Hi Yes I flew for TAA 60 to 63, the first Cessna was SBP a C182, I did a flight in it Aug 62, log book says LA/FN/LA. Next was a C185 SBU, I got a conversion on it in Dec 62. First flights were in Jan 63 Mainly FN and MYY, and later to WSU and KBM in March onwards. My main Flights were in the S/E Otter in and around E/S/W highlands five days a week, shifted to TAA Bne in mid 63 an F/O on F27, after PNG not happy Fred but necessary. Retired in 88 Capt on 727. Perhaps there is some interest in TAL which I joined in 58. Only one A/c on arrival GKA a battered old 170, round tail model. A second hand 180 arrived in a box from USA , Father Joe came up from Madang and put it together. GKB a silver with green stripe on it. Gerd Franks flew it and I got the 170. 69Nov a second box arrived in Bankstown and was assembled there, Junior Bucannan and myself went south to pick it up, GKC,180 it was an unusual one, originally was a float plane, was reassembled as land plane and painted all over in USA, mainly brown all over with black stripes, did the trip SYD /GKA without any drama. Neville Hargraves got GKC and loved it. Mid 60 I went to TAA. Just after I left TAL GKD a 180 arrived again in a box All the 170 and 180s had carburetors with the usual three doorknobs. The 185 had fuel injection but again with three doorknobs, the fuel control knob screwed in and out and the dash had a very accurate fuel flow gauge. Hope this helps E99.
CAC Sabre ... that is a picture of MFW with the bent prop right ? MFU's paint scheme seemed to vary over the years looking at the few photo's of it available and one black and white photo that Ron Watt's (MAF) sent me is in the same scheme as this shot of MFW. Do you have a date and could you email this picture to frednolan@bigpond.com ?
Does anyone have any interior or dash pictures. How did you operate them day to day ? Single pilot seat, 2 front seats only, cabin clear for freight, back seats folded away etc ?
Skywagon1915. For Balus Bilong Mipela check www.abebooks.com,one copy on offer for US$5.28+postage. Two others available for US$21.67 and US$34.87+postage.
Thought you guy's might like some of this nostalgia documentation that I recovered from P2-BAM in 1984, when it was delivered to Moree from PNG. I bought it from a Fr Jeromy Flynn for $A6,000 and who offered me a second one at the time (P2-BAF) for a bulk deal of $10,000. I said to him "What in the hell would I want with 2 of them !" or something to that effect.
Anyone know Mr Vincent ?
In picture is Dick Rye and Murray Masling (?) from Canberra.
This is what BAM became ... VH-JBM in Cairns 1986.
My wife Kathy, daughters Alison and Jenice (in aircraft), 25 years ago !
The whole purchase, ferry, resto + new avionics fit out and upholstery etc cost approx $33,000 in 1984. I flew some 6,000 hours in her and when sold 6 years later, it fetched approx $100k.
JBM was sold in 1990 to make way for a C310Q VH-NFE due to extensive demands for night flying on company corporate work. JBM went initially to a fisherman on Kangaroo Island and later exported to NZ, where it was registered ZK-JEM and is based at Invercargil, running bush walkers out to Stewart Isl. I saw it a few years ago and the only change to it was large floatation tyres and it had just logged some 10,000 hours TTAF.
Last edited by Skywagon1915; 6th Apr 2011 at 11:50.
Mate of mine used to fly those into all the strips on Bougainville, together with Islanders at the time. He (and his wife) would get me pissed when overnighting in Kieta. He told the story that their GM was sent away with the money to get a Twotter, when time came for them to upgrade to something bigger. He came back with a SKYVAN....!! (because it would "carry oversize items for the Mine, had Garrett engines so was more efficient, etc. etc.") They shook their heads, tried to make it work, but it used to sit around a lot. Don't think they ever did get an Otter. Sadly, he was killed much later in a Bandeirante that flew into the sea at Hoskins.
p.s. see you're not using the 'SafGo' any more.. can I have it?
Last edited by frigatebird; 6th Apr 2011 at 22:42.
The AWA Skyrover HF in P2-BAM would have been useless (other than as ballast) in 1984, as they were not SSB capable. If my memory serves me correctly, the changeover to SSB occurred about 1980.
The additional red knob to the left of the HF was the MAF emergency fuel system. Bougair was originally established by MAF, and used ex-MAF 185's.
I'm surprised you left the co-pilot rudder pedals in, after removing the co-pilot yoke. More than one 180/185 has been bent by inappropriate or unwitting application of brake or rudder by the front seat passenger.
