Dont remember a Chiefy at Airnort ?

Bwahahahaaaa. I near wet me self when I read that. :}:ok:

He was *ahem* running the flying school in Darwin for a while. And then it ran into the ground, he disappeared never to be seen again (circa 2003) and JH took the place over completely.

Last I heard was he lost his medical and was involved with BP down in south australia, but that was just a rumour.

No truth in the story that he was put on a diet by his wife, but was frequently seen at KFC in Casuarina?

Anyone remember the Tillair Caravan's callsign?

Tinpis
 

It was either a Chieftan or Nav, but I may have got the company wrong. NTAS maybe? I know that there were at least a couple there during that period, plus a BE55, the callsign which I am grasping for, that used to climb like a homesick angel. Anyone remember that aircraft?

It was more likely to have been Ozzies beloved VH-SAO
Cant recall the Beech sorry but there where a few side-shows running through the 80's. :rolleyes:

This event was mentioned in a previous post.

When an Air France Concord stayed over night and the 75 Sqn MIRs escorted it out of town, via about 3 passes over the drome.... outstanding. Would have been about '86 give or take a year (?).

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/q...cordMIRDRW.jpg

Great thread, great memories....

George Washington sadly finished his career with Air North after nearly parking a C404 in the drink off Troughton Island. Mitigating circumstances, to a degree....I remember talking to him before he left A.N. - he was reflecting on the irony of starting his flying career on the latest high tech birds (F4U Corsairs in N.Z.) - and finishing it on decidedly low tech ones.....
IBJ is a man I had great respect for - a real sage on Life, the Universe, and Everything. A man who knew how to be humble, even if you come from money - I think I still owe him some beers!!
Sad to hear about Slim - another gentleman.
What happened to Morrie Gueye (spelling?)
I shall contact Paul Raggatt and let him know that he is in someone's thoughts - for the record, he is flying Brazilias out of Perth.
I am surprised nobody has mentioned Terry Bird (RIP). I remember you buddy, just starting out, and paying the ultimate price for your passion.

Hey - Simon B - I was your wing-man when you went down in flames. And I was very, very nearly the second accident on that day.

Fluke - its been a long time - I was the man who told SkyPig the joke about the guy with only one ball. BAD career move.

It was a world ago for me, so many names that I had forgotten.........

"George" Washington actually ferried and parked a lot of thses birds in 1947
:(

http://www.aerohub.co.nz/wp-content/.../07/wral47.jpg

Tinpis & Sao
 

tinpis, would that have been the PA-31, known as "the biscuit", that may have had more airframe hours than any other, was resprayed on a number of ocassions to make it look like a brand-spanker for the tourists, and holds the record for wheels-ups??

What ever happened to Dave Cooper who was Air North's ops manager in the 80's?

Howabout, yes with the big buffalo head and horns painted on the tail.
Christ, how many pilots flew that old bugger?

About the same number that Ossie sacked!

Did old Ossie have the record for the first cabin class twin in the NT?

Anyone know whatever happened to Roberto from Arnhems circa 1985.

Stationair8 -

Dave Cooper went to work for Skipper's Aviation in Perth flying the BE200s. Unfortunately he was, ahh, released from his employment folllowing an incident. That is the last I heard of him.
Can anyone provide further info of the passing of Slim Rossier or Ivan Duncan?
And what happened to Kim Koch after the C402 incident and the CAA?

I dunno. Would count you Ansons and Beech-18s as cabin class?

Weary, unfortunately Ivan Duncan passed away a few years ago.

At the time he was with Pearl on the B200's doing the aeromed work out of Darwin.

Gundy, who wouldnt get a lot of change out of 75, is still peddling dodgy antiques, and still wearing whats left of his collected uniforms I'll bet :p

Stationair8

Tillair's Caravan was VH-TFT

Thanks for that.

What happened to the Caravan after Air North took over Tillair?

Remember a number of the Tillair guys not wanting to fly it as it didn't go in the multi column of the log book.

When I was first in Darwin I met one of the Air North DC-3 drivers and he had a laugh about none of the young blokes wanting to go onto the DC-3, as is was beneath them to fly the old girl. I quickly prodeuced my resume and offered my services, but to no avail. He also told the story about some of the C402 drivers being made to fly the C210 under sufferance but they wouldn't put it in the logbook as it wouldn't look good at the airline interview.

Anyone remember the name of the guy who was in the Royal Australian Navy, and was a mate of John Hardy's or Dave Cooper and used to do some VFR charters in the C210 out to Kakadu or Tiwi Islands?

Anyone ever get a gig as a F/O on the Lloyds Bandeirante, they always seemed to be advertising in The Australian?