Garfly Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Tuh! ... and they call the Skyranger ugly!! (Okay, with a bit of justification, but hey, they laughed at the 2CV too!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBob Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Oh dear.........( The Airtruck had a tiny dicky seat at the rear of the fuselage, for transporting loader drivers and other unfortunates; and from which, on turbulent days, the long-suffering loader drivers had a clear view of the twin tail booms, as they wobbled about independent of the aircraft and each other.... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBob Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 There is also a story about a loader driver who got his own back by clambering somehow into the hopper midflight, and hiding there after landing. But, of course, nobody would be so silly as to do that nowadays.........) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 (edited) I'd like to know what happened to the rest of those Harvard parts. What a waste! Anyway, this turned out to be a more successful ZK workhorse: Edited February 24, 2021 by Garfly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 But unfortunately the company - Pacific Aerospace - was declared insolvent on Friday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 Speaking of the unprepossessing ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Woo Hoo - the Lysander you have when you have been rear ended by what looks like a bomber tail group 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 It's best left unsaid; just what went on in those dark wartime hangars. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBob Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 "Wretched pilots keep complainin' of running out of elevator trim. Right....we'll fix THEM..................." 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 I thought ' transAviation Sevenhills NSW ' was the ' Airtruk ', How can both companies aircraft have the same name ?. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 One is the PL11 and the other the PL12. Same designer, Luigi Pellarini. The story is covered in the little documentary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 (edited) Not the designer . BUT two differentcompanies calling their aircraft " Airtruk ". spacesailor Edited February 24, 2021 by spacesailor Missed signing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 (edited) It's a CONFUSING world. Thank goodness for Doctor Wiki: "It was developed from the Bennett Airtruck designed in New Zealand by Luigi Pellarini. It has a 1 tonne capacity hopper and is able to ferry two passengers as a topdresser. Other versions can be used as cargo, ambulance or aerial survey aircraft, and carry one passenger in the top deck and four in the lower deck. The Airtruk is also sometimes known as the Airtruck. Because the name "Airtruck" was registered by the New Zealand companies Bennett Aviation Ltd and Waitomo Aircraft Ltd, for their PL-11, Transavia found another name for their PL-12 ("Airtruk")." Edited February 24, 2021 by Garfly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Student Pilot Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 Very nice machine to fly, responsive and well harmonised controls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 25, 2021 Author Share Posted February 25, 2021 Any pics SP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) Anyway, we do know that the Miles Aerovan was something of a grandma to the Short Skyvan. (This is a 7 minute silent film from 1945) Not to forget this distant French cousin: From Wiki: "In 1958, Short was approached by F.G. Miles Ltd (successor company to Miles Aircraft) which was seeking backing to produce a development of the H.D.M.106 Caravan design with a high aspect ratio wing similar to that of the Hurel-Dubois HD.31. Short acquired the design and data gathered from trials of the Miles Aerovan based H.D.M.105 prototype. After evaluating the Miles proposal, Short rejected the Caravan.[2] They developed their own design for a utility all-metal aircraft which was called the Short SC.7 Skyvan. The Skyvan is a twin-engined all-metal, high-wing monoplane, with a braced, high aspect ratio wing, and an unpressurised, square-section fuselage with twin fins and rudders.[3] It was popular with freight operators compared to other small aircraft because of its large rear door for loading and unloading freight. Its fuselage resembles the shape of a railroad boxcar for simplicity and efficiency." Edited February 26, 2021 by Garfly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 I remember flying him the bugger brother the 360 from Launceston to Essendon back in 1990 with Air Tasmania. May be a flying box but it was a comfy flying box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 Also Mildura to Broken Hill back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planedriver Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 The Airtruk was a noisy little bugger, we could always hear them climb out of the Seven Hills yard, back in the days of my married bliss in nearby Baulkham Hils. when I actually owned a house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 Meanwhile, the Aerovan's gorgeous sibling, the M.52 was, for all its supersonic sexiness, finally, none the luckier in love. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Student Pilot Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 On 25/02/2021 at 9:20 PM, Garfly said: Any pics SP? Only old actual photographs, in the vault somewhere. The one I flew was the one used in the flying shots of Mad Max. It was based in Tumut a couple of years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfly Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) 24 minutes ago, Student Pilot said: The one I flew was the one used in the flying shots of Mad Max. It was based in Tumut a couple of years ago. Oh, yeah ... the "Not enough runway!" scene. (I'm pretty sure that's John Howard saluting Max at 3:07) Edited February 26, 2021 by Garfly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted February 26, 2021 Share Posted February 26, 2021 A good use for it. Great flying shot s of a definitely "strange" aircraft. Modified EP9s were about Bankstown also. Fitted with ex Avro Anson radials. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thruster88 Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 On 25/02/2021 at 9:20 PM, Garfly said: Any pics SP? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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