PNG IN THE 60'S
 

I can't believe how many current PNG flyers keep thinking how difficult it is flying in PNG.
You've got sophisticated aircraft and instruments, VOR, DME RADAR etc.
airstrips that reach standards. Piece of cake !!..................in the 60's we flew DR, non IFR in non IFR conditions, only UHF, VHF within range, limited capability aircraft,basic instruments, airstrips you would not believe, same weather conditions you fly in now, and very few whingers....not like we hear now.

I can only hear one whinger.

However I've always had nothing but respect for anyone that cut their teeth flying in PNG. It has all the threats - terrain, weather, ATC, NPAs etc, etc. Not sure it is "a piece of cake" - then or now...

Does anyone have any photos from back then?

most of the aircraft were brand new back then. there are still some on the register to show for it as well :}:}
Any one looking for old photos have a skim through 'I used to live in Papua New Guinea' page on Facebook. There are quite a few aircraft/aviation photos.

Yes it has become better with technology which ultimately keeps PEOPLE ALIVE. :ugh::ugh:

Also, what's "non IFR in non IFR conditions"?.... I'm a bit confused!

PNG IN THE 60'S
 

............

RADIX, agreed.
The posts on the other thread (http://www.pprune.org/pacific-genera...ng-flying.html) have answered the OPs query/statement: Mods, maybe it's time to merge and close?

There I was, upside down in clouds... :D

You see, that's what happens....obviously it should read fly vfr in ifr conditions.
But as for whingers............wow.........there's more of them in charter flying than any other business I know....and yes, I am one of them, particularly under the lousy salary and conditions offered.

I've never heard anyone whinge about 'how hard it is to fly' up here.
The challenge is what draws most to PNG in the first place.
On the contrary, most I know love the environment they operate in, and those who don't, leave...so I'm not sure of which group you speak? 'Whingers' don't tend to stick around very long.

Refer also to Chimbu Warriors reply in your other post. Tru tok.

Maybe there's more whingeing these days because employers have less integrity than those of a bygone era.
PNG is challenging, but there are other places equally or more so. The Shetlands, Iran, Peru are just a few AND they all have a season called winter.

If anything, I believe that as well as employers with integrity back in the 60's, we benefited from really thorough training and a graduated 'apprenticeship' system. There was a CAO unique to PNG that required a lot of in-country experience before lifting restrictions on where a pilot could fly. Nowadays a lot of young pilots just get chucked in at the deep end. That mostly they survive says something about their character today being little different to those that went there years before.

The only thing better now is the advent of GPS which helps navigation and enables more accurate approaches. Which is just as well, because most of the good infrastructure that existed under 'colonial' rule has long since been trashed.

Flying in PNG today is not easier, and not harder - maybe a little different. The weather and rocks are still the same, still there, awaiting the unwary....

Indeed, a young fella was very very lucky to survive crashing a PAC750 recently, trying to get into olsobip I think, in very average wx.

Only been in country a short time, and I heard he'd only been given 10hrs icus, and had never been into the strip before...:eek:

Unusual Attitude, you are on the right lines but I think the strip in question was Gulgupip which is about 3000 ft (roughly) higher, up against The Wall, no go around on short finals (which is what he tried to do) and all in poor weather.

I think you are right about the amount of ICUS but it was all around Kiunga. I don't think he had been further north than Rumginae! Then told "away you go" to the "Bips & Mins". Unbelievable! As you say, a very lucky guy indeed!

Sounds like you did a very good job under the circumstances Gfnz. Hope your injuries are not too serious and great your pax were all ok. You did just what Bob Hoover was quoted as saying, " Fly the aircraft as far into the crash as possible".

Thanks for sharing GoneFishingnz - what an amazing story. It sounds like you saved the day with your actions.

Speedy recovery and best regards.

If I was you Gonefishingnz, I would not be posting anything about what happened. It may come back to bite you!

Reading Gonefishingnz's posts......words fail me!

Whatever happened to the first week in country being spent in the RHS followed by ICUS into all strip for a minumum of three trips!

IF after the three ICUS trips, in the Checkies opinion you were capable of landing there you might have been required to do a couple of take offs, circuits and landings from that strip solo, whilst the Checkie stood on the ground there and watched you!:ooh: (Luk V; Remember that was what you did with me at Kaintiba, which was my very first PNG strip endorsement!)

Unusual-Attitude; Precisely!:ok::ok:

I wish Chimbu Chuckles was still on these boards as I have absolutely no doubt that he would be able to express in a far more eloquent manner than I the absolute insanity of sending someone with only 10 hours ICUS in country into a previously unvisited strip.

Gonefishingnz; Go buy a lottery ticket mate, because you are incredibly lucky that you are still alive!:=

PNG
 

Well, my bit surely got you all talking.
I was giving a flight check to an American pilot at Olsobip some 50 years ago in a 150, and he undershot and wiped the undercart on a rock.
Plane was spread along the airstrip, but luckily no one was hurt.

i expect to get flamed.
dispela mangi gonefishing em no enap
im with captain fathom in this one. check and training may be gone but as PIC you don't get in a situation where you stack an aircraft and try to apportion blame after the fact,
some of us checked ourselves into far tougher strips without incident

Indeed Troppo, as did I on several occasions but only after having logged about 400 hrs in the counrty first. The old ANO 28 rule (IIRC??) applied.

I think he said his engine wasn't performing!

Engine trouble Kelly? When I was a lad we couldn't even afford engines! We used to get up, build the aircraft out of used toilet rolls in the dark, run really fast down the runway until we reached Vr and then self check into much much harder strips without incident! Those were the days.