TAA and the DC-9
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Little notes.
Ah yes! I'd forgotten about leaving them there.
Did anyone find the notes I left behind the F.O's escape tape above the sliding window in the 737s.
I left one there for over a year with the dates I checked to see if it was there each time I flew in that aircraft... over twenty years ago now so I'm not sure of the rego.
What a great spot for a bit of smuggling. But what could you smuggle from Nadi or Vanuatu?
Did anyone find the notes I left behind the F.O's escape tape above the sliding window in the 737s.
I left one there for over a year with the dates I checked to see if it was there each time I flew in that aircraft... over twenty years ago now so I'm not sure of the rego.
What a great spot for a bit of smuggling. But what could you smuggle from Nadi or Vanuatu?
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How could you even compare that nasty 737 to the sportship DC9? Like comparing a Hyundai to an Aston Martin!
Here's what I'd call a classic video clip I have just found from 1972, hope the link works:
YouTube - ABC TV Promo 1972
Here's what I'd call a classic video clip I have just found from 1972, hope the link works:
YouTube - ABC TV Promo 1972
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Excellent video!! The pilots look soooo professional. Of course what they were really discussing in their huddle was superannuation,the next lot of bids due out or "hey,we'll be out of hours so we can't do the last flight,better tell ops"
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Hmm, one of them is ME! I had forgotten I was so good looking. The wife cracked up, stating "I have been married to you for so long, I had forgotten what I had married you for" It was because you were attractive, "what happened to you?" Thanks for nothing fella's.
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Probably been posted before but this quick one is of interest too.
YouTube - TAA The Friendly Way 1960s
Hopefully no identifiable ugly buggers in this one!
YouTube - TAA The Friendly Way 1960s
Hopefully no identifiable ugly buggers in this one!
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That did it A. Le Rhone.
I had a little hydraulic problem over the last one.
First aeroplane I ever flew on (on standby at MEB which meant standing at the rear airstairs for an empty count) was at age 8 on Juliett Alpha with Jimmy James at the helm. That was MEB SYD and ruined me for life. Met Captain James, and what a lovely gentleman he was.
They have never really improved on the DC9 or 727 family. Just ruined them by making them quiet,clean and flying them slower.
There is nothing at all like the crackle of a pair or 3 JT8D's converting JetA1 into noise and leaving a lovely black trail.
Thanks for that mate and best all.
EWL
I had a little hydraulic problem over the last one.
First aeroplane I ever flew on (on standby at MEB which meant standing at the rear airstairs for an empty count) was at age 8 on Juliett Alpha with Jimmy James at the helm. That was MEB SYD and ruined me for life. Met Captain James, and what a lovely gentleman he was.
They have never really improved on the DC9 or 727 family. Just ruined them by making them quiet,clean and flying them slower.
There is nothing at all like the crackle of a pair or 3 JT8D's converting JetA1 into noise and leaving a lovely black trail.
Thanks for that mate and best all.
EWL
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And speaking of Jimmy James, I believe he was the captain of this aircraft which was involved in the runway collision with the CPA DC8 on Jan 29th 1971. A lovely gentleman I'm told.
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Join Date: Apr 2000
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Yes Ale
Jimmy was indeed the pilot and TJA was the aeroplane. His internal report read I came over the hump on runway (XX) and there was the bloody Queen Mary in front of me. It was a filthy stormy night in SYD and all he could see was an outline and a row of lights. He was nowhere near V1 but somehow wrestled Julie Alpha into the air, wiped 8 feet off the fin of the DC8 and brought the girl safely home.
The court cases over compensation/insurance were still running 15 years plus down the track, but the most important thing is he got the girl and the punters back safely.
The damage bill was over $250,000 which is peanuts these days, and a whole lower half nose section was brought out from Renton and fitted to the girl.
She developed a foible after that which LAME's couldnt solve with the aircon system. To have the cockpit at a reasonable heat, the passenger compartment cooked - and the cockpit would be freezing to keep the punters comfy.
TJB was similar with a cockpit shudder they couldn't fix after it was hit with CAT on an ADL PER flight (I think) causing trailing edge damage.
I spent many hours on the flight deck of all the 6 T Jets with Ken Collins, generally with Wayne Rawlings and Moss Derby.
God I miss the big blue T and the men that flew her so proudly.
Best all
EWL
Jimmy was indeed the pilot and TJA was the aeroplane. His internal report read I came over the hump on runway (XX) and there was the bloody Queen Mary in front of me. It was a filthy stormy night in SYD and all he could see was an outline and a row of lights. He was nowhere near V1 but somehow wrestled Julie Alpha into the air, wiped 8 feet off the fin of the DC8 and brought the girl safely home.
The court cases over compensation/insurance were still running 15 years plus down the track, but the most important thing is he got the girl and the punters back safely.
The damage bill was over $250,000 which is peanuts these days, and a whole lower half nose section was brought out from Renton and fitted to the girl.
She developed a foible after that which LAME's couldnt solve with the aircon system. To have the cockpit at a reasonable heat, the passenger compartment cooked - and the cockpit would be freezing to keep the punters comfy.
TJB was similar with a cockpit shudder they couldn't fix after it was hit with CAT on an ADL PER flight (I think) causing trailing edge damage.
I spent many hours on the flight deck of all the 6 T Jets with Ken Collins, generally with Wayne Rawlings and Moss Derby.
God I miss the big blue T and the men that flew her so proudly.
Best all
EWL
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YouTube - Australian Airlines (Australian Television Ad) 1986 HD
But I still cna't find that video shot from the tail of the 72!!!!!!!
But I still cna't find that video shot from the tail of the 72!!!!!!!
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Wasn't Jimmy Staysharp JJ's FO in the 'meeting' with the Canuk 'Queen Mary'?
Edited to add I'm not holding my breath waiting for a flood of accolades in that department.
Edited also to add that I came over all hot and bothered when I saw the ABC promo. The button pushing on the Deisel 9 might have started the heavy breathing, but what really set me off was that 1970s Taa-Taa uniform. Ahhh... some very sweet memories I will NOT be sharing with my current dearly beloved!
Edited to add I'm not holding my breath waiting for a flood of accolades in that department.
Edited also to add that I came over all hot and bothered when I saw the ABC promo. The button pushing on the Deisel 9 might have started the heavy breathing, but what really set me off was that 1970s Taa-Taa uniform. Ahhh... some very sweet memories I will NOT be sharing with my current dearly beloved!
Thread Starter
Howdy East-West Loco, the retired sales manager says glad to see you are still in the business and when he visits the Apple Isle he will pay you a visit, to do a quality check on the Boags product!
When he worked in the Apple Isle in the mid 60's TAA operated a DC-3 then Beechcraft Queen Air out of Hobart on the intra state network, Fokkers into the coastal ports, the Lockheed Electra then Jets on the HB-LT-ML route and Fokkers on the freight run. He said TAA later passed the Fokker routes over to East-West. He can still remember helping load bags during the school holiday rush when short of staff, not to forget the odd special charter for the casino when it opened!
He has done a lot of travelling, but still reckons the DC-9 and B727 were the pick of the planes, and of course TAA was the best to fly with.
When he worked in the Apple Isle in the mid 60's TAA operated a DC-3 then Beechcraft Queen Air out of Hobart on the intra state network, Fokkers into the coastal ports, the Lockheed Electra then Jets on the HB-LT-ML route and Fokkers on the freight run. He said TAA later passed the Fokker routes over to East-West. He can still remember helping load bags during the school holiday rush when short of staff, not to forget the odd special charter for the casino when it opened!
He has done a lot of travelling, but still reckons the DC-9 and B727 were the pick of the planes, and of course TAA was the best to fly with.
Thread Starter
Ports that the DC-9 operated into:
Cairns,
Townseville,
Mackay,
Rockhampton,
Brisbane,
Sydney,
Canberra,
Melbourne Esendon,
Melbourne Tullamarine,
Launceston
Hobart,
Adelalaide,
Alice Springs
Darwin,
Port Headland,
Gove,
Groote,
Perth.
What about Newcastle Williamtown?
Cairns,
Townseville,
Mackay,
Rockhampton,
Brisbane,
Sydney,
Canberra,
Melbourne Esendon,
Melbourne Tullamarine,
Launceston
Hobart,
Adelalaide,
Alice Springs
Darwin,
Port Headland,
Gove,
Groote,
Perth.
What about Newcastle Williamtown?
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Add to that list..Coolangatta & Proserpine. During the DC9 operating years,Newcastle/Williamtown was RAAF ops only. Pax from Newcastle had to fly ex Swansea with Aeropelican(DHC6) to Sydney for connections to mainline services.
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Also operated to Honiara, weekly I think.
Fascinating how well designed the '9 cockpit was. You look at the 777 cockpit and see the fingerprints of the DC-9 all over it.
Look at these things the '9 had and compare to the almost the same in the 777
A long way ahead of its time and not surprising that so little had to be done to it to build the MD-80
And as for the little cap on the rudder trim......flying the MD-80 in a Nordic country I was surprised to lift that cap and find a heavy gauge rubber band in there. On questioning the F/O, was told it was used to wrap around the Battery Sw to hold the booster pumps on the Fwd Aux tank in the Test position in cruise once the centre tank had started emptying so you could move the C of G back more rapidly than the auto system allowed, thereby getting a few more miles per gallon out of the fuel load and maybe getting home to Scandinavia non-stop rather than an expensive and time-wasting fuel stop. A great idea!
Fascinating how well designed the '9 cockpit was. You look at the 777 cockpit and see the fingerprints of the DC-9 all over it.
Look at these things the '9 had and compare to the almost the same in the 777
- The Master Caution and Master Warning system
- The Annunciator Panel (as someone already said, an early EICAS and Electronic Check List system)
- Fuel system almost identical-wing tanks and centre tank with higher pump outputs and a DC start pump for the APU
- Split Bus electrical system with APU gen fully integrated and a cross-tie system
- Early auto-throttle
- Excellent F/D and A/P with coupled approach capability
- APU that could run anytime, ground or air
A long way ahead of its time and not surprising that so little had to be done to it to build the MD-80
And as for the little cap on the rudder trim......flying the MD-80 in a Nordic country I was surprised to lift that cap and find a heavy gauge rubber band in there. On questioning the F/O, was told it was used to wrap around the Battery Sw to hold the booster pumps on the Fwd Aux tank in the Test position in cruise once the centre tank had started emptying so you could move the C of G back more rapidly than the auto system allowed, thereby getting a few more miles per gallon out of the fuel load and maybe getting home to Scandinavia non-stop rather than an expensive and time-wasting fuel stop. A great idea!
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Wasn't Jimmy Staysharp JJ's FO in the 'meeting' with the Canuk 'Queen Mary'?
Close ... Doug Spiers .. at the ripe old age of 28 ... see the DCA accident report (10Mb).
Close ... Doug Spiers .. at the ripe old age of 28 ... see the DCA accident report (10Mb).
