Time to come clean...
Interesting story re the parrots & the Aztruck.
Now here's a thought (Myth bustered too I believe) to ponder over seeing as the Aztruck driver was concerned about not getting airborne due the short strip. Perhaps the birds could be let loose to fly around within the cabin of the Aztruck (with doors closed of course) in order to reduce the TOW of the Aztruck Pilot would need to wear bird sh1t deflector hat:-)
Oh it's a Myth alright would the plane be lighter if the birds where not actually touching any part of the aiframe at the time of lift off? Would the 'thrust' created by the flapping birds wings (you know lift = weight ) have an effect on the TOW of the Aztruck?
This will put the cat amongst the pigeons or is that Parrots?
.......oh to wonder why man ever thought he could emulate the birds back oh so many many years ago:-)
Wmk2
Now here's a thought (Myth bustered too I believe) to ponder over seeing as the Aztruck driver was concerned about not getting airborne due the short strip. Perhaps the birds could be let loose to fly around within the cabin of the Aztruck (with doors closed of course) in order to reduce the TOW of the Aztruck Pilot would need to wear bird sh1t deflector hat:-)
Oh it's a Myth alright would the plane be lighter if the birds where not actually touching any part of the aiframe at the time of lift off? Would the 'thrust' created by the flapping birds wings (you know lift = weight ) have an effect on the TOW of the Aztruck?
This will put the cat amongst the pigeons or is that Parrots?
.......oh to wonder why man ever thought he could emulate the birds back oh so many many years ago:-)
Wmk2
The Aztec story in the Solomons is correct. Aircraft was based at AF and owned by ex RAAF airframe driver.
Interesting, this was not the first or only aircraft that was hired from operators at AF and used for flights other than stated when the aircraft was hired.
Interesting, this was not the first or only aircraft that was hired from operators at AF and used for flights other than stated when the aircraft was hired.
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The article talks about flying drugs into the US but then they loosely mention flying them into Australia. The distances seem far too great to be practical. Maybe if they were from Asia somewhere it might be more believable.
Another thing, "multi-millions of dollars" and the pilot gets 10%! That's a lot of cash even with the risk of going to jail. On the Aussie Customs TV show they swallow 30 pods worth only $90k of which they would get bugger all.
Another thing, "multi-millions of dollars" and the pilot gets 10%! That's a lot of cash even with the risk of going to jail. On the Aussie Customs TV show they swallow 30 pods worth only $90k of which they would get bugger all.
Sunny . . .. . . you mention Bushy . .. . . when I was there Ron Bush was
the chief engineer with Jack Woods under him and Noel Holly the maintenance keeper of the rolls. Ron was ex TOA . He had scarred hands from the night on the Brisbane River he bailed out of the Solent that hit the barge on take-off. Said he swung down from alongside an inboard enginee, not thinking how hot the exhaust he swung off would be.
Went over to the pub ten years ago to see if the school was still in session, or even remembered. Bloke in the saloon bar said come and join us. Lovely little party. A guest it turned out was not once allowed to buy a round . .. so from 6 to 10 and many pots later . . . .. . 'ah walk the line. . .. '
My newfound friend used to be a load driver at Tamworth for Basil Brown.
Ticked off all the names of the old hands from the base over the way who
used to have a Friday knockoff snort. To a man . . . all deceased.
And so it goes Kurt.
Fan tome, Bushy had a heart of gold and treated me And a couple of mates in Engineering as the "naughty boys" we would have done anything for him. That was when the place was run by Ron Jackson, Bushy, Bondy under John B after the departure of Mr. W. little did we know that "uncle Peter" was anything but benign. Thems was the days.
Bushy would reminisce about his time on the Committee of the Rose Bay RSL and there were always rumblings about Michael Somare who was his fellow Director of ANG.
Bushy would reminisce about his time on the Committee of the Rose Bay RSL and there were always rumblings about Michael Somare who was his fellow Director of ANG.
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This guy had some life in aviation???? Bit of little known Aussie history.
The Sydney Morning Herald - Google News Archive Search
The Sydney Morning Herald - Google News Archive Search
Well found weighman. Here is an encapsulated piece on the same subject from an air force website -
The Sydney Morning Herald article is well worth reading tho' in its entirety
In January 1978 a light aircraft was spotted on radar entering the Northern Territory to the west of Darwin. Coincidentally, a C-130 Hercules (A97-168) from No 37 Squadron was returning from a trip to Butterworth and was about to come into Darwin at the same time. In the absence of any fighters to scramble, the captain of the RAAF transport was asked to follow the mystery aircraft as it travelled inland. Eventually the C-130 caught up with what turned out to be a twin-engine Aero Commander 680E. The pilot of the light aircraft made a crashlanding in a muddy paddock 14 kilometres north-west of Katherine, then set the aircraft on fire in an attempt to conceal that on board were 270 000 Thai ‘buddha sticks’ (high-grade cannabis) worth nearly $4 million. After hiding out in the bush for 40 hours, the pilot––later identified as drug runner, Donald Tait––was discovered by police and arrested. Tait was subsequently jailed for seven years.
Last edited by Fantome; 12th Feb 2013 at 18:24.
"Flight Service' had quite a few 'smiles' dealing with Mr Tait, once we found out what he was actually doing.....
Was all a 'good bloke' up till then.
But that's another story...
VH-PFD the aztruk wot carried the bag of 'stuff' over from BK, still sits in the Northern grass area (Pun..) at JT awaiting 'disposal', despite the case being 'settled' about a year or so ago..??
Pity, as it will only deteriorate further in this heat.....42.0C today at 12.30 in my suburb near JT...
Still rego'd to SANTOS @ Tempe I see as at todays date....
Was all a 'good bloke' up till then.
But that's another story...
VH-PFD the aztruk wot carried the bag of 'stuff' over from BK, still sits in the Northern grass area (Pun..) at JT awaiting 'disposal', despite the case being 'settled' about a year or so ago..??
Pity, as it will only deteriorate further in this heat.....42.0C today at 12.30 in my suburb near JT...
Still rego'd to SANTOS @ Tempe I see as at todays date....
Last edited by Ex FSO GRIFFO; 13th Feb 2013 at 11:36.
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Don wasn't the only one doing runs back then thru the NW. He also beat a death sentence in Thailand in 88.
There were a number of planes fitted with long range tanks back then. As one operator told me - "you could leave Oz and return without anyone knowing".
BTW, had 46 on my gauge today in the hills.
There were a number of planes fitted with long range tanks back then. As one operator told me - "you could leave Oz and return without anyone knowing".
BTW, had 46 on my gauge today in the hills.
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I remember ...
As one operator told me - "you could leave Oz and return without anyone knowing".
Wasn't there a B58 private hired from Archerfield that was used for secret flights to Pacific Islands and NZ and was caught out
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..............sheeez that article brings back some awful memories.
I recall turning up 4 work that morning to see the 700 laying there with it's back broken sitting on it's 4 bladed props, one very unique plane which I had the pleasure of going for a ride around the circuit in once.
I thought that was but a distant memory, amazing how the mind gets rekindled after so many years!
Wmk2
I recall turning up 4 work that morning to see the 700 laying there with it's back broken sitting on it's 4 bladed props, one very unique plane which I had the pleasure of going for a ride around the circuit in once.
I thought that was but a distant memory, amazing how the mind gets rekindled after so many years!
Wmk2
Wasn't there a B58 private hired from Archerfield that was used for secret flights to Pacific Islands and NZ and was caught out
