The way we were - Ansett, TAA, Qantas

[Paragraph377]

Perhaps I am just getting old, sentimental and nostalgic, but I miss the days when our industry was different. Today's profit driven disloyal methodology and the pressures and disaffection it is causing overshadows our great history, great airlines and great memories.
I don't know how long this thread will last but I have posted links to all three of our heritage carriers, not for debate and infighting, but for a laugh, a tear, a flight down memory lane and a toast to the good times.

Enjoy

Brisbane TV 1986 - "C'mon and Fly Australian Airlines" (Australian Television Commercial) - YouTube

Ansett Australia advert - Absolutely - YouTube

TAA (Trans Australia Airlines) - YouTube

You Should See Us Now Australian Airlines Ad - YouTube

Australian Airlines Ad "Way We Do the Things We Do" 1992 - YouTube

Qantas 1983 tv Ad - YouTube

Ansett "Flight" Commercial - 1970 - YouTube

[Biggles78]

Yes, I miss the 1986 $310 MEL - ADL return airfares......... NOT. Price is now ridiculously low and I wouldn't object to an increase. The $58 one way fare is just crazy.

[WorthWhat]

Thanks Paragraph,

If nothing else, many who watch the above clips will remember why they chased the dream.

Here's to those who made it possible.

[500N]

I remember some of those ads on TV.

Re fares. $179 to Darwin the other day. Better than the $700 - $1000
I used to pay although not sure $179 is sustainable (It was with Jetstar).

[Wally Mk2]

Ah yes the memories back at EN Drome in the 60's as a little kid starry eyed looking at the big radial engined planes & noisy shinny huge jets from the observation deck then wandering around the GA area to peer inside the little planes unmolested by the safety officer, something kids now will never experience:sad:
The Airlines are their worst own enemies undercutting each other where no one makes any money & the job uncertainty of it all is now the most concerning part of aviation. Who'd want to be a part of that is what amazes me these days.
The business of flying people to their destinations with pride has long since gone it's now just a cattle class type business where dirty tricks rule from the top!:ugh:

Wmk2

[500N]

"The business of flying people to their destinations with pride has long since gone it's now just a cattle class type business where dirty tricks rule from the top!"

Might be cattle class but i have yet to fly on a Qantas or Jetstar flight where
the FA haven't done the job with pride (from my perspective), always smiling (even if through gritted teeth:O) and well dressed.

Won't fly Tiger so will never know what they are like and the odd Virgin flight,
struck me as very very young but the above applies to them as well.

Australia seems to be on the US course of a race to the bottom !!!

[Paragraph377]

I agree that much has changed, and I don't dispute that the old days are gone for good. But these good memories are what keep me sane most days.
The smell of raw Kero, aircraft engines from which the decibels guaranteed you a measure of hearing loss, wily old cranky engineers who would gladly show you how any aircraft component worked, silver tailed pilots, Ops managers wearing ties, Tarmac pushbikes everywhere, porters drinking Vodka mini's in the baggage room and Caterers making up extra business class meals for all and sundry working at the airport :ok:
Just a couple of fond memories from a tiring soul with greeting hair and midriff paunch. Even the Hosties would call you sir or Captain and no passenger would contemplate calling you a c..t. Hell even CEO's and senior management admired and appreciated what you did within the airline and would at times take a genuine interest!

[airsupport]

One of the great things I remember from back in the good olde days, was that every time we flew as a family on staff concession, which was often, all our children (and us) used to be invited to the cockpit for a look, something our three Daughters still remember very fondly. :ok:

Sadly none of our seven Grandchildren have ever been able to experience this, and probably never will. :(

[Wally Mk2]

sheeeez 'para' you must be hallucinating there buddy saying CEO's etc admired/appreciated what pilots did:E..............what century was that?:-)
CEO's primary function now is to feather their own nest at all costs & disengage the employees & they have that art down pat!

Wmk2

[Anthill]

There is a bit of a myth, perpetrated by some Gen Y PR people no doubt, that discount airfares are an invention of Virgin and Jetstar. This is bull****. deep discounts were available waaaaaay back when. All you had to do was book in advance. Cheapies and Specials could always be obtained. When Ansett sank, the standard full fare, transferable, refundable, totally flexible MEL-SYD-MEL was $365, but you could still get the same tix for $79 with restrictions.

[YPJT]

Some great memories there Paragraph337.

A sad irony is the second clip titled "Absolutely" which used Vanessa Amorosi's "Shine". When she wrote the song originally the lyrics were "everyone you see, everyone you know is gonna die".:{

[Mozzie75]

Flew home with Virgin yesterday morning (ADL to BN). As a family was getting on, one of the young boys peered into the flightdeck and was promptly invited in for a look. Sad that it no longer happens in the air but great to see the crew so obliging anyway. This might be all it takes to give another youngster the flying dream!

[500N]

Concur re visiting the cockpit, lost count the number of times
I did and every visit was fascinating and agree, it is a shame
kids now can't do it in the air.

[717tech]

Thanks for sharing Paragraph.

The Ansett add is the only one I actually saw on TV, but I will never forget it.

[woollcott]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2_g4hh8sKM

[benjam]

The business of flying people to their destinations with pride has long since gone it's now just a cattle class type business where dirty tricks rule from the top

Speak of yourself, Wally!

I have been in the aussie aviation industry for over thirty years, and still do all within my power for the people down the back.

[Fliegenmong]

I've posted a few of the OPs videos before....but this one is still a favourite.....at the time (late 70's?) such an amazing view! :ok:

TAA 727 tail camera. - YouTube

Christ I know young uns' today who don't even know about TAA!! :sad:

[pppdrive]

Thanks Para, what a great thread. Brings back so many happy memories of my days with TAA & Qantas both in Melbourne from the 60s right through to the Sunstate days of the 90s in Hervey Bay.

[Eastwest Loco]

Oh God. The footage of Juliet Bravo with the tail cam caused me to melt down. How many times I flew on flight deck on TJB with Ken Collins in command, Wayne Rawlins as F/O and Moss derby as F/E I struggle to recall.

According to boomer TJB was never quite the same after a CAT incident between ADL and PER. According to Boeing the PIC managed to save the aeroplane in what was in their books a hull loss. Putting the nose down and riding it out. Crew and passengers slammed into the ceiling and cutlery lodged in the roof lining. One F/A with a serious back injury.

The other ads also took me back to a gentler time but the one ad campaign I have to apologise for is the Ansett "Absolutely" campaign.

I was cut loose from my beloved East West after the bodgie conspired on behalf of the Fat Bastardo to delay deregulation to nab us and was working on checkin with the good peoples of AN Adelaide. Ansett were filming a training/motivational video at the worst possible time when the place was frantic.

Camera is in my face as I am checking in a pair of sweet young thangs and I am using the bull**** lines I built my Airport career on. One asks " can you check our bags all the way through to Rockhampton?" I answered "absolutely" followed by "you can pick up your bags in Perth when you arrive in Cairns".

In the next 3 checkins I was filmed for the a word was used twice.

Three months later the absolutely campaign began.

So where are the royalties? oh - yeah - right!

Thank you for the trip Paragraph.

It is sad you didn't have some East West stuff in there. We at Eeenie Weenie loved our little fiesty Airline and would possibly still have been here if not for the aforementioned conspiracy.

Eyes are nearly dry. Who screwed our world?

Best all

EWL

Now Knight Flight Travel Managers

Same numbers apply

[Centaurus]

For those yearning for the good old days. Mate of mine now a captain flying wide-bodies overseas, told me his story of going for a Qantas interview in Sydney when he was about 22 with 1500 hours. He failed the first part of the process and was sent on his way after being informed he wasn't the Right Stuff to be a Qantas pilot.

Feeling pretty miserable he boarded a Qantas 737 flight to go home to Melbourne. Being a keen enthusiastic young man he slipped his business card to the hostie at the front door and asked any chance of having a look at the cockpit on the way to Melbourne. You could do that in those days.

Over Canberra she ushers him into the cockpit. As he described it to me at the time, the cockpit atmosphere was like ice. The first officer made a point of ignoring his presence by staring out of the right hand window while the captain said zilch either.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable the young keen and enthusiastic bloke leaned forward in the jump seat after a few minutes and said "Thanks for the invite to the cockpit and where do you chaps go after Melbourne?" Meaning, do they continue to Adelaide or somewhere.

The captain looked at the lad's business card on the consul turned around and said haughtily "My name is Captain Smith (not his true name of course). In future, address me by that name - not "you chaps."

The young bloke was deeply embarrassed and after only one minute the captain said "You can return to the cabin now, please'.

Well maybe the young man was not the "Right Stuff" to be a Qantas pilot. But as sure as hell the Qantas captain was definitely not the Right Stuff either...

15 years later and the young man was certainly the Right Stuff for his current airline one of the best in the world by far.

[greybeard]

Way back when, Ansett WA stuff, pre a date in history, just to set the scene.

CNS-YLA, F-28. brekky over, cockpit door open, free look for those who wanted.
Several queued up, mostly a German "Gobus Gateway??" tour.

One rather fragile old gentleman, assisted by his daughter looked on, not much English, seemed to have some real interest.
Asked daughter if he had flown, yes, when was his last, 1944, ??? bombing England!!

Welcome he was indeed, sat through the lap around the "rock", F/O did a greaser.
Yes OK, BUT the old fella was in tears of gratitude, his daughter was chuffed beyond belief,.

I and my peers were the last of the good time enjoyers of Australian Aviation, really went to pot after that date.

:ok:

[Ushuaia]

And that '92 Australian Airlines ad, with the good-looking chick passenger getting caught stealing a peek at the male F/A's buns: can you just imagine someone coming up with THAT in an ad today?! They'd be drummed out of the company in all likelihood; or if not, they'd be at least made do that bloody "Our Values - Standards of Conduct" online learning crap over and over until any sense of creativeness or even just FUN was beaten out of them!

Ah Australia and Australian aviation - how they have progressed....

[ruddman]

Yea, I miss the cockpit visits. I remember going up front with my brother and cousin back in the 90's. Can't remember the airline, but the pilots were great. Friendly. More then happy to squeeze as many as possible into the cockpit. Good fun!


Certainly different back then. And earlier. EastWest. TAA. Hazelton. Kendall. Ansett. Maybe more colourful and fun times even for us pax and aircraft enthusiasts.

Seems kinda......boring now? VB always seemed to want to keep it fun. But nada from everybody else. Even now they've gone the more professional route.(not a bad thing of course)

Maybe it was always like that anyway?


Visiting family in Sydney, I always got a thrill sitting outside with my dad watching 727's on approach. One thing I miss......the noise!!!


A jet needs to sound like a jet! :ok:

[clotted]

Centaurus,
There is a major flaw in the theme of your post re the good ole days.
If it was a Qantas B737 that your mate went to the flight deck on as opposed to an Australian B737, then given that this puts the date as early as 1994 and as late as September 2001 (when cockpit visits were banned), all Qantas B737s were flown by captains who hade never been through the Right Stuff to be a Qantas pilot process. All captains were either ex TAA/Australian pilots who had returned after the 1989 dispute or other pilots who had been recruited far and wide in the aftermath of the dispute. The major expansion in Qantas domestic flying was post 1993 with the B767 and the major expansion in Qantas B737 flying was post 2001 ( the demise of Ansett). It wasn't until post Ansett that the pilots who had been through the Right Stuff to be a Qantas pilot process became B737 captains.
Good smear attempt but not up to scrutiny.:=:=

[airsupport]

clotted,

Let me guess, you would like to go back to the very old days, when the lowly ground staff HAD to salute the Qantas captains. :rolleyes:

[clotted]

Absolutely not but as you raised the point, the very captains who insisted on doing what you suggest has never been through the Right Stuff to be a Qantas pilot process. In the main, they were a few egotistical arrogant a***holes who hid behind their 4 gold bars to be a bully. They were detested as much by aircrew as they were by ground staff.
Don't worry, there are still a few around these days that did go through the Right Stuff to be a Qantas pilot. process having slipped through but thankfully are few in number.

[airsupport]

If that is true, I apologise for thinking you were one of them, sorry. :ok:

[500N]

"to salute the Qantas captains. :rolleyes:"

I never knew that.

When did that stop ?

Amazes me that it ever occurred, that is more like the British crap,
I thought Australia was much more down to earth.

[airsupport]

It happened all right, way back, not sure when it stopped.

Saw it more recently, but a while ago, with Japan Air Lines.

[hoss58]

Greybeard you shouldn't be allowed to post stuff like that, now I've got tears all over my keyboard.


Cheers Hoss

[500N]

Like quie a few on here, having been an Officer where you were saluted,
I couldn't think of anything worse than being in civvy street and having
to do the same.

Especially since the only times I ever seem to see airline crew / captains
they have a huge briefcase in one hand and a suitcase on wheels in the other.

[Fris B. Fairing]

salute the Qantas captains.

or were they saluting the aeroplane and its passengers?

[airsupport]

Maybe it was not explained enough, it was long ago, and not just whenever you saw them, from memory it was only on departure, as they taxiied away you were to salute them.

Saw the same more recently with JAL, however then it was only the JAL staff that did it NOT the Engineers etc.

[Galdom]

Thank you for starting this great thread, Paragraph,

The story of the young man meeting the unfriendly QF crew reminded me of an exchange overheard at AKL on the TWR freq some years back.

The set up was a Fokker jet landing and a Dash 8 being told to line up after the Fokker. Of course several Fokker jokes ensued with the crew of the Fokker joining in as well until QF 25 announced his presence on the ILS adding in a stern tone... "we have been monitoring these transmissions"

It all went very professional after that.

As a lad I recall fondly 2 cockpit visits during the cruise both were with friendly Air NZ crew, on one occasion was offered the jump seat on a DC-10 on a domestic leg between Christchurch and Auckland. Something that I will never forget.

[601]

In the main, they were a few egotistical arrogant a***holes who hid behind their 4 gold bars to be a bully. They were detested as much by aircrew as they were by ground staff.

QF between SY and HNL in 1980. I was only allowed on the flight deck while the Captain was not there. I had to leave when we were informed that he was returning. The FO and SO were apologetic.

Contrast to;
The QF Training Captain who let me sit through a sim session and then gave me three circuits in the 747 simulator the day before; or
The TAA 727 crew from PH-ML-BN in 1974 with whom I chatted in the cockpit long after we landed in BN.
The AA DC10 HNL to ORD on Halloween who had a plastic skeleton hanging from the overhead panel.

In BN I did see the crew of a BOAC VC10 lineup at the bottom of the stairs and allow the Captain to board first. Common courtesy or company policy?

A bit of topic but in the same vein;

Although a lot of us did not make the airline jets but spent years in corporate jets, those of us who have just retired or are close to retirement probably lived and experienced the most dramatic changes in civil aviation ever.

To progress from Tigers, Chipmunks and C152s to the emerging light twins and then jet aircraft with the advances in navigation (WAC to RNP) and avionic technology (tower lights, 10 channel VHF and 5 channel HF to world wide satellite coms) in one career will never be matched.

Finding a star picket in the middle of the Simpson Desert in a Baron using WAC charts had the same kick as doing an ILS into AMS in a Citation after the first snow storm for the season.

[ditzyboy]

And that '92 Australian Airlines ad, with the good-looking chick passenger getting caught stealing a peek at the male F/A's buns: can you just imagine someone coming up with THAT in an ad today?!

Ushuaia, as an aside, that male FA still flies for short haul.

[megle2]

Just mentioned the old TAA ad to my daughter (29 year old)
Reply "Who is TAA" - so I guess its just part of history now

601 Agreed

[Fliegenmong]

"Ushuaia, as an aside, that male FA still flies for short haul."

That is correct, I remember after posting that video last time around he came on here in disbeleif at the mullet! :D

[Ushuaia]

Did he ever get that chick's phone number?! Mad if he didn't.......!

TAA? Who's TAA? C'mon, everybody knows that: Tasmanian Tours | Tasmanian Seaplane Air Adventures (http://tasmanianairadventures.com.au/)

In fairness - they have a bloody good little operation and are worthy holders of the "TAA" monicker, for what it's worth.

[Wally Mk2]

In the beginning there was Leonardo Da Vinci , then came the Wright Bros (or was that the Wrong Bros'?) then finally Ansett & TAA.......................................................TH E END:{

It had to finish sometime, greed, politicians, over regulation & do gooders kill of everything eventually, nothing is 4ever!


Wmk2

[Cactusjack]

I still remember as a kid moving to FNQ in the 70's. Family friend was an AN Captain, who shift swapped for the day so he could fly us north for our big move. All four of our family got a jump seat on his 727 that day, aircraft went BNE/TSV/CNS, I got the take-off out of TSV. It was the moment that aviation entered my blood stream. After that, even as a kid, ol mate Captain would box up and send me old flight manuals, books, old exams, the lot! Buggered if I knew what an 8 year old was going to learn, but I would thumb through the spines for hours and hours. On reflection I still remember learning new words such as airfoil, bogey and slats. I never ever forgot that!

A priceless experience, life changing to be totally honest, but an experience that could never be had today.
Sadly I have become a disgruntled ol bastard, having ridden the aviation roller coaster of ups and downs, but this thread along with some relived childhood memories has lightened my heart and mood (even if temporary) and reminded me of some great great times indeed :ok:

[Hugh Jarse]

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/HugeArse/File0067.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/HugeArse/File0071.jpg

[Eastwest Loco]

Hugh - that is a classic ad.

At the time it was well before TAARSAN with TN and must have referred to an offline system I have never heard of for seat allocation.

The airport dudes then had a landline connection to Franklin St and the seat numbers were allocated from there. I can only assume LOCO was undertaken at the city location as well.

The res room was cavernous even when I joined in 75 as it held a 3 strorey high status board then.

TN came back against that ad with "We have "Susan Jones and ......" then reeled of the names of all the other F/As in employ.

the more you all load, the more comes back!!

Love it.

Best all

EWL

[RobShan]

Even better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2_g4hh8sKM

Great video, but were take-offs really performed in tail-draggers full of passengers in zero visibility?

[Nkosi]

Can anyone remember the TAA 727 that had an outline of a guy with the background of, now, Uluru on the fin? I was a LAME with Tatars at the time and remember a bit of a kufufal when some joker adorned the image of the bloke with a toggle and two! What a hoot!

[Capn Bloggs]

"The way we do the things we do".

I used to use that in my PAs!

And don't forget the third force in domestic jet operators!

Go Greybeard... :D

kkpTQqKI0Aw

[SOPS]

Flying with Greybeard was the most enjoyable time of my life. I wish he would stop posting this stuff...it brings tears to my eyes, remembering how good it was, and how those that are flying now, will never ever know what the proper Australian airline aviation scene was like. Today is just a cluster f:mad:k

[pppdrive]

Eastwest Loco...I well remember the Res board in Franklin St (I've still got the pictures I took of the board), it's where I started with TAA. I'd just arrived after working res in BOAC (as it was then), so to go back from computer to manual res was a real shock.

I also remember doing the seat allocation as well, the only problem I had was with MEL-PER Pax due to the change of aircraft at ADL. Must have given the guys at Tullamarine a few problems with families that were seated together as far as ADL but were one seat short on the next leg to PER.

Great days, great staff.

[TIMA9X]

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XN3Xz85iGQE/TfiT95HyrEI/AAAAAAAAA8A/sAQLWPFPwng/w900-h516-no/DC4046.jpg

Thanks for the great memories guys, this old bird (taken from my old Kodac instamatic) which was my first flight with Qantas, The Captain for this flight was Aden Wickes, an absolute gentleman, along with all his crew. Great days.. loved the old DC4..

my favourite old commercial was this old gem, great in its day..

SvofFTvm804

[SOPS]

Ok, I am going to ask, how did the reservation board work? I would love to know. This could turn into one of the best threads ever!

[pppdrive]

SOPPS, That's really testing my grey matter now, but IF I remeb.mber correctly the board was read left to right for dates of travel and down for timings/flt nos/dest.
That days details on the very left hand columns followed by tomorrows on the right etc until it went to periods of (I think) weekly and onwards.
Each flight segment had a coloured system (of which I can't remember exactly) on the basis of if that flight segment was available to sell immediately on the phone it was say GREEN or you had to take a request and then check it was say YELLOW and if flight was full it was say RED. There were many other variations such as circles, obliques, squares etc which gave further details that you had to take into account. Whilst taking a telephone call, you wrote all the details down on a card and that was sent along a belt to an operator who punch typed over what you had written. If you could only request a seat the confirmation (or otherwise) would be advised back to you fairly quickly. You couldn't cheat by trying to sell a seat on a segment that had none available as whoever controlled the system knew exactly when the board was changed and therefore based on when they received the puched card they knew if you were trying to pull a fast one.

I'll see if I can work out how to post a couple of pictures of the board and you'll see just how massive it was. Paul

[pppdrive]

It appears that the pictures need to be on one of the various web sites for that purpose. To make it easier for me, anyone who'd like to see the pictures can e-mail me on pppdrive(@)talktalk.net obviously without the brackets, and I'll e-mail them to you.. Paul

[SOPS]

For some strange reason, this has me interested, I will email you:ok:

[clotted]

Well I don't know how it worked for the jets but (circa 1960s) for the Fokkers a port "controlled" a flight. For example if it was a western Qld flight which called at Roma , Roma controlled it; if it didn't Charleville would control the flight. If it extended to Longreach, Longreach would. In the applicable TAA office was an A4 sheet of cardboard with the numbered seats on it with each port on the flight allocated a certain number of seats If someone rang or came into the office and wanted a seat, their name would go on the seat on the card if the port allocation wasn't exceeded. If it was, the agent would then ring or more likely teletype the controlling port to release a seat.
If say someone in Sydney wanted a seat for a passenger Longreach to Charleville, they would telex Longreach (the controlling port) with pax name with an "NN" meaning need a seat. The agent in LRE would check the card and then acquire the seat.and then send a return telex to "HK" ie confirm the seat. If the flight was full the telex would read "HN" meaning waitlisted. (I think the codes are correct. It was along time ago.)
The actual weight and balance and the load planning in terms of what goes where was done by the first officer on a sector by sector basis.

[pppdrive]

Clotted, I think you're right in saying the Qld Country Routes were not controlled from HO Res. My memory is fading but I seem to recall that they were treated the same as non-TAA 3rd level flights. If we recived a phone booking for any airline/route that was not controlled by us, we would either ring (sometimes telex) the nearest main TAA Office (Brisbane for the services you mention), they would then make the booking in their system (or make it with the respective airline or TAA Port responsible and let us know.

My memory recalls NN (need) requesting seats, the reply of KK (confirmed by respective Res office). Once we got a KK response we would then change our records to HK (holding confirmed). Waitlist I think was either WL or LL) and responses would be KL/HL. To confuse matters more, there were priority systems plus Freesale (FS) bookings that had to be confirmed even if no seats available. These FS were usually from International carriers as part of an International journey.

I can also remember that if we had to book someone on an Ansett controlled flight, we'd just ring them up (only a few doors away in Franklin St) and always found them to be just as friendly and helpful as we were. There did not appear to be any friction between the two sets of staff and in fact we often socialised with them out of hours.

[73to91]

Ground staff SYD would well remember the QF3/4 weekends in NAN.

Straight to the airport after work on Friday.
Ex NAN around 05:00 on Monday and straight into work.

Great times and memories.

There was also an Air Pacific captain who would front up to the staff check-in at SYD and ask how the loadings were and say, you can use the jump seat if you want. True, I flew SYD-NAN in the seat and the QF 2nd officer on board (I think because they, the air planes were Qantas ? ) invited me to the Tanoa Hotel for a drink. Great night with plenty of QF crew there from the QF3/4 on their stop overs on way to HNL or SYD.

Great memories.

[dhavillandpilot]

It will be 40 years ago in September 2014 when the last real flying boat took off for Lord Howe.

I remember my father, one of the Captains, taking me out to Rose Bay. As a young pilot just starting out they were ENORMOUS.

I can remember being introduced to a red haired lady and her husband who were buying both aircraft.

The gentleman was Captain Charles Blair, one of the early pioneer captains with Pan Am, and his wife was Maureen O'hara the actress.

Funnily enough I am going for coffee to the old flying boat base today.

[hoopdreams]

Christ I know young uns' today who don't even know about TAA!!

Ask an average non aviation teen these days if they've heard of Ansett, it makes me feel old when I do.

[Eastwest Loco]

Nkosi

I think it was TBH that was in the Central Australian livery however I think you will find the "genetalia" appeared on DC9-30 TJL.

TJL was on the TN555/556 circuit from MEL to PER up over the top and via everywhere when it cacked itself in PHE and was on the ground an extended time due to Engineering sending turbine that was also U/S out on an F27.

While they waited for the 2nd replacement boredom obviously set in.

Funny thing is it wasn't picked up by management for a week!!

Best all

EWL

[BPA]

VH-TBK was painted in the 'Central Australia' colours, photos of it can be found here;

VH-TBK Boeing 727 (http://aussieairliners.org/b-727/vh-tbk/vhtbk.html)

TAA also had a DC9 VH-TJL painted in the 'Coral Islander', photos can be found here;

VH-TJL Douglas DC-9 (http://aussieairliners.org/dc-9/vh-tjl/vhtjl.html)

For those wanting to see more photos of aircraft from the good old days, check out;

aussieairliners.net (http://aussieairliners.org/)

[Capn Bloggs]

The Flying Kangaroo #2:

wetvsXPYxYM

Qantas Longreach:

EOAzyZypIgk

[Pappa Smurf]

Remember my first plane ride was in the early 60,s from Adelaide to Mt Gambier in a Viscount,but cant remember which company.
Also the early jets following one another in as they still do,but only about 20 passengers getting out of each.
Always wondered how they made money then,or was it no one wanted to go to Adelaide.

[Capn Bloggs]

no one wanted to go to Adelaide.
Is that the roadhouse on the highway between Perth and Melbourne?? :E

Great terminal now though. :D

[woollcott]

B737-300 VH-TAX test flight :


Routine work on B737 passenger jet aircraft- part 4: Epilogue - YouTube

[Cactusjack]

CZQ was an interesting machine. I remember flying her after VA purchased her from AN. She was meant to be one of AN's 'better' classics! Had a personality all of her own (as most aircraft do) and she could test your skills to the limit if you didn't treat her right, particularly when she was at max weight
and being flown to hot locations with shortish runways. Only aircraft i really spoke to!! I never kept tabs on her after VA disposed of her, but she still remains tucked away in my heart and mind for numerous reasons .
I miss ya old girl. X

P.S Anyone else have a particularly favourite rego for different reasons?

[Lookleft]

CZQ was not one of Ansetts better machines she was a leased machine and a bit of an orphan as she had the stairs removed from underneath. Caused VA a bit of a problem when the cavity filled up with water. From memory she had come from Mexico. The registration now sits on a Cessna parked at Merimbula.One of Ansetts better classics was CZT as it was the last 737 delivered straight from the factory sometime in the mid 90's. Sitting in a brand new aeroplane was a bit of novelty in Ansett in those days.

[Cactusjack]

CZQ was not one of Ansetts better machines she was a leased machine and a bit of an orphan as she had the stairs removed from underneath. Caused VA a bit of a problem when the cavity filled up with water.
Indeed she wasn't one of Ansetts finest, Lookyloo. However the naive youngster called Virgin Blue bought it or leased two AN machines and were told they were the 'pick of the bunch'! Poor CZQ almost set a record for going U/S on a regular basis, and water into the avionics bay wasn't unusual. No orphan to VB at the time, no stairs was a 'must have'! But the old workhorse earned her keep.

Perhaps we flew together Lookyloo? Surely it wasn't you in the RS who almost gave me a heart attack landing in TSV one hot windy day, max weight, with the nose pointed at the RAAF base? Surely not. :=
We could be besties yet!!!

[Nkosi]

Ah yes, now I remember!

[Al E. Vator]

Lots of jolly nice TAA memorabilia here....

https://www.pinterest.com/wolseyp/taa-trans-australia-airlines-stuff/

[pppdrive]

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/ATAA004_zps5e185f76.jpg?t=1389544541

[pppdrive]

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/ATAA005_zpscd2f728c.jpg?t=1389544477

[pppdrive]

http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/ATAA003_zps5eee5bfa.jpg?t=1389544723

[pppdrive]

The 4 pictures show the true size of the reservations board
http://i932.photobucket.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/ATAA002Resprecomputer_zpsa6fb7eb6.jpg?t=1389544621

[SOPS]

That is simply incredible. Am I to assume that you had to ring these people from around Australia to make a reservation?

[pppdrive]

No Sops, the vast majority of flights were on the board (or controlled by Melbourne Reservations), and we could tell passengers/travel agents immediately if we could confirm those flight requests. We only had to ring elsewhere when we didn't control those flights. Some of the smaller country services (eg the Qld twin Otters services) were controlled by the country ports. We would ring Brisbane Res who would contact the port controlling the flight we wanted. Brisbane would then phone us to advise if confirmed or not. I say phone but telex was also used. For any other flights eg Connair etc we would ring the nearest TAA office who would contact Connair and again let us know. Seems strange now but back in those days it was quite normal and that is how I believe the good working relationship between TAA res and Ansett res really came into use. As a new boy and one who was fascinated by the amount of third level operators in Australia, I made a point of getting a list of them from (what was then) the DCA. I then wrote to everyone of them to get their latest timetable and be put on their mailing list. I then made up a folder of all those flights and had it with me at work. As time went on, I got more and more calls from both Travel Agents and Ansett asking me who flew from AAA to BBB and who to contact for details. I even registered a Company name of Austavia and spent many, many hours typing out all of the details into one big book and wanted to then add Ansett and subsidiary carriers together with TAA and East West, BPA etc so that I could produce a monthly guide similar to the ABC & OAG guides for International flights. I got details from every single airline except for TAA and Ansett who both told me I couldn't use their information as I'd be breaking copywright laws. To say I was amazed would be an understatement, as Airlines of NSW, Airlines of SA, MMa, East West etc had all freely given me their info. I aske no money from any of the Airlines but I'd hoped to be able to sell my monthly guide to Travel Agents, Business Houses etc. After months and months of typing, collating and hard work, I had to give it all away as without the big 2, the Agents weren't interested. Just as well really as computers were just starting to come in and Agents would then have all the info on the end of a phone call.
Paul

[SOPS]

Great info, thanks mate!

[airsupport]

The 4 pictures show the true size of the reservations board

Absolutely amazing, never seen anything like them in my Life, thanks for sharing. :ok:

[pppdrive]

Thanks, I'm glad some of you appreciate what went on in 'the good old days.'
Strange but most people look to the aircraft side and see the enormous advances made. I'm not a technical person, just going by the look of them. Few people though realise the huge steps taken on the ground to keep up with the progress needed for the industry. Although I started off in Reservations, the vast majority of my time was spend at airports around the world. I was constantly aware of the progress made from the aircraft/airport side of things but it wasn't till much later that I again became involved in using the Reservations sytem that I realised that the computers too had kept up with everything. Apart from providing loadsheets and general load control details, these same computers took over the basic message switching system (SITA) used by Res Offices. Ticketing was also being worked out and printed by these same computers. Virtually every stage of a Reservations could now be requested, confirmed and printed out on the one computer system. An amazing career and now in my retirement I can fondly look back at how it used to be. Paul

[Hugh Jarse]

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/HugeArse/File0064.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/HugeArse/File0065.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i6/HugeArse/File0070.jpg

[airsupport]

Thanks, I'm glad some of you appreciate what went on in 'the good old days.'

As I said I really appreciated your post and those incredible photos. :ok:

I am the same age as you, if your profile is correct, and I also spent my whole working life in the Industry, and also working all over the World.

I saw massive changes in the Engineering/Maintenance side of things, but had no knowledge of what went on in Reservations etc, sorry to repeat myself, but just such incredible photos, and I mean incredible in a good way. :ok:

[601]

Great insight into what went on behind the scenes.

I have now figured why there was a transition from the manual booking system to a computer based one.

No one could get around this


Identify work activities where a fall hazard may exist; and
Where a fall hazard is identified, develop and implement management strategies according to the hierarchy of control.

For falls of less than two metres:

Develop and document safe work procedures (SWPs) to outline the way in which the hazard will be managed; and
Provide training to employees to provide them with the skills and knowledge to do their work safely

If there is a risk of a fall of more than two metres, specific duties apply:

Perform the task on the ground if possible;
Use a passive fall prevention device;
Use a work positioning system to ensure employees work within a safe area;
Install a fall arrest system to limit the risk of injuries in the event of a fall;
Use a fixed or portable ladder incorporating a risk assessment, safe work procedures and training; and if you are not able to work on the ground or on a solid construction prior to working at height then;
Establish emergency procedures and First Aid provision prior to undertaking the task;
Review documented safe systems of work for contractors who are required to work at height;
Make sure ladders are compliant with AS 1892; and
Monitor the work at height practices of all employees and contractors to ensure they are working safely.


Please don't let these bureaucrats know that aircraft get higher than 2 metres!!

[Capt Claret]

When I worked in TAA Res in the late 70's the good relationship with Ansett still existed. Res Clerks from both airlines would frequently phone the other carrier when a passenger wanted a flight that was full, or a more conveniently timed flight. It was when providing service was the name of the game.

If memory serves, Macs was the pub situated between the TAA Head Office at 50 Franklin St, and the Ansett Head Office on the corner of Franklin & Swanston. A popular watering hole for staff of both airlines.

[airsupport]

The way we were indeed................

Your post 601 reminds me of more that has changed, the overboard IMHO safety departments. :rolleyes:

As I have said I spent my whole working life around aircraft, NEVER once had to use those cones or a high vis jacket (thankfully).

And computers, I truly love my computer, they were obviously a great advancement in that reservations environment, but what about when they stop working, several times I have seen checkins at airports when the computers are down and because the available checkin staff ONLY know computers they are not sure how to do their job like in the good olde days. :rolleyes:

Same too with aircraft, I have been with aircraft in some quite remote places where the aircraft is 100% serviceable mechanically but we were stuck there because some damn on board computer wasnt happy. :ugh:

[73to91]

It was when providing service was the name of the game.

When AN881 Sydney for Osaka had to return to SYD and then sustained substantial damage in a landing accident (Oct 1994) there was plenty of talk throughout the offices that certain Senior QANTAS management abused the crap out of some 'new' Senior QANTAS management who did not want to offer any assistance. The 'new' were put in their place and told in no uncertain ways that the airline industry does not work that way.

Except for code sharing I really wonder how much co-operation goes on these days in the cut throat world of aviation.

[Capt Claret]

Except for code sharing I really wonder how much co-operation goes on these days in the cut throat world of aviation.

It would be interesting to know.

In the good ole days at Sunstate when the pride of their fleet was the Irish Concorde (Shorts 360/330), so late 80s to early 90s, I was working for the opposition on the Mohawks. The 330 & Mohawk both ran PT6-45s. Not only did we loan (I'm sure there would have been conditions) Sunstate a PT6 to go into a Shed but our engineers even assisted the build up.

[Centaurus]

Good smear attempt but not up to scrutiny

Qantas/Australian Airlines whatever. The guy went for a Qantas Mainline interview. He flew back in a Boeing flown by a Qantas captain - you know, the airline where the pilots where huge wings on their shirts.
The event did happen. It was not a smear it was the truth and if you cannot handle the truth than that is your bloody problem - not mine:mad:

[pull-up-terrain]

I wish I could go back to the 80's

. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i4eaDVjStH4

[73to91]

Thanks pull-up-terrain, loved the bit at 1:57 'due to it's growing international operations'

From the map I guess we can make out,
Manchester, London, Amsterdam, Vienna, Frankfurt, Rome, Belgrade, Athens, Bahrain, Harare, Bombay, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Denpasar, Tokyo, Nadi, Papeete, LA, San Fran and Vancouver plus 3 in NZ.

No bad for an end-of-the-line carrier.

[Eastwest Loco]

Captain C

It was indeed Macs nestled in between TN & AN.

The Chef there could have a steak sandwich ready for you in minutes while you slammed down three pots on your half hour lunch break.

If anyone on an afternoon shift came down from the Market car park on the way to work and spotted the TN & AN pricing guys having a countery together in the Stork Hotel, the word would immediately go out that there was a fare increase on the way. Passengers, corporates and Agents were all warned.

The prized Macs Chef was enticed to go to the Stork with more money. This happened on more than one occasion with his pay increasing each time as the mob followed him.

The Stork was an early opener for the workers at the Vic Market, but on a hot morning when all the doors were open one could often spy a TN senior exec lubricating himself for the day ahead.

The Stork is sadly dead and gone and has been closed for years as an operational pub. It looked so sad all boarded up. Macs however continues to operate and had been prettied up.

Both were delightfully scungy in the mid 70s as a good Melbourne pub should be!

Best regards

EWL

[outback aviator]

:)As a contrast to your mates visit to the cockpit Centaurus check this out, all true (I was there!).
As a brand new comm. pilot licence holder (ink still wet on the paper) I caught an East West F-27 from Sydney to I think Maroochydore in the late 1970's.As was the practice in "those days" I asked the F/A if I could visit the front.When I was ushered into the spacious cockpit of the F-27 (not! little did I know that within 2 years I would be an F/O on a twenty ton dog whistle) I was introduced to the ancient looking Captain (probably about the same age as I am now) and the F/O.After some conversation it emerged that I had recently received my commercial licence, to my astonishment the Captain said to me (without a word of a lie) "Well you had better have a go!" With that the F/O exited his seat and I jumped in.Needless to say it was on autopilot at this stage but as we neared top of descent the autopilot was disconnected and I then commenced the descent by hand, I can recall that I asked the captain if I should reduce power as well as put the nose down and he said "no we go faster this way!"
All true and I am still amazed that it actually took place.I don't think it could ever happen now, sadly as the experience increased my enthusiasm to eventually join an Airline.:ok:

[Lake Moondarra]

Captain C & EWL
And Macs had Bundaberg Rum to add to pot of beer for us freezing staff from the Isa.

[Wally Mk2]

Loved the QF propaganda Vid, imagine doing that 2day, there would be blood in the cockpit & all over the CEO's office floor!:E


Wmk2

[Jabawocky]

EWL

Nkosi

I think it was TBH that was in the Central Australian livery however I think you will find the "genetalia" appeared on DC9-30 TJL.

TJL was on the TN555/556 circuit from MEL to PER up over the top and via everywhere when it cacked itself in PHE and was on the ground an extended time due to Engineering sending turbine that was also U/S out on an F27.

While they waited for the 2nd replacement boredom obviously set in.

Funny thing is it wasn't picked up by management for a week!!

Best all

EWL

Just loving this thread, and with Graeme Humphreys funeral this Friday the mention of TBH, well it struck a sentimental chord

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/4/9/8/1446894.jpg


http://images2.jetphotos.net/img/2/4/8/2/83813_1227299284.jpg

The way we were......indeed.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f77/PIREP/GraemeHumphriescropped_zpsaf70826a.png

[pppdrive]

This truly is a thread bringing so many memories back;

Capt Claret - It was good to hear the TAA/Ansett cooperation continued. I also noted you've mention both Sunstate and the Mohawk Aircratft. I did the handling for Sunnies Otters/Bandits/Irish Concordes at Hervey Bay and then later the Mohawks for Majestic Airways (still at Skurvy Bay International Scareport). The happiest days in my aviation career were at Hervey Bay.

Air Support - I'm totally non-technical, but had to work very closely with the Engineers and had the utmost respect for them. I even read a few books about the early Engineers posted to places like Sharjah and India etc and the huge amount of "graunching" that went on.

Keep the memories coming along, I feel a bit younger with each one I read. Paul

[Paragraph377]

Anybody know where Captain Joe Macarthy, ex Ansett, is today?
He retired in 89, a very astute DC 9 then 727 Captain. I believe he is still kicking around today somewhere.
It's funny as when I started this thread it was meant to bring back the good memories from the good days, and by god it has exceeded my expectations. So many characters out there, so much experience, and so much love for aviation. I have to agree with EWL, hard to keep a dry eye while thumbing back through the history pages. I am very happy that we are able to bring some of that history and those memories back to life for a bit longer :ok:
It's nice raising a glass of fine red to the memory of colleagues, aircraft, characters and fallen comrades. Cheers

[nitpicker330]

That Qantas Pilot recruitment video should be shown to all the board and Joyce. Followed by the question "what the bloody hell have you done to our Airline...."

Bunch of incompetent idiots..

So sad.

[pppdrive]

Para, thank you for the thread and consequent memories and seeing that you are in Aotearoa brings back my many flights to and within that lovely Country. Paul

[Capt Claret]

pppdrive,

If you handled Majestic at Skurvey Bay International there's a good chance we met. I worked for QPA, SPRA & Majestic on the Mohawk, admittedly QPA folded as we were filling the aircraft with fuel to commence the endorsement.

Prior to the Mohawks, I worked for Bevan Whittaker flying the Twotters, Nomad & Islanders to LTT and Sandy Cape etc.

Bloody small world, innit! :ok:

[pppdrive]

Capt Claret I'm sure we have met as I also (for a while) looked after the Lady E Twotter flights for Bevan. It did conflict a little with the Flight West Bandits I was handling at the same time. If you rmember a skinny ex Pom who had to flit between the Flight West broom cupboard (laughingly known as their 'terminal') and the new Whittaker luxury (by comparison) terminal (but why did all the passengers have to enter by the back door and not the front?). That was me. Give me a clue as I remember two of the Twotter pilots (sorry, but not by name) who were both great guys. Such a shame that I was left wifeless and jobless when Majestic finished up, or I'd still be there now. In fact my son, daughter in law and 4 grandchildren are now living in my ex home in Skurvy Bay and I was there Jan of last year for a visit. Paul

[Animalclub]

Just read this enjoyable thread from the start.
About ground staff saluting... at TN Lae for each DC6B departure the traffic/cargo staff handling the aircraft used to line up abeam of the cockpit. The Traffic Officer, with hat on, handling the docs used to salute the aircraft when it started to taxi.

[SOPS]

They still do in Japan.

[pppdrive]

Whilst I never did or even saw others doing so, I did insist that my staff (including myself) ALWAYS called the Capt either Captain or Sir when they were working. Didn't matter which but had to be one or the other. I had many discussion with Capts who said "call me Jack, or whatever," but I always said outside of the Cockpit and out of hearing of other Crew Members I will, but otherwise Captain or Sir would be used. Even though I walked around with 4 stripes on my shoulders and sleeves, I did what I insisted my staff do. It worked for me, it showed respect for their position and they then showed respect for mine.

[kay1kay]

A wonderful thread. I was born and grew up in Longreach and was fortunate to be able to fly as a youngster. I recall using the original Qantas hangar as the terminal. The various aircraft steps would be lined up just outside the terminal, as we waited for "the plane" to arrive. I still recall the beauty of the DC3 profile as it taxied towards the terminal and would turn to the right to line up for the steps to be wheeled over. Then we got the DC4, and they were so modern because the body of the plane was horizontal!. I recall flying with my mother from Longreach to Brisbane in the fifties, in a DC3, when we stuck turbulence, and there were tea stains on the ceiling. That same flight, we had an aborted landing as we were to land at Eagle Farm. In an aborted landing in a DC3, you knew exactly what was happening! Unlike in the modern A380, which is so big and quieter, it takes a second or two longer for it all to sink in.
Walking through an aerobridge to board is NOTHING compared to walking across the tarmac, up the stairs, and in the DC3, continuing the climb up the aisle! I still enjoy the ocasional Virgin/QFlink flights where I have to go out on the tarmac and climb the stairs.
By the way, Longreach Airport has had two terminals since that first one.
And the trip to the cockpit no longer happens. Sad sad sad.

[airsupport]

I still enjoy the ocasional Virgin/QFlink flights where I have to go out on the tarmac and climb the stairs.

Yes yet another thing about the way we were, back in the good olde days.

While I am sure most pax prefer the aerobridges, especially if the weather is not so good, it spoilt it quite a bit for us that handled the aircraft when they were introduced, never got to see the pax as much, just like you were working the freight line. :(

I will never forget one day, before aerobridges, was turning around a B727 and it had a minor engine fault on #1 engine, in order to try and minimise any delay I told operations to begin loading pax.

The quickest and easiest way to do the job was I got one of the porters to put in a set of mobile stairs into the rear of the engine pylon.

Funny thing happened, you know how you can tell sometimes if you are being watched, while I was working on the engine I looked up and there was some 5 or 6 pax watching me, they had come up the mobile steps instead of the rear ventral stairs. :uhoh:

Yes, the way we were........... :ok:

[Wally Mk2]

Funny 'Airsupport' it's not a good look when pax see that the bonnet is up on a plane whilst they board it:-)

Had a female pax a while ago whom boarded whilst the bonnet was up & after asking a zillion Q's to the flighty's about is it safe she screamed out & wanted off !!
The Bogans/sheep....if they really knew what goes on behind the scenes, the disgruntled employees, the pressure for OTP etc etc few would board!:E

Anyone got a piccy of the VC's that the Pomms flew into Tulla in the 80's?
Talk about huge, dirty & loud !...but what a machine, had style looked about a mile long that fuse!:-)




Wmk2

[airsupport]

These pax that day did not seem that worried, I think they were more embarrassed that they had gone up the wrong stairs.

You mean the VC10s, I have no photos sorry, but they used to come in to Eagle Farm too, without doubt the noisiest commercial aircraft I have ever heard.

[Capt Claret]

[Super] VC-10 .... without doubt the noisiest commercial aircraft I have ever heard.

Horny as all hell, closely followed by the 727-200. :}

[Ushuaia]

Hey - can anyone provide an complete list of the "cast" in the Qantas recruiting video? I know some of the names but not all; maybe someone knows the lot?!

That is not a young S/O Bob Deacon in there, is it?!

[SOPS]

That Qantas recruitment video brings tears to my eyes, what a great company it once was, and how I ( missed out, in retrospect thank God) and many others aspired to be a Qantas pilot. Today it really is a dream, and ts very very sad.

[Dora-9]

pppdrive - you must have been fun to fly with...

[Al E. Vator]

TAA A300-B4 cockpit recordings 1988

BNE-SYD P1 & 2
TAA A300-B4 BNE-SYD Part 1 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/USCgJd0oZEU)
TAA A300-B4 BNE-SYD Part 2 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/A4CPvnIGJio)

MEL-SYD P1 & 2
TAA A300-B4 MEL-SYD Part 1 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/0H4tGxCAzwg)
TAA A300-B4 MEL-SYD Part 2 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/0D-xBvI17Z8)

[Al E. Vator]

The Aircraft & Colours of TAA - Part 1 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/8ZpaiLec4kY)

The music has been disallowed for this one:
The Aircraft & Colours of TAA - Part Two - YouTube (http://youtu.be/gs5yc2KktYk)

Maybe turn the music down on this one!
The Aircraft & Colours of TAA Rapid - YouTube (http://youtu.be/UKOv4P_OS7g)

[pppdrive]

Dora-9 Not too sure what you mean by that. The times I flew in the cockpit were only as Loadmaster, all my other flying was either duty travel or passenger both of which were in the passenger cabin. Please explain

[Jabawocky]

I think Dora misunderstood you ;)

Love the old Brisbane terminals hey.....and it seems not that long ago... :uhoh:

[Paragraph377]

Jabba, the old Eagle Farm airport had character, remember the giant TAA mural inside? (TAA from memory). And upstairs was a nice quaint little dark lounge bar (forgotten its name as my memory is getting dusty) where one could unwind with a scotch in the dark atmosphere with some background music. If you were fortunate you would have a fine filly sitting beside you, still in uniform and smelling sweeter than a rose, sharing with you the mood and the aroma of leather, cigarettes, kero and scotch! Damn those were the days!!

[Fris B. Fairing]

Para 377

Are you sure it wasn't the Ansett terminal? It had a glorious mural of an Ansett-ANA Electra in flight. In those days all the terminals were wartime igloos. I turned up for work in the International igloo one morning to find it closed because of high wind. The TAA igloo burned down and it was said at the time that police were looking for the person who started the fire and TAA management were looking for the person who called the fire brigade! I worked in three International Terminals at BNE.

Rgds

[Hydromet]

Just chasing up some family history, and found that in 1951, the Cairns Post published the names of passengers to & from Cairns on ANA flights. I wonder when this practice stopped.

[Al E. Vator]

Google Image Result for http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac275/B777M/Big%2520Canary%25201984/WX02_Brisbane_EagleFarm_1982_zps31b7b4f7.jpg (http://www.google.com.au/imgres?client=safari&rls=en&biw=1920&bih=937&tbm=isch&tbnid=Q6iNUc6cNl43OM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.airliners.net%2Faviation-forums%2Ftrip_reports%2Fread.main%2F247885%2F&docid=D0lYGvGkR0_guM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fi907.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac275%2F B777M%2FBig%252520Canary%2525201984%2FWX02_Brisbane_EagleFar m_1982_zps31b7b4f7.jpg&w=1024&h=806&ei=t0zWUsiMC8iulQWNwIHACg&zoom=1&ved=0CFQQhBwwAA&iact=rc&dur=684&page=1&start=0&ndsp=36)


Google Image Result for http://www.qhatlas.com.au/sites/default/files/imagecache/Large/LM01.JPG (http://www.google.com.au/imgres?client=safari&rls=en&biw=1920&bih=937&tbm=isch&tbnid=TnTfRiyyfkPCwM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qhatlas.com.au%2Fphotograph%2Fold-brisbane-airport-eagle-farm-1972&docid=KRJBj7cj3_QBSM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qhatlas.com.au%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ff iles%2Fimagecache%2FLarge%2FLM01.JPG&w=900&h=614&ei=EE3WUsT8DYe6lAWVk4HgCg&zoom=1&ved=0CFQQhBwwAA&iact=rc&dur=2254&page=1&start=0&ndsp=32)

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[Al E. Vator]

….and who bogged the Electra?
aircraft photo Lockheed Electra Ansett Airlines (http://www.aircraftphotos.biz/print-pages/commercial-aircraft-prints/Lockheed-Electra-ansett-bogged-1.htm)

aircraft photo Lockheed Electra Ansett Airlines (http://www.aircraftphotos.biz/print-pages/commercial-aircraft-prints/Lockheed-Electra-ansett-bogged-3.htm)

[Capt Fathom]

Looks like they bogged it at Rocky!

[Fris B. Fairing]

VH-RMC became bogged at Rockhampton on 27 March 1968 and departed two days later.

Source:
VH-RMC - The Lockheed File (http://www.lockheed.adastron.com/electra/vh-rmc.htm)

[WMUOSF]

Mac's Friday after work was classic.

[pppdrive]

Sent you a PM

[Dora-9]

pppdrive - sorry about the delay in responding, I was unaware of your earlier posting (#114) until I read your PM.

I had thought your comment was written as the aircraft commander, so it rang alarm bells and I frankly I saw red - having read your post #114 I realize that I had taken your remarks totally out of context, please consider my sarcastic comment unreservedly withdrawn.

[Animalclub]

Para 337
Couldn't have been TAA as the last Al K. Hol they were allowed to drink whilst in uniform was at their graduation.

[Captain Klink]

SOPS: "Flying with Greybeard was the most enjoyable time of my life. I wish he would stop posting this stuff...it brings tears to my eyes".
He's just returning the favour. I'm sure some of your landings brought tears to his eyes.http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

[greybeard]

Actually he wasn't too trying, part of a group of F/Os converting to jets mid 80s in the "Western Approaches", all had a bundle of hours, could think for themselves and enjoyed the task.

He may well remember a missed approach at ASP due a "little willy-willy" which fortunately went over the anemometer to defend our somewhat violent over the T-VASIS rock and roll, 0-45 kts and back to 0 showing a vertical line on the trace.

SOPS and others who frequent these pages were lost to Australia, do a great job in foreign parts as trainers/checkers.

Most are mid 50s or close so the industry will miss them soonish, a pity it is not what it could/should be in this age of cost run Airlines.
Pilots were once a valued commodity, now in most places are a telephone located, revenue producing unit, employed on max production, minimum cost contracts.

No I am not bitter, I had a great time defying gravity since 1961, but believe I and my peers saw the best of the game.

No air too ruff no *&%% too Tuff eh SOPS?

:ok::ok:

[pppdrive]

Thanks for that Dora-9. No worries and I appreciate your reply. Paul

[601]

and who bogged the Electra?

ops - fair way off the centreline?

[SOPS]

I well remember that said missed approach Grey Beard, I believe a cold and frosty was enjoyed after that! But as you always taught me...No air to rough.....:p

[pppdrive]

Having re-read my post 114 I can now see where any confusion may have come from. I'd like to explain that in those days a lot of airlines used the system of denoting rank by stripes for ground staff as well as Flight Crew. The airline I was working for used 3 stripes for a Duty Officer, 4 stripes for a Senior Duty Officer and 4 stripes plus a star or crown for Station Manager. A lot of airlines used this sytem although most distinquished by having 1/4 inch for ground and 1/2 inch for Flight Crew. Whilst I did indeed "walk around with 4 stripes on my shouldres and sleeves" I was never Flight Crew although many times I flew in the Cockpit as Loadmaster. I'm sorry if anyone took my post as if I was Flight Crew.
Now hopefully I can get back to really enjoying this great thread. Paul

[pppdrive]

The Sunstate "Terminal" at Hervey Bay during the 1990s. There was room for around 10 people seated plus another 20 or so standing. Facilities were; a toilet, free help yourself coffee/tea, flight schedule board. Equipment; Taarsan Reservations computer, a handfull of tickets (if I ran out more would have to be delivered from Town Office), Ground-air radio, baggage scale, battery start-cart and one baggage trolley

http://rs932.pbsrc.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/DSunstateAirlines001_zpsd3521a65.jpg~c200?

Compare that 'luxury' to the "Terminal used by Flight West and then Majestic. Facilities; one chair inside, 4 with table outside. Equipment; Ansamatic Reservations/ticketing computer (FWA only), Ground/air radio, battery start-cart, bathroom scales, 2 baggage trolley

http://rs932.pbsrc.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/EMajestic001_zps104da730.jpg~c200?t=1389899099

Although basically Sunstate & Flight West were operated on a one man basis (with assistance available if needed), Majestic operated a two-man operation. My best aviation days were spent at Hervey Bay.

[Fantome]

Some pics from the Ed Coates collection

VH-TBL always amused me whenever I heard her on the airwaves.
The TBL was also a lapel badge given to men who enlisted late in the First World War and who were not in fact called up. It was
designed to inform the public in the street that this fit looking young man did not qualify for the 'white feather treatment'.

Those who wore this little emblem called it the 'TOO BLOODY LATE'.

Speaking of memorable call signs , there was a gravelly voiced, with drawl, character who flew the 3- holers. I can hear him still -

"Ahh Sydney Tower . .. . . Romeo My Gecko . . . ."

And sandgropers of macky miller DC-3 vintage will remember one
Captain Mike Gent. Early one morning he got airborne from, it might have been Fitzroy Crossing. He calls up . .

Hedland . .. morning . . . Mike . . . Mike . . .. (you have to picture him peering out the window trying to read the rego.) . . . Mike .. Mike . . ahh . . damn it . .. Mike Mike Gent












VH-TJB Boeing 727-176 (c/n 18742)

http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/TAAFleet/VH-TJB1%20color.jpg

The two color shots of this, the second of TAA's 727s are by Greg Banfield, whilst the B&W at
the foot of the page is via the CAHS archives. Greg's shot above was at Essendon in October
1966 where -TJB had arrived the previous November named 'John Forrest'. The 727 was
sold to International Air Lease in April 1980. It then had many leases and identities, mainly in
Latin and South America (but also including a stint in Turkey) and was withdrawn from service
and scrapped at Miami in September 1995.

http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/TAAFleet/VH-TJB2%20color.jpg

http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austa/TAAFleet/VH-TJB%20CAHS.jpg

[airsupport]

Departing SYD back in the 1960s...........

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/ana3.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/ana2.jpg

[airsupport]

Here is a different one, long gone.........

Airlines of South Australia.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f27020.jpg

[airsupport]

Obviously not a photo, but a sticker of times long ago.................

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f270.jpg

[airsupport]

Yet another one long gone, Ansett DC9 VH-CZC arriving in TSV around 1970.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/andc9.jpg

[airsupport]

Obviously not in Australia, but long gone Ansett aircraft, B767s being built at Boeing back in the early 1980s.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767f.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767e.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767d.jpg

[airsupport]

Of course the Ansett name stretched far and wide, here is another Ansett B767 VH-RMA far away from Australia 20 odd years ago, being cleaned and you can tell it is in a Country that has never even heard of health and safety concerns for its workers.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767g.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767h.jpg

[Gas Bags]

RMA wet lease Tan Son Nhat???

[airsupport]

Affirmative, very good.......... :ok:

This is the same aircraft in Moscow after it was painted in Vietnam Airlines livery.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767mos.jpg

[Gas Bags]

You must have been there with JK?

[airsupport]

I was there with a lot of people, have photos of many of them, but my memory must be going as I cannot place a JK???

[airsupport]

Okay, I am going to now post photos of some of the people involved there, I am SURE it IS appropriate as they are all people involved in those Airlines back in the old days, the topic of the thread ''the way we were'' and of course ONLY appropriate photos. :ok:

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0003.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0004.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0005.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0006.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0002.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0001.jpg

And one NOT on the aircraft, only photo I have of some of the people......

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0009.jpg

[airsupport]

These may, or may not, be of interest...........

That previous photo of the Airlines of South Australia F27 VH-FNR was taken at Tullamarine on the morning we left for England, a trip of some 11 days from memory with a rest day in Bahrain.

These are some of the other stops...............

Bali.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f275.jpg

Overnight Singapore.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f276.jpg

Transitting Calcutta.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f277.jpg

Overnight New Delhi.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f278.jpg

I do not have a photo of the aircraft overnight in Cairo, but this is one of the Captains when we went for a camel ride at the Pyramids. ;)

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f274.jpg

Overnight Milan, where the coach they sent out for us was bigger that the aircraft. :rolleyes:

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f27024.jpg

At the Fokker Factory, where they really spoilt FNR, the oldest F27 to visit the Factory at the time they said.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f27026.jpg

Finally our destination, Norwich England..................

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f272.jpg

[burger61]

I remember those days like they were yesterday - the crew used to sleep there in the old Noosa Air days - no electricity but had a generator under the building
now Hervey Bay has a flash terminal and facilities - thank god for progress

[burger61]

hey PPPDRIVE
I was in MBH doing the ground handling with TAA then sunnies/noosa air etc
good old days hey - many times I had to do the turn around in HVB and then drive to MBH or we would also come down and do the East West charters that used to come in - that was the time when they used to fly the people up from Melb/Syd to buy the land at Hvb

[airsupport]

Still have very fond memories of the BNE-MBH-BDB-BDB-MBH-BNE runs with the Ansett F27s, competing with the TAA F27s to see who would get back to BNE first.:ok:

Never forget one day I was with the F27, we were out of BDB first and into MBH first but TAA managed to get out of MBH first. :(

When we got going second our Captain requested a very low level cruise, he told ATC to give the pax a good view which they okayed, then when the TAA F27 requested descent to BNE he was held up descending ''due other traffic below him"", WE landed first in BNE........... ;)

Those really were the good olde days............... :ok:

[Capt Claret]

In the SPRA v Sunnies days, the Mohawk would out climb the Sheds, climb to the lofty level of F130 or F150 with the Shed wallowing in the CU tops below. Getting close to the Sunshine Coast we'd request a descent just prior to being radar identified and our blip would then be seen to be overtaking the She'sd blip.

Many a time the Sheds would be vectored over the coast for sequencing.

Racing? Surely you jest! :8

[airsupport]

Racing? Surely you jest!

IF you mean my post, I was careful to avoid that term. ;)

Not sure what else to call it though, you had two teams in two identical machines trying to beat the other team to the finish, racing??? :rolleyes:

[Capt Claret]

airsupport, we're in heated agreement. The only thing hotter, the exhausts from the PT6s that weren't. ;)

[airsupport]

Yes, great times........... :ok:

[airsupport]

Just a few more photos from the ferry flight of VH-FNR that may hopefully be of interest. :ok:

This is the 3 Captains at Broome before we left Australia.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f2713.jpg

VERY crowded on an F27 for some 11 days, had a pallet with the buffet etc, then one pallet of not so comfortable seats, then all the rest was spares, not so much for us but we dropped off a lot of F50 spares at Fokker.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f271.jpg

Okay not the best photo ever, but it was very hard to get, it was illegal to fly over the Pyramids so the Captain flying banked so I could get this shot.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f27023.jpg

This is the same aircraft as it became..................

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/f27028.jpg

[pppdrive]

Burger61 - I think your time must have been just before mine. When I arrived in Hervey Bay I went to Sunnies Agent (Bezants Harvey World Travel) to see about a job at the Airport. Was advised "it's a one man operation and we have a man already, but they thought that the Maryborough Agent needed someone for MBH Airport." Off to MBH for an interview and got the job. On the way back I called in to HVB just to intorduce myself to the man at HVB Airport (as we'd be working closely together). I found out he lived in MBH and travelled each day to HVB and I would be doing the exact opposite and we decided it would be better for both of us if we swapped jobs, so he then worked in MBH and I took over in HVB. Flights then operated BNE-MBH-HVB-MBH-BNE but then changed to BNE-MBH-HVB-BNE and BNE-HVB-MBH-BNE which was a more sensible approach I think. Sunnies had the route to themselves in those days.

Air Support - Mohawk vs Shed....no comparison. Whist the Mohawk I believe was not quite as easy from a ground handling point of view it was certainly far more passenger friendly. When Majestic operated them most passengers were delighted with the comfort and speed against a flight in the Shed. A lot of unhappy passengers when the Mohawk disappeared.

[SOPS]

Proper airlines, run by proper people, employing proper staff on proper conditions, flying in a proper environment.

[pppdrive]

Burger 61 - I was at the new HVB Terminal in Jan last year and was quite impressed. I remember getting lamblasted in the local press mid 90s for daring to say that I thought Hervey Bay would become the major airport in the Maryborough area. It wasn't until I'd left to go to England that a new Terminal was contructed and then the jets arrived. I believe that Marybourgh Airport then closed down. Nice to know it happened even if I wasn't there.
I didn't realise that the Noosa Crews overnighted in the old terminal. That would explain the shower that was there and the two 'store rooms' at the back. I alwas thought those facilities were for the Council's Airport Caretaker who lived in a caravan on site but had no other facilities. As they say, you never stop learning.

[Anthill]

Proper airlines, run by proper people, employing proper staff on proper

conditions, flying in a proper environment.


Ya tell the young'uns of today and they don't believe you! :p

[airsupport]

Air Support - Mohawk vs Shed

Some of you keep referring to a ''Shed"', now I have one of them in my backyard but I guess you do not mean that kind, is it a reference to the wonderful Fokker F27 Friendship? :confused:

Surely not. :(

[Capt Claret]

A Shed 360

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRzvoiRB27p3yPdWQ4WOBxHe8xw8eYYMJMVkUVfmSA Va_oiMM2pUw

A Shed 330

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRGQpfzU7T2S_rcl-SfIMaNyA6DSHB01KP7LLvg9HDg5N3L4z-uGA


Sheds - made by Shorts Bros Ireland, the aircraft they forgot to take out of the box it came in. AKA, the Irish Concorde.

I never flew one but did fly in them from time to time. Unpressurised, 2 x PT6, said to get a considerable proportion of lift from the fuselage.

[Capt Claret]

A lot of unhappy passengers when the Mohawk disappeared.

A lot of unhappy crew too. I was retrenched the evening after I finished my command endorsement. Phone call in the middle of dinner - out of work again. :sad:

[airsupport]

Okay thanks, I thought they were referring to the Fokker F27. :eek:

No aircraft are perfect of course, but the F27 is one of my all time favourites. :ok:

That ferry with VH-FNR, half way round the World, we had a few small problems but nothing we could not live with, one maxaret played up and one engine we lost water meth, but neither mattered as we were using big International Airports where the runways were several times longer than we needed.

When I got back to MEL I found out the office people there had a sweep on where we would breakdown, the favourite was Karachi :uhoh: but we spolit their sweep and made it with no delays at all to Norwich. :ok:

[airsupport]

Sorry about the confusion by me about sleds, I had never heard them called that.

Just going to post a few photos, I hope the Mods will excuse me ;) that are not Australian, but of the aircraft that were operating in Vietnam before VH-RMA went there.

THIS is what we called the ''lead sheds"" there, the most modern aircraft in Vietnam, before RMA.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/tupolev.jpg

This was their only other main aircraft type.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/viet003.jpg

And these had only just been retired before we got there. :rolleyes:

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/viet002.jpg

[Dark Knight]

Select prospective desirable Flight Attendants; invite to flight deck for arrival.

Descend to arrive at 610', flaps 1, 210kts at South Eastern tip of Home Island (any lower and constant annoying voice 'Too Low Gear")

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/CocosIsland_zps73e4716e.jpg?t=1390097930

TBR @ Cocos (Keeling) Island circa 1986-1988

Fly up Eastern side of Home Island thence to Direction Island to turn base around Horsburgh Island thence join final over Swimming Beach on West Island to land.
Lagoons in Direction & Horsburgh Island have crystal clear water with sandy bottom and if yatchs anchored there their shadows can be seen on the seabed.

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/TBRCocosIsland_zpsc1992f21.jpg?t=1390097930

Park and proceed to Duty Free Store.

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/CrewonCocos_zps37fce569.jpg?t=1390098129

Bevy Of Beauties with Secret Admirers Cocos Island

[Dark Knight]

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/TBPLearmouth_zpse78519db.jpg?t=1390097930

TBP @ Learmout WA circa 1986-1988
Divert for fuel due weather Cocos & Christmas Islands


Note Radome fitted upside down???

[Dark Knight]

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/TAA19831001_zps04729bbf.jpg?t=1390098106

TAA Victorian Flight Crew Fund Annual Dinner October 1983

[Dark Knight]

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/VH-TGC_zps7d829162.jpg?t=1390098154

TAA Beach Queenair Hobart circa 1971

Operated services internally within Tasmania

TAA Queenairs also operated Whitsunday Island services from MacKay and Flying Doctor flying

TGC was the only Queenair in the fleet equipped with deicing which created fun flying when she was being serviced and one of the non deice equipped aircraft replaced her in Hobart particularly during Winter!!

[nitpicker330]

Radome wasn't fitted upside down!!! Old TAA paint on the dome, new Australian scheme on the rest!!

Good photos

[Wally Mk2]

Terrific pix there guys a real blast from the past:ok:
The photo with the crew standing around (what crew you say?.......I only saw a young hostess on the ground):E Does anyone know if the guy on the end (right) is Ron Smith, Flt Eng. he looks famil

Wmk2

[Pinky the pilot]

I was retrenched the evening after I finished my command endorsement. Phone call in the middle of dinner - out of work again.

Bit of a bummer there, Clarrie!:sad: Had something similar happen to me another lifetime back. Except at least I was called into the CP's office and after being given the bad news was told to go and see XXX who ran a small company almost next door. I did so and was getting checked out about 3 hours later!:ok:

?.......I only saw a young hostess on the ground:E

Hmm, that's all I saw too!:ooh:

A very entertaining thread showing that, just maybe, it was a much more fun industry to be in way back then.:hmm:

[Servo]

What a wonderful thread for once :ok:

Some amazing pictures of a more "joyful" time in aviation. Some wonderful memories. Love the QF recruitment video, "we also have women pilots" as if an after thought :\

Thank you all for the journey. Wish I had been in the industry then, now well............ :{

[boocs]

AN F-27 Circa 1980-1981 :

Ansett F27 Flight VH-FNT circa 1980-81 - YouTube

b.

[Al E. Vator]

What happened here?
http://www.aussieairliners.org/convairr/vh-tap/1029.087l.jpg

[pppdrive]

Now you've really got me interested. Surely if you were on the Mohawk when they finally stopped operating I must know you.
PM me or e-mail [email protected] who you are. I think there were two up for command around that time.
It was a real shame that I wasn't at 100% at that time. My wife had just found someone else she preferred, kicked me out and I was suffering trying to keep my usual smile going whilst being an absolute mess internally. Didin't help when Majestic had to pull the plug and added to my woes was the fact I didn't have a job anymore.

[UTW]

Hey boocs...
That video brought tears to my eyes (and ears!) :)

[Dora-9]

Boocs:

That video was meant to have been a training film, but for reasons I've never discovered it never saw the light of day at the time, only surfacing quite recently. The crew are KP in the left seat (then F27 FM) and KW in the right seat (then F27 DFM).

Doesn't it bring back memories?

Here's my evocative (previously posted) shot of the way we were - perhaps not quire as exotic as Cocos Island:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/cid_0BF78AA0-5D9F-4F81-B6C2-456F9ECC76D8BigPond_zps4ad3b7ec.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/cid_0BF78AA0-5D9F-4F81-B6C2-456F9ECC76D8BigPond_zps4ad3b7ec.jpg.html)

[pppdrive]

http://rs932.pbsrc.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/scan0005_zpsafeebbb9.jpg~c200?t=1390135469

A busy day at Hervey Bay

http://rs932.pbsrc.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/scan0006_zps0ff55d2b.jpg~c200?t=1390135301

Two of Whittakers Twotters

http://rs932.pbsrc.com/albums/ad169/pppdrive/scan0004_zps4ca4c3e2.jpg~c200?t=1390135423

Sorry but I've no idea what, whose or why it was visiting.

[Capt Claret]

Sorry but I've no idea what, whose or why it was visiting.

A Twin-Pin :- Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer

[pppdrive]

Thanks for that Capt Claret. Would you have been known by a contraction of your surname beginning with a "W" ?
Paul

[pppdrive]

Thanks for your message, much appreciated and I've replied. Paul

[peuce]

AN F-27 Circa 1980-1981 :

Why are those Friendship pilots yelling all the time ?;)

[pppdrive]

Another PM for you (about another blast from the past)

[Capt Claret]

Would you have been known by a contraction of your surname beginning with a "W" ?

Not to my knowledge! :\:}

[airsupport]

Another ''Ansett'' aircraft, VH-CLM, some others here may have been involved with back in the day, operating out of Georgetown Guyana.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/clm01.jpg

Same aircraft undergoing a routine check at JFKNY.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/clm02.jpg

The Crew, most of them, Pilots, Pursers and Engineers on the delivery flight to Guyana, at Anchorage Alaska.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/guyana.jpg

[Dark Knight]

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/Anchorage_zpsf6f1bc8f.jpg?t=1390262233

VH-CLM Anchorage Airport

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/FerryFlight1_zpscc458aa2.jpg

Pursers VH-CLM delivery flight Anchorage Alaska

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/CLMinAlaska_zps5b04655a.jpg?t=1390262289

CLM Duluth Minnesota USA Delivery Flight

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/TAA/CLMintheSnowjpg_zpsa1f584d2.jpg?t=1390262427

CLM in the snow Kennedy International NYC USA

[Dark Knight]

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy73/robofq/AtSea_zps369f7ee3.jpg

Dinghy Drill CLM Georgetown Guyana Sth America

[VR-HFX]

airsupport

That looks like a Bus of the A-300 kind to me. Could it be TAA and not Ansett?

[Capt Fathom]

A300-600

Ansett Worldwide

Google VH-CLM

[airsupport]

airsupport

That looks like a Bus of the A-300 kind to me. Could it be TAA and not Ansett?

I am getting old, but not that bad yet, as has now been pointed out definitely A300-600 owned by Ansett, on lease at the time to Guyana Air 2000. :ok:

I am much more interested in who is "Dark Knight"? :confused:

[airsupport]

This is what it was really like............... ;)

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/AIR072_zps8add743a.jpg

[Townsville Refueller]

WOW....... That last photo makes me glad I work in TSV and not NY. :ok:

[airsupport]

Imagine how I felt, I am used to Brisbane, and like Townsville not a lot of snow here either.

We had a delay out of JFK one morning, nothing wrong with the aircraft, but the fuel in the outer tanks was frozen. :uhoh:

[airsupport]

Hey Townsville Refueller, at least at JFK they knew what they were doing, on that other contract in Vietnam with VH-RMA I spent the whole 12 months I was there trying (in vain) to get them to follow anything resembling normal operations, one day I was refuelling and it was taking forever, went along the side of the tanker knocking on it, it was empty. :rolleyes::ugh:

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/AIR050_zps64a12bfe.jpg

Now we have more of the Crew with VH-CLM thought I would add this one I just found of some of us with the Vietnamese Flight Attendants.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/AIR051_zpsea4212ba.jpg

[airsupport]

Although not in the title of this thread there were 2 other Airlines that sadly, very sadly for me and a lot of others, are no longer around. :(

Compass Airlines, one of the best places I ever worked, but sadly did not get any photos of our Aircraft, maybe others have some?

This photo is the first group of Engineers, we did the A300-600 course here in BNE with Instructors from Lufthansa.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/AIR032_zps16f86f0b.jpg

We then went to Lufthansa in Frankfurt for practical training, and YES before someone asks, on the Airbus A300-600 NOT the Viscount.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/AIR033_zps3794da4e.jpg

Some of us also went to GE in the USA (the Engine Manufacturer) and this was at the GE Flight Test Centre in the Mojave Desert, the A300 in the photo was testing the latest CF6 and the B707 was testing the latest CFM56. Such a sad place, not GE, but the storage you can see part of behind, so many aircraft out of service including some brand new B747s.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/AIR040_zps08e03d70.jpg

The other of course was Southern Cross (some call Compass 2), the only photos I have from there are from the very first flight, a non revenue flight from BNE-TSV-CNS and return for various celebrities, no NOT me I was only on board as at the time I was the only one that could sign for it.

This was on landing CNS, as traditional the fire brigade salute a new type.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/md803_zps6cbb40d3.jpg

And on board during the flight, I can not now remember their names but they were various radio and TV people in BNE and one of the Flight Attendants.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/md802_zpscf66e701.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/md801_zps328f9ab0.jpg

[Galdom]

Lovely old pics and a fascinating thread, I am loving it so thank you to all who have contributed to date :D

I especially appreciated the description of the island arrival in the 727, the 610 feet at 210 knots must have been fun :E

Just one question re the pic of the fire salute in the previous post, the wing to my untrained eye looks to be that of a DC type? Only reason I say that is the appearance of the flap hinges under the wing as opposed to the fairings of the Airbus.

[Capt Fathom]

Compass Airlines MD83 (http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/5/7/8/2194875.jpg)

[airsupport]

At Compass we operated the Airbus A300-600, and one Airbus A310, at Southern Cross we operated MD80s. :ok:

As I said they are the only photos I have from there, this one is where we did our MD80 practical training, Alaska Airlines in California.


http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/AIR038_zps232a67dc.jpg

[airsupport]

Just been searching to see if I could find any Compass ads, like the others posted here, found one just not sure how to post it, give it a try............

Compass Airlines ad 1992 - YouTube

[airsupport]

Looks like it worked, bringing tears to my eyes, remembering ''the way we were". :(

[airsupport]

I will not keep posting them Mods, but just found one for the original Compass IF it works. :(

Australian Ad Compass Airlines - 1991 - YouTube

[airsupport]

Okay, just having a look to see what else I could find, this one really has me teary eyed, ''the way we were'', video was made after the collapse and even I went to these rallies, ONLY time in my Life. :(

Compass Airlines Song Come Fly For Australia 1992.wmv - YouTube

[Fantome]

Although not in the title of this thread there were 2 other Airlines that sadly, very sadly for me and a lot of others, are no longer around.
Compass Airlines, one of the best places I ever worked.
The mods are not that hardline about thread drift, airsupport.

If this morphs into a bit of Compass and Bryan Grey nostalgia, no harm there.

Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday May 10, 2001
by Ben Sandilands

Aviation underdog, 1929-2001.

The father of domestic airline deregulation in Australia, Bryan Grey, who died this week, was considering another tilt at the established carriers in 1997 before cancer began to take its toll.

The public will remember him most for Compass Airlines, the first carrier to take off after the repeal of the laws dividing the skies between Ansett and Australian Airlines (formerly TAA).

Airbus Industrie remembers him as the first individual to put his hand in his pocket to personally pay a multimillion-dollar deposit on a wide-bodied jet.

The bureaucracy in Canberra has yet to forget his persistence in 1982 when, as the new owner of East-West Airlines, he flew against the might of the Ansett and TAA duopoly through a legal loophole that allowed him to compete on the Sydney-Melbourne route by landing, ever so briefly, at Albury along the way.

His friends and associates will never forget him giving up the executive directorship of Ansett as the third in charge and heir designate after Rupert Murdoch and Sir Reginald Ansett to pursue the common touch by buying East-West.

And can Collingwood supporters ever forget a wintry mid-'80s day when Grey offered to bet $1million that their club would never win a flag in the 20th century? (It did, but nobody could raise the money and put it in escrow.)

Bryan Grey was born in Melbourne and had a working-class childhood. The Marist Brothers created a scholarship especially for him after recognising a gifted mind that should not be forced out of school by hardship.

Reg Ansett sent him as one of his proteges to work through the ranks of the Ansett operation in Papua New Guinea, where Grey became the general manager of Talair and then of Air Niugini before his move to the highest levels with Ansett in Australia.

Grey was shattered to learn after he sold East-West Airlines that it was almost immediately sold on to Ansett, which ended its flirtation with no-frills fares and bureaucracy-defying attacks on restrictive aviation rules.

Compass was to put things right, but it lasted only a year before the jets were repossessed in December 1991. Less than a year later, Sir Peter Abeles, in charge of Ansett, said in an interview: ``If he'd had $150million, we couldn't have afforded to chase him." But the first Compass had only $60million. Compass spread itself across Australia and was credited with dragging the tourism industry of Far North Queensland back from the brink of ruin by stimulating the market after the pilots' dispute of 1989.

Grey lambasted government for deregulating the skies but not the airport terminals. A master headline-maker, he will be remembered for urging his customers to join Australian Airlines' Flight Deck club rooms so they could be comfortable while waiting for his flights, which used the same terminals, and for pointing the finger at ``other" airline employees equipped with hand counters, recording the numbers of passengers boarding his flights.

He loved his property at Hamilton near the Grampians, and was a dedicated racehorse owner and breeder who followed the Vain bloodline.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Jean, and is survived by their six children, 19 grandchildren and his second wife, Heather, who kept his spirit flying as the cancer took hold.

Grey's funeral is on Saturday in Hamilton, the town from which his early mentor, Reginald Myles Ansett, launched Ansett in 1936, overcoming the law against competing against Victoria's railways by giving away the flight for free but charging for the piece of fruit that went with it.

2001 Sydney Morning Herald

[airsupport]

Well it should be okay, both Airlines were part of ''the way we were'' just they were not in the title, same would apply to East-West.

[airsupport]

Just found a better photo of that first flight of Southern Cross (Compass 2) MD80, arriving CNS. :ok:

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_zps0c6d8d28.jpg

[airsupport]

Just spent hours going through all my old photo albums, and I promise Mods these will be the last I post here ;) however I think (hope) these will be of interest to many here. :ok:

They ARE about ''the way we were'' and are relative to Ansett, photos from when we were at Boeing in the early 1980s for the Ansett B767s.

While I am sure many here have been to Boeing you can not always even then get some of these photos, we had special security passes to take these photos.

The first one is not relative to the Ansett 767s, it is the original Boeing Factory, was a museum then, not sure if it is still there.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0001_zps67bcb16d.jpg

This is a B767 fuselage that after it was constructed was pressurised and depressurised (I forget how many times) but far in excess of a normal aircrafts lifetime until it failed, it failed where those red marks are near the rear door.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0002_zps4ba8beeb.jpg

This is another fuselage and set of wings on this one, the loads were applied to the wings up and down again more times than in a normal aircrafts lifetime, as far as I remember they did not fail at all.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/IMG_0003_zps4d7ff423.jpg

A couple of photos from inside the factory of one of the Ansett 767 being assembled, please excuse the quality of these photos but I did not have a very good camera and they did not exactly encourage photos.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767b.jpg

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/767a.jpg

[airsupport]

The way we were, Ansett...............

Apart from the photos I have posted here, this is all I have left from Ansett.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/clock.jpg

Clock presented to me by Ansett for 25 years service, back in about 1988, and yes it still works. :ok:

[Stationair8]

Didn't Reg Ansett take on Qantas at one stage and run Townsville to Singapore?

[john_tullamarine]

Just been searching to see if I could find any Compass ads

That looks like one Captain Alan S in the first frame ?

[clotted]

Didn't Reg Ansett take on Qantas at one stage and run Townsville to Singapore?
Indeed he did.
It was against AFAP policy at the time and turned out to be one component that precipitated the QF pilots to break away to form AIPA. It was called the AFAP route protection policy.
It should have been called the "look after number 1 policy" or "look after your own ambitions policy".

[nitpicker330]

During 1981 Ansett and TAA ran Hobart- Christchurch once a week each for a while too using 727-200's and under Qantas flight numbers.

The Age - Google News Archive Search (http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19811223&id=WQNVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mpQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1676,2807594)

[greybeard]

In he 70s and 80s MMA operated PHE DPS and DRW DPS with F-28s on QF flight numbers and call signs as did Garuda on the other week.

only the big Q could go international it seemed.

:confused:

[airsupport]

Back in the day we (Ansett) operated some International flights out of BNE for a while, wish I had some photos of those flights, as apart from having to use Qantas flight numbers the aircraft had to have Qantas decals on it near where the pax boarded. :rolleyes:

[nitpicker330]

That Age newspaper Google article mentions Ables was upset that Qantas were using Garuda for PHD DPS and not an Aussie registered Aircraft. Ditto BNE POM as well.

[Fris B. Fairing]

Who said we couldn't play together?

http://www.adastron.com/aviation/vault/VH-RMX-P300.jpg

Air Niugini flight
Ansett aeroplane
Handled by Qantas
Loaded by TAA staff using Qantas equipment

VH-RMX operating an Air Niugini charter from Brisbane to Port Moresby on 12MAY80.

[airsupport]

A couple of others from ''the way we were'' involving one of my favourites, DC9s. :ok:

Not sure exactly when it was now, from memory it was VH-CZD, it operated International flights for Air Vanuatu. Aircraft was painted in Air Vanuatu colours on one side and Ansett on the other, and YES it was often parked with the ''applicable" side towards the terminal.

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/czd_zpsfa4bfdc8.jpg

The other is the now also sadly long gone IPEC DC9s, certainly the way I was for many years, here in BNE and flew with them on numerous charters all around the Pacific, mainly Honiara but also many other places including PNG, Nauru and New Caledonia. :(

http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i474/airsupport/ipec_zps6b11bded.jpg

[airsupport]

I am surprised nobody has posted anything of East-West, surely they would qualify, I do not have any photos of their aircraft as I never worked for them, did have a photo of one of the Ansett B727s in East-West colours but I cannot find it. :(

I just went searching for photos on the Internet, I guess everyone here knew but I had never even thought of it, I was surprised to find some of the photos I have posted on this thread are now there for all to see. :rolleyes:

[Fris B. Fairing]

airsupport

This thread am the Internet!

Think of it this way. Your photos are preserved for future generations to admire. Feel better?

Rgds

[airsupport]

Not really worried, just that I did not realise that would happen.

It does not identify anyone, just that the photos are on pprune.org

[Propstop]

Damn you Airsupport... you must stop all this reminiscing and photos as I am going misty eyed over the wonderful days gone by, and as I am only a couple of years younger than you I have also seen what a genteel era we grew up in.
TAA was a great place to work and the apprenticeship was the best grounding a LAME could ever have. I know I have used all these skills taught over the years and in some very dodgy places in the world.
What a great thread.

[airsupport]

I am going misty eyed over the wonderful days gone by, and as I am only a couple of years younger than you I have also seen what a genteel era we grew up in.

TAA was a great place to work and the apprenticeship was the best grounding a LAME could ever have. I know I have used all these skills taught over the years and in some very dodgy places in the world.

Me too Propstop........

Sounds like we were/are very similar, except I was an Apprentice with Ansett, never been with TAA or Qantas, and like you those skills taught have helped me in some very remote parts of the World. :ok:

Things really were different and better back then, everyone helped each other especially at the smaller ports, I spent a few years in TSV way back in the 1970s, us (Ansett) and TAA had flights basically running side by side and we competed with each other to turnround as quickly as possible (safely) and be first out, however when either of us had any problems with our Aircraft as soon as you got yours out we would go and help the other guy, something I do not think is done now.

Great times................ :ok:

[Old Fella]

It has been very interesting reading and watching many of the posts on this thread. I was disappointed to read the comments of Centaurus regarding the "frosty" atmosphere encountered by his young friend. In my experience of aviation, over fifty years in total including many years as a Flight Engineer in both the military and civilian environments, I have rarely encountered other crew members with a "superior" attitude. Those whom did have a higher opinion of themselves than of others more often than not were loners who did not enjoy the friendship of others. Indeed, most of those "superior beings" whilst having undoubted piloting skills were the least skilled in encouraging those of lesser rank or experience and generally were a pain in the backside to work with.

I have many reasons to look back on the "Good old Days" as being great old days.

[Divotion]

Cold coffee ???? Or maybe not stired clock wise. Lol

[pppdrive]

Air Support mentioned the co-operation between airlines (in his case Ansett & TAA) from the engineering point of view. I'm happy to say it was the same on the passenger handling side as well. I can remember starting an early shift for QF at Melbourne, just two of us getting things ready for the days work. We recieved a call from Customs to say a Yugoslav 707 had just landed and there weren't any Pan-Am staff (who were the handling cxompany for JAT) to meet the flight. The two of us met the aircraft and saw passengers through Immigration and Customs. By the time the Pan-Am staff arrived, everything had been done. Their Station Manager personally found us both to offer his thanks and we all got on with our own jobs then. Other airlines (including Pan-Am) would, if asked by us, carry staff discount or free passengers if we didn't have availability on our QF flights. It was definitely a 'help each other' atmosphere in those days. Sadly, within my working life, this co-operation gradually became less and less.

[RodH]

It sure was good clean fun in those days. We even got to mix with the " Hosties " as well as other staff.
I reckon the big reason for all of the cooperation is that there was virtually NO competition. Sure we tried to outdo each other but the Industry was so heavily regulated that we could not lose much at all by helping out. These days with so much competition the thought of losing very much market share is followed by staff reductions and wage cuts thus making it a totally cut throat game and the thought of helping the " opposition " has gone.
That did not happen in those days and on the Industrial side of things because there were only two Major Domestic Airlines all we had to do was to get one Airlines staff to threaten a strike / stop work then the management would panic and capitulate and as we almost certainly had a job for life in those days there was no real worry about being dismissed.
That virtually ensured the same wages and conditions were enjoyed by all.
That all changed with de-regulation and those two " Bosses " of AN. who well and truly ruined our " good life " , it was too good to last and it simply did not
Staff today would not be game to try out a strike/ stop work given the knowledge that the Carrier you are with would do anything and everything to eliminate such an activity because they would fold if it kept on for any length of time.
I am so happy that I was there in the Halcyon days and not there now.
The only winners out of all this are the fare paying passengers but then I guess that's what it is really all about, without them there are no jobs at all.
Ah!!! Those were happy days then.


http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/boohoo.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/boohoo.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/boohoo.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/boohoo.gif

[airsupport]

I reckon the big reason for all of the cooperation is that there was virtually NO competition. Sure we tried to outdo each other but the Industry was so heavily regulated that we could not lose much at all by helping out.

While I appreciate your post, and your point of view, that is very cynical and certainly NOT the reason us Engineers helped each other back then, when we had finished our own work.

Nor was it anything to do with Industrial matters, Unions or Associations, it was just what we did.

[601]

The only winners out of all this are the fare paying passengers but then I guess that's what it is really all about, without them there are no jobs at all.

As I am now SLF, the airfares are cheap but one gets for what one pays, and it certainly not as friendly today as it was back in the 70s and 80s.

[airsupport]

not as friendly today as it was back in the 70s and 80s.

I am not sure of course, but I am guessing that is because back in those days we all loved what we were doing, and of course there was pretty good job security which is not there today, so the current Employees are probably not as happy at work as we were.

[Old Fella]

Most of we older generation of the aviation fraternity were employed when the world as a whole was different and most of us could honestly say we looked forward to going to work. Whether it be the military or civil aviation things are different now. As someone recently said it was back then when "a pilot could get a cabin attendant pregnant but a cabin attendant could not get a pilot pregnant". Simplistic I suppose, but just one facet which has changed.

In the main we were all proud to profess our loyalty to our particular brand and often went that "extra mile" without complaint to get the job done. I know I can in no way relate to my old airline in its present form if the comments by many, which I hope are not really representative of how the majority of present day employees feel about their employer, are true. Times have changed and so, sadly it seems, has the culture within the industry.

Maybe I see things through rose coloured glasses but to me the old days were truly the best days to have been involved in the aviation game.

[airsupport]

a pilot could get a cabin attendant pregnant but a cabin attendant could not get a pilot pregnant

You just reminded me of another funny (odd) experience I had back in the day.

There was quite a big deal when the first female Pilot began flying with us, the first time she was transitting BNE I was looking after the B727, I was well used to shall we say colourful language with male Pilots but was determined to make sure I was careful, when I opened the cockpit door (you could in those days) what was the first thing I heard, the female Pilot using language that would make most men blush.

[Fantome]

On another recent thread, story of the MD80 captain trying to get Dubia Tower to respond to her calls (during the first Gulf War)

Another aircraft interecedes on her behalf, so the tower says in condescending tone 'Nightingale Nine . . . is your captain there?'

And she says " I AM THE CAPTAIN. NOW SPEAK TO ME, ASSHOLE."

[RodH]

airsupport.
I still believe that a lot of the reason we all helped each other was that we had very little to lose by doing so and we did enjoy helping out.
However , most would not be very willing to help out too much these days as it is so competitive that we have to look after our Airline first and foremost and helping a direct competitor could be seen as siding with the " enemy " by the Management and in the long term might even put our jobs at risk.
Also if you read my Post I did not link " cooperating " with Industrial Matters , I specifically stated : " and on the Industrial side of things ". That is a separate issue and has nothing to do with helping out .It was simply stating my belief that because of the 2 Airline policy we did have quite secure jobs due in part to the Industrial advantage of playing one side against the other.
We saw all of this " helping each other " start to disappear when the 3rd Airline , Compass started up as they posed a direct threat to the other Airlines continuance and thus the future of many of us.
Never the less it was the most wonderful days in Aviation the likes of which we will never see again.
Those really were the Halcyon days.

[airsupport]

I still believe that a lot of the reason we all helped each other was that we had very little to lose

We will have to just disagree about that, certainly not why myself and a lot of other Engineers helped each other back then.

PLEASE do NOT start about Compass being a threat, I was with Compass and the absolutely disgusting, unethical and even illegal things that were done to Compass 1 and 2, well :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[RodH]

I was also with Compass and the remark I made was meant to reflect that the other 2 Airlines saw them as a threat and as you said some totally rotten things were done to it..

[airsupport]

I was also with Compass and the remark I made was meant to reflect that the other 2 Airlines saw them as a threat and as you said some totally rotten things were done to it..

PLEASE accept my apology.

I thought you were having a go at Compass.

Were you a Captain there, and are they your real initials (Rod H), just I wondered before if you were who I thought you may be?

[airsupport]

Okay, guess you are not going to answer, NO sinister reason, I just thought with those initials you may be a Captain I spent a lot of time with in the Cockpit at Compass, especially when we first got the Airbus A310. ;)

[RodH]

airsupport
Sorry for the late reply .
I was outside trying to clean my place up after a 5 week absence.
Yes , they are my real initials and I was a Captain with them and it probably was me that you are referring to.
They were good times in Compass Mk1 and it might have succeeded were it not for sabotage by others.
They were wonderful days back then and it is something that we can be proud of .
It is sad that others will never see such a great workplace as we had , it really was a pleasure to go to work.
That's not what I'm hearing now although I think VA people are fairly happy but alas , the Rat is being ruined by an Irish Gnome.
I am so glad I was a part of the "good times " !!!!!!!!
http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

[airsupport]

No worries.......... :ok:

Yes I thought it was you, had some really great times at Compass1, it was a pleasure going to work. :ok:

When we first got the A310 I was the only Engineer licenced on it for some 10 days and literally lived with the aircraft where ever it went, had some great times flying with you guys then, I remember you particularly, for good reasons, including some things that were said in the cockpit, re SYD ATC and some of the other Airlines. ;)

You can see from what is posted here I have had some very good times, all over the World, but I still miss Compass the most. :{

[grusome]

From my memoirs:
A few days before Christmas in 1965, a colleague and I were booked TAA Sydney Melbourne as the final leg of our journey back from Vietnam. For reasons possibly not unconnected to the discovery of a broken down M1 Carbine in a veteran's luggage (not mine), Customs decided to do us all properly. The result was that we were in danger of missing our flight. However, after a bit of pushing by our air-movements man, we were cleared, and whilst our luggage had an easy run on the back of a towmotor, we had a lengthy sprint through the ancient Mascot terminals from the arrivals hall to the TAA departure gate.

We were escorted across the tarmac to an Electra sitting there with the front all buttoned up, numbers 3 and 4 running at idle, and the extremely senior Air Hostess awaiting us at the foot of the rear stairs. She was, indeed, the only four-bar hosty I had ever met, and I guess she was the senior check and trainer or somesuch. She escorted us to the semi-circular lounge at the rear of the Electra, and plied us with champers and goodies for the trip south. This was probably not such a great idea at 10 in the morning, we having come off PanAm Saigon to Singapore, then QF to Sydney, all first class, but we weren't about to refuse. Indeed, apart from the odd hasty hand-shake, it constituted the only real welcome home (apart from our families) that we had until 23 years later. It might have also contributed to me falling asleep during the family welcome home, who knows?

I was later told that she had refused to allow the rear stairs to be cleared by the expedient of standing on the bottom step until we turned up. At this distance, I salute her - but can anybody tell me her name and official rank? PM if necessary.

[airspace alpha]

Somebody asked me the other day what was the best in-flight meal I ever had. The absolute best, by a country mile, was a cauliflower cheese soup (cost probably $2) served on a crowded, late Pan Am B727 from Houston to a frozen New York … but we won’t go there.
But up there with the absolute best was the First Class meal served on Ansett B747-300 VH-INH flying SYD-HKG on 3rd Jan 1995. The choices were:

Appetizers:
Beluga caviar, Pacific seafood parade, Beef tataki, York peninsula baby lobster
Soup:
Double consommé of black hen or Cream of green pea
Main:
Cantonese beef tenderloin,Hot salmon gravlax, Chicken mirin en papillotte, Stir fried scallops and prawns, Teriyaki tofu
Cheese :
range of Australian and French cheese
Dessert :
The magnificent Mckenzie Chardonnay and Macademia Pudding, Chestnut gateau, Sacher torte, Apple and poppy seed crepe

The champagne was Dom Perignon, and the wines were fabulous (but mostly French) .
The menu (and I have it here with me) was hard card bound with solid brass fasteners and the Ansett “star” punched through the card.

I was quite used to premium travel in those days but the Ansett service topped the lot. Super comfortable seats, amazing food, an on-board chef, you name it and Ansett had it. I gather First Class on the B747 only lasted a few months because next time I did the HKG-SYD run it was Business/economy only. But what a First Class!

[airsupport]

Of course that is another thing that was way better back ''the way we were'', the catering, but I guess you get what you pay for, catering is almost non existant now domestically but the fares are way cheaper.

Back in the day with Ansett when we used to fly everywhere on staff discount, not always but usually upgraded to first class, and some great catering.

We Engineers too when we met the overnight aircraft used to share the leftovers with the other Staff. ;)

Reminded me too on that Ansett contract with RMA in Vietnam, we used to fly Hanoi-Moscow-Hanoi (only aircraft they had that could do it non stop), had both the worst catering I have EVER seen, out of Hanoi, and the best I have ever seen out of Moscow catered by Aeroflot. When we got back to Hanoi we used to save any leftovers to use back in Saigon.

[TwoFiftyBelowTen]

"Double consume of black hen?" Did you make sure it was Australorp?

[TwoFiftyBelowTen]

Whoops, "consommé"!

[TwoFiftyBelowTen]

My iPad Mk1 doesn't do French words

[opalops]

In cooking, a consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavored stock or bouillon

[AEROMEDIC]

Qantas too, had great service and food at the pointy end. During the late 60's,, my new wife and I travelled 1st class to and from London. Silver service, wonderful wines and very comfortable seats on the 707 at that time.
No in flight entertainment then, but you didn't miss what you never had, and the staff made you feel quite special during the flight. Nothing was too much trouble.
Not as many people travelling in those days and everyone was well dressed, even in economy. No business class then.
Fortunate to have been given the trip as wedding present, so it was just fabulous and a great start to a long marriage.

[john_tullamarine]

Have had a variety of fine pax trips on QF and AN (both international and domestic) in years gone by.

However, for a number of years, I was contracting with ANZ in Auckland and commuting to/from Melbourne. On those occasions that the ladies saw fit to wake me for the meal, it was invariably delightful.

[airsupport]

A little off topic maybe, but hey it was a Mod that brought it up. ;)

I too have had meals/cabin service of various quality over the decades, but without doubt the best cabin service I ever had as a passenger was on Air New Zealand, on my last International flight returning from the USA after that Ansett contract. :ok:

It was in business class, but unbelievable service. :ok:

It was only after we arrived in Auckland that I found out why, the Guy I was seated next to all that way was the NZ Rugby Coach, and they had to really look after me as they did him, VERY well. :D

[dac25]

Awesome thread. On the subject of days gone by in Aussie Aviation, I have a website dedicated to many of the Airlines referenced in the thread. Check it out at Aussie Airline Uniforms and Collectibles. (http://ausairuniforms.com) Hope it is of interest.

Daz :)

[Paragraph377]

Oh yes, the food!! I remember having some ball tearing meals particularly on ANZ, but Ansett served up some good dishes. Up front you would even get deserts, tasty meals including meat you could identify, proper cutlery, napkins and even cups, saucers and glasses with AN emblem on them :ok:
I loved first flights of the day also, the interior of the aircraft would smell crisp and clean, it would actually look clean after a quality job from her overnight clean. Unlike today when you jump onboard and there is slop over the floor, you pull out the inflight mag and get gum and old hairs on your hands, and occasionally there will be spew or residual food embedded under your lap belt sash.

When paxing I enjoyed the cloth aircraft seats, not too worn and comfy. Cigarette ashtray ready to be filled throughout the journey and if you had to take a quick wee break rarely would you step into the toilet with a floor covered in urine!

You had time to sign on for shift, no overly rushed pre-flight walk around, you could look and admire your machine for the day. Hell, if you did have a delay you could even use some extra fuel burn to make up a few minutes for the punters, without getting a kick in the arse from management.

Thems were the days ;)

[airspace alpha]

I commend to you the book “Beyond the Blue Horizon” by kiwi journalist Alexander Frater. (Only available these days as an e-book I’m afraid). In 1983 Frater decided to replicate using modern airlines the old Imperial Airways route to from London to Brisbane from the 1930’s. His journey variously took him through Egypt, Iraq, the Middle East and Pakistan- where he met an Air New Zealand F27 crew on detachment to the Oman air force.

The final chapters cover his route from Darwin to Brisbane and he flies a Tillair Cessna 421 (“The Conquest is crook today mate”) and has lunch with Ossie Osgood of Arnhem Air Charter.

Apropos the way we were here is a section from his evening flight from Townsville to Brisbane on the Ansett B727:

Dinner was roast lamb, carrots, broccoli and potatoes, served with a quarter bottle of classie Aussie claret. The moonless Pacific turned from pearl grey to black, the sky to the west over Australia from an exuberant swirl of orange and plum to a faint luminous smudge, like the glow from live embers.
I sat immediately behind First Class and the voices, fuelled by free liquor, grew more boisterous, the laughter less restrained until it sounded as if an impromptu party was being thrown in the forward cabin.

I saw reflected in the dark window a first class meal being demolished by a sinewy brown arm with its sleeve rolled up and gold Rolex Oyster on the wrist. It worked its way through a giant chunk of pate encased in pastry and a pound or two of beef. Periodically the small hand of the stewardess stole into the window to refill his wine glass. He and his neighbour were conversing noisily about the State Mangroves Board and the butt of their jokes was an official referred to as the Commissioner of Mangroves. Could this be true? If so these two held the commissioner in very low esteem.

I wasn’t in Australia at the time- in fact I was sitting on by ar$e in Nigeria trying not to get killed- but this to me evokes a time many talk about- the heyday of Australian airline service and of course some of the customers who used them.

[Fantome]

An outstanding read indeed. The bits about his early experiences in the Qantas Short Class C Empire boats between Brisbane and Fiji are brilliant. Then late in the book when flying his retrace through Queensland he sits next to a female passenger who had a silver miniature on a bracelet of the very same flying boat that he knew in his childhood. Coriolanus perhaps?

Also memorable was the advice he had from Ossie Osgood as to how Ossie would insist on his pilots reading a few prescribed texts , all to do with earlier days and the lore that past pilots wrote about tellingly.