RAAF to take ownership of Temora aircraft

[red750]

Slight thread drift, but it refers to a previous post regarding Frank Lowy's yacht.  Apparently he just sold it to a mining millionaire (billionaire?). It was featured in tonight's news running amok and crashing into a marina, crushing a number of dinghies and a gangway. 

 

 

[DenisPC9]

Can't see how the RAAF would have expertise in the older stuff or spend money to get it (If that's possible)  The "volunteers" eventually pass on and the skills go with them. Nev

 

About 10 years ago I worked with a fellow, ex RAAF WgCdr, who was a chopper pilot in the late 60s and was then in some sort of AF Reserve.  He flew the aircraft at Point Cook Museum.  He said the Sopwith was a bit hairy.  So they do have people with those skills.

 

And many RAAF Pilots are also QFIs, so teaching someone the quirks of the old aircraft isn't that difficult.  After all they generally have quite a few thousand hours on different types before they start flying those older machines, so its only yet another Conversion Course

 

 

[facthunter]

I'm not talking about getting up in them now and again. That's relatively, easy although I did try to get a ""jet only" trained person solo in a Tiger Moth and it never happened as just NEVER got the feet quick enough to do things that you never do with a jet (normally).  No other pilot  ever tested my ability to recover a plane form weird situations to allow solo in it. Too much time with stuff so different. People who started on such things , (basic T/W without brakes) never had that difficulty and usually soloed in 8-10 hours

 

     I'm thinking of repair, restoration, rigging and  reconstruction of the wood and fabric and oxy acetylene welds etc as well as the totally different power plants. Even HARS are getting difficulty with people skilled in those sorts of things.   Nev

 

 

[F10]

It’s no doubt great that we have individuals who are into the whole world wide warbird scene, to preserve, re-build and thus keep these aircraft flying for all to see. But I don’t think they are any different than most of us enthusiasts....except for one rather significant difference, they have the “dosh” to indulge, or are $$$erious pilots. Some are lucky, and get close to these types of aircraft through military service or knowing someone. However, this RAAF move is to my mind a bit of a laugh. Like some have already said, clever move, let’s face it, to be able to hang on to the toy box, at taxpayers expense.