Lots of names, planes and places recognised here from the 80's ......
I did my first 2500 hours in and around Darwin in the 80's. I did the RAC casual pilot thing to get that magic first 500 hours JH said I needed for my first job with Air North! Then it became 1,000 hours with an instrument rating ....... Ossie gave me my first FULL time job at Maningrida and notched up about 800 hours in that Baron TOV (it had 15,000 hours on it then and had the old reverse sense DG and BIG black and white AH) and about 800 hours in ECO over 20 months! Got to know Karl pretty well and I believe he has past away now. I was on the good side with Karl one week and the off-side the next. He told me he had a steel plate in his skull from his war would, which would explain some of his mood swings. I got to respect Ossie over that time and really saw some pilots come through with some strange attitudes that really gave him the reputation for sacking guys. I got sacked regularly it seems but I never got told by the man himself. Got to admit, we were young and probably cost him some serious money over the time! Saw some crazy airstrips and even got to land on Cape Wessel Island in the Baron! It was like landing on a ball!
I even did some time in Maningrida with MGPA in the part banana they had.
I remember being told that Ossie gave food parcels to the NTAC pilots that went on strike, probably to keep them out of the air longer but hey, would some food parcels keep guys on strike? No doubt gave him a smile though.
I do remember all those names of pubs, fast food places named after the genetalia: DIX, BOOBIES, FANNIES .......
Wasn't around for Air Frontier but my instructor for my PPL was a Tony Hicks! Same person maybe? He was an instructor at RACWA in the late 70's.
All good memories so keep it coming everyone!
