Aeropelican 40th anniversary (unofficial) Drinks
 

WHO: Everyone who has worked for the Duck.

An unofficial get-together for the Aeropelican Crew - 6 Different aircraft types, 5 owners, god only knows how many passengers over all those years :ok:

Where: Kent Hotel, Beaumont St Hamilton
When: Saturday 14th May, 1700-(very) late

RSVP: Emily (02) 4928-9600 or (preferably) [email protected]

Do you have any idea of how many people are planning on attending and which era they are from?

Im interested if many people pre - 1984 are attending.

A big hi to all the Otter Pilots that did the PJ ops, thanks for the great times and knowledge i picked up from you guys
"robes" (your friendly refueler and loadmaster.)

Aeropelican 40th
 

I was one of the originals, who with the (Late) Keith Hilder, helped start the Airline. Our fleet at the beginning was one Cessna 402 VH-MWE and later on a second Cessna 402 VH-MWF.

I am unable to attend the get-together but have sent my thoughts and good wishes to Emily at the email she posted above.

It is without doubt that Aeropelican is a success story in Australian Aviation.

Tmb

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/...skynews/25.jpg

http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/...skynews/22.jpg


Tmbstory,
Do you recognise any of the people in the photo?
Keith Hilder is on the far right, Stan Hone third from the left handing out the cig's, but I can't place the others?
Maybe Ces Redman next to Keith?

Okay guy's where's the ASIC cards and safety vests?

Congratulations on 40 years of service, go the duck!!!!

Old Photo
 

RENURPP:

As you say I recognize Stan Hone and of course Keith Hilder..I have asked a friend who may know about the others and will advise in due course.

Tmb

I think I must have written about 12,000 flight strips for pelican when the twotters were doing pelican-sy. mmmmmmmm, one beer per 100 strips = :}

I never worked for Aeropelican but I did get endorsed on VH-MWF at Belmont by Ralph Stewart in March 1980. The company I worked for in Syd,had an a/c in for a major,so,we cross hired the 402. It was very old & smelt awful.

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1305016836

I reckon I know a block who did the other 12000 strips.......and his ratio was more like 1/50 :}:}

I must have been cleared by you 6000 times, THANKYOU:ok:
"My friend" was flying back to the Duck one saturday morning at "500" in formation with a Aquatic Beaver and Airforce Caribu in close formation, what a great picture that would make. DHC2,DHC6 and DHC4

Names for the old Photo
 

Renurpp:

I am unable to help with the names of the people in the old photo other than Keith Hilder and Stan Hone.

Some of the initials of the flight crew were JR, EN, NB.

We started with two return flights per day to Sydney and soon progressed to three and then four return flights, Monday to Friday. One flight each day on the weekends.

The Cessna 402's were limited to 7 passengers due to strip requirements and some interesting times were had when a large truck and /or bus would appear out of the trees on the Highway just as you would be on close final or when approaching from the other end you would need to keep an eye out for large yachts as you were on close final.

Tmb

16 return flights a day at the peak, one every fifteen minutes in the mornings until 0800 I think and then back to 1/2 hr then 1 - 1 1/2 hrs until the evening peak started again. 120,000 passengers a year.

Eric and Noel I know, but can't place JR, can you give me another hint? Ahh yes, John, Gateshead Drive in?
I know the three of them, are you one of them?

I hope these articles are of interest to ex Aeropelican guys.
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/...news/Scan1.jpg
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/...news/Scan2.jpg[/IMG]
This was Pelican, the suburb, prior to any airport development, any Novacastrian would recognise Swansea south at the top of the picture.
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/...news/photo.jpg
This was Keith Hilder's vision of Aeropelican or East Lakes Airport as it was intended to be named back in 1959.
http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/...ws/photo-1.jpg
Note the taxi way into the bay, that was intended to service float planes/amphibious.

30th June 1980
 

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6982944_n.jpg
Aeropelican 'Class of 1980'

Aeropelican 1988
 

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...1_365782_n.jpg

Aeropelican 'Class of 88'

Any chance of increasing the resolution of the class of 80?

Class of 88
 

...is the Wazza in the middle? :ok:

...and is KJ in the 1988 pic? :suspect:

It's been scanned in and then reduced to the Pprune maximum of 640 x 480, is there another better way? I haven't posted a photo before.

Yes it's Wazza in the middle, who the *** is KJ??

Kranky Kenny Johnstone! :D