Rumour: No more bank runs?
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In 1979 and 1980 I flew bank runs for Purcells Air Service from Sydney. We had three brand new C310 aircraft. Routes were all ports to Coolangatta, south coast Nowra, Moruya, Merimbula. Another went Goulburn Canberra, Cooma. And the shorter one was around Pelican, Cessnock and Cooranbong. My goodness it was hurry, hurry, hurry at Sydney each morning all jostling for a rapid departure before all the other companies.[IMG]
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Nice photo, Aye Ess.
Must have been a good job flying a brand new C310R, plenty of hours for the log book.
Must be a few stories in Pprune land about the bank runs?
When did they start?
The runs that GAM do out of Essendon, are they bank runs or a combination of bank documents and freight?
Must have been a good job flying a brand new C310R, plenty of hours for the log book.
Must be a few stories in Pprune land about the bank runs?
When did they start?
The runs that GAM do out of Essendon, are they bank runs or a combination of bank documents and freight?
Bank run flights may not be restricted to bank documents. Overnight courier companies packages, medical specimens for testing, legal documents from solicitors offices, urgent spare parts and even film from traffic cameras goes along as well.
Theses runs are a communication link to smaller distant towns. The question of whether they could survive without the banks business and how necessary they are in the age of high speed internet is up for discussion.
Theses runs are a communication link to smaller distant towns. The question of whether they could survive without the banks business and how necessary they are in the age of high speed internet is up for discussion.
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Yes, Stationair..... bank runs in brand new C310s was a dream come true. I was getting valuable IFR twin time rapidly, many instrument letdowns for real. No screaming passengers. And every weekend and bank holiday off. I was like a dog with two tails.
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Tough Times ahead
Aye Ess dam top photo that bloke 
Flying a C 310R back then would of been like driving a Fully Sick WRX now !
Some are saying the END OF AN ERA is closing in on us with these bank runs ending soon
How many pilots have built a career out a start runs docs around the State
Who / what is responsible for this change & who holds THAT MAGIC CONTRACT of demise
How will a large company like GAM manage this coming news
Flying a C 310R back then would of been like driving a Fully Sick WRX now !
Some are saying the END OF AN ERA is closing in on us with these bank runs ending soon
How many pilots have built a career out a start runs docs around the State
Who / what is responsible for this change & who holds THAT MAGIC CONTRACT of demise
How will a large company like GAM manage this coming news
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In the early 90s, a helicopter was used to bring bank docs to Sydney from Gosford and the Central Coast. The docs had to be in SY by 7pm. In winter, the run was done Night VMC.
A jealous competitor in the chopper business decided to be an R-sole (well, actually it wasn't a decision, he was an R-sole all the time) and put his own aircraft up at Long Reef at 6.55pm and "perform airwork". Along comes bank runner, asks for clearance, it is not available due to R-sole taking up too much space, delays, anger, multiple requests denied, until R-sole has kept the bank runner out past his deadline.
This went on for 3 nights until a quiet word with ATC by phone alerted them to what was happening, so when R-sole requested takeoff clearance at KSA, tower held him on the ground until the Bank runner was home. R-sole was spitting chips at ATC, but they knew what he was like and just laughed.
A jealous competitor in the chopper business decided to be an R-sole (well, actually it wasn't a decision, he was an R-sole all the time) and put his own aircraft up at Long Reef at 6.55pm and "perform airwork". Along comes bank runner, asks for clearance, it is not available due to R-sole taking up too much space, delays, anger, multiple requests denied, until R-sole has kept the bank runner out past his deadline.
This went on for 3 nights until a quiet word with ATC by phone alerted them to what was happening, so when R-sole requested takeoff clearance at KSA, tower held him on the ground until the Bank runner was home. R-sole was spitting chips at ATC, but they knew what he was like and just laughed.
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I flew banks runs back in the late 80s and early 90s out of Adelaide.
There were always rumors that bank runs were soon going to end.
When I moved to the US in the late 90s I stayed in the aviation business for a while
but in the last decade prior to retirement I was self employed doing courier work
much of which consisted of, yes, transporting bank documents by road. Again, there were
constant rumors of bank work ending and I can assure you that such work has now ended
in the US, replaced by electronic transmission of images of documents. There maybe a few small banks still doing it,
but it's over for the larger banks.
Sad to say but that probably means the end is coming for Australian bank runs as well.
There were always rumors that bank runs were soon going to end.
When I moved to the US in the late 90s I stayed in the aviation business for a while
but in the last decade prior to retirement I was self employed doing courier work
much of which consisted of, yes, transporting bank documents by road. Again, there were
constant rumors of bank work ending and I can assure you that such work has now ended
in the US, replaced by electronic transmission of images of documents. There maybe a few small banks still doing it,
but it's over for the larger banks.
Sad to say but that probably means the end is coming for Australian bank runs as well.
They are still happening. GAM Air and Macquarie Air are still going strong out of BK. Macquarie Air has 4 runs being done with Supervans, Cheiftains and a PAC750. GAM has 3 runs I believe. The pay is not bad for an entry level job. GAM 63K Salary and Mac Air $350-400/day rate permanent part-time. Macquarie Air was providing housing but I believe that has recently changed.
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A 208 lobs in and out of YCTM on each morning and evening of each working day. Does a round of various Western NSW towns. Overnights at YHAY.
I call it a ‘bank runner’. I understand it’s contracted to Toll, so I assume it’s moving parcels for Toll.
I understand it used for parachuting (humans, not parcels) on the weekend.
I call it a ‘bank runner’. I understand it’s contracted to Toll, so I assume it’s moving parcels for Toll.
I understand it used for parachuting (humans, not parcels) on the weekend.
A 208 lobs in and out of YCTM on each morning and evening of each working day. Does a round of various Western NSW towns. Overnights at YHAY.
I call it a ‘bank runner’. I understand it’s contracted to Toll, so I assume it’s moving parcels for Toll.
I understand it used for parachuting (humans, not parcels) on the weekend.
I call it a ‘bank runner’. I understand it’s contracted to Toll, so I assume it’s moving parcels for Toll.
I understand it used for parachuting (humans, not parcels) on the weekend.
Ah, Jacob tell me about the Jewish pleasure finger. Oh it’s the one that works the cash register! Told to me when I was in Israel. They laugh at themselves too you know, but maybe some don’t know!!!
I say let’s lighten up chaps and chapesses and others and enjoy every day.
A quick look at Flight stalker shows MEH headed out to Ceduna via all stops tomorrow, that thing must have 50'000 hours on it by now. Not enough bank documents to fill an envelope when I last flew a bank run 6 years ago. Pathology and overnight packages are the mainstay these days.
Thread Starter
As the OP on this thread I am genuinely pleased that the rumour was wrong or, at least, early by 7-10 years.
It's pretty different to the glory days where Bankstown was like Battle of Britain with MU-2s and SA=227 and a dozen Chieftains and C310s and B58s barrelling down the lane in the dark. Still - great flying if you can get it and good ATPL study time between morning and evening legs
It's pretty different to the glory days where Bankstown was like Battle of Britain with MU-2s and SA=227 and a dozen Chieftains and C310s and B58s barrelling down the lane in the dark. Still - great flying if you can get it and good ATPL study time between morning and evening legs
