Favorite Experiences in Aviation
Was great fun, miss it, but DO NOT MISS the Bay of Bengal at 0400 local
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Somewhere
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Having a go in a Stearman 
Didn't get to land it but bugger me was it fun.
First time in a taildragger, first time in an open cockpit and first time in a radial. Oh yeah!
Didn't get to land it but bugger me was it fun.
First time in a taildragger, first time in an open cockpit and first time in a radial. Oh yeah!
I don't think any sane person could ever miss the Bay of Bengal- or Indian ATC, let alone their HF!!!! 
On the other hand I have great memories of a couple of 210's chasing each other around the clouds after dropping off the newspapers, Sunsets at altitude where you get the whole ROYGBIV spectrum topped off by a crescent moon, and a pre first light departure from BKT to BRL in a Kiowa and working out the G/S as 160kts- (much less pumping from the drum required)!!!!!! There are many wonderful moments, and no doubt will be many more. Every flight offers a new experience, if its at FLXX or at 50 ft!
On the other hand I have great memories of a couple of 210's chasing each other around the clouds after dropping off the newspapers, Sunsets at altitude where you get the whole ROYGBIV spectrum topped off by a crescent moon, and a pre first light departure from BKT to BRL in a Kiowa and working out the G/S as 160kts- (much less pumping from the drum required)!!!!!! There are many wonderful moments, and no doubt will be many more. Every flight offers a new experience, if its at FLXX or at 50 ft!
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: lapbandland
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The challenge
Still hard at it, but now doing it for fun.
Occasionally travelling on public transport
seeing the earthbound in their daily struggle.
0400 airborne in anything, nothing beats it.
Still hard at it, but now doing it for fun.
Occasionally travelling on public transport
seeing the earthbound in their daily struggle.
0400 airborne in anything, nothing beats it.
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Australia
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Flying with a student over Bribie Island in QLD. We get down to 500'AGL and witness this bloke absolutely pounding his missus, both starkers about 50 meters in from the beach. Needless to say my student couldn't see, so you guessed it, he hooks it round to have a look, so now orbitting over the top. They didn't budge. Farking funny.
Farking funny.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Mel-burn
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Getting that once in a life time phone call from the police, "hey the police chopper is out of action, we need you in your aircraft to help catch an escaped and crazed gunman running in a suburban street with a high powered rifle."
Not the normal phone call to receive at the aeroclub car during beer o'clock on a Sunday arvo.
Not the normal phone call to receive at the aeroclub car during beer o'clock on a Sunday arvo.
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Australia
Age: 63
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My most memorable (from a few) would be a round-Australia trip in a DC-3 (as crew) and a good bunch in the back, never flying above about 1500 ft agl (due to the constant 10 knot headwind) and seeing parts of this country at various times of the day (and then seeing other parts of it when we got to where we were going). 3 and 1/2 weeks that will never be erased from the memory.....oh and the other good thing.....I got paid to do it!!!
Second was first solo - C-150 VH-KXJ August 1976 and then first solo in a helo - VH-KZR August 2000, (with as a coincidence VH-KXJ (CRJ this time) the only other aircraft in the circut with me....!)
Tinkicker
Second was first solo - C-150 VH-KXJ August 1976 and then first solo in a helo - VH-KZR August 2000, (with as a coincidence VH-KXJ (CRJ this time) the only other aircraft in the circut with me....!)
Tinkicker
Join Date: Jul 2005
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During high school, in the Christmas holidays - 1 day after 1st solo - chasing my old man around in gliders - he was in a Pilatus and I was trying to chase him in a K13!! (Just short of silver C that day - filled up all my barf bags due airsickness and had to land....
). Never been air sick since...
). Never been air sick since...
Man Bilong Balus long PNG
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Looking forward to returning to Japan soon but in the meantime continuing the never ending search for a bad bottle of Red!
Age: 69
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Tracking from Kerema to Mt Hagen and climbing up through 12,000' in cloud, finally popping up into crystal clear air around 12,300' and seeing Mt Wilhelm to the right of track.
The summit was still over 2,000' above me and even though it was over 60 miles away I felt that I could almost reach out and touch it.
Still remember 18 years later, the chill that ran up my spine when first seeing it.
The summit was still over 2,000' above me and even though it was over 60 miles away I felt that I could almost reach out and touch it.
Still remember 18 years later, the chill that ran up my spine when first seeing it.
Only had a couple of years or so in GA so far, but plenty of memorable experiences in that time. Being on short final over a railway line which runs in line with the runway at a strip near Auckland in a Super Cub with a train passing directly underneath (at about the same speed as the Cub too) ranks among the best.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Australia
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Cape Leveque.
Zooming up the coast from Broome in the 210 at 500, shark/whale spotting then overflying the sand runway at Cape Leveque, joining the downwind out over the crystal clear, blue sea, turn back for an approach in over sunset beach.....great place to go for a bit of camping!
BP.
BP.
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: South Pacific
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Sitting in the company Boeing, halfway down the back, plenty of room, being served wine by a girl who also crewed on my flights, going back to Fiji after a short break. And as we climbed up between the layers with the setting sun behind and the darkening sky ahead, the sunlight lighting up the ripples in the layer underneath and the underside of the higher layer were all lit in a reddish-golden glow. (about the time of the volcanic eruptions in Indonesia) Gradually the light faded as we sped eastward into the blackness, then later, on top, the sight from the window was stars up and over and moonlight reflecting on the cloudtops below.
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Australia
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Finishing my ATPL's and recieving my new license 2 weeks later 
Getting the tractor wheels on the shrike and grand commander to greese and pull up in 200meters always puts a smile on my face
Getting the tractor wheels on the shrike and grand commander to greese and pull up in 200meters always puts a smile on my face