Aeropelican reunion
 

I don't know if many ex duck pilots read this, But it would be great to have a reunion and catch up on old times.

Living overseas for many years now, I have lost touch with many.

i hope there maybe some interest in a get together.

Aeropelican reunion
 

40 Deg Sth

As one of the original pilots in Aeropelican, I think a reunion would be a great idea. I am living overseas at present but please keep me informed.


Tmb

Aeroduck reunion
 

Are there more ex Duck pilots out there or do you know any who would be keen for a reunion

Had three years as a go-getter FSO in Sydney , used to love working the SY-Pec_Wm sector. Only recall the Twotters TGY and TGW (how many times did I say tango golf wankee?).. weren't Masling running around in their Queenairs or was that only into Willy?

Otters never called taxying at Pec cos it was out of VHF range. One apparently got airborne one day about to announce departure when a Mirage went under his wing tip. SY HF noticed a remarkable increase in calls from Twotters taxying Pec.

Norm? Never knew his last name, never met him, but he was a legend in FS, "Okay thanks, 4000."
"Hey guess who's still holding at 22 DME? I'm getting giddy out here....."

Still lots of good memories......

Bino's the three twatters, TGY, TZL and MMY, repleced in the early 80's with KZL, KZP, KZN and KZO. 402's test the memory a bit, MWF, MWE, EVF, ROX, ELT, UBZ, CKU.
Masling's QueenAirs operated the same time as the 402's and they were in and out of Willi, when aeropelican got Twatters, Masling got Bandits.

"Roger thanks" That was Noel Batcheldor, excuse the spelling. Noel died a few years back and he is a legend, a really nioce bloke.
he had some great bad habbits. I remember he got to 22DME called approach as though he had a clearance and a min or two after passing the boundary was asked "confirm you have a clearance", the response was somthing along the lines of "I think so" it was too late then, he was half was 15nm from landing. It was all planned, he had this seriously aplogetic voice when needed.

OCTA, that mob may be new, but the service certainly isn't.
Aquatic Airways, and I can't remember the bloke who started its name, where operating Newcastle-Rose Bay 30-40yrs ago. the used Beavers and then Nomads.

That would be Vic Walton.

Where is "Groggy" these days?

Groggy went to Virgin, he's now at Alteon as a sim instructor for Virgin and playing with Ultra lights (instructing) in his spare time.

Vic Walton, thats it, i have been searching for his name, couldn't find it. do you know what happened to his wife, also a Pilot?
Vic was the one of the initial test Pilots for the Nomad if my memory serves me well?
Test pilots Vic Walton (left) and Neil Johnstone

I only knew Vic, met him at an airshow and he gave me I ride in the Nomad while did the flying display.

A couple of photo's from the past.

If anyone can help me with the names of the people in the photo's I would appreciate it. I recognise Keith Hilder far right
and Stan Hone shorter bloke in the mifddle, the rest are a mystery.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/m...pilot69/22.jpg

Bino,

here's your TGY
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/m.../TGYandMMY.jpg
And a 402,
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/m...Ztakingoff.jpg

and right at the beginning.http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/m.../U1_edited.jpg

You can see why the duck failed no security fence, security staff to hassle you and park next to the terminal.

Would have liked to work for Aeropelican.

I was looking at a 1967 Ansett timetable at the flying boat exhibition and showed both Maslings and Davey Air Services running out of Sydney, what aircraft did they operate?

Masling, DC3', C402's, B80's, E110's.

Davey's, not sure actually, sort of think it was chgeiftan 402 maybe 310 type stuff.
I wonder if Bill Davey is still alive?
He was living on the central coast NSW last time I saw him around 1990.

Those Aquatic guys/girl were fun to fly with. One nice clear day we had a DHC2,DHC6 and DHC4 in formation at 500 ft coming up the coast.
I wish I had a picture of that flight.
RENURP.......Always made me laugh when Curley would ride his bike along the path beside the terminal and scatter the waiting passengers

Or when he went DUI and had to ride the horse to work in full uniform,. earings tattoos and all :D
having to bail super ace out of the jail to go to work! I didn't have the pleasure myself, but I was around :eek:

Actually, the more I look at the photo of those guys, I think the one second from the right next to Keith Hilder maybe old Ces Redmond, the grader driver and long term supporter of the rissole.

RENURP

Poncho, his horse would graze around the hanger while he went flying:D

Can you think of all the stories we could all tell!!!!!

I arrived on the scene after that though.

I vaguely remember some late nights at the old flying school with our fine engineering staff too. Slats even put on a great "Divorce" party there and was very proud he spent more on that than he did his wedding!!!! All good men

It was a good place. The best i have worked at.
from your comments I may have left before you started. 1984.

What happened to slatts, still looking at radio's?

Thanks for that info, RENURPP. Had forgotten about TZL. Was thinking that was the one crashed at DKI but maybe that was AQB.

I would love to have been able to get out and meet the crews in those days instead of being stuck at a console. Remember Hazelton lassooing the undercarriage of a C310 down from the back of a ute at Cudal or Orange? Legendary!

Was on in the wee small hours of the morning when MWK had twin engine failure in tiger country near Goulburn. Interesting story attached to that one. Pilot went on to Qantas; you around these parts Steve?

*eyes mist over at my youthful enthusiasm in those days*

Just heard the Duck will can Tamworth.

Should have done Canberra....it's Brindabella's most profitable route now.:ugh:

Bino's
TZL has had an interesting life. After it left the Duck it ended up with Whitakers in QLD for years before being sold to a company in WA where it has been rebirthed under a different rego.It must have well in excess of 30 thousand hours on it by now.

Regards The Dog