YMMB

[gnomie]

Did Campbell-hicks have a daughter that flew also. The Moorabbin Air Museum had a Wackett Trainer, from memory it was red and silver though unsure of the rego. Lovely old shots of Brain and Brown ansons, they metalised one BAF, does anyone know what became of that aircraft. Were B&B also the distributors of the Fuji in Australia?

[Stationair8]

Many thanks for the images Al E.Vator.

Anyone know where or what Jock Gardiner is doing these days?

Prior to YMMB opening, I presume the RVAC was based out of Essendon?

When did Flinders Island Airlines finish operating the Beech 18's?

Must be a few stories to be told about the likes of Arthur Schutt and Fred Blake competing for aircraft sales?

[By George]

1) Jock is still with us, retired but not in good health.

2) Not sure about Bill C-H having a daughter but when he lived in a caravan at Berwick he owned a dog that tried to bite my leg off. I was flying a cargo version of a Fletcher (FU-24A) and running back to the aircraft I had trouble getting onboard quickly enough. The Fletcher was awkward to get into and one dangling leg was slow to get out of the way.

[gnomie]

Very sorry to hear about Jock. He did my restricted PPL flt test what seems like a lifetime ago when he was CFI at Civils and the last time I flew with him was in a BEECH 18(FIE) on a paper run around 1984.
Does anyone have any information on Garth Harris.

[Old but not bold]

What a great thread, many memories and names I had forgotten. My first flight at Moorabbin was for my 10th birthday Nov. 1956, Dad took me down for a flight with his good friend Gertie McKenzie, being too busy she sent me off with her friend in a Hornet Moth, all over grass take off to the East, that flight changed my life for ever. The pilot was the famous aviatrix Freda Thompson.
Roy Goon and later Urms Wright did my checks in the mid sixties at RVAC and in the seventies at Berwick, memories of having to wake Bill Campbell-Hicks, sleeping in the caravan with his friend (Johnny Walker?) to fly Tiger Moth TIG.
Another Mustang at MMB was being prepared for an O/S flight by Ron Flockhart, sadly only made to the nearby hills before being destroyed.
All wonderful memories.

[Stationair8]

Must be a few more tales to tell at YMMB!

Were Civils the Piper agents at once stage?

[gnomie]

From memory Civils were the piper distributors in the early seventies for a short time, they had PA28-140' CTK & CTY on line as well as a PA28-235 BJO and comanche BSL. Not sure of the time line but they probably had the dealership prior to Fred Blake who later took over Flinders Island Airlines. A company called Pipeair owned by racing car champion Bill Patterson was the first Piper dealer that I can recall, others may have more information.

[Old but not bold]

From vague recollections it was Racing Driver Bib Stillwell that took over Brooks Aviation in 1962 and turned it into Civil in 1967. I seem to remember new Beechcraft Aircraft down near the pine trees and I am sure Civil's were, amonst other things, the Beechcraft Agents. VH-BIB was a new Beech 65 that impressed me greatly.

[emeritus]

I was associated with Pipeair shortly after the company started. Bill Paterson bought McKenzie Flying School, obtained the Piper agency and hung his shingle up.
Bill Parow was CFI, Roy Goon who I recall was Gerties CFI must have retired.
This was late 61 according to my log book.

Bib Stillwell started his training with Pipeair on the Cherokee in Jan of 62 and I was lucky to be his instructor. Have never found another pupil with the natural talent that man had..

Bib shortly after bought Brookes Aviation and obtained the Beechcraft agency which p*ssed Paterson off mightily as he was expecting to flog him a Comanche.

Anyone know what eventually happened to Pipeair? I only stayed there till june 62...Paterson apparently did not like me cancelling flying with ab initio pupils in howling northerlies.

Emeritus

[gnomie]

The late 60's & 70's was certainly full of characters and some really interesting aircraft. It was also the time when a young Rob Fox started snapping aircraft, Dave Prossor (Australian Aviation warbirds)and aviation historian Neil Follett could also be found around Moorabbin.

Does the Moorabbin Air Museum still have the Fairey Firefly among its exhibits, I remember seeing it arrive at YMMB on its last flight having been purchased from the government by the old tender/disposal system. What an impressive aircraft from a young kids perspective.

[gnomie]

Does anyone have any information on Darcy Hogan an ATCer from the 70's & 80's.

[airspace alpha]

Pipeair. Debbie Fanning's beautiful Pa22 Tripacer VH-MTS, which is still based at Moorabbin, carries a plaque on the exterior of the RH door that reads:

"Pipeair Pty Ltd. Piper aircraft dealer for Victoria and Tasmania. More people have bought Piper than any other plane"

VH MTS was registered on the 28th March 1958 and she is still going strong. A round the bay flight with her this late afternoon with the setting sun turning the evening golden is part of the joy of flight.

[gnomie]

Does anyone have information on what may have become of Tiger Moths DFJ once owned by an Alan Blainey and GMC previously a McKenzie Flying School aircraft and then later owned by Colin Hanson, also Auster KBI which from memory at some stage belonged to a syndicate, however also did glider towing at Bachus Marsh or Benalla.

[Old but not bold]

Gnomie,
good question, all three are still on register and flying.
Tiger DFJ is owned by Borg Sorensen and flies out of Tyabb
Tiger GMC is owned by a fellow in Carnegie.
Auster KBI is owned by Phil McMahon of Gatton Qld.
cheers

[Stationair8]

One for the old timers, why would Australian Air Charters PA-31/310 MBY been used as an air ambulance and carry Red Cross markings, in the early 1970's?

Didn't Executive Airlines hold the contract by then using Aerocommanders?

The photo is part of the Ed Coates collection.

[By George]

Navajo VH-MBY was contracted to fly blood products to Darwin immediately after Cyclone Tracy in '74 for the Red Cross. It was a Charter not a contract.
Out of all the AAC Navajos, MBY was the least likeable to fly, wouldn't sit on the step like the others and was five knots slower.

[Stationair8]

Thanks for that info.

Would have been an interesting charter for somebody to do over the Christmas break.

[LowEnergyFlyer]

3DB Seabee. . .

Hi HH,

YES. . . I remember the tadpole well, . . .I ought to, as I quoted the burgers originally to supply the aircraft graphics, but obviously did NOT have the correct Masonic handshake and some other company got the job. ( Perhaps my quote was a bit high - dunno. . . ? ? ? )

I remember it taxying in after landing and the pilot obviously applied too much brake for some reason and it tipped up onto it's nose for a few seconds before crashing back down again, much to the mirth of myself and "Mr. Cropduster extraordinaire " David Squirrell, who was working there as a flying instructor a the time. . . ( Both of us refugees from Casey Airfield at Berwick. . . )

[kabukiman]

I'm doing my CPL training now. Fly every week out of YMMB

One of the reasons I decided to learn to fly here was because it is so busy. I live ten minutes away from YMEN.

Had many great experiences flying in and out of this place. I still get surprises sometimes

The controllers are generally very nice and helpful

*edit: the RVAC maintenance crew are very very nice and helpful. Refuellers are top blokes too

[kabukiman]

From the Moorabbin Airport website, some overhead shots of the airport over the years. 1955, 1960, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1990 and 1996.

Look at the current Google Earth image to see the development that has taken place around the airport.

Is Runway 22 of any use anymore?

I have never seen 22 used as anything but a quick way to vacate another runway. The reason I was told was because of the factories that have popped up on the eastern side of the field.