RFDS Pilatus PC24
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Mount Isa Mines used to operate their Lear 35 off a gravel runway in QLD. Also saw a Citation at the same airfield. Gravel kits installed obviously, but I bet they held their breath every time they went in and out of those strips!
Plenty of info out there in Google and Youtube land if you’re interested!
Plenty of info out there in Google and Youtube land if you’re interested!
Tuk, too long ago and didn’t take much notice. Capt F is correct. Collinsville was a regular Lear port until FOD got expensive. The Westwind was owned by a construction company and the Hawker was Qld Govt ( Joh’s Jet ).
Gravel kits installed obviously, but I bet they held their breath every time they went in and out of those strips!
Oh we had some fun back in the 80's playing with DCA, DOT or whatever flavour it was at the time.
I spent 10 years operating a C550 into and out of all kinds of surfaces, sealed, gravel, dirt and grass. The particular C550 had a FM amendment limiting the MTOW to 5700 kg. Yes, a gravel kit was a requirement that included a bleed air turbine to spin the nosewheel.
As I write this, I am looking at a photo of Ms Young landing the Joh Jet on a blacksoil strip at Malvern Hills near Blackall.
Not at all.
Oh we had some fun back in the 80's playing with DCA, DOT or whatever flavour it was at the time.
I spent 10 years operating a C550 into and out of all kinds of surfaces, sealed, gravel, dirt and grass. The particular C550 had a FM amendment limiting the MTOW to 5700 kg. Yes, a gravel kit was a requirement that included a bleed air turbine to spin the nosewheel.
As I write this, I am looking at a photo of Ms Young landing the Joh Jet on a blacksoil strip at Malvern Hills near Blackall.
Oh we had some fun back in the 80's playing with DCA, DOT or whatever flavour it was at the time.
I spent 10 years operating a C550 into and out of all kinds of surfaces, sealed, gravel, dirt and grass. The particular C550 had a FM amendment limiting the MTOW to 5700 kg. Yes, a gravel kit was a requirement that included a bleed air turbine to spin the nosewheel.
As I write this, I am looking at a photo of Ms Young landing the Joh Jet on a blacksoil strip at Malvern Hills near Blackall.
Back in the day ( Joe's Dreamtime) up on the Cape, a property called Silver Plains changed hands ---- freehold, quite unusual in itself, but possible with a big enough charitable contribution to Joe's Foundation.
Shortly thereafter, there were reported allegations (as in front page of the Courier Mail) of a jet aircraft operation at night out of the Silver Plains strip, unnotified and without lights ---- the implication being that nefarious and dastardly deeds were being committed.
The DCA (for it was they) had a priceless reaction, in a press release DCA said there was no need to investigate unnotified night operations at Silver Plains, as "DCA regulations do not permit the operation of turbine aircraft off unsealed runways" [which, at the time, was correct]
.
Clearly, DCA believed that any drug runner would be fully compliant with the Air Navigation Act and Regulations, and therefor the reports must have been in error.
Tootle pip!!
PS: Would it surprise you if I said DCA was wrong, based on my often presence in the immediate area at the time.
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When I worked for the RFDS WA Section many moons ago, I think we had 4 or 5 bases other than Jandakot. Of the 5 they have now only Meka and the Port are the same. Some of the others were covered by the Goldfields section and pretty sure Broome came under the Victorian section back then.
So for much of the RFDS operational history shows they operate from bases - so when a new type is implemented, I don't see why the operation now should operate from a single base when using multiple bases has proved effective.
So for much of the RFDS operational history shows they operate from bases - so when a new type is implemented, I don't see why the operation now should operate from a single base when using multiple bases has proved effective.
The plane from Meeka crashed short of the Mt Augustus airstrip one night while trying to transport one of the Hammerquist kids who had fallen off a mustering wagon and had head injuries. No fatalities all round thank goodness and thank goodness for the flying doc.
Kaz
1981, a brutal year for the RFDS WA Section
The RFDS had two nasty PA31 accidents in 1981
VH-KMS in April, in the Kalgoorlie area,
VH-DEE in July at Mt Augustus
VH-KMS
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=27164
VH-DEE
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=27213
kaz3g
The plane from Meeka crashed short of the Mt Augustus airstrip one night while trying to transport one of the Hammerquist kids who had fallen off a mustering wagon and had head injuries. No fatalities all round thank goodness and thank goodness for the flying doc.
Last edited by pithblot; 30th May 2019 at 10:19.
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Just watched the CH7 weekend Sunrise show about the PC24, first time a jet has landed on a dirt Rwy anywhere in Australia, just amazing....cough cough! -
showed the unveiling of a PC12 in a hangar, I guess the general public wouldn't know the diff anyway -
I wish the service well -
showed the unveiling of a PC12 in a hangar, I guess the general public wouldn't know the diff anyway -I wish the service well -
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Just watched the CH7 weekend Sunrise show about the PC24, first time a jet has landed on a dirt Rwy anywhere in Australia, just amazing....cough cough! - showed the unveiling of a PC12 in a hangar, I guess the general public wouldn't know the diff anyway -
I wish the service well -
showed the unveiling of a PC12 in a hangar, I guess the general public wouldn't know the diff anyway -I wish the service well -
Channel 7, sunrise... Did you have nothing better to do on a Sunday...
Total disregard for the commercial televised ‘news’.
But as ya say Jo public wouldn’t know the diff. Let’s get GT to give his opinion hehehehe!
Gravel... Watched a Slowtation on gravel, wasn’t impressed with his sand blasting of my Cessna turning around thou. A few words were spoken.
The 24 really looked like it was going to be the machine, will more time prove it is?
Total disregard for the commercial televised ‘news’.
But as ya say Jo public wouldn’t know the diff. Let’s get GT to give his opinion hehehehe!
Gravel... Watched a Slowtation on gravel, wasn’t impressed with his sand blasting of my Cessna turning around thou. A few words were spoken
.The 24 really looked like it was going to be the machine, will more time prove it is?
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….yeah sorry I was summoned over to view the PC24 on the TV, being grubby CH7 nothing surprised me, I just shook my head & thought Mr & Mrs Joe Public really love this stuff:-)
The amount of times that this jet will be required for unpaved Rwy operations will be minimal, the 'Rufdus' will only do this if the mission is time critical & there are no other options. The first time they hit an animal that will be that!
Loved the sultry music in that F28 propaganda Vid:-)...and gee whiz a jet landing on gravel before the PC24, wonders never cease....again cough cough:-)
The amount of times that this jet will be required for unpaved Rwy operations will be minimal, the 'Rufdus' will only do this if the mission is time critical & there are no other options. The first time they hit an animal that will be that!
Loved the sultry music in that F28 propaganda Vid:-)...and gee whiz a jet landing on gravel before the PC24, wonders never cease....again cough cough:-)
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Loved the sultry music in that F28 propaganda Vid:-)...and gee whiz a jet landing on gravel before the PC24, wonders never cease....again cough cough:-)[/QUOTE]
.......yeah it was only 50 years ago!! I guess modern journos don't have much at their disposal for research any more!
Them carnt spel eva!
.......yeah it was only 50 years ago!! I guess modern journos don't have much at their disposal for research any more!
Them carnt spel eva!
In my eyes though the PC24 defo has a role.
There is a lot of intra hospital patient transfer in Aus, look at the Darwin - Adelaide tender alone.
Take away the running costs look at the OH & S side of the operation with that great PC12/Beech 200 loading door. Certainly much better than the fun with Hawker 400/Nextant, CL601/4, Hawker, Falcon, Citation, etc.
How does the 24 compare on the running costs?
Does it have the 2000nm legs?
There is a lot of intra hospital patient transfer in Aus, look at the Darwin - Adelaide tender alone.
Take away the running costs look at the OH & S side of the operation with that great PC12/Beech 200 loading door. Certainly much better than the fun with Hawker 400/Nextant, CL601/4, Hawker, Falcon, Citation, etc.
How does the 24 compare on the running costs?
Does it have the 2000nm legs?
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In my eyes though the PC24 defo has a role.
There is a lot of intra hospital patient transfer in Aus, look at the Darwin - Adelaide tender alone.
Take away the running costs look at the OH & S side of the operation with that great PC12/Beech 200 loading door. Certainly much better than the fun with Hawker 400/Nextant, CL601/4, Hawker, Falcon, Citation, etc.
How does the 24 compare on the running costs?
Does it have the 2000nm legs?
There is a lot of intra hospital patient transfer in Aus, look at the Darwin - Adelaide tender alone.
Take away the running costs look at the OH & S side of the operation with that great PC12/Beech 200 loading door. Certainly much better than the fun with Hawker 400/Nextant, CL601/4, Hawker, Falcon, Citation, etc.
How does the 24 compare on the running costs?
Does it have the 2000nm legs?
It's a LOT heavier than they anticipated fully set up for the role, that obviously has it's down sides.
With full gas which is needed for the advertised 2000NM range at LR cruise 1 x pilot (400 kts at best under ideal conditions mind ya) it has around 360 Kg payload, add in the full medical set up it can carry at best 2 people, the rest ain't rocket science to figure out!
Great machine BUT the boffins who wanted it only wear suits!
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This is the Adelaide based one. Reckon the W.A. based one has done a few unsealed strip landings since its inception.
DF.
DF.
Perhaps someone from Western Section can enlighten us.
Adelaide based one done its first medevac yesterday - YBAS to YMEN. Trip from YPAD to YBAS to pick up patient took 1 hour 59 minutes. Trip from YBAS to YMEN took 2 hours & 54 minutes, whereas same trip in PC12 would have taken over 5 hours, including a stop at YBHI to refuel. Trip from YMEN back to YPAD took 1 hour 8 minutes.
DF.
DF.