One other thing, Tinny, that I didn't mention before was my shock and horror that the beautiful Hotel Darwin and my beloved Green Room had been demolished. Now that was a crime by a bunch of craven philistines.

When I arrived back on that visit, I made a beeline to the site in anticipation of having a few quiet beers in the tropical ambience, with the palms, the cane chairs and the outside gardens, only to find a bloody resort of some sort. What a damned tragedy.

As I said before, I found it hard to relate to the place anymore. Greedy developers with no appreciation for tradition. The Green Room was a lovely place, reminiscent of a Somerset Maugham novel out of the 30's. The alternative watering holes just turned out to be plastic and glass and while the Vic retained some character, it was noisy, crowded and seemed to have been taken over by the younger set - not that I begrudge them.

I just couldn't find anywhere with the same appeal. There used to be some competition when the Fannie Bay Hotel was still around, but that got blown away a long time ago.

In the few years leading up to the old Hotel Darwin 1999 demise, they would have hardly sold enough beer to keep the doors open. It was a haunt for a pickled Queen Mum (Peter Morgan) and that was about it:p
They say it had cancer with lots of rubble only being held up by the plaster ceilings
I had stayed in the place a few times and can attest to it being a dank old ****-hole
Still, something similar on the site would have been nice
You dont have to be insane to go clubbing it on the Mitchell street strip nowdays, but it sure helps.

lotus 27

Yes, I recall the Keg fine for taking the wrong wheel out... lots of laughs that day.

Georgina S is a 767 Capt with QF - as a ex SA Cop, she was a better drinker than most of the boys back then!!

Is Fred F still flying?
Is his better half still the local fanny mechanic?

Retired now, better half still working, keeping FF in the comforts he is use to!

Wonder what happened to some of the guys from Lloyd Aviation?

Whatever happened to the CASA thing that they used to operate to Troughton Island?

Is Tipperary Station still going?

i believe so mate. i haven't been there in a year or so but it was going strong then

What was Guido's maintenace organisation called?

was it aerotec out in Winnellie

What ever happened to Dave Cooper
 

Now there's a story, if you have a few tinnies to spare, and a couple of hours.

Dave C ;)

Guido's maint org began as Darwin General Aviiation,set up purely to certify the Sea Furies as they were restored,the cert of approval was transferred to Aerotec in Winnellie which still exists being controlled by Nobby since Guido's death.Aerotec has restored a number of warbirds over the years incl 2 T-6's one of which Guido was trajically killed in,4 T-28's,the placement of the CAC Boomerang and G-59 Fiat on the Aus register,and recently the restoration of the Hoskings F4U-5N Corsair which is still happening!!!Guido & Nobby gave me my start in this crazy game in '83 and I am still involved with the Corsair at the moment.Merry Xmas all,Pete:ok:

From memory the CASA 212 is now doing or was? mineral survey in various parts of aust and africa, not sure who owns it now. a couple of the Lloyd pilots ended up in the big Q and at least one in Ansett circa 1986 I think.

The rhodesian pilot who did all the endorsements in Darwin is in Spain and the tower boys at the time are still recovering from the fastest circuit known ever in a "box" and do not ask at what height. I think there was a Xmas party on and they wanted to get to it or thats what we were led to believe, but the Fanny bay Pub and sailing club certainly were on the visit list.

Times have changed. and like others Darwin has sure changed.

Merv Fowler - one of life's true gentlemen
 

A wonderful caring and guiding mentor and businessman who always inspired me to do more with learning better ways of doing things - Merv gave me my first start as a CPL in Darwin early in 1990 on C210 MJD which found me soon located at Lajumanu in the Tanami for the next ten months. What an adventure at 21 years of age! I will always be grateful to Merv. Hope you are well mate! - Mark

Santaclaus
 

Darwin Aero Club Memories.
Anyone knows what happened to:
Rocko Videtta
Don Mitchell
Joe from Malta

What was rego of the Pelair 330's based in Darwin?

Don Mitchell if its who I'm thinking of is instructing at RQAC. True Gentlemen

KNN the other

Ajp, ajk, ajs?

more photos please. This is the only threat worth looking at on PPrune!