DC-3 Jump Seat Ride (Photo Log)
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Age: 34
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
DC-3 Jump Seat Ride (Photo Log)
Geoff Cooper, aka Spinco, an Air New Zealand 777 pilot whom I met here on PPRuNe was ever so generous in offering me a ride in the Warbird Dakota Society DC-3 from Ardmore Airport this morning!
We met over at the NZ Warbirds headquarters at 10:15 am, and then drove right across the taxiway over to the control tower where the beautiful aircraft was sitting, parked up waiting for her flight. First of all, Geoff filled out some forms, with my name going on the “crew” list.
Then we started walking around the aircraft doing the pre-flight checks, when the co-pilot for the day, discovered some of the local boy racers had been siphoning the high octane fuel out of the wing tanks!
As you can guess, Ardmore is not a very secure airfield even though it is the busiest in the country, and because of this we needed the fuel truck to come and top the Dak up, with enough juice for today’s flight and the return journey to Hamilton where it will be undergoing maintenance next month.
After about 30 minutes, we clambered aboard and I was allowed to sit in the jump seat right up in the cockpit which gave me a brilliant view. We taxied to runway 3 and took off smoothly, and climbed up to 1600 feet heading east over the Clevedon River.
Soon we where overhead the Hauraki Gulf, in roughly the same area I was taken for aerobatics last weekend by Andrew Hope, and after passing the end of Waiheke Island, it was time to do some steep turns- up to 60 degrees if I remember correctly:
I was not expecting to feel so much G-Force in the DC-3 but the camera felt really heavy as I took these photos: (I am not complaining though- the feeling of flying like this was awesome)
After a quite a few turns, we headed back towards land, flying back along Clevedon River and joined the downwind leg for runway 3 at NZAR again, and began our descent for a touch and go, which went extremely smoothly.
No sooner than we where down, we lifted off again and climbed up to 600 feet, joining the downwind leg again. This time, Geoff simulated a fire emergency which the other pilot, Adrian had to recover the aircraft from. We made another touch and go, and I swapped seats with another lucky youngster on board and snapped some shots out the window, as we did a flyby and yet another t&g before completing the circuit again and then made a full stop landing.
I had so much fun once again, the feeling of being airbourne that I had been looking forward to all week certainly satisfied me (for the time being
). I would just like to thank Geoff one more time, you gave me an experience I will never forget, and inspired me even further to live my dream and train to become a pilot 
Cheers,
Andrew
P.S.
You can download the ZK-DAK for flight simulator 2004 here: http://z11.invisionfree.com/nzff/ind...?showtopic=115
We met over at the NZ Warbirds headquarters at 10:15 am, and then drove right across the taxiway over to the control tower where the beautiful aircraft was sitting, parked up waiting for her flight. First of all, Geoff filled out some forms, with my name going on the “crew” list.
Then we started walking around the aircraft doing the pre-flight checks, when the co-pilot for the day, discovered some of the local boy racers had been siphoning the high octane fuel out of the wing tanks!
As you can guess, Ardmore is not a very secure airfield even though it is the busiest in the country, and because of this we needed the fuel truck to come and top the Dak up, with enough juice for today’s flight and the return journey to Hamilton where it will be undergoing maintenance next month.After about 30 minutes, we clambered aboard and I was allowed to sit in the jump seat right up in the cockpit which gave me a brilliant view. We taxied to runway 3 and took off smoothly, and climbed up to 1600 feet heading east over the Clevedon River.
Soon we where overhead the Hauraki Gulf, in roughly the same area I was taken for aerobatics last weekend by Andrew Hope, and after passing the end of Waiheke Island, it was time to do some steep turns- up to 60 degrees if I remember correctly:
I was not expecting to feel so much G-Force in the DC-3 but the camera felt really heavy as I took these photos: (I am not complaining though- the feeling of flying like this was awesome)
After a quite a few turns, we headed back towards land, flying back along Clevedon River and joined the downwind leg for runway 3 at NZAR again, and began our descent for a touch and go, which went extremely smoothly.
No sooner than we where down, we lifted off again and climbed up to 600 feet, joining the downwind leg again. This time, Geoff simulated a fire emergency which the other pilot, Adrian had to recover the aircraft from. We made another touch and go, and I swapped seats with another lucky youngster on board and snapped some shots out the window, as we did a flyby and yet another t&g before completing the circuit again and then made a full stop landing.
I had so much fun once again, the feeling of being airbourne that I had been looking forward to all week certainly satisfied me (for the time being
). I would just like to thank Geoff one more time, you gave me an experience I will never forget, and inspired me even further to live my dream and train to become a pilot Cheers,
Andrew
P.S.
You can download the ZK-DAK for flight simulator 2004 here: http://z11.invisionfree.com/nzff/ind...?showtopic=115
Sprucegoose
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Hughes Point, where life is great! Was also resident on page 13, but now I'm lost in Cyberspace....
Age: 59
Posts: 3,485
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Andrew, once again you have captured the joy beautifully in both pictures and words.
Keep up the good work.
Keep up the good work.
Resident insomniac
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: N54 58 34 W02 01 21
Age: 79
Posts: 1,873
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Young man. IF, for whatever reason you don't make it in aviation (which, somehow, I doubt), you will be able to make a living by writing. Your report is concise, yet enthusiastic, encouraging me to read it avidly. Well done!
Oh! and thanks to your mentor for his generous acts of kindness.
BTW, is the Dak in Berlin trim, or D-Day?
Oh! and thanks to your mentor for his generous acts of kindness.
BTW, is the Dak in Berlin trim, or D-Day?
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wannabee,
Well do I remember being in your shoes and dreaming of a flight in anything with wings. In my case it didn't get quite so exotic as a Citabria one week and a DC3 the next - after many months of washing aeroplanes and hanging around the aero club I had to "make do" with a Piper Archer and a Beechcraft Baron! Twenty years on I remember the sights, smells and experiences as if they were yesterday.
It's difficult, expensive and frustrating - but hang in there with your dreams young man. I did, and was fortunate enough to end up with several thousand military flying hours. One of the highlights was my first sortie in the very same F-111 which I had a huge poster of on my teenage bedroom wall (right in front of my high school study desk to motivate me to stay in the books!)
I'm really enjoying your posts and the great photos of your beautiful home country. Keep it up!
Swingwing.
PS: Thanks to the Pruners who've gone out of their way to help - you've restored my faith in the value of this website!
Well do I remember being in your shoes and dreaming of a flight in anything with wings. In my case it didn't get quite so exotic as a Citabria one week and a DC3 the next - after many months of washing aeroplanes and hanging around the aero club I had to "make do" with a Piper Archer and a Beechcraft Baron! Twenty years on I remember the sights, smells and experiences as if they were yesterday.
It's difficult, expensive and frustrating - but hang in there with your dreams young man. I did, and was fortunate enough to end up with several thousand military flying hours. One of the highlights was my first sortie in the very same F-111 which I had a huge poster of on my teenage bedroom wall (right in front of my high school study desk to motivate me to stay in the books!)
I'm really enjoying your posts and the great photos of your beautiful home country. Keep it up!
Swingwing.
PS: Thanks to the Pruners who've gone out of their way to help - you've restored my faith in the value of this website!
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: New Zealand
Age: 47
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good Work Andrew.
great pics and story .
you should contact aviation news or pacific wings , surely some part time money to be made here for you to use on flying lessons.
Greg
great pics and story .
you should contact aviation news or pacific wings , surely some part time money to be made here for you to use on flying lessons.
Greg
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: australia
Posts: 587
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
D@MN!
Pilotwannabe as all above have said you have done it again!
If you ever get to NT contact me and see what happens.
If not already look up a poem written by John Magee.
The industry sucks but the flying and joy of, is why we do it.
Pilotwannabe as all above have said you have done it again!
If you ever get to NT contact me and see what happens.
If not already look up a poem written by John Magee.
The industry sucks but the flying and joy of, is why we do it.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hibiscus Coast
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Capt Wannabee
Guys, this young man was a delight to have aboard and his summary of the 1hr 8 mins airborne is testament to his photography and writing skills.
If his dedication to pursuing his dream is anything like his enthusiasm for it now then it's really only a matter of ticking the boxes.
The Gooneybird team will watch with interest and support his goals with any professional guidance w can offer.
If his dedication to pursuing his dream is anything like his enthusiasm for it now then it's really only a matter of ticking the boxes.
The Gooneybird team will watch with interest and support his goals with any professional guidance w can offer.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: AUST
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good idea maxgrad, here it is here...
High Flight
by John Gillespie Magee, Jr
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
We ain't got it so bad folks... not so bad at all. Good job pilotwannabe, keep it up mate.
High Flight
by John Gillespie Magee, Jr
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
We ain't got it so bad folks... not so bad at all. Good job pilotwannabe, keep it up mate.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Auckland
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Andrew,
Looks like you had a great flight, however for true "Smooth Landings" you have to experience the Ozzy touch....
......however I did win the Wanaka landing competition .
This all can lie ahead for you, as an example we have ATC guys and Engineers that fly the DC3 with a commercial licence (RHS), it's not just an airline pilots toy.
However I'll download the Flight Sim repaint so I can practice my landings, got to show these 777 guys up......
Looks like you had a great flight, however for true "Smooth Landings" you have to experience the Ozzy touch....
......however I did win the Wanaka landing competition
.This all can lie ahead for you, as an example we have ATC guys and Engineers that fly the DC3 with a commercial licence (RHS), it's not just an airline pilots toy.
However I'll download the Flight Sim repaint so I can practice my landings, got to show these 777 guys up......
Silly Old Git
For someone who hasnt flown out of AR since the 60's its sure has changed!
er.....is the Aero Club still over the same side as the tower?
The other side wasnt even in use much that was the teachers college.
Meatbombers were in a an old quonset style hut next to the old tower along with Dennis Thompson,AK Flying school and later on Kelvin Starks flying school.
Some one had started a flying school over the "other side" as it was known.
er.....is the Aero Club still over the same side as the tower?
The other side wasnt even in use much that was the teachers college.
Meatbombers were in a an old quonset style hut next to the old tower along with Dennis Thompson,AK Flying school and later on Kelvin Starks flying school.
Some one had started a flying school over the "other side" as it was known.
Last edited by tinpis; 30th Jul 2006 at 22:21.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: desert somewhere
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pilotwannabe,
Your passion and enthusiasm is contagious. Keep it up
Also a very thoughtful gesture by Spinco and Wombat35 for making this young mans dreams a reality.
DC3....mmmmmmm
Your passion and enthusiasm is contagious. Keep it up
Also a very thoughtful gesture by Spinco and Wombat35 for making this young mans dreams a reality.
DC3....mmmmmmm
