RVAC 1966
 

In October 1966 a group of potential Naval aviators undertook flight grading at Moorabbin with the RVAC flying Chipmunks.

An author writing on the subject wishes to find the names of the instructors shown in the video below so they may be memorialised.

Points in the video.

10:01:42:17
10:01:50:24
10:02:13:11 (sim)
10:02:45:11
10:02:46:16
!0:02:59:02 (climbing in rear Chippy seat)

Full names if possible, and a background on the individuals would be stupendous.

Roy Goon was at the club at the time, I have it in my mind he was the CFI at the time, would that be correct?

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1145364

Thanks folk.

I remember when I was instructing the RVAC, there was a photograph on the wall in the office of all of the instructors at the time at a dinner - and that included a list of their names. The photo was labelled for '66 or '67. I remember the date because I was born in '67.

If you're in Melbourne, perhaps a trip to the club to look at the photo would be in order?

RVAC 1966
 

In March, April & May 66 my Instructors at RVAC were Stan Taylor, Alan Craigie, ,W Scott, Bruce N’East, Wally Bednar,D. Whitbourne and Bill Campbell-Hicks did my PPL. 11/5/66. All long suffering gentlemen to whom I owe much. I crossed paths with a few of them in later life, namely Alan Craigie and Wally Bednar with CAA in PNG, I was told Scotty went to TAA.

RVAC 1966
sori tru Megan, I can’t put a name to either Instructor. Too long !!!

Pretty sure the instructor is Clem Atkins climbing in the rear seat. Stan Taylor was doing the classroom briefing.
Clem was later running charter company AIRCHART , I worked for him up until its demise in 1974, he retired to Merimbula I understand.
Stan later worked for Executives Airlines in their training school at Essendon till about 1976, not sure after that.

RVAC 1960's
 

Ok, the ones in the vid are as follows;

10:01:42:17 Stan Tayler (note spelling is er)
10:01:50:24 Stan Tayler
10:02:13:11 (sim) Alan Craigie Clem Atkins
10:02:45:11 Bill Cambell-Hicks (on right leading way)
10:02:46:16 Alan Craigie Clem Atkins (note the chap behind Alan Clem with the tie on looks a lot like Roy Goon?? Can be seen also in the group walking to aircraft. Certainly walks like Roy)
!0:02:59:02 (climbing in rear Chippy seat) Alan Craigie. Clem Atkins
I like the Cherokee panel in amoungst the Chippy flying!!

John Bally was the CFI in 64 and left to join DCA in Bris I recall. He was replaced by Bill Cambpell-Hicks.
The manager of the club at that time was Laurie MacPherson who did my PPL test in Feb 65. He later left RVAC and went to RACNSW as Manager.
I did my formation endorsement with Roy Goon his CPL licence number was 511. For the record Avgas was cheaper than motor spirit at around 2/6 a gallon in 1965.

For the record, other instructors during the 64-67 period included: (pls excuse any spelling errors)
John Walmsley (went to Geralton to set up charter/flying school).
Brian Waldron,
Beth Garrett (went to RFDS CNS)
Barry? Adamson (Brian??)
Phil Astley
Dick Jackson (went to Victa)
Doug Whitbourne (went to Air Nauru)
Mark Vanes
Wally Bednar (went to EN with the Browns at Galaxy Flying School - then PNG)
Ian Carter
Brian Waldron
Neil O'Connor
Bluie Margetts (went to DRW as a school teacher)
Alan Cruikshank
Alan Shaw (went to TAA then ??)
John Lindsay and Barry Rick Tate were with Pipeair around the corner before the new clubhouse was built - both went to DCA
Gordon Howe & John Pilkington at Shutts - DMW a 172 was the first IFR trainer on the airfield. (Used to get reported as a lost VFR above the clouds around MNG)
Jock Garden was up at Civil with Peter Bini, John Sangunetti, Mal Latham, Peter Stone

Happy to be corrected or info updated. Some history there and some really good times before the security and charges killed GA...

Below is a promotional photo taken during the handover of some Piper aircraft from the piper dealer, which I recall was Bill Patterson.
I think the chaps on the left are the Club President Brian Hurley and Bill Oldfield (??) On the wing of RVV is CFI Bill Campbell-Hicks and his daughter Jann who worked in the ops room.
further back is Alan Craigie and back again is Neal O'Connor. The picture was taken 25 July 1966. Note, prior to the new clubhouse. My first flight in RVV was in Dec 66


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....81229e31f5.jpg
25JUL65

Yes, that is correct. Stan worked with Doug Williams at Execs during the 70's, instructing, charter & Air Ambulance in the Shrikes. I did my instructor rating and IR with them in the early 70's.
Stan sadly passed away in the late 70's. Doug Williams was with the RAAF reserve and did a bit of work at PCK I recall.

Yes, Rick Tate it was. John Lindsay was with the Dept of many names - I did a low level approval with John in June 79. Memory fade - had to check logbook!

Ah memories, can't trust them anymore. Could have sworn that was Clem Atkins. Sorry to hear about Stan, last I saw of him we went target towing at West head in a shrike and completed my IR renewal on the way back to EN. Wes Guy ran the training dept. when I was with Execs.

You mentioned Dick Jackson, I am wondering if that would be the same Dick Jackson who was CFI at Civil Flying School at Jandakot when I joined them in 1971.
Barry Tate was with Civils at MB when I first knew him, then Air Nauru and others, last heard of still instructing at Tyabb.

No you blokes are wrong, it can't be Moorabbin as there are no DFO's!

Folks,
Alan Cruickshank (his brother was killed in a mid-air, flying a helicopter) went to Qantas, retired as a B747-400 Captain, lives in retirement in Sydney.
Tootle pip!!

Yes, Alan's brother Brian, just recently back from Vietnam, newly married and newly qualified was involved in the mid air virtually over the Moorabbin town hall. The other pilot, Peter Stone, also mentioned in this thread was flying the twin bonanza/air ambulance. Very sad.

Had the pleasure of a couple of long chats with Jock before he passed, many great stories from the 60s/70s Brookes aviation and then Civil Flying Services. Lots of tales of run ins with the DCA and various Moorabbin antics of the time. John Lindsay was our FOI for a number of years. Barry was with Civil as well both in MB and Perth before an overseas stint. BT has some nice old reel based films from the time, fire drops and cloud seeding and a few other little gems, I wonder where they have got to, if he still has em.

I like Jocks story about bringing the first Navajo P to Australia and almost writing it off en-route in a hail storm. Then all the stories about smuggling people for rides in the Mustang...

I agree.

Excellent info, thanks.

Have to check my logbook for dates, Bruce McInnes did my initial training, Roy Goon sent me off on first solo and I am sure Urms Wright was there later in my training?

Yup! There was no high fences and an all over field. After a big night at the aero club, some would try and sober up by walking the length of 17/35.
They had to put flares out for night ops. "taxi red on green" was the instruction...!

Must have been there about the same time - did many circles at West Head and also a trip to work with a ship off Bundy as well as Air Amb. Did a few checks with Wes and he endorsed me on the Cat. I think you are correct re Dick going to the west when Civil's set up there. They had a big maintenance base at JT and did much of the RFDS work on the Queenair's they had then.

Maybe my memory is a bit gone, but I think there were two "Tate's", one at CFS and the other at Pipeair (then DCA). Need help on that one....

Gosh, there are a few of "the usual suspects" named there.

Barry Tate "went to DCA"? I choked on my coffee when I read this (a bit like putting a cat in charge of a mouse ranch). Barry went to CFS in Perth, then BizJets, then Air Naurau, Dragon Air and Qantas. He's still alive and well (still talks 19 to the dozen) and instructing on RA aircraft.

Mal Latham also went to CFS in WA, then Sky West but I've completely lost track of him - everyone has in fact.

Dick Jackson went to CFS in WA too, was initially their CFI at Jandakot but subsequently to their charter side, then to Sky West but was also involved with BAe with the Jetstream 41 programme. Another larger than life character!

When did Urm Wright start? I vaguely recall him as being the CFI around 1972.