TAA Cessna 180's in PNG

[Skywagon1915]

Chimbu, the rudder pedals were stowable, so were folded away mostly. JBM was modified with retractable 450w landing lights and a switching system to copy the Ayres Turbo Thrush we used on night ag operations. The 185 did a lot of night proficiency checks and initial night ag rating's back in those day's.

Both BAM and BAF had been parked for some time if I recall, so that is why I expect that the HF was still in it at the time on it;s delivery flight.

[sixtiesrelic]

Groper and the Pievan went into Mt Gilluwe in 1972 from my memory.

[chimbu warrior]

Your memory is very accurate.

Report here ArchivalWare >>Login

[Skywagon1915]

Some more from the archives A185E-01780 P2-BAM ex VH-MFS.

Any one known Ken Black, is he still about ?



Myself, Kath and kid's at Moree June 1984. It was restored by Dick Rye at Canberra by October 1984.



Parked at Gwdir Air now registered VH-JBM. I recall that BAM was not available at the time and as I had a number of Ayres Thrush's registered in the JB block, so allocated one of those. It had a AWA Van-5 DME installed as well. It was very fast, with the Cargo Pod we flight planned at 145 kts, so I think it would of made over 150 + clean.

[tinhorse]

tinhorse

Skywagon1915 "any one know Ken Black".

Is this the same NZ Ken Black who was Lae based and flying for Co-Air. I think 1978? -I remember standing behind Ken at the check in desk at the
Islander Hotel - Moresby and the two check in chicks totally lost it - peals of laughter and tears in the eyes. When they sort of regained a semblance of decorum one piped up with "nogat masta yu waitpela" - so Ken went along with the joke and signed in as K White.

[mates rates]

Yes that is the same Ken Black.He went from Bougair to Co Air in about 1977.Last saw him a few years ago in TSV.Someone told me he is now an ATO in that area,maybe someone can verify this?

[tinpis]

I think Ken and I did something along the lines of a Ray Reekie IR license course at Ardmore.
Fairly sure we consumed industrial quantities of the lunatic soup in TPNG as well

[skywagondriver]

Skywagon1915

Good pics and memorabilia...thanks for posting.

I arrived in Keita in 1971 to 'compete' with Bougair [read MAF] and didn't exactly get a very 'christian' welcome

[tinpis]

'71 you was young for your age....

[skywagondriver]

Don't know what the is for...
Actually started flying there in '70.

['There' being PNG]

[Skywagon1915]

Welcome to PNG

"arrived in Keita in 1971 to 'compete' with Bougair [read MAF] and didn't exactly get a very 'christian' welcome"

Thanks. Competition is a terrible thing really. Who were you flying for ? What happened for you in 1971 ?

[skywagondriver]

Long story but arrived in Kieta with a C207 as the company I was with [Crowleys] had been told by the DCA use your licence in Bougainville or lose it.

Of course this wasn't welcomed by MAF who had had the island to itself for quite a while...

Welcomed by all the Govt agencies so MAF lost a lot of the charter work and also had to reduce fares as we were very competitive. I was given a free hand so after much 225ing of anything they thought I'd been up to I decided no more 'Mr Nice Guy'

They had a radio schedule of what time they were going to be at strips so I just got there half an hour ahead and cleaned up...this lead to what a laconic TAA F-27 skipper with his arm leaning out witnessing a tarmac altercation to comment "I thought he was going to hit you with his handbag mate"...

There was even a skydiving club set up by a guy at the mine so the 207 and eventually a C205 were used for that...this ended when we realised the Aztec could operate out of most of the strips.

Used to fly Sundays and any religious holiday which they didn't.

Eventually it settled down to an uneasy truce...Roy,one of the pilot/engineers,a fellow Kiwi and a really decent guy used to have a laugh with me...especially when I got my visiting F-in-L to pretend he was a DCA inspector at one of the strips and the flustered pilot reported back to base...

[sixtiesrelic]

Skywagon driver... here's some memories for ya'


The biggest runway on the island.


I suppose you made one of the bois energise this bowser.



Yours truely operating the mechanism. Woulda hated toppin up our '3' from it.


One of your stops with a terminal building?




Was they you down there? I took it 72 or 73

[skywagondriver]

Thanks Sixties...

Thanks for posting...

Seen that last one on your PNG site and often wondered/thought that was me as it looks like a nosewheel type Cessna and think it is 'Sabah' up from Paul Mason's strip at Inus...

In the Kieta photo my 'accommodation' was on the ridge just up from the terminal...real basic but soon shifted to the guest house at Buin...

[frigatebird]

Bougainville 'Panguna' copper mine





Thread drift..
B.C.L. Westwind departing Kieta ahead of us. Before the Westwind they operated a Merlin 3 on the direct flights to and from Brisbane.

[Skywagon1915]

Collected most of the parts required to start restoration of P2-MFU

Have received the Cargo Pod, Engine Cowl set, LH Aileron, RH Door, Engine Mount, Windscreen V-Brace and P-Plonk undercarriage beef up kit. Inbound from the USA is a set of LH & RH Lift Struts, a second RH Door, complete Interior fit out, Front & Rear seat (Bench type), LH Flap, Rudder, Tail Stinger, Tail Spring, LH wing tip and rear fuselage grab handles.

basically

So I have enough items now to complete the fuselage. In addition I have located and got 1st option on a IO-520 engine and Hartzell 3-Blade prop for her. So things are looking good.

[mates rates]

Skywagon
I agree the strip is Sabah.It used to be a golf course during the day, in my time,when not being used as an airport.
And the pilot compound at Kieta just off the airport,it was called "Reboine"(not too sure of the spelling).It didn't take long to get a reserve pilot to work!!

[Skywagon1915]

MAF's P2-MFU unloading ... somewhere in PNG

Hey you guy's have gone quiet on me. Keep the stories coming !

Managed to get this shot of MFU unloading from MAF's Ron Watt's. Ron does'nt recall where it was taken, but it was in MFU's heyday in PNG approximately 1976 ... guitar and all !

[chimbu warrior]

That looks like Telefomin to me.

[Skywagon1915]

MFU at Mount Hagen PNG

Received this photo of MFU in 1985 from Alan Roberts (MAF Pilot) with the aircraft parked at Mount Hagen. This would have been getting towards the end of the C185 era with MAF, when MFU was sold to Brian Bromley at Bensbach Lodge in 1987.