Skybird
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................i'm not too sure what caused the demise of SKYBIRD I was hoping someone else might know that. Probably the owners ran out of money, other peoples money
I always liked JM, one of the owners of SKYBIRD, very shrude operator tho, he did well by me.
Flying-spike what about those taxi lights at PID, they where a joke !!......remember them?..............12v globes the size that you would find in a small torch covered by up turned juice bottles !!!......talking about a $2 operation !
Anybody in here hire one of the C172's SKYBIRD had based at RID ? I think WYJ, WYG & WOJ where rotated thru RID esspecially during the winter months when things where a little quite at EN to get some utilization.
Somebody must know why SKYBIRD closed their doors?
CW
I always liked JM, one of the owners of SKYBIRD, very shrude operator tho, he did well by me.
Flying-spike what about those taxi lights at PID, they where a joke !!......remember them?..............12v globes the size that you would find in a small torch covered by up turned juice bottles !!!......talking about a $2 operation !
Anybody in here hire one of the C172's SKYBIRD had based at RID ? I think WYJ, WYG & WOJ where rotated thru RID esspecially during the winter months when things where a little quite at EN to get some utilization.
Somebody must know why SKYBIRD closed their doors?
CW
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Tail Wheel
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YMEN was the best place in the '80s.
JM was one of the stars. A man for his time.
Hope it gets a new rush with all the new work going on there at the moment.
A unique place and time...
JM was one of the stars. A man for his time.
Hope it gets a new rush with all the new work going on there at the moment.
A unique place and time...
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.............hey "kev" don't worry EN is getting a 'new rush' as you call it only it's not in the form of anything aviation !(apart from a few new hangers & the silliest thing I've ever seen at an airport a vehical/plane crossing gate !!!!)..............going there these days you would think that a few planes where parked at a major shopping centre !!.............I bet the owners ( & we all know who they are) would love to close the airport side of the place & put up lots of shops/units...............luckily the infrastructure needed for that is beyond the area's capabilities at the present time.
"tailwheel"....where's the name telling?? surely not RID (Riddell) that's a place not a persons name?
CW
"tailwheel"....where's the name telling?? surely not RID (Riddell) that's a place not a persons name?
CW
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Okay, I see your point tail wheel. So unspeakable were their actions that their names should never be mentioned.
But, as I said I might be wrong, and would apologise if I cast a slur.
But, as I said I might be wrong, and would apologise if I cast a slur.
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CW (J)
I think its happening all over the country with airports.
To much space.....overall
So is the case with YMEN.
Check YMML
Sorry but nothing will be with us forever.. sad to say
YMEN was a bit (sorry to say 'overbloated') big in terms of area.
Maybe them wanting less GA and more BIZJET isn't so bad.
New plan is to make it big time 'security' by April.
To also rid the curfew and raise the MTOW for a/c ...and plus more RPT..
I hope a pub on the drome will emerge from the new ashes....
I think its happening all over the country with airports.
To much space.....overall
So is the case with YMEN.
Check YMML
Sorry but nothing will be with us forever.. sad to say
YMEN was a bit (sorry to say 'overbloated') big in terms of area.
Maybe them wanting less GA and more BIZJET isn't so bad.
New plan is to make it big time 'security' by April.
To also rid the curfew and raise the MTOW for a/c ...and plus more RPT..
I hope a pub on the drome will emerge from the new ashes....
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......ahhhh yeah the old 'flight deck'.............sheeeez that seems like yonks ago !!..........used to do night joy flights with patrons from that establishment. If they build a pub at EN then where cactus !!!...................the new supermarket there has seen a few extra kg's go on !
KEV9 hate to see what 'big time' security their planning by April, the place is Ni impossible to get into now !
And the damn PAL lighting EN has now, keep popping out of the soup (when twr closed) only to see, well not see the lights !!.........hard to adjust after nearly 30 yrs of flying at EN !
As a kid I used to pedal my bike over to EN leave the bike with the parking guy & just wonder about certain area's of the airport with little resistance not to mention hrs atop the observation deck. I blame those noisy DC9's, F27's & B727 for making me want to fly !
CW
...................the new supermarket there has seen a few extra kg's go on !KEV9 hate to see what 'big time' security their planning by April, the place is Ni impossible to get into now !
And the damn PAL lighting EN has now, keep popping out of the soup (when twr closed) only to see, well not see the lights !!.........hard to adjust after nearly 30 yrs of flying at EN !
As a kid I used to pedal my bike over to EN leave the bike with the parking guy & just wonder about certain area's of the airport with little resistance not to mention hrs atop the observation deck. I blame those noisy DC9's, F27's & B727 for making me want to fly !
CW
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CW
You is old....
Post '56 Olympics...maybe???
About the time most of YMEN went through it's last flowering..
I think the tower which was built ...(could be wrong) about 1956.
The plan includes moving the tower to the end of the southern finger.
By the way the taxiway over the road ain't that unique.
Two other places in the world have it .... trivia .... can you name them???
You is old....
Post '56 Olympics...maybe???
About the time most of YMEN went through it's last flowering..
I think the tower which was built ...(could be wrong) about 1956.
The plan includes moving the tower to the end of the southern finger.
By the way the taxiway over the road ain't that unique.
Two other places in the world have it .... trivia .... can you name them???
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To clear up a nickname or two;
It was Fred Bassett, named after the newspaper cartoon hound and coined by the man himself ,as almost all names were.
Others I remember were: POD,Guy, hangar,Zap,Gumby,the Pin Head,the Trowl,the Rabbit,the Snake, Philistine and "Blood and Guts".
Guy also a lawyer and has his own flying school.
Many of his employees now at majors like: QF,CX,SQ and EK.
Some at smaller operators like KA and VB.
Sheriff in Qld, Russ still around.
I think that Skybird was one of the best possible introductions to aviation.If it didn't happen to you , you would certainly hear about it happening.After Skybird virtually nothing would surprise you.
Best thing about JM was that everybody who went through there had a chance at a job.All you had to do was grab the bull by the horns,grow a skin thick enough to deflect he "incomming knives" and wait.You waited until all the pilots ahead of you ( for some reason or another) became ars-h-le of the day/week/month and then you became the golden boy.A form of seniority,so to speak.
Some people, for one reason or another, didn't stick it out long enough to get over the initial hump. School of hard knocks to a certain extent.
Of course the girls were always "golden" at Skybird, for "various" reasons.
Some hard times there but, there have harder times since.
Some really really funny times.Prefer to remember those.
Think JM started with just 2 planes and ended up with some 20+.
Who remembers?: " It's confirmed! Out there, on the line, Monday morning, 6 Kingairs/Falcons/ citations or whatever!
The demise, well, I have heard a version but, after typing out a fairly detailed piece from my fading memory, I decided that it is best to just let it lie and I deleted it.
I am sure that JM went down fighting and most likely his final insult would have included a big raspberry and a one finger salute.
Fond memories.
If you read this JM,all the best!
It was Fred Bassett, named after the newspaper cartoon hound and coined by the man himself ,as almost all names were.
Others I remember were: POD,Guy, hangar,Zap,Gumby,the Pin Head,the Trowl,the Rabbit,the Snake, Philistine and "Blood and Guts".
Guy also a lawyer and has his own flying school.
Many of his employees now at majors like: QF,CX,SQ and EK.
Some at smaller operators like KA and VB.
Sheriff in Qld, Russ still around.
I think that Skybird was one of the best possible introductions to aviation.If it didn't happen to you , you would certainly hear about it happening.After Skybird virtually nothing would surprise you.
Best thing about JM was that everybody who went through there had a chance at a job.All you had to do was grab the bull by the horns,grow a skin thick enough to deflect he "incomming knives" and wait.You waited until all the pilots ahead of you ( for some reason or another) became ars-h-le of the day/week/month and then you became the golden boy.A form of seniority,so to speak.
Some people, for one reason or another, didn't stick it out long enough to get over the initial hump. School of hard knocks to a certain extent.
Of course the girls were always "golden" at Skybird, for "various" reasons.
Some hard times there but, there have harder times since.
Some really really funny times.Prefer to remember those.
Think JM started with just 2 planes and ended up with some 20+.
Who remembers?: " It's confirmed! Out there, on the line, Monday morning, 6 Kingairs/Falcons/ citations or whatever!
The demise, well, I have heard a version but, after typing out a fairly detailed piece from my fading memory, I decided that it is best to just let it lie and I deleted it.
I am sure that JM went down fighting and most likely his final insult would have included a big raspberry and a one finger salute.
Fond memories.
If you read this JM,all the best!
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..............hey careful KEV9........me not too old, anyway yr age isn't that far away from this 'old man' !
I think yr correct there KEV9, the twr was built for the Olympics (1956)but that's an educated guess..............well uneducated one probably !
I'm not aware of any other a/c xings so plz enlighten us !
"All Spades" I know what JM & GP are up to these days & I have a fair idea of what transpired towards the end of SKYBIRD not the exact reason but I prefer to also let it die.
Am wondering whether some of you out there that where involved with SKYBIRD remember Vh-DVK?...............an older model C150.............I used to be a part owner of it (7 of us I think it was) & we charged ourselves $10 an hr to fly it !!!!.inc fuel !!!!!....still we where all engineers/mechanics I guess:-) Out of the 7 owners I think only 2 of us got thru to ATPL level, would be nice to know of the others if anyone can recall.
CW
man' !I think yr correct there KEV9, the twr was built for the Olympics (1956)but that's an educated guess..............well uneducated one probably !
I'm not aware of any other a/c xings so plz enlighten us !
"All Spades" I know what JM & GP are up to these days & I have a fair idea of what transpired towards the end of SKYBIRD not the exact reason but I prefer to also let it die.
Am wondering whether some of you out there that where involved with SKYBIRD remember Vh-DVK?...............an older model C150.............I used to be a part owner of it (7 of us I think it was) & we charged ourselves $10 an hr to fly it !!!!.inc fuel !!!!!
....still we where all engineers/mechanics I guess:-) Out of the 7 owners I think only 2 of us got thru to ATPL level, would be nice to know of the others if anyone can recall.CW
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CW
Is there a taxiway crossing over a road in WA???
And maybe one in Europe...maybe???
Mind you getting caught waiting for the security gate to re-open can 'grip my ****e' .. hehe
Is there a taxiway crossing over a road in WA???
And maybe one in Europe...maybe???
Mind you getting caught waiting for the security gate to re-open can 'grip my ****e' .. hehe
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Fred Bassett is now based in MEL with CX.
Ahhhh, blood and guts. B 'n' G as he was known. There was a reason for his name.
POD. Still with EAL based in MEL last I heard.
Gunner. Unfortunately met a sad demise in a helicopter.
A lot of fun was had. As tarmac terriers (86+) we had an awesome intro to aviation. Picked up stacks of hours ferrying aircraft around or operating as FO in the cheyanne etc. Great exposure. Hung out as Fallsy blasted off in BSJ or the IPEC DC9 rattled off to LST.
JM was my first boss in aviation. After all these years, it turns out he was actually pretty good. He had a lot of passion for aviation and his business and even his staff when he was in a good mood. Mind you, folks like dickie knee sure ducked a stapler or two being flung at them when JM was pissed off.
Good times. The 4 of us terriers driving around the apron late one night on the tug sticking skybird stickers on EVERY aircraft on the southern apron, Argosy included (needed some airstairs to reach).
Ahhhh, blood and guts. B 'n' G as he was known. There was a reason for his name.
POD. Still with EAL based in MEL last I heard.
Gunner. Unfortunately met a sad demise in a helicopter.
A lot of fun was had. As tarmac terriers (86+) we had an awesome intro to aviation. Picked up stacks of hours ferrying aircraft around or operating as FO in the cheyanne etc. Great exposure. Hung out as Fallsy blasted off in BSJ or the IPEC DC9 rattled off to LST.
JM was my first boss in aviation. After all these years, it turns out he was actually pretty good. He had a lot of passion for aviation and his business and even his staff when he was in a good mood. Mind you, folks like dickie knee sure ducked a stapler or two being flung at them when JM was pissed off.
Good times. The 4 of us terriers driving around the apron late one night on the tug sticking skybird stickers on EVERY aircraft on the southern apron, Argosy included (needed some airstairs to reach).
Don't forget the Skybird US Nay "Top Gun" ace that did the endorsements on the Cheyenne.
Young Sandy at PID yes the landing fee is this and I would prefer cash and you don't need a receipt!
Young Sandy at PID yes the landing fee is this and I would prefer cash and you don't need a receipt!
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........good point "EPIRB".......a reunion might be the go, might look into that seeing as I started this SKYBIRD reminiscing session here where the good 'old days where just that
Watch this space, there will be more
CW
Watch this space, there will be more
CW
Wot about "the Camel"?? Heard he had to marry into a family (or viceversa) but has since given up flying.
Oicur, yes JM my 1st Boss as well, and at the end of the day he went out of his way to give me a few hours in whatever capacity he could. Not too many like him left around. Thanks John!!!!
Blood n' Guts.... still gives me nightmares whenever I think of giving Straight and Level Briefings.(Did he give up flying???)
As for Al W., wot a character!! Hope he is still in good health. Another story of his I recall when he was giving Commercial Final Lectures (which I think I failed more than once!!!).... "Yeah, I remember bak on the nooooiiiyyne(9) 1 nite when we were takin off out of Lonny, and we we went thru a flock of seagulls and fcuk me it smelt like KFC down the back!!"
I think the whole class laughed for the rest of the day.
As an aside, is it true that Kylie M. made her first video (Locomotion??) at Skybird???
Oicur, yes JM my 1st Boss as well, and at the end of the day he went out of his way to give me a few hours in whatever capacity he could. Not too many like him left around. Thanks John!!!!
Blood n' Guts.... still gives me nightmares whenever I think of giving Straight and Level Briefings.(Did he give up flying???)
As for Al W., wot a character!! Hope he is still in good health. Another story of his I recall when he was giving Commercial Final Lectures (which I think I failed more than once!!!).... "Yeah, I remember bak on the nooooiiiyyne(9) 1 nite when we were takin off out of Lonny, and we we went thru a flock of seagulls and fcuk me it smelt like KFC down the back!!"
I think the whole class laughed for the rest of the day.
As an aside, is it true that Kylie M. made her first video (Locomotion??) at Skybird???