power house museum

[Guest ozzie]

Last Friday afternoon i had the pleasure of being invited to a private tour of the recently opened Powerhouse Discovery Centre at Seven Hills in Sydney. The main theme for this 2nd facility is transport history. Most is stored away, but will all eventually be rotated for all to see. There are several aircraft on display including two Minimum Aircraft. In November they will be holding an Aviation themed week, so stay tuned for the dates.

 

For those wishing to visit the display store facility, the opening hours are as follow.

 

public open days, second Saturday of the month 10am to 5pm bookings not required.

 

self guided groups tuesdays to fridays 10am/4pm booking and prepayment requiered $8 a head. full site visit available at extra cost.

 

A couple of photos

 

The Kimberley Skyrider, designed and built by Gary Kimberley and sold as plans.

 

The second is the Stolaero prototype by Steve Cohen. (Rainbow wing)

 

This is the aircraft that i taught myself to fly from scatch with. It has been in storage for about 20 years so it brought back lots of memories.

 

I'd love to fly it again.

 

Ozzie

 

 

 

 

[Yenn]

Seven Hills. That is where they built the Transavia Air Truck. Years ago I was at our company depot there which was part of the same complex and they gave the air truck a test flight. My impression at the time was what an ugly thing it was, but it flew well and was a good performer for it's day.

 

 

[Ultralights]

now an Airtruck would be a nice classic aircraft to own, are there any still flying in Oz??

 

 

[hihosland]

I believe that the one that they built at Seven Hills was the Transavia Airtruk.

 

The Air Truck ( either Bennet's or Waitomo Air Truck) was built in New Zealand and the Transavia Airtruck was a derivative thereof. If I remember correctly the original Bennet's aircraft was concocted out of surplus Harvard parts.

 

I am sure that someone on this forum will be better informed then me and will supply the correct details.

 

best of wishes

 

and fading memories

 

Davidh

 

.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Waitomo Airtruk New Zealands first commercial aircraft designed by Luigi Pellarini in mid 50's

 

Airtruck was futher developed by Transavia at Seven Hills as PL12 Airtruk

 

It differed with stub lower wings and flat six cont. later upped to flat 8 engine. production started in 66 and ceased in 93.

 

from my big book of aircraft. (googal)

 

It was a sturdy sensible design with simple tuff gear operates from anywhere, the twin booms allowed the truck to fill the hopper easy.

 

designed with in field maitainence in mind.

 

i saw one several years ago at Powerhouse's main museum at Ultimo Sydney.

 

We were jumping at Corowa on the NSW Vic border, the pilot was making a phone call at the terminal and a crowd gathered around it. there was some strange noises coming from inside the aircraft, so some dummy opened the door and three sheep jumped out. 30 minutes of caos. 100 skydivers and 1 really peeved farmer chased them all over that airport.

 

 

[Student Pilot]

There are still a few Airtrucks working in the country, Stephen Death from Albury has a few and there used to be one at Bathurst but I haven't seen it in a while.

 

 

[Guest Robbo]

Didnt they use one of the Transavia airtruks in a "mad max" film?

 

I saw one out at Bathurst a few months ago sitting beside a hangar in a very poor, unairworthy condition:(

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Yes there was one fearured in one of the Mad Max movies.

 

i also remember reading a story of two pilots who went to China to teach some chinese pilots how to use the Airtruk for Agwork. One aircraft crashed with only the Aussie pilot on board. some time later the story of him being shot down after straying to close to a military facility emerged after the remains of his aircraft was found in a military hanger some years later with cannon holes thru it by some of the pilots former students.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[Guest pecram air]

Air Truck

 

There are 2 Airtrucks at Bathurst (Opposite my hangar) the one alongside the hangar is the spare parts for the the operational unit. This unit is still used for ag spraying. The interesting thing is to watch the loader getting a lift home at the end of the day he sits in a little cubby at the rear of the plane facing backwards. I will attach some photos when i next go to the hangar.

 

Phil C.