather go through the fence (even at 30kts on a shorter runway) than try to keep flying on one at ISA+30 and 50'.

Different for every situation, I know, but between Vmca and Vyse, the only way to get to Vyse is by putting the nose down. Might as well consider being better off on the ground rolling through a fence at slow speed than trying to fly through trees.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

The Aerial Enterprises that I knew in Derbs ('82 - '85) was a very well run outfit that was a very good training ground for the ab-initio Commercial pilot.
Lots of acft 'hangar' work and lots of good 'exposure'.

The downside appeared to be the looong hours in the day the pilots were expected to 'put in', and it appeared that MAF training seemed to be a pre-requisite (?).

Early in my time there, the pilots would be in at 6am to do their plans for the day, and not finish in the hangar till after 6pm - we invited a couple of the guys home for dinner at times, and they were very tired...

Later in my time there, 'someone' must have 'said something' to the authority of the time, as a morning and afternoon 'shift' became evident.

Immaculately maintained aeroplanes, and 'well washed and polished'.
A piece of ply wood over the whole floor, cut to shape, so that the upholstery / carpet remained as new looking as possible.

206's & Islander were the main workhorses, with a 310 and the owner's 337 as the 'flagships' of the fleet. The main work was out to Cockatoo and Koolan, but as a charter co., they also went wherever.

It would have been a hard gig, for the hours put in, but very rewarding in the experience / knowledge gained - if one was so inclined.

We would sometimes ask Dick for a cloud base on departure in his 337, as it was sometimes 'rather' black and low looking.....
Standard reply...."3 Octas 1,500"...It was just a game between him and 'us', and not to be taken seriously.
We had other means of assessing cloud base heights...

But as far as I can recall, these 'departures' were not for the 'newbies'....

The power of 'Local knowledge' - A Taiwanese fishing trawler disappeared off the coast near Broome, and the search was planned by Canberra.

The teletype was running hot with search patterns, tasking etc for the 6 or so aircraft involved. Dick was tasked in his 337, got his briefing which required him to do a grid search off the coast in 'this' quadrant.
His response?
On departure from DBY he flew to a point off Gantheaume Pt which he knew about, as he had on numerous occasions, observed flotsam floating in this particular area - a sort of collection point for tides, currents etc.

And there, in amongst other debris, was a man clinging to a wooden door that had separated from the trawler...and Dick flew straight to him.
Search over - rescue to follow. And it did.
Can't beat that!!

Cheers:ok:

[mustakid]

Andrew was a religous nutter.

[mustakid]

Moved to Derby Air Services, at least Peter wasn,t a freak. !
Eat sleep pray. ! You weren,t allowed to associate with other pilots.
The Spini was off limits !. Weirdo.

[Derate]

Did my time there in the early ninties,good training ground for a newbie.It was long hours especially the hangar work with the washing and maintance of the aircraft.

Always looked forward to Thurs nights,all you could eat buffet roast night.Most of the other guys from Derby Air Services would also be there as well,great social night.