The Home of Photos in Dunnunda! Mk I
, absoloutely F%^&** brilliant!
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Yes it seems to be .. I found this link aswell last night..
Take a Message....
also came accross this on you-tube of him flying from Maryborough to Fraser Island and over Hervey Bay.. in it. Gold for me anyhow finding this film clip.
Cheers
David.
Take a Message....
also came accross this on you-tube of him flying from Maryborough to Fraser Island and over Hervey Bay.. in it. Gold for me anyhow finding this film clip.
Cheers
David.
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airfreight
That is a classic vid from fifty years ago of Sam's Messenger over Fraser. Thanks. That would have been him in the hat, I remember he used to wear a hat when I saw him around the hangar.
I didn't start private flying over Fraser until '67/68 (and that was in a Sunland Musketeer..), but did charter there in the early '70's in an early 182 and Cherokee 6 and Islander. The 'Maheno' wreck was fairly intact still then, and would land on the beach alongside it to take photos. We carried the perishables in for the Happy Vally store, as well as fishermen, or joyflighters, and did some work for Sid Melksham at Eurong,too,until he got his own licence and pilot. Had the contract to fly the perishables onto the beach under Sandy Cape lighthouse too, when the light was manned.
Counted them once (when I had nothing else to do), all up, did about 800 beach landings on Fraser and on the beach near where the 'Cherry Venture' went aground south of Double Island point.
NZFlyingKiwi
Often wondered what happened to the Messenger, good to hear it is still going if that is the same serial number.
Someone may be flying his Tripacer still too..
That is a classic vid from fifty years ago of Sam's Messenger over Fraser. Thanks. That would have been him in the hat, I remember he used to wear a hat when I saw him around the hangar.
I didn't start private flying over Fraser until '67/68 (and that was in a Sunland Musketeer..), but did charter there in the early '70's in an early 182 and Cherokee 6 and Islander. The 'Maheno' wreck was fairly intact still then, and would land on the beach alongside it to take photos. We carried the perishables in for the Happy Vally store, as well as fishermen, or joyflighters, and did some work for Sid Melksham at Eurong,too,until he got his own licence and pilot. Had the contract to fly the perishables onto the beach under Sandy Cape lighthouse too, when the light was manned.
Counted them once (when I had nothing else to do), all up, did about 800 beach landings on Fraser and on the beach near where the 'Cherry Venture' went aground south of Double Island point.
NZFlyingKiwi
Often wondered what happened to the Messenger, good to hear it is still going if that is the same serial number.
Someone may be flying his Tripacer still too..
Last edited by frigatebird; 29th Jun 2011 at 22:44.
Hey frigatebird. My old man used to do fly-in fishing on Fraser in the 1970's. Maybe you can make sense of this. I asked him for some details. He says, and I quote:
"Sid Melscham who started Eurong had one plane and he came from the Gold Coast that day. I think it was a Cherokee. The other was a Cessna flown by a new pilot who we named “Switches” because he was doing all the right things like “Clear the props”. I was with him and when he saw Orchid for the first time he said something like “Oh **** it looks a bit rough and it ain’t half short either”. Scarred me for life. Sid on the other hand didn’t even tell the blokes to put their belts on and when he took off he was offering smokes around.
The other trips from Maryborough were by a Company who I think were based in Toowoomba. “Snow” Somebody was the main man."
"Sid Melscham who started Eurong had one plane and he came from the Gold Coast that day. I think it was a Cherokee. The other was a Cessna flown by a new pilot who we named “Switches” because he was doing all the right things like “Clear the props”. I was with him and when he saw Orchid for the first time he said something like “Oh **** it looks a bit rough and it ain’t half short either”. Scarred me for life. Sid on the other hand didn’t even tell the blokes to put their belts on and when he took off he was offering smokes around.
The other trips from Maryborough were by a Company who I think were based in Toowoomba. “Snow” Somebody was the main man."
Oh dear, I think the amyloid plaque deposition may be starting to get to you guys!
Frank was Woodfall Aviation in the little hut near the loos at AF from as far back as I can remember - at least the early 70's. I learned to fly with Gill Layt at Woodfall Aviation in 1973.
Snow Richards operated Union Air / Island Air from a base in Toowoomba, and yes - Island Air operated Islanders and Trilanders and a Twotter (I think!) from Brisbane to the Maryborough/Bundaberg/Hervery Bay/Fraser Is area, including Orchard Beach. I think they may have also gone into Noosa.
Orchard Beach was a bit rough with a grass on sand runway. Can't have been that short cause I went in and out of there on a number of occassions in PA28 and PA32 aircraft. The turbulence off the northern end of the runway as you came in over the beach could get your attention - and did cause a few aircraft to come to grief. Island strips can be like that!
Mrs Dr still talks about the day we fell out of the sky going into Brampton - some 30+ years ago.
Dr
Actually..I rmember it as Frank Woodfall and Brent Armstrong and Beth Garret.
The other trips from Maryborough were by a Company who I think were based in Toowoomba. “Snow” Somebody was the main man."
I was with him and when he saw Orchid for the first time he said something like “Oh **** it looks a bit rough and it ain’t half short either”.
Mrs Dr still talks about the day we fell out of the sky going into Brampton - some 30+ years ago.
Dr
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 30th Jun 2011 at 01:56.
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Forkey,
Indeed you are correct about the Tin Otter of Islandair. It was often seen at the airstrip half way up the island known as Toby's Gap,shuttling sand miners & their equipment.
Indeed you are correct about the Tin Otter of Islandair. It was often seen at the airstrip half way up the island known as Toby's Gap,shuttling sand miners & their equipment.
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FDR
Still got all the marbles..
Correct. Brent was an instructor of his that he had posted at an outport. Beth was his senior instructor, who tested me for my Private, before she joined the RFDS.
Part Right. Snow had Unionair in Toowoomba, and then later he bought Island Airways of Hervey Bay (Don Adams and Reg Barnewall - Don ran Island Airways and Reg ran Orchid Beach). Later he had the sand mining shift change contract to shift workers from Maryborough and Hervey Bay in and out of Toby's Gap morning and evening. They used Islanders, Trilanders and Twin Otter. Later he went head to head with Bevan Whitaker to service Noosa, but Bevan got his strip built and approved, and Snow just kept using Maroochy as a stop for the Islander run from Brisbane to Orchid Beach. Don't know what happened to Snow Richards eventually, but heard his son flew helicopters later.
Bevan started NoosaAir with an Islander, a Baron and Cherokee 6., but it grew to include Queenair and Twin Otter in time. Later they operated 402 and Chieftain from Brisbane to Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Bundy (I think) for Ansett. With the change to TAA/Australian oncarriage - the namechange to Sunstate, and the introduction of Bandeirante then Shorts with a hostess, against the Bush Pilots Metro 2's, they garnered the bulk of traffic over time.
rioncentu
Savage Sid got his Private licence, and when Bevan upgraded to a Bonanza 36, FWZ, Sid bought his old '59 182. Later he applied for a Charter licence and employed a young Commercial pilot fresh out of NASA to be the Chief Pilot. Could do that then, also no restrictions on beach landings for joyflights or charter, no permits required, etc. Then he got an all white Cherokee 6 -300, which I used to call Casper. Still later, when he moved onto his first twin, I endorsed him on his 337. He had been keeping the Cessna and the 6 on the beach at the front of Eurong, but the twins were housed in the hangar on the western side of the island opposite River Heads at Woolgoolbver Creek where his River Heads barge came in with the daytrippers. Then came the Beech Duke for a while. No joyflights off the beach in the twins.
But he did build a filtered and airconditioned hangar at Eurong when the fixed wing went, and the new Jetranger arrived. He probably trained on it as part of the purchase deal.
Still got all the marbles..
Frank was Woodfall Aviation in the little hut near the loos at AF from as far back as I can remember
Snow Richards operated Union Air / Island Air from a base in Toowoomba, and yes - Island Air operated Islanders and Trilanders and a Twotter (I think!) from Brisbane to the Maryborough/Bundaberg/Hervery Bay/Fraser Is area, including Orchard Beach. I think they may have also gone into Noosa.
Bevan started NoosaAir with an Islander, a Baron and Cherokee 6., but it grew to include Queenair and Twin Otter in time. Later they operated 402 and Chieftain from Brisbane to Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Bundy (I think) for Ansett. With the change to TAA/Australian oncarriage - the namechange to Sunstate, and the introduction of Bandeirante then Shorts with a hostess, against the Bush Pilots Metro 2's, they garnered the bulk of traffic over time.
rioncentu
Savage Sid got his Private licence, and when Bevan upgraded to a Bonanza 36, FWZ, Sid bought his old '59 182. Later he applied for a Charter licence and employed a young Commercial pilot fresh out of NASA to be the Chief Pilot. Could do that then, also no restrictions on beach landings for joyflights or charter, no permits required, etc. Then he got an all white Cherokee 6 -300, which I used to call Casper. Still later, when he moved onto his first twin, I endorsed him on his 337. He had been keeping the Cessna and the 6 on the beach at the front of Eurong, but the twins were housed in the hangar on the western side of the island opposite River Heads at Woolgoolbver Creek where his River Heads barge came in with the daytrippers. Then came the Beech Duke for a while. No joyflights off the beach in the twins.
But he did build a filtered and airconditioned hangar at Eurong when the fixed wing went, and the new Jetranger arrived. He probably trained on it as part of the purchase deal.
Last edited by frigatebird; 30th Jun 2011 at 04:39.
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Snow Richards died about 1980-81. I thought I might get a job with him but ended up instructing instead.
Saw Jean last year, still going strong though Gordon died a few years ago now.
Flew into Orchid in Cessna 310 and Cherokee 6 a few times, in later years the surface was well watered grass so quite firm.
Toby's gap was packed gravel so fine.
Saw Jean last year, still going strong though Gordon died a few years ago now.
Flew into Orchid in Cessna 310 and Cherokee 6 a few times, in later years the surface was well watered grass so quite firm.
Toby's gap was packed gravel so fine.
A few photos taken in 1976 on the beach at Fraser Island when the Taylor (I think that was what the fish were called) were running off the beach. And if you were not using a rod for fishing, it made an acceptable windsock...
I much preferred landing on the beach, provided you checked for the fresh water streams that ran across the beach and could find a clear spot between all the four wheel drives.
Got a call one day from the Bundy Flight Service that one of our aircraft was in trouble. Fearing the worse ... it was very easy to end up stuck in the sand... I found out that the guys had in fact broken off the aircraft key in the baggage lock and as the same key was used for starting, they were in a spot of bother. To make it a bit more interesting, the tide was coming in, so they were somewhat concerned. After a frantic search and a "quick" trip over in another aircraft we luckily were able to fly in a spare key....
Taken in the same year is this not very clear shot of the Orchard Beach Resort. You might be able to see the sand patches that slowed you up alarmingly during takeoff. To help that, water sprinklers were placed on the strip to encourage the grass to grow but gave you something else to deal with.
I don't know when, but the resort buildings to the seaside of the strip eventually were claimed by the sea and I wonder if the strip in the photo also ended up in the water....
I much preferred landing on the beach, provided you checked for the fresh water streams that ran across the beach and could find a clear spot between all the four wheel drives.
Got a call one day from the Bundy Flight Service that one of our aircraft was in trouble. Fearing the worse ... it was very easy to end up stuck in the sand... I found out that the guys had in fact broken off the aircraft key in the baggage lock and as the same key was used for starting, they were in a spot of bother. To make it a bit more interesting, the tide was coming in, so they were somewhat concerned. After a frantic search and a "quick" trip over in another aircraft we luckily were able to fly in a spare key....
Taken in the same year is this not very clear shot of the Orchard Beach Resort. You might be able to see the sand patches that slowed you up alarmingly during takeoff. To help that, water sprinklers were placed on the strip to encourage the grass to grow but gave you something else to deal with.
I don't know when, but the resort buildings to the seaside of the strip eventually were claimed by the sea and I wonder if the strip in the photo also ended up in the water....
Last edited by Givelda; 1st Jul 2011 at 08:19.
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Well after a week away........and two more to go, we have been having way too much fun for even posting on pprune, so here is one that might test out a few folk.
Where is?
Where is?