Ansett and East West
Did The Fokker, do the Hobart- Devonport-Sydney run every day EWL?
Used to get it as traffic from Oggie in Devon Flight Service, when we were enroute to Windyard on the morning run to Kinky Island in the old Heron
The East-West chaps seem to get in and get the job done, or did you beat them into submission?
Must have been a shock for the NW coast people to go from the F28, back to the Kendall Metro II's during that event?
Used to get it as traffic from Oggie in Devon Flight Service, when we were enroute to Windyard on the morning run to Kinky Island in the old Heron
The East-West chaps seem to get in and get the job done, or did you beat them into submission?
Must have been a shock for the NW coast people to go from the F28, back to the Kendall Metro II's during that event?
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Hi CLX
The F28 - originally EW78 and subsequently EW74 blocked HBA DPO SYD OOL CNS. The service was daily.
The return did the same route.
Usually the aeroplane SYD back to DPO was ex Norfolk which meant if it was running late or couldn't be retrieved from International in a timely manner due to traffic that we would cop it wit 1ABC replaced by the overwater liferafts and as such have to pray for noshos the next morning because of the lost seats.
I see Oggie at least twice a week and have a yarn with him. He is flourishing and has retired after a stint as a bar steward on the Spirit of Tasmania. Quite often brings up the FSU days for himself and the EW days for me. Absolute gem of a bloke.
As for my ground crew, they were the best. Most came would you believe from the Bearings Department at Webster Limited who as a Travel Agency operator in Burnie gained the ground handling contract - God knows how!! After TN announced the pullout I put in for the Sales Manager Tasmania position but my mate Rod Elliot got the gig and I was offered Airports Manager for DPO and WNY. Bloody grabbed it! Just built a house - it was a no brainer as the Airline I grew up with had just knifed me in the back. "Da Wally" who was TN state manager at the time who lied through his teeth while drinking our beer is still hated by all of us for his deception.
The way I went about a turnaround was "hit it hard, back up your mate, be gentle with peoples thins and this aeroplane needs to be somewhere else.
These dudes who had been selling bearings just lapped up the challenge and within a month they were killing it.
This is where it has gone wrong today. I was a "young old head" and the Airline was my core. I took the time to train them, and they were enthusiastic to absorb as I had learned from those before me. It's not that bloody hard.
I believe we still hold a World record for an F28 turnaround with Bill Friend in the left seat. End of the pilot's Dispute, round robin SYD DPO HBA SYD and pushing curfew. 55 off, 49 on with bags and inbound freight.The passengers were worded up that they could be stuck if they dawdled and the last off passed the first on just short of the steps.
Seven minutes 30 seconds wheels stop to wheels roll. Ops didn't believe it until they got the in time to HBA. Unloading/reloading lockers 5 and 6 with number 2 still turning above you isn't pleasant but you do what you have to do - and it was all BLOODY GOOD FUN!!!!
THAT was how a port should be run and I was very proud of my crew.
You don't have to beat eager well treated and well trained crew into submission.
One just has to turn them into Airline people, make it a contest against the other mob and go for it.
Best all
EWL
The F28 - originally EW78 and subsequently EW74 blocked HBA DPO SYD OOL CNS. The service was daily.
The return did the same route.
Usually the aeroplane SYD back to DPO was ex Norfolk which meant if it was running late or couldn't be retrieved from International in a timely manner due to traffic that we would cop it wit 1ABC replaced by the overwater liferafts and as such have to pray for noshos the next morning because of the lost seats.
I see Oggie at least twice a week and have a yarn with him. He is flourishing and has retired after a stint as a bar steward on the Spirit of Tasmania. Quite often brings up the FSU days for himself and the EW days for me. Absolute gem of a bloke.
As for my ground crew, they were the best. Most came would you believe from the Bearings Department at Webster Limited who as a Travel Agency operator in Burnie gained the ground handling contract - God knows how!! After TN announced the pullout I put in for the Sales Manager Tasmania position but my mate Rod Elliot got the gig and I was offered Airports Manager for DPO and WNY. Bloody grabbed it! Just built a house - it was a no brainer as the Airline I grew up with had just knifed me in the back. "Da Wally" who was TN state manager at the time who lied through his teeth while drinking our beer is still hated by all of us for his deception.
The way I went about a turnaround was "hit it hard, back up your mate, be gentle with peoples thins and this aeroplane needs to be somewhere else.
These dudes who had been selling bearings just lapped up the challenge and within a month they were killing it.
This is where it has gone wrong today. I was a "young old head" and the Airline was my core. I took the time to train them, and they were enthusiastic to absorb as I had learned from those before me. It's not that bloody hard.
I believe we still hold a World record for an F28 turnaround with Bill Friend in the left seat. End of the pilot's Dispute, round robin SYD DPO HBA SYD and pushing curfew. 55 off, 49 on with bags and inbound freight.The passengers were worded up that they could be stuck if they dawdled and the last off passed the first on just short of the steps.
Seven minutes 30 seconds wheels stop to wheels roll. Ops didn't believe it until they got the in time to HBA. Unloading/reloading lockers 5 and 6 with number 2 still turning above you isn't pleasant but you do what you have to do - and it was all BLOODY GOOD FUN!!!!
THAT was how a port should be run and I was very proud of my crew.
You don't have to beat eager well treated and well trained crew into submission.
One just has to turn them into Airline people, make it a contest against the other mob and go for it.
Best all
EWL
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CLX
That was into PHE & KTA via either AYQ or ASP ex SYD.
I can't remember but I think we had commenced PER as well linking in with the Skywest network to a degree.
Pretty sure a PER base had been established.
Others will know.
Best
EWL
That was into PHE & KTA via either AYQ or ASP ex SYD.
I can't remember but I think we had commenced PER as well linking in with the Skywest network to a degree.
Pretty sure a PER base had been established.
Others will know.
Best
EWL
Thanks for that EWL.
What happened with the East-West F27 fleet , during the 89 downturn did they continue flying or did they park them at Tamworth?
It would have been an interesting side story , if East West had been allowed to purchase Connellan Airways a few years earlier.
Perhaps Ansett should have made East West a low cost carrier, a number of depreciated ex Ansett B727's doing all the tourist stuff to the Gold Coast, Cairns,Red Centre and Tasmania?
What happened with the East-West F27 fleet , during the 89 downturn did they continue flying or did they park them at Tamworth?
It would have been an interesting side story , if East West had been allowed to purchase Connellan Airways a few years earlier.
Perhaps Ansett should have made East West a low cost carrier, a number of depreciated ex Ansett B727's doing all the tourist stuff to the Gold Coast, Cairns,Red Centre and Tasmania?
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THE GREEN AND GOLD
In my 33 years of aviation I can safely say looking back on it all , East West Airlines was the most professional operation I was ever had the privileged to serve in.
Aircrew, Engineering, Flight Attendants, and even Management;
Not a bad apple amongst them.
Amazing how a country like Australia and its Government at the time, was prepared to destroy it all.
Now I live elsewhere..........
Aircrew, Engineering, Flight Attendants, and even Management;
Not a bad apple amongst them.
Amazing how a country like Australia and its Government at the time, was prepared to destroy it all.
Now I live elsewhere..........
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CLX
From memory the F27s were sold off when the 146s arrived.
The 727s didn't fit the bill which is why 3 F100s were on the production line at Schipol. Ansett never intended to do anything but shut us down. When the Fat Slug came out in our magazine saying "We Are Builders" there was an echo all around the country of Bull****!
They had no idea how to handle a superior yield management system or handle the workload of a highly productive and multi skilled workforce with the sectionalised work practices that they and TN were stuck with.
So, with 3 comparatively (then) cost effective hundred seaters on the way party A lent on party B to call in favours and had deregulation delayed so we could be "got".
So - we wound up with a fleet of Puff Jets that couldn't keep block time. We knew the second we were bought that it was all over - after a respectful amount of time to avoid scrutiny. Profitable routes were suddenly non viable at least allegedly most likely due to aeroplane types and staffing costs.
Aaargh
Best regards
EWL
From memory the F27s were sold off when the 146s arrived.
The 727s didn't fit the bill which is why 3 F100s were on the production line at Schipol. Ansett never intended to do anything but shut us down. When the Fat Slug came out in our magazine saying "We Are Builders" there was an echo all around the country of Bull****!
They had no idea how to handle a superior yield management system or handle the workload of a highly productive and multi skilled workforce with the sectionalised work practices that they and TN were stuck with.
So, with 3 comparatively (then) cost effective hundred seaters on the way party A lent on party B to call in favours and had deregulation delayed so we could be "got".
So - we wound up with a fleet of Puff Jets that couldn't keep block time. We knew the second we were bought that it was all over - after a respectful amount of time to avoid scrutiny. Profitable routes were suddenly non viable at least allegedly most likely due to aeroplane types and staffing costs.
Aaargh
Best regards
EWL
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Not sure about earlier but I think it was always EW CLX.
Air NSW had their route network and EW had theirs and until EW started the WNY DPO services the networks didn't cross over.
After that it became a bit of a free-for-all.
There were a lot of East West shareholders of good standing in the TMW ARM areas and it would have been a very tough nut to crack for a new kid in town.
Regards
EWL
Air NSW had their route network and EW had theirs and until EW started the WNY DPO services the networks didn't cross over.
After that it became a bit of a free-for-all.
There were a lot of East West shareholders of good standing in the TMW ARM areas and it would have been a very tough nut to crack for a new kid in town.
Regards
EWL
