Blast from the Past: Eastwest Airlines
The F28's had more lives than a cat.
Having scattered in the wind in 1989 I found myself 10 years later doing a test flight and acceptance checks on Air Niuginis 'NEW' F28 that we were purchasing from Flight West.
They could no longer operate in Australia due to the Stage 3 noise Regulations.
Air Niugini though had a 2 year dispensation care of a little PNG-Australian Government agreement to accommodate some new 'visitors' to Australia's shores on one of PNG's finest tropical islands (Manus).
Anyway as the air stair door opened of the newly painted all white Air Niugini F28 I spied that the back of the last step in the air stair which extends just as the door approaches the tarmac was still painted in that brilliant green that East West was famous for.
Both a very wide smile for what was and a twinge of anger for what had occurred.
That green step lasted for as long as I did in PNG.
The F28's are no longer flying in PNG but I truly hope they were given one more life somewhere else.
Nicest aircraft I ever flew.
Having scattered in the wind in 1989 I found myself 10 years later doing a test flight and acceptance checks on Air Niuginis 'NEW' F28 that we were purchasing from Flight West.
They could no longer operate in Australia due to the Stage 3 noise Regulations.
Air Niugini though had a 2 year dispensation care of a little PNG-Australian Government agreement to accommodate some new 'visitors' to Australia's shores on one of PNG's finest tropical islands (Manus).
Anyway as the air stair door opened of the newly painted all white Air Niugini F28 I spied that the back of the last step in the air stair which extends just as the door approaches the tarmac was still painted in that brilliant green that East West was famous for.
Both a very wide smile for what was and a twinge of anger for what had occurred.
That green step lasted for as long as I did in PNG.
The F28's are no longer flying in PNG but I truly hope they were given one more life somewhere else.
Nicest aircraft I ever flew.
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Devonport Tasmania Australia
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Devonport Airport was in its glee when Eenie Weeny and AN/WX were operating.
On one particular day we has 2 EW F28s and one F27 plus that WX flying heaemorage FKD on the deck with another F28 joining the circuit.
Kings cup rowing at Lake Barrington from memory and we were running like crazy.
Great crews, great ground staff and even better times.
One of the prettiest flights I have ever done was DPO HBA in a F28-4000, just on sundown over the Lakes. Absolutely stunning.
The scream of Darts and the crackle of Speys are blazed in the memories of all who worked on or around the girls.
Real aeroplane noise!!
Best all
EWL
On one particular day we has 2 EW F28s and one F27 plus that WX flying heaemorage FKD on the deck with another F28 joining the circuit.
Kings cup rowing at Lake Barrington from memory and we were running like crazy.
Great crews, great ground staff and even better times.
One of the prettiest flights I have ever done was DPO HBA in a F28-4000, just on sundown over the Lakes. Absolutely stunning.
The scream of Darts and the crackle of Speys are blazed in the memories of all who worked on or around the girls.
Real aeroplane noise!!
Best all
EWL
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kerikeri, New Zealand or Noosa Queensland. Depending on the time of year!
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Would one of you EWA enthusiasts be Charley W who gained his license at the SCAC Albion Park ? If so drop me an email Charley, it would be great to catch up. Cheers 
Join Date: Aug 2000
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When AN decided to run DPO - MEL with the 28, while EW was still running the 27. Sitting at DPO one morning, watched 5 or 6 pax board the 27, while we were full. This was probably part of the long term plan to control EW by the ownwr of AN.
The NW coast was very well looked after in those days, minimun a F27, and or a F28. DPO - SY was a popular route and indeed atrracted pax from LST and the far NW coast.
Burnie council pressured AN to run the 28 out of Wynyard at least two days a week, as their passenger numbers dropped noticeably on the days that the 28 was operating out of DPO.
A interesting time that the NW coast won't see again!
The NW coast was very well looked after in those days, minimun a F27, and or a F28. DPO - SY was a popular route and indeed atrracted pax from LST and the far NW coast.
Burnie council pressured AN to run the 28 out of Wynyard at least two days a week, as their passenger numbers dropped noticeably on the days that the 28 was operating out of DPO.
A interesting time that the NW coast won't see again!
judge.oversteer, information passed onto Brian Raven via various sources.
Send me a private e-mail if you want Brian's adress.
An old FSO told me a story about the Ansett NSW and East-West pilots playing games in their F28's giving dodgy DME's etc, and that resulted in an F28 finishing up on the upwind leg of the circuit at 10,000'!
Send me a private e-mail if you want Brian's adress.
An old FSO told me a story about the Ansett NSW and East-West pilots playing games in their F28's giving dodgy DME's etc, and that resulted in an F28 finishing up on the upwind leg of the circuit at 10,000'!
An old FSO told me a story about the Ansett NSW and East-West pilots playing games in their F28's giving dodgy DME's etc, and that resulted in an F28 finishing up on the upwind leg of the circuit at 10,000'
The aforementioned Charlie W, native of Stoke, who escaped from the steelworks to train at Albion Park and piled up the ripping yarns as he progressed from Wagga Air Taxis (Brian aka 'Andy' Cairns) and EWA , then after the war, various DNA and Leech B737 exercises, was a hoot to fly with. When Thatcher gave the Arjoes 2 days to quit the Falklands, Chas and I were heading up to Maroochy with the door open on the Frugal so folk could wander up and take in the splendid view of the coast. One visitor was a quietly spoken dark complexioned young lady with a strong Latin accent. 'So where are you from?' asks Chas. 'I am from Argentina.' 'Is that so, well you don't have 2 days or even 2 hours to get off my aeroplane. We'll kick you off in half an hour. Count yourself lucky.' 'Oh pleez. I am not... what you call ? ....political.'
Another time en route home from Norfolk Is. (aka 'no poke') he's gazing out his window silently pondering something and finally turns and inclines his head and says in cultured tones, 'You know what my friend ? ..... we really have only one thing to look forward to - our nostalgia.'
And loco, remember the time when you had some trouble with a Swede was it who'd been to Rowallan for the rowing and is at the stairs and too shickered to climb them and Chas is demanding some decisive action out his window at the same time harranging the quiet mild mannnered Richard B in the R seat to hop out and sort it out. As Chas described it , Richard had switched off and was fixatedly stairing at the centre of his wheel, counting the screw heads, like the pig farmer in 'The Road to Nhill' , staring stolidly at the end of his broken shovel.
Today, for the old brigade, shades of the old EWA , later referred to when the firm was in the horrible Hungarian's grasp, as Least Best Airlines, fulfil in many ways Chas's nostalgic prophecy.
(Oh, and postscript, do you know how to make an Hungarian omlette? First - steal two eggs.)
Another time en route home from Norfolk Is. (aka 'no poke') he's gazing out his window silently pondering something and finally turns and inclines his head and says in cultured tones, 'You know what my friend ? ..... we really have only one thing to look forward to - our nostalgia.'
And loco, remember the time when you had some trouble with a Swede was it who'd been to Rowallan for the rowing and is at the stairs and too shickered to climb them and Chas is demanding some decisive action out his window at the same time harranging the quiet mild mannnered Richard B in the R seat to hop out and sort it out. As Chas described it , Richard had switched off and was fixatedly stairing at the centre of his wheel, counting the screw heads, like the pig farmer in 'The Road to Nhill' , staring stolidly at the end of his broken shovel.
Today, for the old brigade, shades of the old EWA , later referred to when the firm was in the horrible Hungarian's grasp, as Least Best Airlines, fulfil in many ways Chas's nostalgic prophecy.
(Oh, and postscript, do you know how to make an Hungarian omlette? First - steal two eggs.)
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kerikeri, New Zealand or Noosa Queensland. Depending on the time of year!
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Hi fantome,
As one who enjoyed Charlie's company and wit at both Albion Park and Wagga, can you shed any light as to his current location or contact. Would really like to catch up with him and some of the others who shared the same route to success. Cheers Exaviator.
As one who enjoyed Charlie's company and wit at both Albion Park and Wagga, can you shed any light as to his current location or contact. Would really like to catch up with him and some of the others who shared the same route to success. Cheers Exaviator.
I think you will find Chas is living in Wagga.Don't know anymore details.I used to love it when you flew with Charles and Gilesie "any chance of a cup of tea for a couple of weary travellers"?
First ride in an Eenie Weenies plane was in a DC-3 out of Inverell in 1960, flown by Kevin Crowe and the famous A-A-A-A-Chris Braund, he of the s-s-s-stammer which has made it into many magazines. (Chris owned 2 Mustangs which he used to fly to country airshows. His "orbit" of the Harbour Bridge gave the DCA heartburn.)
Because my father used to fly with Kevin, I got to stand between the seats up front and listen in on a spare headset. Before descent to Sydney, I returned to my seat to find that the girl in the next seat had barfed copiously all over my empty seat. EEeeeeeew!
Kevin's son Geoff also joined EWA and was in the C&T section.
Because my father used to fly with Kevin, I got to stand between the seats up front and listen in on a spare headset. Before descent to Sydney, I returned to my seat to find that the girl in the next seat had barfed copiously all over my empty seat. EEeeeeeew!
Kevin's son Geoff also joined EWA and was in the C&T section.
