O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

According to the new this morning O'Connor will commence Conquest ops to PUG in Feb/Mar.

Their website doesnt indicate scheds yet.

What will be of interest if this will cannibilise their Whyalla market which uses J32 aircraft.

The mayor should be happy now, but then she never flew to Adelaide anyway!

Anybody know anything more?

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Yes she did... but she just refused to fly on a PA31, so she used to DRIVE to Whyalla, then catch either a J31, M23 or SAAB to AD, then return the same way.

She was REALLY p!ssed when ASA did not use the Bandit there, after spending all those $$$ lengthening the runway after they PROMISED to use the Bandit.

Good luck to O'Connors on the route.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Perhaps I should have indicated not from Port Augusta.

I don't think the Mayor even flew when the Bandits were introduced in the 6 months or so prior to shutting up shop.

Hats off to O'Connor for at least giving it a go.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Apache; I thought that ASA did use a Bandit on the PUG route
a few times after the runway was lengthened; that is until LNC became a 'hangar queen.':(
I still weep for what might have been.......

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Good luck to them, the Conquest should fit the route quite well.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Fridays and Mondays, the Bandit was full!

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Hi Pinky

LNC became THE spare parts bucket for ASA. The seats ended up in FNP I think, and there was a rumour that the body would be trucked to ASP and be placed in Airnorth's hangar there.
If LNC was used, it was well before Airnorth took over, as the Chieftains were used for the mail run Sat/Sun, and using EMB110 would have meant overnighting the crew, at a cost.

Apache The Bandits loads Mon and Fri I would say were not 100% full, perhaps on the odd occasion. And to the average punter a Conquest is a Chieftain is a plane with 2 engines, 1 driver and you have to crawl in to get to your seat.

Deejay 1

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

ASA operated Bandits from Port Augusta from mid-1999 for at least two years on a regular schedule. EMB-110 VH-FNP was permanently based in Port Augusta, along with AC-500 VH-ACZ and PA-31 VH-NPD. On occasions, PA-31 VH-LMB would replace NPD.

LS was Senior Base Pilot endorsed to fly all three aircraft in command with GC and AE as FO's on the Bandit and endorsed in command of ACZ and NPD.

The Mayor of Port Augusta regularly flew to Adelaide and return in the Bandit during that period.

At the time ACZ was used on the mail run with either of the Bandit FO's rostered on alternate weekends to fly it. NPD, or sometimes LMB was used as a backup aircraft to the Bandit (FNP) or the mail run aircraft (ACZ) in the event of servicing or unserviceabilities..

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Pine Tree,

Looks like you must have flown for ASA with this history, but how long ago?

Were you with ASA when they shut shop?

Chief Pilot (and Fleet Supervisor under Airnorth) in my time was MH now at CASA in ADL, was he there when you were there?

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

ummm... I thought RH was Chief Pilot at ASA ? MH was DEPUTY CP.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

RH was Chief Pilot for ASA until Air North took over.

Deejay I just knew the guys from ASA who gave me a run down whenever I would see them. When ASA puchased Lincoln Airlines 2 Bandits (LNB and LNC) and PA-31 IJE were added to ASA's list of aircraft. Later another Bandit (FNP) was procured for Port Augusta operations and registered after a former F27 that was operated by the orginal ASA with this registration.

In addition to RPT the two Port Lincoln Bandits were used for night freight along with IJE.

With the exception of RH and PA CFI for TKFS (ME-IFR Flying School owned by ASA), all permanent pilots were based in either Port Lincoln or Port Augusta.

Most have now moved on in their careers now working for either Dragonair, Cathay, Qantas, Virgin or NJS. RH is still living and working in Adelaide.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Someone told me that RH is working for Air South doing instrument ratings at their training school. I am about to commence a MECIR and a colleauge told me that he was a very good instructor and I should have a chat to him. Any comments with regard to this?

Thanks.....

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Pine Tree has it fairly accurate.:ok:
Those were interesting days indeed!

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Ah, dear old RH! Found him wandering in the local supermarket one day, & when I asked him what he was looking for he replied "A low calorie cream bun!" Anyone who knows him will appreciate the irony of that comment! Yes Ferret, he IS a very good instructor as well as an all round good guy. :ok:

DF.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Sorry we have gone off the track a little on this thread...possibly because of me......but FERRET I would highly recommend RH for your ME CIR. He is one of the best!

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Hey Pine Tree

Now I know who you are talking about re RH. Yes the irony of cream bun is indeed that.

Correct in PLO crew based in PLO until Dec 2003 when Bras went on-line.
Correct in PUG crew based in PUG until Bandits went on line Aug 2005.

Most of the ASA did move on after the takeover. At close of business there were only about 4 or 5 left, and only one of those was a Bandit driver, who went to Darwin.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Just to correct a minor point you made. Bandits were operating in and out of and based in Port Augusta well before Aug 2005. As I said in an earlier post, FNP was based there from about mid-1999 for at least two years operating on a regular schedule. Chieftains were very rarely used on the AD-PUG run when the Bandit operated it. The AC-500 was used on the mail run at that time. LS was the Captain of FNP and Senior Base Pilot with GC and AE his FO's. AE later became the Captain of it and subsequently became ASA's Bandit Check and Training guru.

I think it was when LNC became the Xmas Tree that FNP was moved back to PLC and the Chietain re-introduced on the ADL-PUG run but I can't confirm that.

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Thanks Pine Tree

My date lines refer to ASA post Airnorth, which is my experience with them.
Was AE an Asian looking guy with glasses? Don't know who LS and GC are.

My understanding is that the Chieftain was operating PUG well before Airnorth took over Oct 2003, as the Aero-commanders??? which used to be used on the mail run had already gone. But then again I'm open for correction.

That's one thing I like about PPRuNE is the amount of knowledge out there. And people say don't trust the NET!!!!

Anyway, back to a previous comment of mine, how many passengers will be able to distinguish between a Chieftain and a Cessna? One driver, low cabin, 2 props.

Have a good weekend

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

The ones that get there 10 minutes sooner than they did in the Chieftan!!;)
No to mention the seats in a conquest are WAAAY more comfortable than those in a Chieftan.:ok:

Re: O'connor Flying To Port Augusta
 

Howard - you cant compare a Chieftain to a Conquest or even a Titan. I think Dj meant a C402 which to the normal passenger would look pretty similar