RACNSW in 'De Good Ole Days'....
Thread Starter
RACNSW in 'De Good Ole Days'....
A few 'memories' of the Good Ole Days at RACNSW BK, when it was a 'full of vitality, enthusiastic, organisation....and men were men.....and the 'Chippy' was the mainstay trainer for some, and the PA-24 Comanche was the 'new kid on the block'.....
And, some 'memories', like all good stories, sometimes have a 'dark' side.....
And although some of the people concerned would have 'passed on' by now,
'some' stories are not for these esteemed pages - and they are no doubt, the more 'interesting' ones......some humourous - and some not!
I mean, who can remember playing 'fighters and bombers' with the aid of a bucket in the middle of the floor of the bar...??
And the lovely Sunday evening dinner dances when 'Betty' was the manager of the classic 'country club' dining room - The one with the very large photo of Kingsford Smith in the Southern Cross cockpit, and the huge fireplace and the trophies.....
Those were some very nice nights!
In the time I was there, Pat Galagher was the CFI, and he could turn a Chippy inside out - so it seemed.
VH-RSK was his favourite.
I had the pleasure of doing my First Solo in RSK, with Bill Lord, the 2.I.C.'....
Well...that's a start
Cheers
And, some 'memories', like all good stories, sometimes have a 'dark' side.....
And although some of the people concerned would have 'passed on' by now,
'some' stories are not for these esteemed pages - and they are no doubt, the more 'interesting' ones......some humourous - and some not!
I mean, who can remember playing 'fighters and bombers' with the aid of a bucket in the middle of the floor of the bar...??
And the lovely Sunday evening dinner dances when 'Betty' was the manager of the classic 'country club' dining room - The one with the very large photo of Kingsford Smith in the Southern Cross cockpit, and the huge fireplace and the trophies.....
Those were some very nice nights!
In the time I was there, Pat Galagher was the CFI, and he could turn a Chippy inside out - so it seemed.
VH-RSK was his favourite.
I had the pleasure of doing my First Solo in RSK, with Bill Lord, the 2.I.C.'....
Well...that's a start
Cheers
Remember Vic Schuback who instructed there in 1947. He subsequently flew Hudsons and DC3 newspaper aircraft of the Sydney Morning Herald Flying Services based at Camden. Later a captain with East West Airlines. Died two years ago in Sydney.
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1962, Pat was my testing officer for the first AOPA flying scholarship, got a College of Knowlege Comercial course as third place.
Tom Young was AOPA president, stayed in the accomodation.
Trip from Perth was in an Electra, Viscount via Melbourne, back direct in a DC-6 all an adventure in 1962 as a 18 year bare private licence.
Jees I am getting on.
Tom Young was AOPA president, stayed in the accomodation.
Trip from Perth was in an Electra, Viscount via Melbourne, back direct in a DC-6 all an adventure in 1962 as a 18 year bare private licence.
Jees I am getting on.
Thread Starter
The 'College of Knowledge'.....
Still have the Private and the Commercial Courses in a box.
Went into the city to Clarence St (SY) to meet Mr Roy Corbett, Principal I think, a couple of times to discuss some answers....
Did the November '65 CPL Exams at Bondi Pavilion.
Cheers
Still have the Private and the Commercial Courses in a box.
Went into the city to Clarence St (SY) to meet Mr Roy Corbett, Principal I think, a couple of times to discuss some answers....
Did the November '65 CPL Exams at Bondi Pavilion.
Cheers
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Did my Commercial at Illawarra but used to head up to the Aero Club in it's final days for a beer.........So my only memory of there is a parmy and schooner of new and my feet sticking to the carpet wherever I walked 
It wasn't real flash in it's final days Griffo!
It wasn't real flash in it's final days Griffo!
Griffo
I deleted the other thread on the RAC of NSW, I didn't notice until afterwards, that you had started an RAC thread, shortly before me.
Cheers
AA
Cheers
AA
Last edited by angry ant; 23rd Feb 2012 at 12:55.
Griffo
Mr. Roy Corbett was the Chief writer of the courses , he passed away many years ago. RIP.
The Chief of the Office and majority owner was Mr. Peter Kelly, an old friend of mine. He passed away in June 2010. RIP.
I started work at the College on a Mon. in March, 1970 and was having lunch with him at the Gresham Hotel, opposite the Syd. Town Hall, when a Very Senior Captain from AAPNG came to see Pete, I was introduced to him, he thought for a few moments and asked me if I had applied for a job there, I said, yes. He asked if I had received a telegram from the Chief Pilot, Capt. Dick Glassey,asking me to contact him at his Syd. Hotel, I said, No.
We all had lunch and just as he was leaving, he said, well do you want it, I said, want what, he said the Bloody job. YES PLEASE. What else could say.
Irate binatang
AA
The Chief of the Office and majority owner was Mr. Peter Kelly, an old friend of mine. He passed away in June 2010. RIP.
I started work at the College on a Mon. in March, 1970 and was having lunch with him at the Gresham Hotel, opposite the Syd. Town Hall, when a Very Senior Captain from AAPNG came to see Pete, I was introduced to him, he thought for a few moments and asked me if I had applied for a job there, I said, yes. He asked if I had received a telegram from the Chief Pilot, Capt. Dick Glassey,asking me to contact him at his Syd. Hotel, I said, No.
We all had lunch and just as he was leaving, he said, well do you want it, I said, want what, he said the Bloody job. YES PLEASE. What else could say.
Irate binatang
AA
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Fond memories of the place. Some names from the logbook of member F1046.
Circa 1970's;
W Lord. VH RSQ DH C1
C Gibbons. VH RSQ DH C1
D Lewis. VH RSN PA 28
S Mobbs. VH MRH C210T
S Jones. VH RSL PA 28
R Williams. VH DSG C177
D Goodwin. VH DHT B33
A Aiken. VH DSG C177
W Gengos. VH MRH C210T
R Clamback. VH MNG C210
From Circa 1950-60's. Not all from log book, not all from RAC;
P Gallagher.
H treloer.
E Veitch.
Tony Fisher.
D Morris.
R Rutherford.
J McDonald.
B Walker
G Grandt.
R McLean.
D Grant.
L McIver.
K Endacott.
A Olsson.
S Marshall.
K May.
D Fawcett.
K Andrews.
Circa 1970's;
W Lord. VH RSQ DH C1
C Gibbons. VH RSQ DH C1
D Lewis. VH RSN PA 28
S Mobbs. VH MRH C210T
S Jones. VH RSL PA 28
R Williams. VH DSG C177
D Goodwin. VH DHT B33
A Aiken. VH DSG C177
W Gengos. VH MRH C210T
R Clamback. VH MNG C210
From Circa 1950-60's. Not all from log book, not all from RAC;
P Gallagher.
H treloer.
E Veitch.
Tony Fisher.
D Morris.
R Rutherford.
J McDonald.
B Walker
G Grandt.
R McLean.
D Grant.
L McIver.
K Endacott.
A Olsson.
S Marshall.
K May.
D Fawcett.
K Andrews.
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Great Memories
Had my first lesson in FTA with Pat Gallagher in early 62. Lived and worked at the club during 63, an education for a young chap.
Remember K Wycherley, G Layton, A Kell.
Wednesday night night flying always provided an entertaining time at the bar after the flying finished.
Remember K Wycherley, G Layton, A Kell.
Wednesday night night flying always provided an entertaining time at the bar after the flying finished.
Last edited by ANCIENT; 22nd Feb 2012 at 06:09. Reason: Registration correction
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Hi All,
Great thread and great memories.
My father's first civilian job after the RAAF was instructing at the RAC of NSW, then it was my first 'paying' job about 30 years later.
It's sad that the RAC of NSW is no longer with us. (Although I've still got the tie.)
Cheers,
Owen
Owen Zupp
My Aviation Blog
Great thread and great memories.
My father's first civilian job after the RAAF was instructing at the RAC of NSW, then it was my first 'paying' job about 30 years later.
It's sad that the RAC of NSW is no longer with us. (Although I've still got the tie.)
Cheers,
Owen
Owen Zupp
My Aviation Blog
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How about:
Ray McClelland,
Steve Peck
Len Moran
John Lysaght
Keith Fitton
Ross Davies
Bill Whitworth
C Randall
Kell, was Arthur
Ray McClelland,
Steve Peck
Len Moran
John Lysaght
Keith Fitton
Ross Davies
Bill Whitworth
C Randall
Kell, was Arthur
Last edited by clotted; 23rd Feb 2012 at 00:39.
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Royal Aero Club
It stirs the nostalgia and fond memories of the days when Bankstown Airport was a centre of activity for young aspiring aviators and the Royal Aero Club was a meeting place. Perhaps the camaraderie of those days is something missing from today’s flying schools.
Vic Schubach taught me to fly and must have done something right because I and a couple of my colleagues ultimately made it to B747’s.
I vividly remember flying over to Camden for one of those ‘competition days’ with two Chipmunks, Pat Gallagher in one and Eric Marsh in the other, barrel rolling around each other all the way. For a young pilot their skills were not only breathtakingly inspiring but so exciting that even today, it is a moment frozen in time.
There were others. Like Tas Dalton, CFI, a thorough gentleman and an excellent role model of professionalism.
Tom Long, Bob Jarvis, Bob Hay and Jim Minahan were about in the early fifties and from each one of them I learnt something which I carried with me throughout my professional career.
The Royal Aero Club of the fifties was full of characters, scallywags, the Walter Mitty;s, the hopefuls and the dedicated.
Am I biased or were they not ‘the good old days’?
Vic Schubach taught me to fly and must have done something right because I and a couple of my colleagues ultimately made it to B747’s.
I vividly remember flying over to Camden for one of those ‘competition days’ with two Chipmunks, Pat Gallagher in one and Eric Marsh in the other, barrel rolling around each other all the way. For a young pilot their skills were not only breathtakingly inspiring but so exciting that even today, it is a moment frozen in time.
There were others. Like Tas Dalton, CFI, a thorough gentleman and an excellent role model of professionalism.
Tom Long, Bob Jarvis, Bob Hay and Jim Minahan were about in the early fifties and from each one of them I learnt something which I carried with me throughout my professional career.
The Royal Aero Club of the fifties was full of characters, scallywags, the Walter Mitty;s, the hopefuls and the dedicated.
Am I biased or were they not ‘the good old days’?
Thread Starter
Thanks for the post 'AA',....I'm not 'in competition'.... I just went to make a 'brew'....
Hi Norman,
Bob Jarvis - Did my CPL Flight Test with Mr Jarvis. It was a crap day re weather, but he said we would 'work around it', and so we went.
An interesting and 'successful' flight.
On the first sector of the flight, the cloud was 'not far away', and the engine of the 172 gave the tiniest of changes of tone.
I immediately went to pull on the Carby Heat - and found my hand on the back of Bob's - and he was pretending to read a publication all that time....
He didn't miss much.
A gentleman.
Ray McLean - one of Life's real characters, and a very good instructor.
First met Ray at Albion Pk, then later at 'Aircraft Rentals' at BK.
John Cougle of Aircraft Rentals and he decided 'one night' to get three distinct regos,....VH-SEX, SIN, & SON, and to park them outside in that order.
They got SEX, a PA-30. Instructions were when booking the acft, do NOT even think of asking the receptionist for....
SIN was a Seneca, but not with A/R, and SON a PA-31, also not with A/R.
Hi Norman,
Bob Jarvis - Did my CPL Flight Test with Mr Jarvis. It was a crap day re weather, but he said we would 'work around it', and so we went.
An interesting and 'successful' flight.
On the first sector of the flight, the cloud was 'not far away', and the engine of the 172 gave the tiniest of changes of tone.
I immediately went to pull on the Carby Heat - and found my hand on the back of Bob's - and he was pretending to read a publication all that time....
He didn't miss much.
A gentleman.
Ray McLean - one of Life's real characters, and a very good instructor.
First met Ray at Albion Pk, then later at 'Aircraft Rentals' at BK.
John Cougle of Aircraft Rentals and he decided 'one night' to get three distinct regos,....VH-SEX, SIN, & SON, and to park them outside in that order.
They got SEX, a PA-30. Instructions were when booking the acft, do NOT even think of asking the receptionist for....
SIN was a Seneca, but not with A/R, and SON a PA-31, also not with A/R.
Last edited by Ex FSO GRIFFO; 23rd Feb 2012 at 01:25.
I flew the last mission in the Duchess VH-LBF back in 1991 with ATO Peter Tilia on my CPL test. I have passed, the next day the doors were shut for good leaving most of my fellow cadets thousands of dollars out of pocket.
I have done most of my training under the watchful eyes of Oberstumpfuhrer Joe Gostner (RIP old friend). I have made it thanks to him.....
I have done most of my training under the watchful eyes of Oberstumpfuhrer Joe Gostner (RIP old friend). I have made it thanks to him.....
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Bob Jarvis did my NVFR.
He didn't like flying single engine at night and my over dilligence to detail at the old tower nearly had him in a state. I even taxiied back to RAC to get another torch. The evening went well until arriving back at YSBK R11 with a hefty cross wind he stated, "are you capable of landing this aircraft in this cross wind" to which I answered "yes" despite it being somewhat more than published recommendations, to which he replied "because if you can't, I
can".
Signed my licence that night with the rating.
I overheard a radio call sierra echo xray for runway 11. To which someone said, "wouldn't it be better on the grass".
He didn't like flying single engine at night and my over dilligence to detail at the old tower nearly had him in a state. I even taxiied back to RAC to get another torch. The evening went well until arriving back at YSBK R11 with a hefty cross wind he stated, "are you capable of landing this aircraft in this cross wind" to which I answered "yes" despite it being somewhat more than published recommendations, to which he replied "because if you can't, I
can".Signed my licence that night with the rating.
I overheard a radio call sierra echo xray for runway 11. To which someone said, "wouldn't it be better on the grass".
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Did my PPL with Bob Jarvis in RSP and my CPL with Tom Curlewis.
Will not forget my CPL test, when the throttle was closed to simulate an engine failure Tom mentioned he had just done a gliding course and had heard I was also doing some gliding. The moment I confirmed my gliding the mixture went to cut off and we spent the next half hour seeing who could thermal a PA28. Never did get to demonstrate a forced landing. We did manage to prolong our glide with a few thermals around Badgerys Creek. Must have been ok as I got my CPL and am still using it 48 years later.
Will not forget my CPL test, when the throttle was closed to simulate an engine failure Tom mentioned he had just done a gliding course and had heard I was also doing some gliding. The moment I confirmed my gliding the mixture went to cut off and we spent the next half hour seeing who could thermal a PA28. Never did get to demonstrate a forced landing. We did manage to prolong our glide with a few thermals around Badgerys Creek. Must have been ok as I got my CPL and am still using it 48 years later.