AH!! The 'Chippy' Community.... Thank God for the Internet..!!
Some good news and some not so good news....
Chippy WB728 mentioned earlier is alive and well. 'Tis currently VH-RWI, owned by moi and No 1 son, and flies from Jandakot, (YPJT) the secondary airport for Perth, WA.
WB728, ex EI-AHP, ex G-AOZU, ex 5N-AGP, ex G-AOZU (again) then
VH-RWI in OZ.
To see current photos simply 'google' VH-RWI, and you will see it when it was still owned by the Royal Aero Club of WA. These photos are only a couple of years old.
A little bit of OZ history here - RWI is the last Chippy to be operated by an 'Aero Club' in Australia.... When I learned to fly back in the early 60's, there were literally dozens of them, until they were 'overtaken' by the more modern American trainers, Cessnas and the like.
Now there is but 1...!!
And....she still flies LUVLY!!!
WP804, ex N804WP, ex VH-QOZ is 'fatally injured' I'm sorry to say.
She was involved in an unfortunate accident, EFATO, in Jan 2012.
I bought the badly damaged remains to see if it was possible to re-build. But, alas, the economics and the work / parts required, are just too much.
However, parts of her will still 'live on'.
I have had the engine repaired and installed in our Tiger Moth, to replace that aircraft's engine 'catastrophic failure' - in that it broke a con rod and severed the crankcase, making that engine good for a few parts only.
The remainder of the airframe will be further inspected to ascertain any long term plan, or parted for spares, - to be advised.
Hoping that this info will keep those of you who have an interest in such things...'up to date'.
Happy Landings to All..!!!
And a SPECIAL 'CHEERS' to Rod Brown, UK, Author, if you get around to reading this.
