TAA and the DC-9
Obie
Please put that lemon down and have a happy pill...................There now is that a lot better??
I am enjoying this thread as I was a gingerbeer back in those days in MEL and SYD.
I do think that at the age we are, and the great tales which are being told, there can be a wee bit of 'poetic licence', or to be a little more blunt; our memories are not as good as they were 40 years ago, and I expect neither is yours.
Please keep the tales coming....
Please put that lemon down and have a happy pill...................There now is that a lot better??
I am enjoying this thread as I was a gingerbeer back in those days in MEL and SYD.
I do think that at the age we are, and the great tales which are being told, there can be a wee bit of 'poetic licence', or to be a little more blunt; our memories are not as good as they were 40 years ago, and I expect neither is yours.
Please keep the tales coming....
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Hey Teresa Green,
great post. I'm one of the ones who was kindly given the jumpseat as a young (and not so young) kid and never forgot any of those experiences.
Sadly these days I can't even take my kids out to the ramp at a GA airfield to crawl around an aircraft - how sad! I was very lucky to grow up at the tail end of those great days.
73
great post. I'm one of the ones who was kindly given the jumpseat as a young (and not so young) kid and never forgot any of those experiences.
Sadly these days I can't even take my kids out to the ramp at a GA airfield to crawl around an aircraft - how sad! I was very lucky to grow up at the tail end of those great days.
73
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I was one of the real lucky ones.
Got to sit on the old man's lap in a Dragon at eight and chase a Dingo across the Morney Plain. Throttled back at about thirty feet we stayed on his tail for what seemed to me to be a long time.
Went on many a test flight after aircraft came out of maintenance with him too.
When I had my time, all kids got to come up to the cockpit. Heard later the hosties thought I was a pain in th earse... interfered with the cabin service.
Old kids and young kids.
Told the F.O. that the pax will tend to gravitate to one of us with the questions. Whoever wasn't being talked to would mind the ship.
Lotsa old blokes were as wrapt as the little kids.
Occasionally I told the last poor bugger who'd waited and waited, to strap 'emselves in the jumpseat for the approach and landing.
Never had a complaint and the faces told me a story.
The most thrilling cockpit visitor for me was Douglas Bader... in a Nine. Me captain and I were madder'n hell that it was a bloody Sydney - Canberra. He was a funny man and said "COULD I" when the capt asked if he'd like the jumpseat.
Got to sit on the old man's lap in a Dragon at eight and chase a Dingo across the Morney Plain. Throttled back at about thirty feet we stayed on his tail for what seemed to me to be a long time.
Went on many a test flight after aircraft came out of maintenance with him too.
When I had my time, all kids got to come up to the cockpit. Heard later the hosties thought I was a pain in th earse... interfered with the cabin service.
Old kids and young kids.
Told the F.O. that the pax will tend to gravitate to one of us with the questions. Whoever wasn't being talked to would mind the ship.
Lotsa old blokes were as wrapt as the little kids.
Occasionally I told the last poor bugger who'd waited and waited, to strap 'emselves in the jumpseat for the approach and landing.
Never had a complaint and the faces told me a story.
The most thrilling cockpit visitor for me was Douglas Bader... in a Nine. Me captain and I were madder'n hell that it was a bloody Sydney - Canberra. He was a funny man and said "COULD I" when the capt asked if he'd like the jumpseat.
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Stationair, finished on the Airbus, and left OZ after 89 for a 3 year stint in Europe (Belgium) came back to OZ as wife and kids very homesick, with a 747 endorsement, went gratefully to QF (as had four starving kids to feed) and earned myself two little stripes, which was a interesting study in human behaviour, I accepted the job humbly, in fact was amazed that I passed that silly test (in my day you could either fly the bloody thing or you couldn't) all this group hug, softy feely stuff was totally beyond me, on our flight decks, you either had a well aimed manual chucked at you, or as previously posted you could earn a smack in the head, and in later years were never left in any doubt where you came in the food chain. It was always interesting when you signed on to see the doubtful look from a Skipper (some who still had bum fluff on their faces) about suddenly having someone the same age as their father sitting behind them, most were polite, but unsure, always skirting around what happened in 89, (except one smart ar#e F/O who berated me at every chance from SYD to HNL about what idiots we all were, until the Skipper told him to shut the F$#k up) but I just sat there (sorry guys, but being a QF S/O has to be one of the most boring jobs on earth) and did what I was paid to do, until QF took pity on me and moved me onto the 767 until 60 then on to the 737 until 65, when much to my wife's horror I came home for good. I have now just finished my first helicopter flying lesson, and let me tell you its like trying to stuff a live squid into a string bag ( I was always a bit suss about aircraft that don't need to take a running jump before coming airborne) and I am beginning to think I am right, but I will stick at it (if there are no more posts from me, you know what happened) but hey, I flew a 9, I can do anything!
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Teresa,
All power and credit to you my friend.Your time on PP shows the respect you command and the wisdom you impart. Also sounds like you and the wife have a lot to be very proud of.
Now get on with those lessons, as there would be many who would line up for a ride.
Would have gladly joined you in Port Morbid and shared a beer and am still wondering if you ever used that damn gun, but lets not digress from the 9.
All power and credit to you my friend.Your time on PP shows the respect you command and the wisdom you impart. Also sounds like you and the wife have a lot to be very proud of.
Now get on with those lessons, as there would be many who would line up for a ride.
Would have gladly joined you in Port Morbid and shared a beer and am still wondering if you ever used that damn gun, but lets not digress from the 9.
Bottums Up
teresa, that wasn't you on the 15 threshold at CNS today, was it?
ILS, hover taxi back to the threshold. Up and down, up and down, pirouette left, pirouette right.
Given that I know nothing about helicopters except that some how, they defy gravity, it looked very controlled and co-ordinated, almost beautiful even.
ILS, hover taxi back to the threshold. Up and down, up and down, pirouette left, pirouette right.
Given that I know nothing about helicopters except that some how, they defy gravity, it looked very controlled and co-ordinated, almost beautiful even.
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Hell Treesa...
helicopters don't fly... they remain aloft by makin' a bloody lot of noise. The earth repells 'em.
As you say you FLEW a nine so you can do anything.
I flew mimimum aircraft in the mid seventies... reckoned if I stayed just a couple of feet up I couldn't fall down far.
Trouble with choppers is when they fall down they flog 'emselves to peices.
STAY HIGH (both fun wise and altitude).
helicopters don't fly... they remain aloft by makin' a bloody lot of noise. The earth repells 'em.
As you say you FLEW a nine so you can do anything.
I flew mimimum aircraft in the mid seventies... reckoned if I stayed just a couple of feet up I couldn't fall down far.
Trouble with choppers is when they fall down they flog 'emselves to peices.
STAY HIGH (both fun wise and altitude).
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Well done indeed teresa
One does however note that travelling in an aeroplane whose wings travel at a greater velocity than the fuselage is generally accepted as performing an unnatural act.
Go you good thang you!!
Best regard from an envious EWL who has a hard enough time keeping a 16 year old 300ZX TT safe in only 2 dimensions.
I dips me lid to you.
One does however note that travelling in an aeroplane whose wings travel at a greater velocity than the fuselage is generally accepted as performing an unnatural act.
Go you good thang you!!
Best regard from an envious EWL who has a hard enough time keeping a 16 year old 300ZX TT safe in only 2 dimensions.
I dips me lid to you.
Last edited by Eastwest Loco; 12th Mar 2009 at 10:45. Reason: Made the rock ape mistake of using then for than. I hate that and apologise.
Alan Watson
Al Watson was mentioned quite a few posts ago....
I remember doing one of many theory subjects at Essendon with Alan, and he would always come out with a good story, especially after lunch when we were a bit sleepy and needed to be woken up.....
"I remember back on the noooiiiine years ago in Lonny one day. We took off, and before you knew it we went through a flock of birds. And f$ck me after a few minutes it smelt like bloody KFC down the back!!"
Woke us up with a few laughs and got us back to the task at hand.
b.
I remember doing one of many theory subjects at Essendon with Alan, and he would always come out with a good story, especially after lunch when we were a bit sleepy and needed to be woken up.....
"I remember back on the noooiiiine years ago in Lonny one day. We took off, and before you knew it we went through a flock of birds. And f$ck me after a few minutes it smelt like bloody KFC down the back!!"
Woke us up with a few laughs and got us back to the task at hand.
b.
Moderator
Al was always a very funny fellow ... I have fond memories of him as a new chum to the left seat when I started out in the right, albeit of a similar age.
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Wish I was. Who remembers the funny little plumb bob in the nose wheel well so we could see the adjustments to be made if the a/c wasn't level when doing a manual weight & balance chart. I suppose no one ever had to use it for real....did they?
short flights long nights
The 777 has a electronic plumbob to do the same thing...and please lets stay on the topic, this thread has been great!!!!
Last edited by SOPS; 12th Mar 2009 at 22:28. Reason: new wording
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Folks,
Amos won't be around for a little while.
To get things back on track I've removed the offending post, along with some of your responses (for clarity).
Now, what about the 9?
My first flight deck visit with my U/12 league team way back when. Think it was CG-SY. That was the deciding factor to get into the biz
TID
Amos won't be around for a little while.
To get things back on track I've removed the offending post, along with some of your responses (for clarity).
Now, what about the 9?
My first flight deck visit with my U/12 league team way back when. Think it was CG-SY. That was the deciding factor to get into the biz TID
Who remembers the funny little plumb bob in the nose wheel well so we could see the adjustments to be made if the a/c wasn't level when doing a manual weight & balance chart. I suppose no one ever had to use it for real....did they?
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Thanks Tidbinbilla......a timely intervention
I can still remember as a very yound F27 F/O sitting on the jumpseat of a -9 in 1970 going in to HBA. The skipper had that lovely Collins autopilot plugged in and he left the rudimentary auto-throttle in (a great device but not really designed for approach). It sat at something like 1.3 vs....anyway, there we were on track on slope on speed, auto-spoilers armed.....and no hands! If needed it would get you to the end of the RW all by itself. Absolute magic. Nowadays....barely raise an eyebrow but the -9 was so far ahead of its time then its hard to remember now.
Another name just sprang to mind.....had some great times with him. Barry Prince.....now sadly gone. A great aviator and fun in the cockpit. He did the walk around one day and collided with the dreaded RAT probe (part of the RAT/EPR gauge system....that was a handful to learn). Barry turned up in the cockpit, stunned and bleeding, no doubt concussed.....saying "she'll be right, get me a band-aid". Sanity prevailed however and he was led off in a daze and I think Alex Johnstone stepped in and took over the left seat job.
Barry made a speech to our crew at a little party in the Perth Sheraton on my last layover as a 727 F/O before starting my DC-9 command training. It went something like (Barry enjoyed a lot of beer) ...."well you're now completely useless as an F/O so you'll no doubt make a good captain!"
Long sigh........
I can still remember as a very yound F27 F/O sitting on the jumpseat of a -9 in 1970 going in to HBA. The skipper had that lovely Collins autopilot plugged in and he left the rudimentary auto-throttle in (a great device but not really designed for approach). It sat at something like 1.3 vs....anyway, there we were on track on slope on speed, auto-spoilers armed.....and no hands! If needed it would get you to the end of the RW all by itself. Absolute magic. Nowadays....barely raise an eyebrow but the -9 was so far ahead of its time then its hard to remember now.
Another name just sprang to mind.....had some great times with him. Barry Prince.....now sadly gone. A great aviator and fun in the cockpit. He did the walk around one day and collided with the dreaded RAT probe (part of the RAT/EPR gauge system....that was a handful to learn). Barry turned up in the cockpit, stunned and bleeding, no doubt concussed.....saying "she'll be right, get me a band-aid". Sanity prevailed however and he was led off in a daze and I think Alex Johnstone stepped in and took over the left seat job.
Barry made a speech to our crew at a little party in the Perth Sheraton on my last layover as a 727 F/O before starting my DC-9 command training. It went something like (Barry enjoyed a lot of beer) ...."well you're now completely useless as an F/O so you'll no doubt make a good captain!"
Long sigh........
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She is indeed a lovely thing Capt. Claret, her nose and radome are not quite the same, but she could still pass as a nine for computer nerds. Thanks for the great shots.