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The Diary of Jack Flyer


flyerme

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CHAPTER 7 "Farm Fly" my first fly in

 

Aug 6 1982

 

Recently Charlie ,Tommy and I and decided to stage a fly in here at the farm.

 

Charlie took charge of legal issue's and organised the aircraft to be present.

 

Tommy was in charge of promotion and advertising and catering , whilst I had the task of preparing the farm for the event and sourcing volunteers .

 

Its all come together unhitched at this stage but what a task! I had the neighbour Allen use his grader to make a 1200 meter strip(for the bigger planes) and managed to borrow a heap of hay bails for seating and Dorris made up some neat flag rope.The porter dunny's arrived today,Just hope there's enough?

 

Dorris also made up signs and will set her self up in the drive (entrance) to collect entry fees,( She has really involved herself? im very impressed)

 

Charlie had a task getting the relevent permissions to hold the event but apparently his C.A.S.A buddies came to the party.

 

I have the stolareo all ready for the show next week end and Charlie and Tommy will arrive wednesday to prepare their birds.

 

Also will have a number of ultra lights arriving friday to put there contraptions together.

 

Aug 7 1982

 

Wow the phone was a buzz all day today with pilots confirming the proceedures (using both vhf and uhf and will be controlled by a volunteer traffic controller) and Pilots wanting to entertain.

 

its really looking like we could have a good turn out.

 

Aug 12 1982

 

Feeling nervous like its my wedding day all over again ..I hope every thing is done?I hope every thing goes to plan? I hope people turn up?I HOPE THE WEATHER FORCAST IS RIGHT?

 

Todays the day and its now 1am and Im yet to sleep.

 

WE had 12 ultralights Turn up this morning and rectify there birds and a couple of gentleman were airborne this arvo.

 

Theres 7 weight shift and 5 conventional. Not Including Charlie.Tommy and I.

 

We enjoyed a barbie around the main camp fire and plenty of hanger chat and went over the plan.

 

Aug 13 1982

 

Not much sleep was up at 4am and a few of the campers were also moving about.

 

About 7:30 saw the first arrival with a c182 skylark making a graceful landing.From this point on a steady flow of aircraft made landings including some old war bird replica's .. Gates opened at 9am and was amazed at the turn out .Was more than expected with over 5000 spectators.

 

Program was to start at 10 am but the air traffic was still flowing and a number of clubs flew in groups.

 

One pilot flew all the way from S.A in his Auster. even had 2 blokes bring there autogyro's.

 

all in all we had 123 aircraft parked.

 

The show got started at 10:45 with a demonstration from an raaf chinook chopper and then the real flying began.

 

We had decided that the ultra lights should fly first whilst the weather was good and as I understood it alot of the spectators were looking forward to this display.

 

Charlie kicked it off by being first air borne in his quicksilver followed by a winton grasshopper ,5 weightshift, 3 homebuilt and another quicksilver,then one of the autogyro's took flight ( I really liked l these things but you wouldn't get me in one) They all flew around skimmig the ground and performing touch'n'goes and alike.After there demonstration It was my turn to wow the croud.

 

I had flares fitted to the wing tips for added effect and boy they produced some smoke! I took off in the Stolareo with smoke streaming behind the wing tips and held her low . building air speed inches above the ground the end of the runway drew near.At the last minute I swiftly pulled back on the stick rocketing straight up in the air then as the air speed decreased made a swift push forward and levelled her out.I threw her in to an aggressive bank (well maybe I didn't throw her? she more like strundled , and eventually reached 40 degrees ) I kept power on and the air speed at 55 knts (the fastest she has flown in my hands) It really felt amazing flying with patterns of smoke trailing behind. I permormed a number of touch'n'goes and a one wheel touch'n'go.

 

I landed engine off dead stick to the applaud of the audience and felt proud as punch.

 

Next was a formation display from the Yak replicas followed by a dummy dog fight.awesome.

 

We had demonstraions form Cessna's.pipers, a beaver and my favourite the DH82 tigremonth crop duster.Was a real treat to see the moth spray the runway and I really do envy his job.

 

after lunch we had a vistit from the raaf DC3 which did several flyby's before vanishing into the sun then the games began.We

 

had a spot landing competition with 2 categories ,ultrlights and single engine light aircraft.I entered but these bloody weightshift buggers can land on a dime.Tommy picked up second.

 

we also had a number of categories for ribbon presentations IE: best home built,best weightshift, best 3 axis,best light single engine etc...

 

We had a number of aerobatic displays throughout the day but I personally enjoyed the pitts routine the best.

 

We ended the event at 4 pm that arvo and had invited both pilots and spectators to take advantage of the camp area and enjoy a bon fire and performance by our local singer/songwriter (Jackie Flyer).

 

I had the local news paper interview me for an article they will be doing on the event. I'll be famous !

 

I enjoyed performing a wonderfull show for some sevreal hundred people and the party continued into the wee hours.

 

Most of the pilots flew out this arvo but a handfull of aircraft still remain mostly ultralights and the c150's and the c152.

 

Dorris tells me She thinks after every things paid out we should end up with tidy profit?that would be handy.

 

I have never had so much fun and felt prouder about an accomplishment than I do right now.

 

Aug 18 1982

 

I have received an endless supply of letters thanking and congratulating me on the event and feel very overwhelmed form the responce.

 

I will hold another next year if possible.

 

The article in the local paper was very complementary of the event and it made for a good read.

 

 

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123 aircraft and RAAF DC3 flyover!! Not a bad effort for a local farm fly-in!! 107_score_010.gif.2fa64cd6c3a0f3d769ce8a3c21d3ff90.gifrgmwa

You know what they say! "Its not what you know .Its who you know"most of the credit should go to old Charlie whome being an ex RAAF pilot himself whome completed 3 tours of duty in vietnam, plus having a friend in every corner of the aviation world was able to ignite interest,but thats a whole other storey...

 

 

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CHAPTER 8 " A Sad end brings a new beginning"

 

Dec 3 1982

 

Today I made 100 logged hrs .Glad I took Charlies advise and logged my hrs in a book. comes in handy and great to look back at.

 

looking forward to this weekend as Charlie will be bringing his new 2 seat Quicksilver and taking me up for a cruise.Hope its not too bumpy,still havn't built up this "bump tolerance"Charlie speaks of?

 

Dec 4 1982

 

Was up early this morning to take advantage of the calm conditions and get in a quick flight and practice my filming (for Charlie and my Documentary we will be making) and before work.

 

I headed out over town and began filming Cold stream township. I was enjoying the flight and had been up for around 20 minutes .

 

I was flying above Killara road heading west At around 200ft When the the plane began to vibrate,before I had time to think I watched the propeller disintegrate and the engine increase rpm to a defining scream then made a loud bang and stopped. I nosed her over and looked desperately for a spot to land but was fast running out of time.I had made a 90 degree r/h decent hopeing to put it down in a cow paddock. I did my upmost to find a clearing in the crowded paddock but as I was still in float my left wing tipped a cow and I dropped hard and started to skid before my right wing dug into the ground and I did a half cartwheel before stopping..

 

I exited my plane and brushed myself off..I looked at my plane and she was a mess.a real mess... both wings destroyed,seized engine No prop,frame bent and twisted..I couldn't help but have a little cry at the aweful sight of my baby....

 

Later Tommy and I went to pick up my plane and discovered the camera still strapped in and intact. We eagerly watched the film (before we even unloaded the plane).

 

In looking at the footage in slow motion we noticed a bird (Magpie by the looks?) strike the outer portion of the propeller ark which caused a chain of events. propeller vibration which lead to the total destruction of the propellar,with no propeller the engine increased to over max rpm unloaded and seized,then upon roundout A cow was struck causing the plane to cartwheel and ultimately be destroyed.

 

I am deeply saddend at the loss of the stolareo but look at the positive = I have a great crash video for the docco!

 

Will decide if ill rebuild or even make one out of two with Black Betty?

 

Ah time for a whisky me thinks..

 

Dec 14 1982

 

Went to inspect a new plane today and was very excited and pleased with what I saw.

 

Its A Fisher FP-202 Koala canadian designed hombuilt.Its never been flown but comes with extensive build history and l.a.m.e sign offs. Its A very beautiful looking plane being designed off a J-3 cub.Fully enclosed ,roomy,and a Rotax 377? not sure about Rotax but its a newy so should get me a few hrs? After some negotiating I put a deposit on it and now have the agonising wait to pick it up in a couple of days.

 

Dec 16 1982

 

I picked up my new plane today and boy is she nice..A real plane!!! no more broom stick ridding for me. "my pretty."....

 

The wings are detatchable and only takes 20 minutes to rig and de-rig.

 

I sat inside her cockpit and an whelming joy came over me,I had a smile ear to ear as I admired all the gauges the stick with brake handle,trim lever,Mag switch .Truly a dream come true.

 

She is another tail dragger and sported wheel spatts (which look a treat ) she is white with a light and dark blue pin stripe.

 

And must ad the rotax has an electric start.really cool!

 

I cleared prop,pulled the choke out and commenced to push the start button (just wanted to hear her purr of coarse) . She turned over nicely and nothing? I reduced choke and tried again , nothing? hmm? Fuel on?check, mag on?check,try again,and again and slowly the battery drained (as did my patience) I rang the feller whome sold me the plane (as 2 days ago he pushed the starter and it fired fine?)

 

He reminded me about the out side kill switch on the cowling..Dang thats right..

 

With the primary kill switch on I pushed the start button and without hesitation she fired up and purred like a kitten..

 

words could not describe my excitement as sat INSIDE this beautiful flying machine with its smooth ,vibration free engine.

 

I decided a taxi run around the paddock was in order and was so happy with its handling.After a couple of runs I had the tail lifted

 

and was at 30kts and she was wanting to lift..I decided to end the day at this point before I got carried away...

 

Will wait for Charlie to give me a hand with Weight and ballance on the weekend.

 

Spent the rest of the arvo admiring my new beast....luckiest guy alive............

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
This is very exciting reading and I am looking forward to the next chapter. This sort of flying took part before I started to fly and sounds much more fun.

You are correct it was, but those days are just a memory. We did very different things in the eighties that no longer happen.

 

 

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