..................sheeeez "CLX" cut that out will ya I have a tear in my eye from reading that post, ahhhh the memories:-)
Too many stories to tell here after 30 yrs of EN ops but the old Penguin flights where the best & I learnt the most about airman-ship/survival right there & then!
. The DH104 (Dove) was typical Pommy CRAP..............flew beautifully but ergonomically was a night mare! One night returning back to base (EN) in the old Dove full of nipondenso's ( no disrespect meant) I had a young lady who was sitting up front with me (we crammed 'em in!13 POB) she leaned over me (wasn't all bad this night
) & took a flash shot of the CBD skyline pretty much right in my face..................(they loved their cameras) for a little while there I was gunna ask her to take the controls as I could see sh1t!!!!!!.......as I said too many stories to tell here not enough scope to tell all
We (the pilots) where still asked by MM to do a city orbit even in IMC for the happy Japs!. AlsoS/H ( & I mean second hand too!!!) champagne for the punters b4 we left for PID. They don't know how lucky they where to survive a ride in da old Dove!
"Skybird" had the biggest & fanciest rubber plants in their office, attracted us gringo's because we where impressed!:-) They had the most shinniest planes on-line, hardly any where there's I think.. Solo rates on VH WYG (for Eg) was $30 bucks!!!!.....God where did we go wrong from there?
Poor old KH may he rest in peace he was the most DTE guy I had ever met & real character when you where in that old steam driven Sim trying to concentrate on an NDB whilst he was talking away like there was no 2moro
How he ever kept that old thing running I will never know! The stories he had alone ( DC6 engine off airframe over the water for one Eg) would take up the whole PPrune site for years!
AAA also remember them at EN, Hi Russ if yr still about
Loved the Disco, a real chick pick up joint for us lonely old men
Doing joy flights out of the Disco of a night time, that was the cue for polishing the old ****** bars although with enough booze flowing you didn't need them anyway!
The Canberra bombers up at the Nth EN graveyard, often wandered around them for a look pre security BS, ahh those where the days............best I wipe the tears away here & let reality come filtering back
Wmk2