Tinny. There were many I didn't get photos of including your good self.
I kick myself now. But then... it wasn't not like now where we take a million photos.
Had to buy the film and send it to OZ for development for a few years till I started developing and printing my own black and white ones.
I think for Manser and Scotty Adams, one really needed a video camera. They were such funny blokes.
Chuckles, one of the posters here has put me onto a couple of very good leads to old B4s who may know half a dozen unknown faces I've been trying to get names for.

Wonderful post. I once posted a thread asking at the tender age of 33 if it was worth a career change and realising my dream of becoming a pilot.
52 negative comments later I decided to stop seeking the advice of my industry battered peers and believe in myself and go for it.
Still waiting for the shiny jet but having a blast flying command in a Metro.
Beats working in a factory anyday ( had 20 years of that )

As an old pilot friend of mine says " keep your nose up in a turn ":ok:

Spent 7 years on GA and it was the best flying I ever did. Met some great people and got to see 99% of Australia (not just capital cities). Airline flying is great, but the 'buzz' disappears quickly.

Torres, doesn't look much like Wau as it is too flat. Might be Bulolo though. Great piccies.

Doesn't matter where you are, enjoy it, you are only here once.

You should hear some of the misery gutses sitting in the so called "big shiny jet". They are supposed to be the ones who 'made it'. I reckon some people are only happy when they are making others miserable, be it GA or otherwise. I look forward to flying with the guys that still love their jobs and would love it in any aircraft.

JetX - you are a legend - I completely agree with what you said.

I feel better already for reading your post.


BOK


:ok:

Well said Jet X.

JetX: ******* A.

sixtiesrelic, finding your posts most interesting. The Old Fella was in the islands pre war (and stayed till the day it ended) with Burns Philp at Salamaua and one tale he used to tell was of flying to Wau with Johnny Robbins in the Junkers and of him feet up on the instrument panel hauling back on the stick and doing a loop in the old girl. As to the truth......? Johhny ended up in Adelaide with Guinea Airways and last I saw of him was as a teenager standing between the seats on a CV440 flight late 50's. Remember his advice - get a good education, which I presume he never had as he was right seat.

That was a brilliant post.

Well done JetX.

Now if only they showed this to all these uni students doing aviation and especially people getting fee help money who dont have the faintest idea about what they will be doing after they graduate.

Makes my blood boil that good majority of them will no doubt be up for a career change after course completion due to a lack of info beforehand like whats in this post.

Thanks JetX- you are the hero (cleared high speed descent below 10k into Sydney:))

JetX, mate, couldn't have said it better!

Just like everyone, I've had the days when I get a headache just thinking about the massive day that lies ahead, but that sight as you climb through the top of the overcast and the sky is covered with more stars than you've ever seen before. If you turn the panel lights down low it feels almost as if you can touch infinity! Or the early morning run as the fingers of the sun brush over you, while you look down at the ground to see the surface still in darkness, you get a private preview of the day ahead. All of a sudden the o'dark thirty start was worth it!!

Then you look down and see the office block where Mr Citizen works and realise, you've got one of the best jobs in the world!!

There is an inspiring blog from an A320 captain in the states, that is a great read. He obviously still loves his job!! check it out at and click the first result from google:

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=e...e+Search&meta=

Cheers,
TT

JetX that is well said :ok:

Looking back on my extremely short time in GA, where I was in such a rush to get out - I've missed out on some more great experiences I could have had and more great friends I could have made.

Recent conversation with a captain:
Capt: "Where were you before this?"
RR: "Up north flying 210's
Capt: "Ahh the 210, I've got over a thousand hours on those - how many did you say you had?"
RR: "Ahem - 500 odd"
Capt: "Well you probably know the 210 as well as I do then"
RR: "No that's total - how about I get the ATIS for you..."

For all of you starting out whatever your age (RR soloed at 29, first job at 34 major career change) don't be in a rush to leave GA, make the most of it while you are there - learn as much as you can from those more experienced than you and as has been said before - take photos!:{

JetX I have re-read your post a few times now usually after experiencing one of those days.
I am also categorised as Gen Y and am continually annoyed by the attitude of fellow pilots of the same generation. While I have met some great mates in aviation who like me, don’t share this opinion, I have unfortunately found a majority of my generation does.

As most pilots find on long sectors during TOC & TOD with the AP set one has a lot of time to think about things, lately what you have said in your post has been my main topic. One thing like you I have come across is “I have been at Jabiru for nearly 6 months, nearly have 500 hours, done my remote time, I will be getting a twin job on the East Coast soon, I will get my 250 multi then I’ll get into Virgin.” Then continue to complain about how crap the industry is, how hard it is, I deserve better/more etc etc.

Personally I love the industry, some of the people in it... not so much. This industry is what YOU make it; we all enter it at the bottom, and we all work to the top (wherever that maybe for you). Yes it can be hard, what career isn’t, it may feel like everybody else is moving forward and you’re stationary, that’s its nature. But if you work hard you will be rewarded and this takes TIME. It’s not only a small industry but a small world; I was brought up to believe you are your reputation and your word. And that does travel far.

Six months is nothing, and Jabiru... please, it’s hardly remote. Personally GA is what got me interested in aviation, flying on Whyalla Airlines of all things. I really don’t care if I don’t fly for a major, that doesn’t interest me, Wally’s job though... (and sorry Wal I have a soft spot for the PC12) Anyway GA is where all the real fun is.

Is GA what I thought it would be? No. Did I have an idea of what it would be like? Not really. Do I enjoy it? Hell yeah. Every day we get to see and do things not many people get to experience, and I do admit it can be hard and frustrating at times. However you just have to ask yourself, is it really worth it? If not... you have some thinking of your own to do.

Nav.

Just my observation of late, not looking for a debate as JetX said "Advice for anyone who cares...."

These are your "good old days".
The more difficulties and hardship you experience in any part of your life is the subject of your reminicences later. What have you got to skite about otherwise?
Read TAA and the DC-9
They're recalling the times when blokes got a wack over the head from a cranky old captain and going through the trauma of no flying for weeks at a time when there was a downturn. Horrible at the time but the subject of the discussion now.
I used to fly to an island weekend package with a DC-3 load of passengers, three out of seven weekends waaaay back in the past.
The pax would remain shy and aloof till the booze kicked in at about ten the first night, when the weather was fine.
If it rained when we got there, we'd all get soaked on the back of the trucks going to the pub and EVERYBODY immediately became friends... you could talk to the other drowned rats without an introduction.
It was the discomfort that made the experience all the better.

The apprenticeship lasts for about 5000 hours.

After years as a PPRune voyeur, JetX your posting has created the need for me to register. GREAT POST!! and now thread.

I am a wife of a pilot who did the hard yards in PNG in the 1970’s flying through the valleys just ahead of the cloud descending, then flying through the dust storms of central Qld but eventually bailing to get a “real job” – or so he thought. We both have many fantastic memories of these times, including postings to places where runways sit on the edge of cliffs or along a beautiful beach and the SP Aero Club in POM watching the PX cadets bounce down the runway as the sun passed the yardarm before there were SIMs to practice in ....
A couple of years ago he had (yet another) mid life crisis and decided to try his hand at flying again. There are worse mid life crisis I am sure. I now get txt msgs along the lines of “this beats working for a living”. His office is back in the clouds and he just loves it!!! How many men in their 50’s can claim satisfaction to this level at this stage of their working life? I am one very lucky wife ... even though rostering is the bain of our life .. he can be thousands of km away for significant family events ... but to have a husband who is genuinely happy in his work world ... how blessed am I!!!. Keep the faith JetX ... it’s not always easy, but it’s enjoyable. And take photos ... you never have enough!! If only we had phones with micro cards back then.

And for those of you who do whinge and gripe ... maybe you need to go and get a "real job" to compare and realise that if its in your blood, the aviation industry is a great place to be whether you be a GenX or Boomer .... even if you are not at the pointy end of a big shinny jet, but something with a propeller or 2.

rob.1201, you are a rarity among pilots wives in being so supportive, the divorce rate is astronomical. One lucky man. You don't have a sister? :p

Great post. It sums up the reasons I spend hardly any time reading these forums, and why I get sick of the perpetual whining of a percentage of the GA world who see it as nothing more than a hellish apprenticeship that must be endured before flying jets - and that spending more than 3 years in GA is somehow breaching their entitlement to move up to the airlines quick-smart.

Rise above the whinging, bitching and rubbish. Keep a smile on your face, don't make enemies, enjoy flying for the brilliant thing it is, and you'll make it.

I am not qualified to comment on JetX's post but it seems to make great sense, however although the thread was in the D&G site there must surely have been very many outside Oz who have read this post, so I'm wondering why have there been virtually no comments from other parts of the world.

Flight, only flight,
 

GA = flying. Same same like hanglider pilots, paragliders, crikey even a meat dart under canopy. If you fly for a living, then so much the better for you. If you live to fly, so much *even betterer* for you :-)

Re the Junkers - those old girls were used to shift dredge components into Enga and other locations by Placer - amongst others - back in the day. Used to be some great stills at Placer Domes Canadian HQ, as well as the (now Barrick Gold Corp) Porgera Gold Mine (in Enga, Ipili country) of the Junkers bringing in improbably large and heavy looking gear, and sticking it down on equally improbable looking strips.

Very enlightening post!

Coming from a current students point of view I am amazed by the amount of people in my course who simply think that when they finish its off to QF to be a captain.

Myself and a few others seem to know that this is not the case; I for one am planning to go get my aerobatic endorsement while studying for my CPL, and once finished go do some Ag Flying, Glider Towing, Mail Runs, instructing, pretty much anything that involves flying!

Once I get the hours up and I feel like a change then one day I will make an attempt to move into RPT.