Early Twotter Pilots
A bit of history of the Twin Otter in New Guinea
TAA was one of if not the first airline operator outside of Canada to operate the Twin Otter. Phil Allan as OC Light Aircraft in TAA and based at Melbourne (Ex New Guinea) was the first Airline pilot to be endorsed on the type in Australia and New Guinea. The first TAA Twotter (VH-TGR) was ferried from Melbourne by Phil Allan and Mal McDougall leaving Melbourne on 29th October 1966 and arriving Lae 31st October 1966. Phil Allen endorsed Mal McDougall as the second pilot to be on the type in TAA. Mal McDougall operated as a Check and Training Captain on DC3's and Twin Otters training and checking the initial group of TAA Twin Otter pilots which included Grahame (Fatty) Hawkins, Allan Searle and others. Mal McDougall wrote the first TAA Operating Manual for the type and trained and checked all pilots on the type until he left the type and trained & checked his replacement Alwyn Smith. The other DHC-6 at the time was VH-TGS.