Well Chuck she was still there in 94 for sure and I think when I went back in 96. Still with the original 260 horse engine as well. It was very well looked after and flew good too apparantly. He did quite a lot of flying to some places even North coast avoided and never an incident:ok:. Think it was gone by 98 my last year in PNG. CGG has been wintering in Wanaka, went to crank her up a few days ago for the first time in a month and with the temps just above freezing after a frost decided the oil would be like treacle and it would do more harm than good:uhoh:.
I think almost all of the 60s 185s in Aussie and NZ are either ex Topdressing machines or Ex PNG. Many of the old Aussie ones seem to have moved over the Tasman in the last few years and appear at the 180/185 fly ins looking very tidy, owned by Farmers and Airline Pilots mostly and only do a few hours a year. They would have a fit if they knew the places and loads aircraft flew:E.
Of the PNG Post Moresby 185s on my arrival in 92 sad to say most crashed as related here. P2 TAC Pictured at Sopu was my beast at the time and is finishing a rebuild in Sydney. Used to land in Bodinumu in her and would get a sore back from the bronco ride up the strip due poor surface but the airframe seemed to handle it fine. Most POB was 13, some were very small though. Mac Lee had MFX which survived but must have needed full refurbishment. Anyone know what became if her? did a few hours in it and a nice machine.
Richard Leahy must have about the only remaining 180/185 in PNG.
To have C185 , DC3, Twin Otter and Fokker ratings would be quite a feat, all great machines with not a computer or bit of plastic in sight. I have just finished Line Training on the F27 here in NZ. Nice to fly as they convert vast amounts of fuel to noise, and not much to performance. A very sedate affair as you head in the general direction of the destination unencumbered by FMS, GPS or those boring autopilots what know how to fly an ILS. Since they only just get around coastal NZ with a full load I would love to know how they even flew in the Highlands, never mind carried a payload:confused:.

Bedder Believeit...you are right they did have an Aztec. I have an 'original' photo on file (I didn't take it) but don't know how to post photos that don't have their own URL thingies.

In the interim, this should do. The aircraft lives in Caloundra today and has been repainted!
Photos: Piper PA-23-250 Aztec Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Photos: Piper PA-23-250 Aztec Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Early Twotter Pilots
 

A couple of them I can remember are Dave Wiltshire, Keith Shriiver, Ben......., all between Lae and all ports to Hagen.

A. Le Rone ... link problem with second one. This fixes it I think.

Photos: Piper PA-23-250 Aztec Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

/Photos: Piper PA-23-250 Aztec Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Closely followed by the Ansett Twotter :p

Gary Honour in amongst that lot of TAA drivers...

Graeme Hawkins and possibly Peter Armstrong rings a bell with that group.

Who was the TAL traffic officer traveled from Minj to Goroks in a C185 pod around 1970?

I won't ask the name of the pilot to protect the guilty! :}

That was probably "Rocky"
He was too scared to ride in the cabin :hmm:

Where did Ross ******? end up?
He what dinged Crowley's Helio Courier after too many SLF snuck on board? :rolleyes:

Cessna a/c used by TAA in PNG
 

Written by Bill Snr, the odd tidy-up by Bill Jnr.


I joined TAL based in Goroka in 59 and 60, was flying C170 VH GKA, and C180s GKB, GKC, GKD and GKE. GKA was a very old, round tail model. Late 59 only two pilots in Tal, Gerd Franks and myself.
Mid 60 TAA arrived and I was fortunate to get a seat Sept 60 and I started a 3 endorsement did several months of general flying the 3 based in Lae. Early in Nov 60 started an endorsement on the DHC3, the single engined Otter, Marinas Zuydam did the endorsement I then settled into Mon morn depart Lae, then via ports to MHA, did mostly Govt charters out of MHA or MNJ into the Southern or Western Highlands.
Fri, returned to Lae via ports, to start over again the next Mon.
Sept 61 I received an endorsement on TAAs first Cessna SBP, a 182, only did several charters in SBP as there were several DC3 F/O's based in Lae endorsed on SBP.
Dec 62 got an endorsement on Cessna 185, SBU.
It was a new A/C and could lift 1200lbs with seats etc removed on 2 hours fuel, There were several other 185s in PNG by this stage, mainly Mission and charter operaters, there were several incidents, with 185's with fuel vapourisation, but fortunatly the fuel pump had cooled enough before a forced landing was needed, I could not find any data or docs ref this problem. The 185 was fuel injected and the switch had a low and high position. I spoke to a mission pilot who claimed his US engineering base had advised him that the pump had a vapour purge system installed BUT only worked in the Low position. I gather later model 185's had purge in both hi and low switch position. Early June 63 I was tranfered to Brisbane, I had five years in PNG and I can sincerely say the flying was extremly challenging but the most rewarding in my flying career. Meet and married Lesley Mee who worked in TAAs top office Lae. We had one son (18Wheeler) who is now a 747 captain.
In 1960 I sat for and got a LAME Lic on engines.

Emtasol 99.

Just remembered... Alwyn Smith - I think

Note... single engined otter.

Wasn't it Alwyn that was responsible for the destruction of the "Dunny" at Kabwum with a well placed bag of airdropped rice?.
There was also another occasion when a 'local' actually caught a bag of rice with disastrous results.
Wasn't John Rosenberg endorsed on "everything"?.

Ahh the 180/185. I enjoyed them both, but not in PNG.

I think the last 185 off the production line was going to be polished metal. It didn’t happen, but would have looked a treat! Rumour has it that it made its way to Oz and now lives in Tassie.

This is a great thread. Thanks for posting. Reminds me of a great yarn from Chuck.

Ah...Alwyn Smith of the model aeroplanes. :ok:

Pithblot,
Pretty sure the last 185 was given to the Chinese Government by the Australian Government as part of an Ag pilot Training package.
It did not last very long.
I heard tthat from a bloke who was involved in their training.

185.

Sorry for the slight thread drift, but does anyone know where the ex-army C180 went to that was based at YMAV in the old GAF/ASTA?? days. It was ground-looped by one of the Test Pilots that blamed his big boots?? I dont think they repaired it, but was either sold or tendered out. It was the one and only C180/185 I ever flew which to this day I can say was great to fly.

It was before Rocky's time. They were returning from the Minj Ball and ran out of seats.

I think I heard Rocky passed away some time ago??

How could I forget Captain John Rosenberg... a real gentleman.

Gents,
thanks again for the wonderful posts.

Another question about VH-SBU. Did it have roof windows?

Thanks

No.........but it's 40 years ago!!
happy days,