RVAC 1966

[megan]

In October 1966 a group of potential Naval aviators undertook flight grading at Moorabbin with the RVAC flying Chipmunks.

An author writing on the subject wishes to find the names of the instructors shown in the video below so they may be memorialised.

Points in the video.

10:01:42:17
10:01:50:24
10:02:13:11 (sim)
10:02:45:11
10:02:46:16
!0:02:59:02 (climbing in rear Chippy seat)

Full names if possible, and a background on the individuals would be stupendous.

Roy Goon was at the club at the time, I have it in my mind he was the CFI at the time, would that be correct?

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1145364

Thanks folk.

[Checkboard]

I remember when I was instructing the RVAC, there was a photograph on the wall in the office of all of the instructors at the time at a dinner - and that included a list of their names. The photo was labelled for '66 or '67. I remember the date because I was born in '67.

If you're in Melbourne, perhaps a trip to the club to look at the photo would be in order?

[sundaun]

In March, April & May 66 my Instructors at RVAC were Stan Taylor, Alan Craigie, ,W Scott, Bruce N’East, Wally Bednar,D. Whitbourne and Bill Campbell-Hicks did my PPL. 11/5/66. All long suffering gentlemen to whom I owe much. I crossed paths with a few of them in later life, namely Alan Craigie and Wally Bednar with CAA in PNG, I was told Scotty went to TAA.

[sundaun]

RVAC 1966
sori tru Megan, I can’t put a name to either Instructor. Too long !!!

[deja vu]

Pretty sure the instructor is Clem Atkins climbing in the rear seat. Stan Taylor was doing the classroom briefing.
Clem was later running charter company AIRCHART , I worked for him up until its demise in 1974, he retired to Merimbula I understand.
Stan later worked for Executives Airlines in their training school at Essendon till about 1976, not sure after that.

[triadic]

Ok, the ones in the vid are as follows;

10:01:42:17 Stan Tayler (note spelling is er)
10:01:50:24 Stan Tayler
10:02:13:11 (sim) Alan Craigie Clem Atkins
10:02:45:11 Bill Cambell-Hicks (on right leading way)
10:02:46:16 Alan Craigie Clem Atkins (note the chap behind Alan Clem with the tie on looks a lot like Roy Goon?? Can be seen also in the group walking to aircraft. Certainly walks like Roy)
!0:02:59:02 (climbing in rear Chippy seat) Alan Craigie. Clem Atkins
I like the Cherokee panel in amoungst the Chippy flying!!

John Bally was the CFI in 64 and left to join DCA in Bris I recall. He was replaced by Bill Cambpell-Hicks.
The manager of the club at that time was Laurie MacPherson who did my PPL test in Feb 65. He later left RVAC and went to RACNSW as Manager.
I did my formation endorsement with Roy Goon his CPL licence number was 511. For the record Avgas was cheaper than motor spirit at around 2/6 a gallon in 1965.

For the record, other instructors during the 64-67 period included: (pls excuse any spelling errors)
John Walmsley (went to Geralton to set up charter/flying school).
Brian Waldron,
Beth Garrett (went to RFDS CNS)
Barry? Adamson (Brian??)
Phil Astley
Dick Jackson (went to Victa)
Doug Whitbourne (went to Air Nauru)
Mark Vanes
Wally Bednar (went to EN with the Browns at Galaxy Flying School - then PNG)
Ian Carter
Brian Waldron
Neil O'Connor
Bluie Margetts (went to DRW as a school teacher)
Alan Cruikshank
Alan Shaw (went to TAA then ??)
John Lindsay and Barry Rick Tate were with Pipeair around the corner before the new clubhouse was built - both went to DCA
Gordon Howe & John Pilkington at Shutts - DMW a 172 was the first IFR trainer on the airfield. (Used to get reported as a lost VFR above the clouds around MNG)
Jock Garden was up at Civil with Peter Bini, John Sangunetti, Mal Latham, Peter Stone

Happy to be corrected or info updated. Some history there and some really good times before the security and charges killed GA...

Below is a promotional photo taken during the handover of some Piper aircraft from the piper dealer, which I recall was Bill Patterson.
I think the chaps on the left are the Club President Brian Hurley and Bill Oldfield (??) On the wing of RVV is CFI Bill Campbell-Hicks and his daughter Jann who worked in the ops room.
further back is Alan Craigie and back again is Neal O'Connor. The picture was taken 25 July 1966. Note, prior to the new clubhouse. My first flight in RVV was in Dec 66


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/fastfoto_0585_z1_984ffa118a21fcf8940af0b515275d81229e31f5.jp g
25JUL65

[triadic]

Pretty sure the instructor is Clem Atkins climbing in the rear seat. Stan Taylor was doing the classroom briefing.
Clem was later running charter company AIRCHART , I worked for him up until its demise in 1974, he retired to Merimbula I understand.
Stan later worked for Executives Airlines in their training school at Essendon till about 1976, not sure after that.

Yes, that is correct. Stan worked with Doug Williams at Execs during the 70's, instructing, charter & Air Ambulance in the Shrikes. I did my instructor rating and IR with them in the early 70's.
Stan sadly passed away in the late 70's. Doug Williams was with the RAAF reserve and did a bit of work at PCK I recall.

[john_tullamarine]

John Lindsay and Barry Tate were with Pipeair around the corner before the new clubhouse was built - both went to DCA

Rick Tate, perhaps ? I don't recall that Barry worked for DCA. Fine chaps, both.

[triadic]

John Lindsay and Barry Tate were with Pipeair around the corner before the new clubhouse was built - both went to DCA

Rick Tate, perhaps ? I don't recall that Barry worked for DCA. Fine chaps, both.

Yes, Rick Tate it was. John Lindsay was with the Dept of many names - I did a low level approval with John in June 79. Memory fade - had to check logbook!

[deja vu]

Yes, that is correct. Stan worked with Doug Williams at Execs during the 70's, instructing, charter & Air Ambulance in the Shrikes. I did my instructor rating and IR with them in the early 70's.
Stan sadly passed away in the late 70's. Doug Williams was with the RAAF reserve and did a bit of work at PCK I recall.

Ah memories, can't trust them anymore. Could have sworn that was Clem Atkins. Sorry to hear about Stan, last I saw of him we went target towing at West head in a shrike and completed my IR renewal on the way back to EN. Wes Guy ran the training dept. when I was with Execs.

You mentioned Dick Jackson, I am wondering if that would be the same Dick Jackson who was CFI at Civil Flying School at Jandakot when I joined them in 1971.
Barry Tate was with Civils at MB when I first knew him, then Air Nauru and others, last heard of still instructing at Tyabb.

[Stationair8]

No you blokes are wrong, it can't be Moorabbin as there are no DFO's!

[LeadSled]

Folks,
Alan Cruickshank (his brother was killed in a mid-air, flying a helicopter) went to Qantas, retired as a B747-400 Captain, lives in retirement in Sydney.
Tootle pip!!

[deja vu]

Folks,
Alan Cruickshank (his brother was killed in a mid-air, flying a helicopter) went to Qantas, retired as a B747-400 Captain, lives in retirement in Sydney.
Tootle pip!!
Yes, Alan's brother Brian, just recently back from Vietnam, newly married and newly qualified was involved in the mid air virtually over the Moorabbin town hall. The other pilot, Peter Stone, also mentioned in this thread was flying the twin bonanza/air ambulance. Very sad.

[43Inches]

Jock Garden was up at Civil with Peter Bini, John Sangunetti, Mal Latham, Peter Stone

Had the pleasure of a couple of long chats with Jock before he passed, many great stories from the 60s/70s Brookes aviation and then Civil Flying Services. Lots of tales of run ins with the DCA and various Moorabbin antics of the time. John Lindsay was our FOI for a number of years. Barry was with Civil as well both in MB and Perth before an overseas stint. BT has some nice old reel based films from the time, fire drops and cloud seeding and a few other little gems, I wonder where they have got to, if he still has em.

I like Jocks story about bringing the first Navajo P to Australia and almost writing it off en-route in a hail storm. Then all the stories about smuggling people for rides in the Mustang...

[David J Pilkington]

.... note the chap behind Alan with the tie on looks a lot like Roy Goon?? Can be seen also in the group walking to aircraft. Certainly walks like Roy ...I agree.

Excellent info, thanks.

[5th officer]

Have to check my logbook for dates, Bruce McInnes did my initial training, Roy Goon sent me off on first solo and I am sure Urms Wright was there later in my training?

[triadic]

No you blokes are wrong, it can't be Moorabbin as there are no DFO's!

Yup! There was no high fences and an all over field. After a big night at the aero club, some would try and sober up by walking the length of 17/35.
They had to put flares out for night ops. "taxi red on green" was the instruction...!

[triadic]

Ah memories, can't trust them anymore. Could have sworn that was Clem Atkins. Sorry to hear about Stan, last I saw of him we went target towing at West head in a shrike and completed my IR renewal on the way back to EN. Wes Guy ran the training dept. when I was with Execs.

You mentioned Dick Jackson, I am wondering if that would be the same Dick Jackson who was CFI at Civil Flying School at Jandakot when I joined them in 1971.
Barry Tate was with Civils at MB when I first knew him, then Air Nauru and others, last heard of still instructing at Tyabb.

Must have been there about the same time - did many circles at West Head and also a trip to work with a ship off Bundy as well as Air Amb. Did a few checks with Wes and he endorsed me on the Cat. I think you are correct re Dick going to the west when Civil's set up there. They had a big maintenance base at JT and did much of the RFDS work on the Queenair's they had then.

Maybe my memory is a bit gone, but I think there were two "Tate's", one at CFS and the other at Pipeair (then DCA). Need help on that one....

[Dora-9]

Gosh, there are a few of "the usual suspects" named there.

Barry Tate "went to DCA"? I choked on my coffee when I read this (a bit like putting a cat in charge of a mouse ranch). Barry went to CFS in Perth, then BizJets, then Air Naurau, Dragon Air and Qantas. He's still alive and well (still talks 19 to the dozen) and instructing on RA aircraft.

Mal Latham also went to CFS in WA, then Sky West but I've completely lost track of him - everyone has in fact.

Dick Jackson went to CFS in WA too, was initially their CFI at Jandakot but subsequently to their charter side, then to Sky West but was also involved with BAe with the Jetstream 41 programme. Another larger than life character!

[lucille]

When did Urm Wright start? I vaguely recall him as being the CFI around 1972.

[triadic]

When did Urm Wright start? I vaguely recall him as being the CFI around 1972.

If I recall correctly, Urm was involved in ground training in the later '60's then moved into the CFI role a bit later - early '70's??

[hei yu]

I trained at RVAC between late 1963 and mid 1967 for my PPL, CPL and instructor's rating.
PPL instructor Graeme Lowe, CPL instructor Neil O'Connor and instr. rating instructor Mark Van Es.
Roy Goon, instructor par excellence, was one of my instructors 1966/1967 but was not CFI when I left mid 1967.
A long time ago, but I think Graeme went to AAC at Moorabbin, Neil O'Connor set up Victorian Helicopters with Blue Margetts before moving to PNG to fly helicopters (See Balus Vol ll page 147 for photo).
I bumped into Mark Van Es early 70's . He had stopped flying and was working for Repco .. reckons the fun went out of it with the demise of the tail draggers.
Finally the sim shot ... The Sim instructor is Clem Atkins and I think the student in the sim (10:02:09:10) is Hugh Drummond. Hugh completed his PPL and CPL training with Royal Vic before joining the RAN as a pilot.

[5th officer]

When did Urm Wright start? I vaguely recall him as being the CFI around 1972.
Would have been mid to late 60's he was a friend of Roy Goon and Urms told they were both in the Pakistan AF in the 1950's?

[yarrayarra]

Have to check my logbook for dates, Bruce McInnes did my initial training, Roy Goon sent me off on first solo and I am sure Urms Wright was there later in my training?
my father Roy Goon was CFI/ Manager around that time. Columbo Plan students were also government sponsored at the time. There is an interesting feature article in the Aviation Safety Digest where dad was training Bruce McInnes for an instructor rating and , while conducting spins in a DHC1, the rudder cable snapped during recovery. Initial entry to spin at 4500ft but dad recovered at 1500ft to return to YMMB. Btw my first solo in RVS then CPL training conducted by Stan Tayler- was checked for CPL by Rick Tate ( whose brother Frank flew B747s) . Proudest moment of my life when he said to me “you fly just like your old man”

[triadic]

yarrayarra - thanks for your contribution. I have fond memories flying with Roy doing formation traininng.
The ASD article to which you refer for the benefit of other readers is ASD 54 Jan 1968 page 14 to 17.
cheers

[rjtjrt]

yarrayarra
Not only was your father the best of instructors, he was a gentleman.

[e2_c]

Yes, that is correct. Stan worked with Doug Williams at Execs during the 70's, instructing, charter & Air Ambulance in the Shrikes. I did my instructor rating and IR with them in the early 70's.
Stan sadly passed away in the late 70's. Doug Williams was with the RAAF reserve and did a bit of work at PCK I recall.
Are you sure it was the late 70's that Stan passed? I worked with him when Execs became HC Sleigh flying the Shrikes and Nomads on the Coastwatch contract.

[triadic]

Are you sure it was the late 70's that Stan passed? I worked with him when Execs became HC Sleigh flying the Shrikes and Nomads on the Coastwatch contract.

Back to the diary..... yes, my error, Stan passed away on 12 sep 2000. I went to the funeral in Burwood and had to travel to get there. I just had the wrong home in mind as I thought it was prior to going north, not after. I did my Instrument rating with Stan in at Execs in 73 and a few renewals with Stan after that. Lots of good flying in the Shrikes, Searchmaster and the good old Cat.

[Stationair8]

The Cherokee RVV, I believe was one of the few GA aircraft fitted with an ADF when it was online at RVAC.

[triadic]

At that time the RVAC had a PA28, RVK which was set up for IFR training. It had a removable internal screen which was tinted and fitted inside the windscreen. When IF training the student would wear a pair of glassess which were tinted with a colour that when viewed with the fitted screen made the "view" opaque (to simulate in cloud). The instructor was able to keep full visibility. If I recall RVK had a ADF and VOR which was something new at time replacing the old VAR. The club also had two new B33 Debonairs, RVC and RVD which had an ADF fitted. RVC, D, V & K are all still on the register.
As in a previous post, Schutt's had a C172 (VH-DMW) that was IFR certified and the only single at MB that was at that time.

[SaintWestall]

Does anyone recall the UFO incident in April 1966 a few kms north-east of Moorabbin Airport at Westall, during which three unidentified objects were seen over the schools at Westall, with at least one landing in the nearby Grange reserve. After one of the objects lifted off they were seen flying away at great speed, leaving several nearby light aircraft in their wake. Would any pilots, instructors or tower staff at Moorabbin from that time remember this incident?

[SIUYA]

When did Urm Wright start?

It would have been in 1966, because he sent me solo in late December '66 and hadn't been at RVAC all that long at the time.

Stan Taylor.......I think Stan left RVAC and joined the JetAir DC3 operation as a co-pilot.....if my memory serves me correctly, that would have been in the late 60's/early 70's (??).

From there he went to Execs.

Triadic....I also did a heap of target towing at West Head and also at Nowra (Malfunction Junction). A lot of air Ambulance work too, and also spent a plenty of time out on National Mapping in one of the 680FL's.

Execs was a great outfit to work for. :ok:​​​​​​​

[Old aeroplane geek]

PA-28-140, VH-RVK was the IFR Cherokee at RVAC.
ADF, ILS, Marker Beacons, I guess in reality it was the old Limited IFR having just one VHF comm.

[megan]

Stan Taylor, along with Daryl Mayfield, worked for Esso flying the company Merlin on the daily Sydney - Sale - Essendon run late 70's, both lost their jobs when the company rid itself of the Merlin for a Citation.

[SIUYA]

Megan,

Before Esso, Darryl flew the Merlin VH-BCL for Bougainville Copper........used to do Cairns direct Kieta.

Pat O'Donohue also flew the Merlin for Esso.

[megan]

G'day SIUYA, knew Darryl and wife well, meals etc, afraid I never came across Pat O'Donohue, or the name. All flights I made in the aircraft as a pax were with Darryl. Stans brother was in the Esso fold as well, helo engineer, unfortunately passed at a young age from testicular cancer, a battle he fought bravely and kept working to the very end, painful to see him working and doubling up in pain from time to time.

[Old aeroplane geek]

I was taught to fly at RVAC in 1970, DHC-1 Chipmunk with Bruce Northeast as instructor. One of the Chipmunk, RVW had an enlarged rudder, something to do with banner towing I recall. Wings test with Urms Wright who was CFI. I remember passing through Karachi some years later and the flight was delayed for some reason. Passengers were taken to a lounge for refreshments whilst the Viscount was worked on. The engineer working on the RR engine knew Urms from years gone by when he was CFI at the Karachi Aero Club. Urns apparently walked away from two forced landings in Spitfires after engine failure.
Did my twin engine conversion at RVAC in twin Comanche ASL with Urms. Pressure from family I gave the flying away. Regretfully.

[Ramjet55]

I instructed at RVAC and was hired by Roy Goon after it went thru one of its financial difficulties.
Spent a lot of time in those beat up Cherokees often hitting maximum hours.

The fun was getting into the citabria or flying the Pitts when funds allowed.

[Dora-9]

RVW had an enlarged rudder,

Going through my photos, at some stage of their later careers VH-RVV, -RVW, -RVY and -RVZ all sported broad-chord rudders, immediately identifiable by the distinct kink at the lower trailing edge. I doubt this was specifically fitted for glider towing, the stated purpose was to improve rudder authority during crosswind take-offs & landings and aerobatics (despite what some pundits claim, this had nothing to do with improving spin recovery).

To put this in historical context, although the broad-chord rudder was trialled and approved in 1951, all of the RAF's Chipmunks were delivered by 1953 with the narrow chord rudder - the bigger rudder was then supplied as a retrofit item. However, by this stage a large proportion of the RAF Chipmunk fleet were already ear-marked for disposal; these aircraft never received the retrofit rudder. Hence, the entire RVAC Chipmunk fleet, all ex RAF aircraft, had the narrow rudder with just the handful listed above eventually getting the broad-chord version.

[SaintWestall]

Does anyone recall the UFO incident in April 1966 a few kms north-east of Moorabbin Airport at Westall, during which three unidentified objects were seen over the schools at Westall, with at least one landing in the nearby Grange reserve. After one of the objects lifted off they were seen flying away at great speed, leaving several nearby light aircraft in their wake. Would any pilots, instructors or tower staff at Moorabbin from that time remember this incident?