You Can't Do This Anymore
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You Can't Do This Anymore
In days gone by I was privileged to start my civil flying career as a crop duster based at a small country town in southern New South Wales Australia. The airfield was grass and the company’s hangar was a large (for those days) building with a flat corrugated tin roof. (Note flat and corrugated roof.) It was standard practice for the crop dusters to let the engineers and hangar staff know that they were back from a days work by doing a low run over the hangar prior to landing. One of my colleagues formed the opinion that things were a little too sedate in the hangar and the whole lot needed to be sharpened up. On this particular day he positioned so as to approach the hangar from the closed end. He climbed to around 4000’ and closed the throttle to glide silently towards the airfield. The idea being that no one would know he was there. Skillfully (no doubt about that) he placed the crop dusters wheels on the edge of the roof and pushing the stick forward he pinned the aeroplane firmly in place. At the same time he opened the throttle to the stops. The plane roared across the roof with its wheels bouncing in the corrugations and shook the hangar to its very foundations. The sudden noise and vibration virtually stunned every person inside. The engineers went into partial shock and the office girl was in hysterics. Words like “unreal, deafening, earthquake, hangar collapsing “ were used to describe the effect. However there were no hard feelings, the pilot laughed, the engineers laughed and after she had settled down the office girl laughed too. How different it all is today. The grass field is now a sealed runway, there are non-flying departmental bureaucrats everywhere, a bit of fun is frowned upon and heaven help the pilot that doesn’t stay in line. Sometimes I find myself wondering if the spirit of the unconventional men of yesteryear has passed to their sons and daughters or is it being suppressed by today’s “ conform or else “.
KIFIS
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Interesting story, KIFIS.
Here's another one. In days gone by one of the RAF Rescue Helo flights had a pilot who used to 'wake up' the ground crew by 'landing' on the roof of the single story, flat roof ops building. He was regarded as as an extremely competent pilot and demonstrated it frequently by low level 'beat-ups' of the Marine craft and contour chasing over the local Downs. He eventually demonstrated his 'skill' by lowering the nose instead of the collective and going into retreating blade stall. The ensuing crash killed him and his Winchman and severely injured the remaining crew.
How do I know all this? - Because my first job on replacing the dead Winchman was to recover his personal effects from the crash site.
It is to be hoped that the 'days gone by' have been replaced by an era when pilots understand the responsibilities of their calling. In close to fifty years in the aviation profession I have lost far too many colleagues to the self-indulgence of 'skilled' aviators. Aeroplanes are not toys, but treated as such they are exceptionally effective killing machines.
Here's another one. In days gone by one of the RAF Rescue Helo flights had a pilot who used to 'wake up' the ground crew by 'landing' on the roof of the single story, flat roof ops building. He was regarded as as an extremely competent pilot and demonstrated it frequently by low level 'beat-ups' of the Marine craft and contour chasing over the local Downs. He eventually demonstrated his 'skill' by lowering the nose instead of the collective and going into retreating blade stall. The ensuing crash killed him and his Winchman and severely injured the remaining crew.
How do I know all this? - Because my first job on replacing the dead Winchman was to recover his personal effects from the crash site.
It is to be hoped that the 'days gone by' have been replaced by an era when pilots understand the responsibilities of their calling. In close to fifty years in the aviation profession I have lost far too many colleagues to the self-indulgence of 'skilled' aviators. Aeroplanes are not toys, but treated as such they are exceptionally effective killing machines.
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Let human kind proliferate at the present rate, and we'll soon need a license to breathe! Just look at the differences of freedom in flying in the US as to EU....
Thanks for the good stories!
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... cut my wings and I'll die ...
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Please lets not condemn or condone on this thread.
We live in different times now, as we are all aware. Bygones etc.
I cannot enjoy enough of these tales, even if the harsh reality is that they were dangerous.
Please keep the stories coming, they highlight the differences from yesteryear, and make for a great read.
We live in different times now, as we are all aware. Bygones etc.
I cannot enjoy enough of these tales, even if the harsh reality is that they were dangerous.
Please keep the stories coming, they highlight the differences from yesteryear, and make for a great read.
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Interesting replies, thank you all. I understand and sympathize with what Cornish Jack had to say however I do not agree with him. Perhaps further discussion is needed on this. Please allow me to indulge a little by way of expanding on my original sentiments and follow up by asking you all another question.
I’ve seen a family photograph ( never published ) of a crop duster friend of mine flying an Ag Cat duster ( biplane ) around a bend in a river with both wheels in the water and the plane covered in spray. It’s one of the best examples of flying skill I have yet to see. The man is a superb pilot and I am sure his ability would have been handed on. Now explain this to me ? Both his sons are not crop dusters but successful airline pilots. They did not want to follow in dad’s footsteps. Why? Was it the hazards or was it the softer life style?
KIFIS
I’ve seen a family photograph ( never published ) of a crop duster friend of mine flying an Ag Cat duster ( biplane ) around a bend in a river with both wheels in the water and the plane covered in spray. It’s one of the best examples of flying skill I have yet to see. The man is a superb pilot and I am sure his ability would have been handed on. Now explain this to me ? Both his sons are not crop dusters but successful airline pilots. They did not want to follow in dad’s footsteps. Why? Was it the hazards or was it the softer life style?
KIFIS
