A VERY well known aviator personality and grazier would ALWAYS taxy at YPKG, and all of the other places, with the advice,
"2 On Board - Me and Me Dog"
I got a bit of a fright about half way between Tennant and the Alice in the Auster years ago. My engine began to run rough. Initially it seemed to respond to a bit of leaning and then it would run a little better full rich. It felt
and sounded like a plug but I couldn't clear it. And it got progressively worse.
I was tracking parallel with the big long bitumen watching the road trains mixing it with the tourists' caravans and panicking about what the headlines (and the Regulator) might say if I plonked down there.
I called Melb Centre and announced
"Auster BYM on climb to 7500 engine problems"
Long pause then a lovely lady from Centre responded
"Auster BYM. How many pob?"
BYM: One person, one dog
Centre: is that two POB?
BYM: Negative. One person, one dog.
Centre (note of concern) Is the dog alright?
BYM: she said I got her up here so I have to get her down!
I got all the way to Alice where a cracked insulator on a top plug was found to be the problem.
I should have tried left and right mag but I was so convinced it was a plug and a tad stressed I didn't give it a go.
Mandy was a working dog and my regular companion in the air for years. She also came to flyins with me and then, as she got older, more often waited behind for my return. She would lie outside the club house for hours without moving but as soon as I joined the circuit she would get up and wait near the hangar for me. The best flying mate I've ever had.
I bought her Mutt Muffs from the USA on the Internet and they were great. Dogs do have extremely sensitive ears and that protection is nearly essential especially for breeds like Kelpies.
Kaz