Unknown PNG Airstrips?
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Bozzo ... mate! Have a look at the second piccy of Kamulai that was sent to Oz on this thread. Somewhere i have a piccy taken from above on one of those standard days when we were all like rats up drainpipes in the valleys with low cloud- i had escaped to return home over the top and took the shot from there- the first time i had even thought of the camera! Yeah yeah stir stir...
Chuckles unfortunately there is plenti of holes in my collection. NCA did (does?) operate into the places you mentioned, but some less frequently than others. Example the southern slopes of the Finnistaires were normally Richard Lae's domain in his C185... but a few of the NCA crew did get a chance to explore the area a bit. That is certainly goat track country, hopefully someone will have some piccies... Baindong is one of my favourites there
Last but not least...
1) Correct- Derim, probably the best and clearest photo out of all of mine.
2)Correct- Indagen, fell off the end here once or twice...
3)You're gonna kick yourself as it is actually Konge- with the Konge Gap up behind it (Konge Gap for those that haven't been is at 9700' and leads into the Kabwum Valley from the 20 Mile Gap)
4)Correct- Makini, lovely little place wasn't it?! I became a 600hp brushcutter here one day
5)Not Pindiu but Mindik, not far away and in the same valley system. Photo is looking in the downhill direction.
6)Correct and the place was called Nomanengneng. Evil little joint as, on TOFF, you couldn't clear that ridge just before the threshold so had to immediately crank a LH turn and kind of fall into the main valley there through a little cutting...
7) Correct again- Satwag!!
if i ruled out NCA crew before i take it back now..
Back to you Oz
Chuckles unfortunately there is plenti of holes in my collection. NCA did (does?) operate into the places you mentioned, but some less frequently than others. Example the southern slopes of the Finnistaires were normally Richard Lae's domain in his C185... but a few of the NCA crew did get a chance to explore the area a bit. That is certainly goat track country, hopefully someone will have some piccies... Baindong is one of my favourites there
Last but not least...
1) Correct- Derim, probably the best and clearest photo out of all of mine.
2)Correct- Indagen, fell off the end here once or twice...
3)You're gonna kick yourself as it is actually Konge- with the Konge Gap up behind it (Konge Gap for those that haven't been is at 9700' and leads into the Kabwum Valley from the 20 Mile Gap)
4)Correct- Makini, lovely little place wasn't it?! I became a 600hp brushcutter here one day
5)Not Pindiu but Mindik, not far away and in the same valley system. Photo is looking in the downhill direction.
6)Correct and the place was called Nomanengneng. Evil little joint as, on TOFF, you couldn't clear that ridge just before the threshold so had to immediately crank a LH turn and kind of fall into the main valley there through a little cutting...
7) Correct again- Satwag!!
if i ruled out NCA crew before i take it back now..
Back to you Oz
Grandpa Aerotart
Wow your piccy of Konge certainly doesn't match my mental one! One of the ones I was struggling with.
I knew it was either Pindiu or Mindik
Yes wasn't Makini a hoot.......brush covered ridge on short finals and a strip that was all downhill and all red clay.
You had to look low to be on the correct approach path and just barely miss that ridge. The only strip I can think of that was one way and that way had a downslope all the way for landing/upslope for takeoff Although plenty had a downslope becoming an upslope........and a biggy muddy middle
A Morobe Airways pilot, who shall remain nameless, took an Islander most of the way up the clay embankment at the bitter end one day and then rolled backwards onto the strip with the only 'damage' being to his strides and the tail tie down ring.......which was chock full of red clay
Another mate took off from Ogenerang one day with cloud straight off the end........the valley on the right was clear.........so he thought a split arse turn as soon as airborne would be good.....he landed back at Lae with a broken wing tip Nav light that was full of mud and grass
Or the chap( I think he was Co-Air) who was crawling back down to the coast along the Monghi River in drizzle when the drizzle turned instantly to cloud
He flew headings and time intervals (guestimated) and suddenly found himself over the Huon Gulf .........he resigned upon landing back at Lae and flew south the same day!
I had the same thing happen to me in that little valley between Kiantiba and the Tauri Valley and ended up in a zoom climb in cloud with trees flicking past not 20 feet below The cloud thinned a little so I could see the top of the ridge line in front and we (Tony 'Bigfoot' Thirnbeck was riding with me) flopped over into the Tauri and turned right to go to Howabango.......lucky we were empty and in P2-RDB, the best -200 Otter that Dehaviland ever built!
Can you still see Peter Caisley's Islander wreck between 20 mile gap and the Kabwum valley? He was a top bloke......I'd only met Kim Ether who was killed with him the once. And Peter Beer's wreck in the Tawa Gap, Tony Stevenson's wreck at Kanobea.
Vale Mac Lee as well.......I was following him one day in an Islander up the Monghi River from Cape Gerhards in truly crap weather.......he was in a 206.......I chickened out and crawled back down the river to the coast and went home.......he cancelled SAR at Ogenerang........we all swore that those coke bottle glasses he wore could see through cloud........but I guess they didn't work near Kimina at the end
Chuck.
I knew it was either Pindiu or Mindik
Yes wasn't Makini a hoot.......brush covered ridge on short finals and a strip that was all downhill and all red clay.
You had to look low to be on the correct approach path and just barely miss that ridge. The only strip I can think of that was one way and that way had a downslope all the way for landing/upslope for takeoff
Although plenty had a downslope becoming an upslope........and a biggy muddy middle A Morobe Airways pilot, who shall remain nameless, took an Islander most of the way up the clay embankment at the bitter end one day and then rolled backwards onto the strip with the only 'damage' being to his strides and the tail tie down ring.......which was chock full of red clay
Another mate took off from Ogenerang one day with cloud straight off the end........the valley on the right was clear.........so he thought a split arse turn as soon as airborne would be good.....he landed back at Lae with a broken wing tip Nav light that was full of mud and grass
Or the chap( I think he was Co-Air) who was crawling back down to the coast along the Monghi River in drizzle when the drizzle turned instantly to cloud
He flew headings and time intervals (guestimated) and suddenly found himself over the Huon Gulf .........he resigned upon landing back at Lae and flew south the same day!I had the same thing happen to me in that little valley between Kiantiba and the Tauri Valley and ended up in a zoom climb in cloud with trees flicking past not 20 feet below
The cloud thinned a little so I could see the top of the ridge line in front and we (Tony 'Bigfoot' Thirnbeck was riding with me) flopped over into the Tauri and turned right to go to Howabango.......lucky we were empty and in P2-RDB, the best -200 Otter that Dehaviland ever built!Can you still see Peter Caisley's Islander wreck between 20 mile gap and the Kabwum valley? He was a top bloke......I'd only met Kim Ether who was killed with him the once. And Peter Beer's wreck in the Tawa Gap, Tony Stevenson's wreck at Kanobea.
Vale Mac Lee as well.......I was following him one day in an Islander up the Monghi River from Cape Gerhards in truly crap weather.......he was in a 206.......I chickened out and crawled back down the river to the coast and went home.......he cancelled SAR at Ogenerang........we all swore that those coke bottle glasses he wore could see through cloud........but I guess they didn't work near Kimina at the end
Chuck.
Last edited by Chimbu chuckles; 23rd Apr 2002 at 04:42.
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Chimbu,
Just a "stir" over the weather. Know it well.
Seem to recall someone had a BN2 at FL220 once. Caused some consternation with the POM FIR radio chaps.....not because it was a BN2, but no IFR plan had been filed!!
Just a "stir" over the weather. Know it well.
Seem to recall someone had a BN2 at FL220 once. Caused some consternation with the POM FIR radio chaps.....not because it was a BN2, but no IFR plan had been filed!!
Grandpa Aerotart
Bozzo
Two chaps.........one just became unemployed at AN off the 767 and one is in Europe flying CRJs flew from Tabubil to POM in old GKB (shortnosed 402) at FL270 (might've been higher...can't remember)........freezing their tits off.......were 'sprung' by, I think, Windshear who was enroute POM- TBL in a Dash 8.......and was given them as traffic.
The magnetos must have arcing like crazy at that altitude(not pressurised)
Chuck.
PS it would amaze me that they even noticed no IFR plan.....a good game was to cancell SAR at some over water reporting point just to see if they were awake.
Two chaps.........one just became unemployed at AN off the 767 and one is in Europe flying CRJs flew from Tabubil to POM in old GKB (shortnosed 402) at FL270 (might've been higher...can't remember)........freezing their tits off.......were 'sprung' by, I think, Windshear
who was enroute POM- TBL in a Dash 8.......and was given them as traffic.The magnetos must have arcing like crazy at that altitude(not pressurised)
Chuck.
PS it would amaze me that they even noticed no IFR plan.....a good game was to cancell SAR at some over water reporting point just to see if they were awake.
Last edited by Chimbu chuckles; 23rd Apr 2002 at 05:41.
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Chuck ... Sorry, have been away for a few days. The picture in the Monghi that you questioned I am pretty sure is Tobou. I put names on most of the photos once I had developed them so in most cases they will be fairly correct. From memory Ognerang was just inside the back of the 20 mile, (i'm sure we had a name for another gap a bit lower down the ridge that we used here) and the parking area was an indent off the side of the strip about 2/3 from the touchdown end with no raised portion to it. Unfortunately I haven't a photo of that one. Nomenangnang(?) was a vile little place to get out of. The photo doesn't do it justice. NCA had a -200kg MTOW limit on it when it was dry in the Bongo and then what ever you wanted if it even smelt damp. I asked the locals one day how they built it and got the story of them digging it out and carrying the stone from the river below (x,ooo ft) to fill the hole and then putting dirt on to it, amazing (if tru) I always thought it appropriate that they placed the local cemetry at the end of the strip just before the ridge. They wouldn't even need to take you out of the balus, just remove the engines and desireable bits and fill the hole you made in with dirt I heard rumours of a prang during training there that almost did this, others may have the full story. The Bn2 wreck in the 20 mile that you mentioned was still there when I left a few years ago, don't know about the others though, which isn't surprising. I had been going to Kaintiba for over a year before I was told about the 206 wreck below the parking area. The 206 at sapmanga I remeber as the locals had stuck the remains up a tree and tried to make it look like an aircraft again.
Ozexpat ... Glad the piccies came thru, thanks for taking the time to make them accessible to the others, I hope they enjoy them. You didn't need to ban me from the comp, I don't think I would have got half as many as CC did anyway
HJ ... towards the end of my time with NCA we started going in to Bain Death and Kasenombe a bit more as Richard's 185 was having some work done on the u/c. I can remember circling off the end of one of the strips (Kasenombe I think) for about 20 mins at about 1 o'clock in the afternoon, which was a little too late in the day, waiting for the cloud which was blowing past the end of the strip to blow past at the same time as i was turning on a close base. I finanlyy timed it right and got to see the first 50 m of the runway, looking down the valley where i needed to get out it was still clear so I landed rolled into cloud after about 50 m pulled up at the top, roused everyone in about a minute flat kicked her in the guts and fell off the end of the strip in to the clear valley turned left and went home as it was well past beer o'clock You have to wonder why sometimes, but it sure was fun!
I heard rumours of a prang during training there that almost did this, others may have the full story. The Bn2 wreck in the 20 mile that you mentioned was still there when I left a few years ago, don't know about the others though, which isn't surprising. I had been going to Kaintiba for over a year before I was told about the 206 wreck below the parking area. The 206 at sapmanga I remeber as the locals had stuck the remains up a tree and tried to make it look like an aircraft again.Ozexpat ... Glad the piccies came thru, thanks for taking the time to make them accessible to the others, I hope they enjoy them. You didn't need to ban me from the comp, I don't think I would have got half as many as CC did anyway
HJ ... towards the end of my time with NCA we started going in to Bain Death and Kasenombe a bit more as Richard's 185 was having some work done on the u/c. I can remember circling off the end of one of the strips (Kasenombe I think) for about 20 mins at about 1 o'clock in the afternoon, which was a little too late in the day, waiting for the cloud which was blowing past the end of the strip to blow past at the same time as i was turning on a close base. I finanlyy timed it right and got to see the first 50 m of the runway, looking down the valley where i needed to get out it was still clear so I landed rolled into cloud after about 50 m pulled up at the top, roused everyone in about a minute flat kicked her in the guts and fell off the end of the strip in to the clear valley turned left and went home as it was well past beer o'clock
You have to wonder why sometimes, but it sure was fun!
Grandpa Aerotart
Hi Alistair........but WTF in the Monghi Valley is Tobou......I've never even heard of it?
That other Gap you speak of was called 'Landslide Gap' in my day.
Chuck.
That other Gap you speak of was called 'Landslide Gap' in my day.
Chuck.
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Veg...
I can, but it's beside the point that you made very well.
HJ... Geez I've been slack, don't think I've yet published the URL for your whole collection yet! Probably don't need to, now that most have been aired in the latest "goat track" comp!
A bit sad that we didn't get anyone other than the venerable and ever reliable Chuck to respond. Oh, and Alistair too, of course!
Anyway, for all who are waiting with bated (baited?) breath, here is HJ's complete gallery. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do! Fascinating to see such magnificently evil country!
Alistair... aw geez mate, is that the thanks I get for making you an adjudicator? A pleasure to repost yer photos mate!
Just about every fatal crash up there is weather related in fact I cant remeber one that wasnt?
HJ... Geez I've been slack, don't think I've yet published the URL for your whole collection yet! Probably don't need to, now that most have been aired in the latest "goat track" comp!
A bit sad that we didn't get anyone other than the venerable and ever reliable Chuck to respond. Oh, and Alistair too, of course!
Anyway, for all who are waiting with bated (baited?) breath, here is HJ's complete gallery. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do! Fascinating to see such magnificently evil country!
Alistair... aw geez mate, is that the thanks I get for making you an adjudicator?
A pleasure to repost yer photos mate!
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Chuck...
A sure sign that yer gettin old mate!
HJ...
Am I allowed to hazard a guess...?
That other Gap you speak of was called 'Landslide Gap' in my day
HJ...
Always idly wondered what would happen if one didn't stop before the wall at Makini...
Grandpa Aerotart
Yup isn't Morobe Province just unreal flying!!!!!!!!!
My two years in Lae(BN-2/C402) and 6 months in Wau(DHC-6) will always be the best years of my career.......although living in Rabaul was bloody good too(Pre demolition).......I wouldn't trade ANYTHING for my 13 years in PNG.......I'm sure Alistair,Lurch and HJ know what I mean........and Vege too
But what about a picha of Siwea guys........and Tep tep?
Thanks for the outstanding trip down memory lane!!!
Chuckles
My two years in Lae(BN-2/C402) and 6 months in Wau(DHC-6) will always be the best years of my career.......although living in Rabaul was bloody good too(Pre demolition).......I wouldn't trade ANYTHING for my 13 years in PNG.......I'm sure Alistair,Lurch and HJ know what I mean........and Vege too
But what about a picha of Siwea guys........and Tep tep?
Thanks for the outstanding trip down memory lane!!!
Chuckles
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I had a message from lurch a few days ago, offering some photos from his collection. In return I offerred to make a gallery for his photos, as I've done for everyone else who has contributed to the cause. I reckon he'll probably have one or two photos of places like Siwea and Tep Tep Chuck.
I can't wait to see them! That's a hint lurch!
I can't wait to see them! That's a hint lurch!
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HATS OFF FOR U SIR CPT VEGEMITE
THE UPMOST RESPECT TO YOU SIR AND ALL YOU OTHER LEGENDS THAT GAVE THIS COUNTRY OF OURS A GREAT REPUTATION.
YOU ARE DEFINATELY THE ANZACS OF FLYNG.
WELL DONE
YOU ARE DEFINATELY THE ANZACS OF FLYNG.
WELL DONE
Grandpa Aerotart
The original Dero Club........which was the International terminal in the 50's apparently, was bulldozed to make way for the new Domestic and International Terminal. Basically from the MAF hangar onwards has all changed.
The new Dero has none of the ambiance of the old place and is merely a huge tin shed........thanks to the incompetence of the idiot in charge of the airport restructuring. It is at the opposite end of the airport near that old graveyard adjacent to the threshold of 32L.
Chuck
The new Dero has none of the ambiance of the old place and is merely a huge tin shed........thanks to the incompetence of the idiot in charge of the airport restructuring. It is at the opposite end of the airport near that old graveyard adjacent to the threshold of 32L.
Chuck
.....................dunno