Many felicitations from Cannock Chase. . . .

[dazza 38]

Hi Phil, I should have added.I was doing a Crew Chief technicians course at Warton. I worked for BAE Australia, I headed to Saudi Arabia after the course.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Ok Daz, that's interesting, I ought to say that I only had a hate fixation about their ATC for a short while, And I guess nowadays; I might even talk to them on the radio if the need calls for it !! The ground crew were a bit amusing, when one of our aircraft was being refuelled, a TINY bit got spilled onto the apron surface, (about an oil capful ). The fire engine was called out and they cleaned it up with detergent. One of the crew said "EEE Lad, if that fuel 'ad got in Tut River Ribble, ther'd have bin an environmental disaster Tha Knows. . . . !!! no comment.

 

And as for your little trip Alan, I would have really enjoyed that, one of my friends flew all the way around ( anticlockwise ) with a couple of 582 Quantums around ten years ago, he had a ball too. Iwasn't so sure about the adviseability of zero feet flight over croc infested watery bits trusting a Rotax 2 stroke though !!! Bit brave that. .

 

I landed on the road in a C-210 and taxied up to the cafe in the early 70s, and in the back of the place they had an aerial photo above the pool table showing about seven aircraft parked around the back ! can't remember for the life of me what highway it was on now,. . . . . might have been a few hundred klicks East of Wyndham, I think. . . or I could have been "Temporarily uncertain of my position" again... memory is fading along with the medal ribbons I'm afraid. . .. I DO remember trhat they had some nice purple 130 octane on sale though !

 

Phil

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Are the Aeroprakt a22 "Foxbat" aircraft in Australia fitted with twin control yokes, or, did they have to be modified to a single central stick as they were in the UK prior to approval, as our PFA, (now LAA) chief engineer, the redoubtable Francis Donaldson, . . . no committee, just ONE BLOKE. . . . . ( No Comment. . . . .[ though I'd really like to. . . ] ) decided that if two pilots turned the yokes in opposite directions, . . . the linkage would break if the argument exceeded 150 pounds of force in opposite directions. . . .. pardon, me, but I don't really think that a C-152 / 172 / 182 or PA28 would survive such an unreasonable test. . . . ANYHOW,. . . he said the design was flawed, so he insisted that the design was changed altogether, so that all UK Foxbats had to have a centrally mounted single stick ( YUK ) to circumvent this "Problem" what's the situation on OZ with regard to this ?? are they supplied with "proper" sensible dual controls as befits a proper design from someone who also part designed the AN 125 alonng with a lot of other very big aeroplanes, In my experience, anything designed by the Russians, can usually be thrown down two flights of concrete steps and still be useable. . . . .they really are not stupid. . . . . ?

 

Just curious

 

Phil

 

 

[djpacro]

... the linkage would break if the argument exceeded 150 pounds of force in opposite directions. . . .. pardon, me, but I don't really think that a C-152 / 172 / 182 or PA28 would survive such an unreasonable test. . . .

there is a requirement like that in FAR 23 (and earlier codes) so it is not unreasonable requirement for C152 etc and yes, those types would survive.I don't know the certification requirements for the Foxbat but I am sure that Francis does - easy enough for the manufacturer to show that it complies isn't it?

General comment: of course, that is the issue with self certification of LSAs as the FAA discovered - non-compliance with reqts or absence of demonstration of reqts.

 

I'm happy to take it up with Francis.

 

 

[djpacro]

Are the Aeroprakt a22 "Foxbat" aircraft in Australia fitted with twin control yokes, or, did they have to be modified to a single central stick as they were in the UK prior to approval, as our PFA, (now LAA) chief engineer, the redoubtable Francis Donaldson, . . .

Just had a look at the list of mods required by the LAA at http://lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/engineering/TADs/317 AEROPRAKT A22 FOXBAT.pdf - I don't see anything about a modification to the controls?

[BoxFat]

Phil,

 

I have a new Foxbat A22LS on the way from the Ukraine. It's been ordered with the central Y-stick by my preference but dual yokes are also licensed here and there is even a mod for all hand controls for wheelchair bound pilots. See www.foxbat.com.au. Throttle on the Y-stick version is on the door sill down by the pilots left hand. (see pic). I like this because the left arm is in a natural position. One does have to be a little careful when climbing in, however, to avoid becoming a gelding ! Although having learnt on Cessnas and Pipers etc I now prefer right hand stick left hand throttle (same configuration in the ubiquitous Jabirus). I will try to avoid "throwing my FB down two flights of concrete stairs" though some PAX of mine would say that is a good description of my average landing (ungrateful sods). The one in the pic has the Tundra tires, an option I have also selected.

 

 

 

[Phil Perry]

I'm interested to note that you can have either yoke or central stick variants, the "Y" column is a comfortable alternative (my opinion only ) to the single "pole" arrangement on UK kits / models, My friend Simon has one fitted to his Jab 80HP Savannah ( G-SAVY).

 

The original reason for asking was that when a friend of mine was involved in the original import of the first of the FOXBATS into the UK, he was a little surprised that the LAA ( then PFA ) would not accept the yoke variant, whereas it was available in other parts of the world. One of his comments was that some owners were not that enthralled about having to hold hands on the single stick during instructional / check flights ! I don't remember a "Y" column being an alternative back when A22 - 001 ( G-FBAT ) was first imported and constructed, and of all of the separate ones that I have flown, the column arrangement with motorcycle type brake lever mounted thereon, remains the same. This was of course decided prior to any imports so there would not be any mention of it in PFA / LAA Mods.

 

That's a Nice looking aircraft BF, I like the tundra tyres. ( Good job you don't have "Tundra Spats" . . . they'd look like Floats !! )

 

We have four Foxbats at the moment at Otherton, with another couple of possibles in the pipeline I believe. One of them is the "Sport" version, but all of them are 450 Kg MAUW under the UK "Microlight" regime. Very nice stable machine to fly though, they have been described here as a "Gentelmans' Carriage" Our Sport version was the actual aircraft which the suffered the rudder flutter / loss of yaw control problem which caused the grounding of the type for a short period, pending a Mod. They ALL have the cockpit Sill mounted throttle lever on each side, as you have described yours.

 

I've only seen one problem "Created" by that design, and this was when a visiting owner took one of our non-flying \club members for a jolly, then asked him to exit the right hand door whiost the engine was still running ( ! ) He inadvertantly caught the lever with his posterior on sliding out. . . . and the aircraft jumped forward a little,. . . . No comment.

 

One of ours had an engine fire, apparently due to over - cranking of the starter motor, I put that on youtube a couple of years ago, entitled "Foxbat A22 engine fire" dunno if it's still there, that cost rather a lot of insurance money to put right, being a total loss of the 912S and all ancilliaries, plus the firewall itself and also the windsreen and associated other components. I believe the syndicate owners now carry a cockpit mounted fire extinguisher, to preclude having to run about searching for same.

 

 

[jcamp]

Hi All,David Squirrell ???

Phil

Last saw him late 80's driving a taxi. Heard he was doing avionics in Sydney about 10 years back.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

If This is the same David Squirrell, then I am SO GLAD that he's still around, I guess there wouldn' be many around with a name like that, in Avionics !! If he is one and the same, you know in my twenties, I used to attend loads of weddings, but lately it's been funerals. Mind yoou,, after ten years, I guess anything can happen. He'd have to be retired now, as he was a good few years older than me, and I'm 62.

 

The Taxi driving thing is an interesting coincidence though, last week I was visiting pilot friend Mike, who runs a diesel repair garage. One of his customers is a geriatric taxi driver !, and this chap noticed Mike's office wall, adorned with lots of aircraft photos, and said as a 19 year old pilot, that he flew in the Berlin Airlift after WW2, when the Russians had the place blockaded. He said, he hadn't flown since 1946. I wonder how many other ex-service fliers give it up and never fly again ? I guess to some folks, it's Just a Job.

 

This chap showed Mike his old logbooks which were really interesting, a little bit of history.

 

 

[old man emu]

Phil,

 

I know Dave Squirrel. He was doing our magneto overhauls and assorted alternator/generator work. He was a bit crook last year and stopped doing the work. As far as I am aware, he's still alive and kicking. He lives in a village called Wilton which is just off the Hume Highway, south of Camden, New South Wales.

 

OME

 

 

[djpacro]

D&W in the phone book for Wilton so must be them. Thanks OME.

 

 

[Tomo]

Have really enjoyed reading through your posts in here guys... for a young squirt it's mighty interesting to hear how things were done way back yonder.

 

 

 

[Guernsey]

Way back yonder....stone the crows you just made my arthritis kick back in.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

........I landed on the road in a C-210 and taxied up to the cafe in the early 70s, and in the back of the place they had an aerial photo above the pool table showing about seven aircraft parked around the back ! can't remember for the life of me what highway it was on now,. . . . . might have been a few hundred klicks East of Wyndham, I think. . . or I could have been "Temporarily uncertain of my position" again... memory is fading along with the medal ribbons I'm afraid. . .. I DO remember trhat they had some nice purple 130 octane on sale though !

Phil

Been thinking about this one, I knew it rang some bells, the picture on the wall thing. Was it the Bark Hut Inn on the Arnhem Highway? Maybe 100 clicks East of Katherine which would be about 600 East of Wyndham?

 

If so I had a bit of an adventure there too. On the same trip but on the way back from Darwin we headed out to Kakadu and beyond into Arnhemland and on the WAC and ERSA the Bark Hut was shown as having a runway out the front and aircraft parking behind. Should have phoned ahead but it wasn't just a matter of touchscreen mobiles back then, in fact they would still have been on a party line. So the Hut was just about at the extreme of our endurance and some guide we'd read said they had fuel bowsers so we just flew there. Arriving overhead I couldn't be sure I'd found the place, no GPS back then, but there wasn't anything else around the area and you could just make out the outline of a big rectangle that must've once been an airstrip. The grass was long, dry and yellow, maybe 3ft high and it looked quite landable, so we did and without mishap.

 

The place was open even if pretty dilapidated and we had a great lunch but there wasn't any fuel to be had. Typical of the helpfulness of folks in the bush the few who didn't have diesel Cruisers each syphoned a couple of gallons for us and we were on the way. The take-off was the big heartstopper, I walked the strip for a couple of hundred yards and all seemed well so I hit it and worked for all I was worth to get airborne as short as possible and we'd just got wheels off when one of those gigantic magnetic termite mounds poked it's head up. Well gladly it wasn't actually a big one at all, I'm sure you'd remember they go up to ten ft high, this was only the same height or a bit more than the grass but a 4ft block of concrete is inconvenient enough. The right wheel slammed into it and seemed to stop dead but at least it did deflect the wheel upwards. The left wingtip banged the ground and we veered 90 degrees right.

 

The encouraging bit was that we were still flying and the gear leg had barely changed shape (nothing stronger than Drifter gear in my experience), the slightly worrying bit was that the mound was right outside the front door of the Hut so then we were looking straight in at the bar from below the height of the verandah. The left wing was still about 30 degrees down so the only thing to do was turn left hard and we missed everything by plenty but it was something to chat about later.

 

The other possible place you might have been referring to was the Victoria River Inn on the Victoria Highway, landed there a few times since the Drifter trip but no wild tales about it. The place is about halfway between Kununurra and Katherine and about 50ft above the high level

 

bridge which is about 80ft above the usually dry river bed but when you get big rains it still floods 2/3 of the way to the ceiling. Always plenty of 130 there too, dunno if it was LL or not!

 

 

[jcamp]

Phil

 

Think I remember you, I'm John Campbell the guy with DTC on the line 74-5 before Alan Baskett made me an offer I couldn't refuse so did CPL with Speedair at EN. Used to fly Scouts through until 79 with Dick Humphrey and socialised most Sunday nights (often bought Beef Stroganoff)

 

People you may remember (caution AFAIK)

 

Bill Campbell Hicks - Retired 75 to Gippsland Lakes, in 91 stubbed toe infected and seeing the quack a week later was too late

 

COL (Not LT COL) Keith and Elsa as mentioned

 

Bronwyn Married kids not flying

 

John Zmood looking at getting back into the air

 

David Hooten (father aerodynamicist at CAC/GAF?) finally passed CPL aerodynamics on something like the 40th! attempt still in GA

 

Didn't fly for 18 years until 2000 and don't see the BWK crew around much

 

Edited to add

 

Squirrel (sparrow) I got into taxi, driver is semi-conscious "uh where to" "some dark alley where I can take your money" that got his attention so back to my place to force fed him coffee to a caffeine OD point then back on the road.

 

 

[djpacro]

I knew Fred H well - he was at ARL. Haven't seen David H for a few years.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

D&W in the phone book for Wilton so must be them. Thanks OME.

PhilThink I remember you, I'm John Campbell the guy with DTC on the line 74-5 before Alan Baskett made me an offer I couldn't refuse so did CPL with Speedair at EN. Used to fly Scouts through until 79 with Dick Humphrey and socialised most Sunday nights (often bought Beef Stroganoff)

 

People you may remember (caution AFAIK)

 

Bill Campbell Hicks - Retired 75 to Gippsland Lakes, in 91 stubbed toe infected and seeing the quack a week later was too late

 

COL (Not LT COL) Keith and Elsa as mentioned

 

Bronwyn Married kids not flying

 

John Zmood looking at getting back into the air

 

David Hooten (father aerodynamicist at CAC/GAF?) finally passed CPL aerodynamics on something like the 40th! attempt still in GA

 

Didn't fly for 18 years until 2000 and don't see the BWK crew around much

 

Edited to add

 

My email address is : [email protected] : Skype : PilotPhil312.

 

Squirrel (sparrow) I got into taxi, driver is semi-conscious "uh where to" "some dark alley where I can take your money" that got his attention so back to my place to force fed him coffee to a caffeine OD point then back on the road.

Lawks a mussy. . . . .

 

Hello John, yes of course I remember you, although not very clearly. Shortly afrter Mr. Baskett sent me solo, I used DTC for some circuit bashing, and on one occasion, nearly lost the plot completely, when I moved the flap control from 40 to 10, then accidentaly flipped it back to 40, and tried a standard touch and go takeoff. It took a few seconds before I realised what I'd done, and corrected the situation before mushing into the grid power cables past the end of rwy 12R. . . . I'm very sorry that Bill Candlesticks has gone away,. . . I'm amazed that he lasted as long as he did, as he used to fly DC2 aircraft on the Boston to Philadelphia run just after WW2. . . . .nice bloke, a bit brusque if he didn't know you, but a heck of a good examiner. Bad judge of character though ( ! ) I mean He passed ME on the first attempt, but said that I really ought to go out and practice steep turning without losing a s***load of height. . . . . I actualy made the signs at Essendon for Speedair, as I also did, with the sign at the Casey Field entrance gate for the Antique Aircraft Association, I didn't get my commercial until I was working in Indonesia. I never did any commercial work in Oz regrettably., although I was able to do a heck of a lot of pribvate flying as I was a fairly well off feller back in them thar old days. I remember John Zmood too, I actually pinched his Ham Radio callsign, VK3 ZAU, after he let it go for some reeason or other, and remember his slide show of him swimming in the Antarctic.

 

Anyway, few more to mention, but My friend Ivan has just popped in to the office, and he is going to OZ tomorrow, to visit friends in Surfers, so I have to close now and have a pint at the hostelry accross the road, ( that's handy isn't it ... )

 

And my fantasy sex goddess Bronwen got married, . . . ? ah well, can't win em all.

 

 

[Berwick Aero]

Hi All,I've posted in here once before, but what happened to it, I dunno.

 

I got my ( Petrol - Powered aircraft )wings at a liitle place in Victoria, called Casey Airfield, just South of Berwick village, about 12 klicks ESE of Dandenong. If you have a look on Google Earth, youcan just about make out where the runway was. . . ( single gravel strip, oriented 12/30) It used to be operated by a company called Groupair, run by a lovely retired Aussie Army Officer named Keith Hatfield ( Lt. Col. Retd. ) It was also the headquarters of the Antique Aeroplane Association of Australia, and there were some lovely old bits of kit kept there. Keith had a Leopard Moth, which he would not let me fly... since I bent his DH82A VH-TIG when I lost it taxying without wingmen in a crosswind, and ended up in a ditch, breaking the prop and shockloading the Gypsy Major. . . . I used to fly in and out of Moorabbin a lot, I see it's still there !!!

 

Anyway, most people on this forum are probably a lot youngert than me so I won't go on about it !! I'd love to trace an old cropduster pilot and instructor friend of mine though, anyone here heard of David Squirrell ???

 

Phil

 

David Squirrell passed away Wednesday 13th January 2016

 

Lt. Col. Leslie Keith Hatfield DFC, passed away year 2015

 

 

[Phil Perry]

David Squirrell passed away Wednesday 13th January 2016Lt. Col. Leslie Keith Hatfield DFC, passed away year 2015

That is very sad news Sir, Thank you for that information.

 

I sincerely wish I could have re connected with them earlier; I had made enquiries on this forum a few years back and found a couple of lads who flew at Casey Airfield, but neither knew where the above worthies were at the time.

 

Once again, Thank you for that. R.I.P. two fine Gentlemen aviators.

 

Phil.

 

 

[old man emu]

So sad to hear about Dave Squirell's passing. I knew he had been ill for a long time.

 

Strewth, the queue at the Pearly Gates must've extended almost as far back as the Gates of Hell last week. People were dropping off like flies in a Mortein commercial.

 

OME