naremman

If you read Adolf Galland's autobiography Kaz you might form the opinion that our mob were not in the same league. The English were probably fortunate to have a Canadian born bloke named Max Aitken on their side!

Don't forget the "Double Sunrise" flights Kaz, operated by Qantas between Perth and the then Ceylon, a short leg of about 3500 miles taking around 27 hours in a Catalina during WW2. Still recognised the longest airtime commercial flight of all time. This run was ultimately flown by Qantas using Lancastrian aircraft, but they cribbed by landing at Learmonth and not making Perth in one hit. There is a great tribute to these flights at the RAAFA Museum in Perth, alongside a PBY Catalina restored beautifully. Talking to one of the guides it took a good number of hours of flight before they could ever consider single engine flight without a downwards component. That they never lost an aircraft in the two years of operation is testimony to the gear, and the maintenance that supported them. Sounds like a good book, and another one to find space for in the library.

Somebody had better alert Poteroo to this thread. I can recall doing a BFR with Poteroo about 15 years ago in his Cessna 170, just before he sold the old girl. Part of the start up proceedure was being told to discard the footware and get back to socks, thankfully clean that morning. The reasoning was with the amount of footwork we were going to get in a hour of low level circuits, sans soles was going to provide more feedback from the rudder. Heels always on the floor, and probably les chance of bringing the toe brakes into play. In my brief involvement in aerobatic competitions it was always interesting observing the footware of the participating pilots, usually worn down joggers with the barest of tread left on them. I had a pair of well worn tennis shoes which fitted the bill, but they were not too comfortable walking over gravel! After years of farming, flying and volunteer ambulance officer I am at times astounded observing the standards of footwear, or at times lack thereof, and I suppose there are some well prepared to meet all eventualities, and whilst the intances are few, some who will wear the consequences of being poorly equiped.

Only two weeks ago I was peeking inside a F111 module on display at the RAAFA Museum at Bull Creek in Perth. What an oportunity to have to contrast the cockpit of an advanced jet, and then take a few steps to look into a Spitfire cockpit and observe riudmentary controls by comparison. All this under the outer wing of the Lancaster! Digressing a little, at midday on Saturday they start up a Cheetah engine ex an Anson, and then a Rolls Royce Merlin. They must have pretty tolerant neighbours as suburbia adjoins on the other side of the road, and the smoke on start up on the Cheetah, and then the decibels from the Merlin could easily be cause for complaint. A great museum, and far too much to see in the two hours we were able to spend there.

With my training to PPL standard in the early 1970's sdseslipping was not covered during my all Cessna aircraft training. Post PPL issue, with the same instructor, when I acquired Tiger and Chippie endorsements sideslipping then came strongly into play, especially the Tiger which we would slip right down into the flare, after taking into acount any crosswind so we were not arse about face. I can remember starting my Class 4 Instrument training in a C172 on a pitch black night, and having my instructor on one circuit indicating we were a bit high. I kicked in about a ball of sideslip only to experience an absolute explosion from the right seat!! Not worth repeating. Buying a Victa Airtourer really did bring the benefits of sideslipping to the fore. Cleared for a full flap sideslip up to 87 knots it gave a remarkable versatility to approaches, with great control authority. I have done a fair amount of flying in Light Aircraft Championships and bemoan that a lot of the advantatages that the Airtourer posssesses are precluded, especially in the Force Landing component. I recall competing inthe Australian Light Aircraft Chamionships at Jandakot where the first round of the Spot Landing Competition was conducted with a quartering tailwind. Only three arcraft scored ground points- two Airtourers and a Robin 2160- all landed off sideslips. All other aircraft went soaring past the ground markers. Bernie Saroff, my Air Judge, was far from amused and it was not until I showed him a 1964 Victa Handling Notes that he has prepared to accept that I had not gone outside the aircafts operating paramaters. One consideration not mentioned thus far is the possibility in a sideslip, particlarly in a low fuel situation, so all the fuel to ends up at the wrong end of the tank, and most engines doen't run too well on air. A possibile extreme example, but who wants to invite Murphy on board? I can remember many discussions as to whether to slip the garden variety Cessnas or not. Other than the references to the fuel situation, I have not noted any POHs that precule slipping, and have in my Cessna 172M ownership slipped it quite comfortably, though never aggressively. Comments on the C177 were to excercise caution, though I can not remeber too many of them falling out of the sky. Poteroo's early comments are particularly pertinent, though gaining exposure to Ralph's wealth of knowledge and experience is not so easily achieveable these days. He may be in the mature category, but as a survivor of both PNG and aggie work I always appreciate his perspective.

Australia, a few decades ago gave us the Transavia Airtruck, GAF Nomad and Victa Airtourer as our contibution to the aesthetic stakes!!

And we in Australia a few decades ago has the Transavia Airtruck, GAF Nomad and Victa Airtourer to fly he aesthetics flag!

I woz honest and fell into the 60-65 segment,and most body components comply to this category, but does new 2 and 4 year old hip prosthetics bring the overall average down a bit?

Was my initial thought too, though would seek the facility at MERREDIN. Fully equipped airline training facility that was perfectly suitable, at least location wise, for China Southern Airlines and was operational until about a year ago. Low airfield rental charges, no movement charges and bugger all CTA or PRDs to impede training. Perfect.

Highly probable it is "War in a Stringbag" authored by Charles Lamb Kaz. One of the most reread books from my bookshelves. A remarkable human perspective from a person who participated and observed so much, and one of the few Royal Navy FAA pilots at the commencement of war to see its conclusion. I wonder if one would have ever been able to buy life insurance if you stated "Swordfish Pilot" as your occupation.

My late first wife gained a Restricted Pilots Licence in the early 1980's, learning on our Airtourer. I left the the instruction entirely up to two very experienced Instructors. Whenever we flew together she was in the left seat and got the first call. The added bonus was navigation was my department, which was one of the few opportunities I had to successfully tell her where to go! We often used to joke that should divorce ever be considered, if the lady was to initiate proceedings an aircraft would be in close proximity, and if the gent was kicking thing off it would be within a shopping mall.

Rather than focus on the Hurricane/Spitfire dilemma in the Battle of Britain, I would rather focus on what would have happened without either of Robert Watson-Watt, Keith Park or Hugh Dowding. Aircraft were not the principal limitation in the Battle of Britain. Supply of pilots, especially experienced, rested leaders often determined the outcomes. The Battle of France and the Canal campaign decimated the ranks of experienced pilots with little gain. Al Deere in "Nine Lives" gives a particular well balanced observation from someone who was right in the thick of it. He clearly states that neither the Spitfire or Hurricane would have prevailed in the Battle of Britain on their own. It was the combination that was telling. His praise of Keith Park, a fellow New Zealander, is unbounded, and it is not until after the battle that he appreciated the at times unpopular instruction for the Spitfires to take on the fighters while the Hurricanes focused on the bombers.The stats show that Hurricanes downed more of the Luftwaffe than Spitfires, but what would have been the outcome without the Spits holding off the Me 109s? That Park and Dowding experienced career reversals immediately after Battle of Britain in my mind diminishes any attempt to celebrate it as a victory. Park's subsequent role in the defense of Malta shows that he was not a one trick pony. In reading the books by Jeffery Quill and Alex Henshaw one would gain an appreciation that whilst the Spitfire achieved remarkable results over a six year period, it did so with a number of handling deficiencies. The heaviness in ailerons at speed in the Spitfire took a long time to overcome., and longitudinal stability was just a constant. Jeff Quill stated that after flying a captured Me 109 that he was surprised that the German fighter was heavier on ailerons than the British counterpart, and could not understand the overall aura it was given. Alex Henshaw flew every Spitfire variant of the war and gave the Mark Va his nod for his preferred mount for handling ability. History has not always been kind to the Hurricane, Being sent to France with wooden fixed propellors, with fabric wings and no armour plating was not the best demonstration of a product. The loss of pilots was probably more telling than airframes. That Hurricane Mk1s were pitted against Me 109Es in the defense of Malta could appear as nothing short of lopsided. Yet the role of the Hurricane in the Western Desert was notable. A 40mm canon in the wing of a Spitfire was never a possibility! The impact that the Hurricane had at The Battle of Britain can not be disputed. But that was the apex of its contribution. If you chose not to outrun it no aircraft could turn inside of it. What Stanford Tuck and Bader demonstrated is what the Hurricane could do in capable hands, Sadly the Hurricane was over represented in Archie McIndoe's burns unit. That nearly 78 years om the Battle of Britain remain as such a strong historical perspective is intensely interesting, but that the Germans not gaining ascendanancy of Fighter Command, for whatever reason, is still the issue.

For anybody with some Joliffe cartoons stored away, hide them quick or they will indeed give visible proof that that a boomerang is indeed a deadly weapon!! For the younger PC generation you might have to ask Grandad who Jolliffe was, or Salt Bush Bill in Google might be some use. I have a boomerang, from a very unlikely source, that could be well considered lethal. In 1976 I was in the UK on Rural Youth exchange and when staying in Yorkshire was introduced to a gentleman making boomerangs out of laminated plywood. Worked brilliantly, and one it is still hanging on my study wall. Whats more it had around the world trip when my daughter had a Rotary Exchange in Denmark, and it was demonstrated to the host family, and then school the following day. It was then in my luggage when we went through the USA, but it was 2000, and the World Trade Centre Towers were proudly still standing. It is indeed interesting to consider that the Aborigines may well have had an understanding of aerodynamics that would have preceded da Vinci, and the helicopter guys were slow learners!

If we could entertain a digression, we could look at the the role of Australian born Sidney Cotton in the field of photo reconnaissance during the Second World War. At the outbreak of the war photo reconnaissance based in Britain was conducted by a civilian organization headed by Cotton. It did not take too long before this responsibiltiy was assumed by the RAF, and whilst Cotton initially was involved it was not too long before Cotton's method of operation saw him promptly sidelined! Jeff Quill, the Supermarine Test Pilot, details a number of overtures that were made to him to join the flight, which he always declined, but also outlined flights he conducted test flying the PR variants. Longitudinal stability quickly became an issue once the Spitfire became militiarized, and the need to cram as much fuel as possible on board made the PR variants even more tetchy. Whilst most focus goes to the combat aspect of wartime aviation, their are many components of wartime aviation where not too many shots were fired, but their contribution was still significant. Would love to see some coverage of the two Australian Sunderland squadrons that made such a contribution to Coastal Command. 10 Squadron must have a vast and interesting history.

When I did my Volunteer Ambulance Officers training with St John WA the provisions of the Good Samaritan law were well explained. It would normally be anticipated that in a trauma or medical incident a person would render assistance to the level of their training/qualifications. A person who has First Aid training would apply that training, as an ambulance officer it would be expected that I would use those skills, but I am not a qualified paramedic, nor a Doctor and certainly not a trauma physician and would not venture there. With the majority of small country towns in WA not having an ambulance service with paramedics, it is vollie ambulance officers that will mainly provide the pre-hospital service. A benefit for those communities is that these trained officers are embedded within our communities, so it is not unusual that we use our skills outside of the ambulance service. We are, never the less, very adept at covering our backsides. As mentioned, Danger is a paramount consideration, and it is no accident that it heads the DRSABCD First Aid acronym. Also prominent is the "S, send for help". With the inevitable initial scrambled brain occurence at an incident, the sooner a sound assessment is made of the scene, and communicated the better. It is a fair chance that it is the person with some training and understanding of the system that starts the process to achieve the best outcome. Within the ambulance service any form of photography is an absolute no no. For those who are not procluded from the camera, I would hope that privacy and respect for those involved becomes the overriding concern. Those of us who give assistance might not be strongly enamored of either the captured images, or the person behind the camera either. When just on one in five people hold current First Aid training, it would be great that in the great Australian tradition that the first responders are always providing the best possible care.

Don't know what is going on at Merredin at the moment, other than to say it has been quite a while since the airspace has been disturbed by a Grob. The airstrip was originally owned by the Shire of Merredin, though not sure what the current ownership status is. China Southern Airlines for the most part worked hard to fit in with the locals. Did a number a Angel Flights through Merredin and always found them to be very helpful and supportive. Always made the Jet A1 facility available when the Rescue Chopper was in this patch, and as this distance challenged their range sometimes required a top up. They were very helpful in conducting Flight Reviews for local pilots, a service always appreciated as access to Instructors is a bit scarce in the Wheatbelt. I did two reviews with them, and they would not ask for payment if you provided your own aircraft, but discreetly suggested the RFDS tin or staff Xmas do could do with some assistance. To me the issue is not questioning the foreign ownership, but pondering why an operation that functioned seemingly, well no longer operates, to the detriment of lesser employment opportunities and a substantial reduction of money spent in a small remote community that could really gain some benefit from the operation of a flying school. We often used to see the Grobs doing circuits at airstrips in adjoining towns, gaining experience on some of our more interesting, usually gravel airstrips, and broadening their experience base. We always enjoyed the chats with the guys when they took a breather. I do ponder how many of the pilots flying the China Southern A330s into Australian ports currently did their initial training through Merredin? I do miss the sound from the Grob when the Instructor retards the throttle and sets the student the task of a PFL onto my farm strip, for which my consent had been sought and readily given. Few handled it really well, but the ones who were fairing well were able to take it pretty low before power was applied. One stand out was a student who would have made it into my 1500' downhill strip on a burbly hot March day. If I was going to have to sit behind a pilot down in cattle class, I would hope like hell it was that bloke! Given China Southern's cessation in training, what are we in Australia going to do to safeguard any similar training operations, or being optimistic, creating the environment where this area of aviation might expand? Having read Dick Smith's "Two Years in the Aviation Hall of Doom" in 1985, how sad is it for aviators who noted the issues and concerns Dick raised to observe the current status? Funny that within a week one newspaper article highlights the downturn in flying training in recent years, and another leads the article proclaiming the issue the issue of a $1, and misses the multiple millions that through Australian aviation that are not being being spent to benefit Australia!

Forty years Airtourer ownership has given me a fair understanding of the "Greenhouse Effect". Other than the sometimes superheated environment the visibility has always given a strong bias towards the perspex bubble. After about a dozen Nullabor crossing in the Airtourer we developed our own coping strategies. Firstly dress in a long sleeve cotton shirt, and forget the shorts, Sunburnt legs is something not easily forgotten. I also used a soft cotton floppy hat and the Ray Bans were just not for the looks. We used the shades with suction cups which we could move around for best protection. On a 8-9 hour flying day there were some times that were quite comfortable, and some times when there was no denying nature. I found flying directly into the sun at either early morning or late afternoon more tedious that the midday sun. Even on the ground there was no let up, with standing around on a hot apron when refueling no joy. I can recall a couple of times finding comfort in the Kalgoorlie FSU in the 1980's, attempting to capture all the cool air coming out of the air conditioner. We might have the Nullabor behind us but it was tempting to linger in the cool and stall embarking on the last two hours to home. On long hot flights take particular note of rehydration. The body is going to loose a lot of fluid, and whilst the body adapts to fluid loss to a certain point, it does not take too long before stress becomes evident and the decision making process suffers impairment. We used to constantly sip, and generally aim for a cup of fluid an hour. Now that the legendary Kiwi pilot Cliff Tait's books have become accessible to download, Cliff details in "Water Under my Wing" the issues he faced in ferrying a collection of Airtourers, CT4s and Fletchers, all with bubble canopies, to various parts of the world. Cliff's initial ferry flights with the Thai CT4s imposed some severe physical demands on him on the Brisbane to Darwin legs, and his robust comments were not always well received in a more temperate NZ. He even resorted to opening an umbrella inside a CT4 in an attempt to gain respite! Even when the sun has gone down not all the issues have disapeared, when that ice cold lager makes a satisfying, yet rapid progression past the larynx and the kidneys and liver that have already had a bit of a workout for the day, face yet another challenge. Summer flying is Aus can come with its challenges, and some aircraft are better equiped that others, but be mindful that there are times hwen we humans can be the weakest link.

Like you Riley I was out of the country, enduring seven months in the UK on a Rural Youth/Young farmer exchange. Wasn't this the event that had Douglas Bader along for the trip? If my memory serves me correct I recall tales of him in vintage form sitting on a four gallon tin in the hangar at Forrest, which was one of the overnight stops. I know one aircraft that was entered that did not participate. I acquired my Airtourer 100 when the previous owner, Arthur Shearing, put it on the market so he could purchase a T3 Airtourer, the 130 hp variant, VH-PMC. Arthur had entered the 1976 Air Race, but just before the start date parked PMC, carrying a very good measure of airspeed, in Jarrah forest abeam Canning Dam. That he survived is testimony to the strength of Henry Millicer's design, and I am happy to report Arthur is still going strong at 95 living in Bruce Rock. Sadly the comparative strength in General Aviation that existed in the 1970s is but a distant memory, and should an attempt be made today to replicate such an event can you imagine the imposition of rules for observance of, disclaimers, forms of indemnity, production of insurance certificates, mandatory ASICs and God knows what else? Taping over an ADF if you had one, and having everybody dependent on just a WAC, watch, compass and a smoking prayer wheel was a real skill set. All the electronic gadgetary available today just might have taken some of the fun (or even terror) out of it.

Not a bad choice of aircraft to cross the Nullabor in!! Have a bit better than 20 crossings, all in aircraft with around the 100 knots cruise so even 10 knots of wind could change some of the circumstances quite promptly. As a general rule for wind it was high going East, low coming West. GPS makes life a lot easier. The first ten trips were all done with map, compass and watch, including a Ayers Rock (yes off the old dirt strip) direct to Forrest in a 407 Nm leg in a Victa Airtourer 100. With the weather we have experienced in the past few months it is a bit hard to define normal, as Northerly flows have given us 75% of our average annual rainfall by the fifth week of the year in the WA Wheatbelt. Severe flooding has been experienced on the South Coast. Some of the dirt strips like Caiguna can turn to mud baths quickly, usually more so on the taxiways. Forrest no problems, though in the 70's ERSA used to carry a warning for camels who made a habit of sitting on the warm bitumen. One thing I observed that in a 800 mile day how much the weather varied in what you encountered in the one day. We might have set off with all the ARFORs but invariably ran into more than was forecast. Moisture laden Southerly winds hitting a warm land mass can create some interesting situations, and I have diverted via Forrest a couple of times. Other than a backside bending component, you will be passing over a fascinating part of the Australian landscape. Heading West from HOB at 1500' with the 300' cliffs off to the right, and gliding distance back to the highway still rates as one of my best flying memories. Travel safely, and have fun

Surprised Kaz has not contributed to this thread, as her constant canine companion seems to have featured in her travels blatting around in the Auster. Two of my best Border Collie sheepdogs made the transition from their SW Western Australian birthplaces back to the Wheatbelt as pups, sitting on my lap in the Airtourer. Must not have traumatized them too much! I can remember a story of a UK character who flew one of Mr Percival's products who was always accompanied by a Labrador, who quite happily sat in the right seat unresrtrained through barrell rolls!

Kaz, could we include Al Deere to those already mentioned. Bluey Truscott, although missing the Battle of Britain, made his impact in 1941/42

Can recall seeing an airworthy example at Duxford in 1976. Walking around it you certainly could see the similarity to its younger brother. Security was not such an issue then, so one could walk almost impeded across the tarmac and through the hangars checking out a veritable treasure trove of aviation history. Having visited the Imperial War Museum's aviation section earlier in London, a lot of their surplus gear was stored at Duxford. Whilst I still retain good memories of the day, what I would give in the unlikely event I could recreate that day!

Early on my Instructor, who was ex Army with C180 and Porter time intomed: "look at a duck land, down into ground effect, gradually increase of attack, Plop!!" Has worked well for both the ducks, and me. The apex of the learning experience was training for what was then a Class 4 Instrument Rating now known as Night VFR. Remove external visual references except the flare path and you quickly gain an appreciation of awaiting the flare path to start flattening out and the appropriate measure of backstick. What I would consider some of my best landing I have ever made have been at night. What works well in the night environment transposes well into the daylight hours. Taking things to another level Spot Landings under the ALAC format poses further challenges. Clearing a four foot fence 50 metres before the spot poses its own dilemna. How often has a Piper Warrior featured in the placings? Having a draggy aeroplane, without nasty stall characteristics is a decided advantage, My Airtourer fits the bill quite well. A controlled descent at the point of the stall onto the spot would be the best description.. There is no universal formula for determining what is the appropriate flaring technique for each pilot/aeroplane combination. I well remember taking a neighbor to pick up his C180 from maintenance in our C172 and the very audible exclamation as I commenced my flare, when he anticipated my efforts would have us rebounding past the moon! It was not my worst landing!

In committing to the F-35 will we end up with the contemporary equivalent of the Brewster Buffalo, in which too many RAAF pilots never got the chance to grow old bones?

This event is well covered in Jeffrey Quill's autobiography. The designation was a (the) Mark IV, which was a Mark 1 airframe modified to accept the first RR Griffon installation. It was mid 1942 when a Hawker Typhoon, a captured FW 190 and the said Spitfire were assembled for a short low level dash. No specification of Spitfire was made to Supermarine when requesting an aircraft, so Mr Quill saw no exclusion of the Griffon engined prototype. It was stated that the pilot of the FW 190 backed off the throttle when he thought the engine was displaying signs of not tolerating such stress. The outcome so craftily created by Mr Quill certainly enhanced the development of Griffon engine Spitfires. Adolf Galland's autobiography gives some great background of the development and service life of the FW 190.