Darwin in the 80's
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Does Flick still operate an aircraft these days out of darwin to do the Aboriginial communities? Used to be a means of getting a start in Darwin, the only downside was spending lots of time in the communities.
Whatever happened to old Karl that was Ossie agent at Mannigrida?
Whatever happened to old Karl that was Ossie agent at Mannigrida?
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S8,
Karl was still in Maningrida whenever I passed through there last year. On one ocassion I had to get him out of his cave and into the sunlight to help me refuel an aircraft. I think he visibly deteriorated every minute he was in the sun.
Karl was still in Maningrida whenever I passed through there last year. On one ocassion I had to get him out of his cave and into the sunlight to help me refuel an aircraft. I think he visibly deteriorated every minute he was in the sun.
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Does Flick still operate an aircraft these days out of darwin to do the Aboriginial communities?
I actually did a week of flying for them earlier this year on a C172RG and had a great time. They are still always looking for low hour pilots due to the rapid recruitment around the traps these days, and the experience / pay for a low time driver are great. In my week I did about 10 hours logbook all across Arnhem and made about $1500 cash for my troubles. Was a great refresher as I had not flown up here for at least 5 years. I think their aircraft of choice changes depending on whats available for private hire and I know that they've used a mixture of 182s 210s in the not so distant past (a mate of mine did it for about a year round about 2002 and ended up getting his spray ticket which allowed him to round up work and run trips by himself. Was a great way to earn cash and still do a couple hundred hours for the year while hitting the traps looking for his first charter gig).
As for Karl, yep he's still there. His vege garden next to the apron has fallen into decline, but his little shop at the *ahem* terminal is still going strong. I have it on good advice though to keep away from the pies....
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S8,
Never knew about the WW2 bit. A real survivor given the loss rate that lot suffered towards the end of the war.
The Murray Pest Control Baron 55 was looking more & more decrepit every time I visited Darwin. Mind you it didn't look that good when I was first in Darwin back in 2000.
Never knew about the WW2 bit. A real survivor given the loss rate that lot suffered towards the end of the war.
The Murray Pest Control Baron 55 was looking more & more decrepit every time I visited Darwin. Mind you it didn't look that good when I was first in Darwin back in 2000.
Silly Old Git
Karl sounds like he may have been the groundsman at Gove in '73-4 when I was going in there with the P1GGs
I asked him about the Mohicans layin about all over his immaculate lawns and gardens, his reply was "Oh ja, vell it iss verboten to trap und shootz zem all ja?"
I asked him about the Mohicans layin about all over his immaculate lawns and gardens, his reply was "Oh ja, vell it iss verboten to trap und shootz zem all ja?"
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Karl is still alive and kicking in Maningrida! He has been there for 37 years. Almost blind aswell as a lot of other health problems. He ran away from the WWII from germany and came to Maningrida. He showed me a spot on his head the other day where he was shot and the bullet knicked the side of his head. had it not been for his helmet...
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Pretty much. Maggots and roaches having a field day in the food left on mattresses that I wouldn't consider fit for a dog. Rats rats rats and more rats. I still shudder when I think of the kitchen and the bathroom in one of the houses. I've done a fair amount of community work as a personal carer in some dirt poor areas in one of our capital cities and never saw anything like it until I got to YMGD. 
I'll be the first to admit that those conditions are far from universal, yet even just one house (with 15 inhabitants) with those conditions would be unacceptable anywhere else in this country.
I'll be the first to admit that those conditions are far from universal, yet even just one house (with 15 inhabitants) with those conditions would be unacceptable anywhere else in this country.
Enjoyed the thread, many memories !
Had a good catch up with Eddie Keen and Bolle (RG), G English and other Darwin old boys at the College Lawn in Melbourne, November. As usual Eddie left early and thats all I remember !
I was with A North 89-91 and while mostly in Katherine, recall excellent feeds at the BARTAS social club on Groote, Linda and the ANorth crew house in DRW, the Timber Creek races fly in, and sadly searching for Fox's FA18.
Regards Diggers
Had a good catch up with Eddie Keen and Bolle (RG), G English and other Darwin old boys at the College Lawn in Melbourne, November. As usual Eddie left early and thats all I remember !
I was with A North 89-91 and while mostly in Katherine, recall excellent feeds at the BARTAS social club on Groote, Linda and the ANorth crew house in DRW, the Timber Creek races fly in, and sadly searching for Fox's FA18.
Regards Diggers
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I was there in the early nineties:
Canonball run with the warf having all the cars for their inspection then to the quarter mile drags.
Racing a go cart around the tie downs then hiding back in execs hangar with airport security on the hunt for the people responsible.
Pilots and engineers on the wings, fues of a queenair with the strippers flaunting all.
Destitute pawn and prwn nights.
Bonent surfing on someones valiant from the hangar to the destitute and falling off a few times.
Having a random walk up to you in the streets and ask if you want to buy or if have any weed.
Endless cartoons of crownies on friday nights at execs office.
Indoor cricket with the guys from rossair.
Drinking more then I ever had and paying for less alcohol then I ever have or will.
Talking my way out of trafic offences. (which you could back then)
When slaves were the normal right of passage and you enjoyed it without the whine.
Fishing in Lee creek going past croc traps bigger then your boat.
Jock rot, we all had it.
Animal bar at Gove.(Scary s#@t)
Well thats my memories.
CE
Canonball run with the warf having all the cars for their inspection then to the quarter mile drags.
Racing a go cart around the tie downs then hiding back in execs hangar with airport security on the hunt for the people responsible.
Pilots and engineers on the wings, fues of a queenair with the strippers flaunting all.
Destitute pawn and prwn nights.
Bonent surfing on someones valiant from the hangar to the destitute and falling off a few times.
Having a random walk up to you in the streets and ask if you want to buy or if have any weed.
Endless cartoons of crownies on friday nights at execs office.
Indoor cricket with the guys from rossair.
Drinking more then I ever had and paying for less alcohol then I ever have or will.
Talking my way out of trafic offences. (which you could back then)
When slaves were the normal right of passage and you enjoyed it without the whine.
Fishing in Lee creek going past croc traps bigger then your boat.
Jock rot, we all had it.
Animal bar at Gove.(Scary s#@t)
Well thats my memories.
CE
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What a bunch of memories! I remember being told about the guys in the tower racing down as an Air North (I think) Chieftan was taxying past on Alpha with a bunch of tourists on board who'd just been out Kakadu way. The boys, apparently, had made up score-cards, like they have at the diving at the Olyimpics. They raised scores, right on the edge of the taxyway, in succession, of 6 out of 10, 7 and 3 related to the landing. When asked by the tourists "what was that all about?' the pilot, who went on to fly with TAA, said "they're my mates and they always update me on the cricket score."
I think the guy was known as "Maddo", but can't be sure.
I think the guy was known as "Maddo", but can't be sure.