Ansett/TAA Fokker Friendship
That footage is FSX or FS9....it ain't real.
Back to reality...F27 was pretty cool for SLF...just loved those oval windows that allowed you to actually get a view near straight below you. Good touring machine for that reason..who was it that used to run inland tours..Bill Peach wasn't it?
Back to reality...F27 was pretty cool for SLF...just loved those oval windows that allowed you to actually get a view near straight below you. Good touring machine for that reason..who was it that used to run inland tours..Bill Peach wasn't it?
Join Date: Feb 2004
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It was in the early 70's when TN started to operate ASP CNS for tour groups (subsequently a regular service) 'cos Connellan wouldn't guarantee the connection at Mt Isa to Bush Pilots.
Most of the tourist really enjoyed the Heron flights as, I understand, the pilots were very "interesting". Now, I wonder what that meant? Maybe they didn't mind the overnight at ISA!!
Most of the tourist really enjoyed the Heron flights as, I understand, the pilots were very "interesting". Now, I wonder what that meant? Maybe they didn't mind the overnight at ISA!!
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Probably not of too much interest to anyone other than ex TAA F27 F/Os, but Maui mentioned "Progressive Loadsheets" - a love/hate (probably mostly hate) peice of paperwork for the F/Os on the western runs.
This is the top "half" of one - I coudn't post the whole darn thing because of it's size. The idea was to fill this up at each place we dropped into and by adding and subtracting what or who got on or off you had a weight to accurately (you hope) prepare your Loadsheet. If I remember correctly, the idea was to progress across and down the page to get to the bottom right hand corner with "0". If you didn't, it mean't that you screwed up somewhere along the way and had something/someone on a leg which/who was not supposed to be there!!! - and then you had to go back and see if you could find the error. Many "one bar F/O's" on the western runs were obliged to spend almost the entire flight in the flight deck, both in flight and on the ground trying to tame this "beast" - usually by the time you got your second stripe you became an expert and could get off with the skipper to have a natter with the "girls", refueler or the "locals".
Julia Creek 1981 as we have a chat with the "locals" and not even a thought of "Precision Timing Scheduling" - to enable an on-time departure - it's still Tuesday isn't it ??? -
Birdsville on the way to "the Alice" - we almost ended up over nighting here because a certain FO forget to switch the battery off whilst "sightseeing" and the ensuing engine start was very slow and required judicious use of HP Cock metering to keep within the 930C start limit.
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Thanks for sharing that Givelda. More stories please from former F-27 drivers! 
I'll always have a soft spot for them, albeit, from a SLF perspective. The last time I flew on one was in 1999 from Bali to Lombok on Merpati (it's Merpati and I'll die if I want to 
)
On the operational side of things, would the F-27 be equivalent today's Dash 8-300 in terms of weight, performance and pax capacity?
I'll always have a soft spot for them, albeit, from a SLF perspective. The last time I flew on one was in 1999 from Bali to Lombok on Merpati (it's Merpati and I'll die if I want to )On the operational side of things, would the F-27 be equivalent today's Dash 8-300 in terms of weight, performance and pax capacity?
Givelda,
I think that is Windorah in the first photo. They have a new terminal building there now.
The old building use to have a plaque on it saying "Terminal Building, it should die soon".
Some of Bub's humour.
185
I think that is Windorah in the first photo. They have a new terminal building there now.
The old building use to have a plaque on it saying "Terminal Building, it should die soon".
Some of Bub's humour.
185
I'm pretty sure it's not Windorah (it was a long time ago though and my memory is......). I don't recall that TAA operated F27's there but it could be at one of the other towns in western QLD. I can remember going to Quilpie a few times which is kind of nearby - and on one or two occasions having to resort to a square search to find the place as it had no aids (before that word meant something else) and long before GPS days.
I have to head of to work for a few days so I will check back through my log books and see if I can see a mention of Windorah when I get back.
I have to head of to work for a few days so I will check back through my log books and see if I can see a mention of Windorah when I get back.
Join Date: Jul 2008
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All misty about the F-27 myself . First ever flight was in an F-27 ( BIA to the Channel Islands in the UK) and it was a TAA F-27 that carried my family from Melbourne to Wynyard when we emigrated in 1978 ( it was such a big event in Tassie in those days our phot was in the paper).
Might have to track down the afforementioned Airfix kit .
The Pax windows were Fantastic and I loved to sit near the gear too.
Might have to track down the afforementioned Airfix kit .
The Pax windows were Fantastic and I loved to sit near the gear too.
Join Date: Mar 2009
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Can't remember the actual dates or the number of stops as I don't have my logbook with me at time of writing, but in the early sixties as a MEL based TAA F27 F/O I operated several Adelaide - Darwin multi sector flights.
Following an overnight Darwin we then did a Darwin - Dili (Timor) - Darwin, and another overnight before returning to Adelaide via the same northbound sectors.
The reward for this arduous three days was a night stop at the Pier Hotel in ADL and pax home to Melbourne on the following morning's Electra flight, usually lugging a couple of cases of Yalumba wines that had been delivered to the ADL crew room whilst we were up north. Those were the days !
Following an overnight Darwin we then did a Darwin - Dili (Timor) - Darwin, and another overnight before returning to Adelaide via the same northbound sectors.
The reward for this arduous three days was a night stop at the Pier Hotel in ADL and pax home to Melbourne on the following morning's Electra flight, usually lugging a couple of cases of Yalumba wines that had been delivered to the ADL crew room whilst we were up north. Those were the days !
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By George,
FNO it is.
OZBUSDRIVER's assertion that it's not real may need some more explanation I think. Look at the left wingtip 'movement' when it gets affected by the passing aircraft. Looks pretty real to me.
Anyway, that aside.........
Isn't that allowed any more in your present 'gig' George? 
FNO it is.
OZBUSDRIVER's assertion that it's not real may need some more explanation I think. Look at the left wingtip 'movement' when it gets affected by the passing aircraft. Looks pretty real to me.
Anyway, that aside.........
I also remember a very senior chap swap uniforms with one of the female cabin crew, what a sight that was. Where has all the fun gone?
Flew the F27 for Eeenie-Weenies, seem to have hundreds of SYD-PMQ-TRE-SYD, SYD-TMW-ARM-SYD & SYD-GFN-KMP-SYD in the logbook, I believe Australia's first hi-jacking event took place on an F27 in ASP, recollect the offender was shot and killed on the tarmac there, early seventies?
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I believe Australia's first hi-jacking event took place on an F27 in ASP, recollect the offender was shot and killed on the tarmac there, early seventies?
No so, the first recorded was early sixties on a TAA Electra - was resolved by one of the crew concealing the fire axe under his uniform then sneaking up behind the would be hi-jacker and bashing him on the head with it. In the mean time the F/O who fancied himself as a karate exponent was trying to disable the fellow with a few well placed karate chops nearly lost a finger to the fire axe.
After that time all Australian aircraft were fitted with a baton and two pair of police hand cuffs, which were kept in a lock wired and sealed box on the flight deck.
No so, the first recorded was early sixties on a TAA Electra - was resolved by one of the crew concealing the fire axe under his uniform then sneaking up behind the would be hi-jacker and bashing him on the head with it. In the mean time the F/O who fancied himself as a karate exponent was trying to disable the fellow with a few well placed karate chops nearly lost a finger to the fire axe.
After that time all Australian aircraft were fitted with a baton and two pair of police hand cuffs, which were kept in a lock wired and sealed box on the flight deck.
Not allowed to do that these days, book says bolt the door and let the poor girls down the back deal with it. 
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Then there is the famous incident of East West F27 VH-EWL that hit a microburst on approach to Bathurst May 1974. Ended up sliding along on its belly in a paddock near the airport. No one injured but aircraft written off......the end of a beautiful friendship.
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Regarding that U Tube clip. Someone in the Baron knew where the other aircraft was - the camera was held steady through it all. Maybe it was set up and went wrong. Looks like the Co' ie saw the the semi-stationary closing object at the last moment, -or realised the angles were bad..
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The Good Olds
I remember a story that one of the DN FS guys related regarding the DN/AS F27 run that TN used to do, which would be around 1980.
Apparently it was the Captain's birthday and at Dark o'clock, when the F/O was doing the mandatory radio checks, the request went in to DN ground to wish the Captain 'Happy Birthday' on taxi. The name may have been Brian, but I can't remember for sure.
Anyway, the conversation went something like ' Darwin Ground TNQ ready to taxi.'
'TNQ, DN Ground, Happy Birthday Brian (if that was the name), clear to taxi runway 11 etc.'
DN Tower, TNQ ready'
'TNQ, DN Tower, Happy Birthday Brian, clear for take-off etc.
Change to arrivals: 'TNQ, Darwin Control, Happy Birthday Brian.'
And so it went all the way south, through DN FS, Katherine FS, Tennant FS and Alice FS.
Allegedly, the tower guy in Alice said 'Happy Birthday Brian, clear to land.' On ground, nothing was said, apart from callsign acknowledgement, as the aircraft taxied in - till the last moment.
Just before they shut it down, the guy on ground said 'And, oh, by the way, Happy Birthday Brian.'
Them was the days.
Apparently it was the Captain's birthday and at Dark o'clock, when the F/O was doing the mandatory radio checks, the request went in to DN ground to wish the Captain 'Happy Birthday' on taxi. The name may have been Brian, but I can't remember for sure.
Anyway, the conversation went something like ' Darwin Ground TNQ ready to taxi.'
'TNQ, DN Ground, Happy Birthday Brian (if that was the name), clear to taxi runway 11 etc.'
DN Tower, TNQ ready'
'TNQ, DN Tower, Happy Birthday Brian, clear for take-off etc.
Change to arrivals: 'TNQ, Darwin Control, Happy Birthday Brian.'
And so it went all the way south, through DN FS, Katherine FS, Tennant FS and Alice FS.
Allegedly, the tower guy in Alice said 'Happy Birthday Brian, clear to land.' On ground, nothing was said, apart from callsign acknowledgement, as the aircraft taxied in - till the last moment.
Just before they shut it down, the guy on ground said 'And, oh, by the way, Happy Birthday Brian.'
Them was the days.
