Around the traps for fun at Goolwa

[Coop]

This year I decided to take part in the "Funflight" event at Goolwa. Similar events were held all over the country. The aim is to take kids (and sometimes parents) for rides in aircraft. The kids often have somewhat limited prognoses (cancer, and other diseases.).

 

The aim was to get there before 10:00am so I aimed for a 9:00am takeoff as Goolwa is only a few miles down the road from my home base.

 

Dragged Dorothy out of the hangar, refuelled, unloaded all the usual paraphernalia that lives in the back seat (to leave more space free for kiddiewinks), and cranked up.

 

Taxiied out to the end of the strip and... Damn! Misfiring on the left magneto. Been using a lot of avgas lately- probably leaded up a plug. Had the same problem after returning from the Arkaroola trip a few weeks back. Running Dorothy up to almost full power didn't clear it, so I had to change the plug.

 

Taxiied back to the hangar, shut down. Hopped out, chocked the wheels, tied the tail down and re-started. By switching the right side off and carefully placing my hand under each exhaust stack I was able to tell that number one was just pumping cold air, so it was number one plug on the LH side. (That's one advantage of straight exhaust stacks!)

 

Dragged Dorothy back into the hangar to get out of the sun and got out the tool kit. Removed the safety pins holding the long air scoop pins in place and withdrew the pins. Removed the air scoop, undid the lead to number one and pulled out the plug. Yep- a bit wet looking- that's the one, alright.

 

Grabbed a spare plug from my pile of old but (hopefully) good plugs, smeared some anti-seize on the threads and wound it in. Reconnected the lead, replaced the airscoop, double checked all was as it should be, and replaced the side cowling. Nine-thirty, should still make the 10:00am briefing. Pushed Dorothy out, chocked the wheels and re-started. Piled in, ran up for another maggie check- Damn!! Still misfiring on the LH side. Shut down again. Now what? Dud maggie? Dud lead? Leads are pretty new, probably not. Chocked Dorothy and tied down the tail again, re-started and turned off the right maggie. Felt the exhaust gases again- still cold on number one. I couldn't have picked another dud plug, surely?

 

Pushed Dorothy back in and went through the rigamarole again- sure enough the number one plug on the LH side was wet and oily. Grabbed another spare and tried again. If she misfires this time I'll swap the plug with the plug from number two and see if the problem goes with the plug or stays with the location. If the former-it's a dud plug. If the latter- it's probably a dud lead.

 

But this time all was well, and Dorothy ran sweetly. Parked the car, shut the doors, and I was away. Too late for the briefing, but heck, I could still get involved.

 

The air was quite lumpy on the run to Goolwa, in keeping with the northerly airflow and relatively high temperatures for Springtime. At Goolwa I managed to find a parking spot near another Auster and wandered over to the hangar where things seemed to be happening. There was a chaotic assemblage of pilots, kids, onlookers and organisers, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. I was sent up to the office to register and collect the briefing materials (along with a red pilot's hat), then back to the hangar to arrange some customers. Lots had already been flying, so there was a chance that there wouldn't be too many left.

 

However, after a short while I was connected up with a young mum carrying a two-year old girl who wanted a ride. I was a little apprehensive- I wondered if she would be old enough to appreciate the experience or would she be frightened. But Mum seemed quite relaxed and didn't show any signs of worry when I told her the aircraft was 63 years old. I'd brought a pillow, so with a little juggling we got junior esconced in the back seat on the pillow with her lap belt on, and Mum sitting in the front. The headset looked a little large on the girl's head, but she didn't seem to mind.

 

A mate swung the prop for me, and we taxiied out. I could hear giggling and chortling from the back seat, but had to keep my eyes outside the aircraft with all the comings and goings. The giggling got louder as we opened the throttle, and after we had turned away towards Hindmarsh Island I took a look at the back seat. There she was- eyes glued to the scene outside with a huge grin on her little face. We had a Cessna behind us, so I told mum to expect it to pass us at some point. Sure enough as we approached the Murray Mouth he overtook us on the RH side about 500' below- just where my passenger could see it. There were squeals of delight from the back seat as he swept past. I chatted away to mum as the flight progressed- she was intrigued to learn that the engine was made by GMH at Fisherman's bend during WW2. "So it's like we're driving a Commodore?" she said. "No" I replied "More like an FJ Holden".

 

We turned over the Murray Mouth and ran back along the coast, a little offshore so they could take in the view. The little tacker continued squealing and giggling and pointing at the scenery. Mum, watching her, had a little tear in her eye. "She's got cystic fibrosis" she said. "That means maybe 4 to 6 years left". "Well", I replied, "I guess we'll just have to help her pack as much living as we can into the time she's got." Mum wasn't the only one with a bit of a gleam in her eye.....

 

All too soon the ride was over, and we were back at the parking spot. Mum thanked me, and they were gone.

 

After a sausage and a cold drink (all free) I was presented with my next customer- a young lady of about 13 years. She didn't say much during the entire flight, but on the run down the coast, I offered to show her the controls and she had a try at it. She still didn't say much, but there was a grin on her face by the time I'd taken over again a few minutes later. There were parachutists dropping over the field, so I extended the ride a bit until they were gone. After the landing, I asked her what she thought of it. She turned to me and said "That was AWESOME!!!" and she, too, trotted off to the hangar, maybe to record her experience on Facebook or whatever. It was her first ride in any aircraft.....

 

And that was it for the day. I hung around a bit longer, took a look at one of the enormous prime movers that had turned up for the day for the kids to play in (yeah, big kids like to play too) and had a cuppa and a piece of cake before heading for home.

 

Some days we like to whinge a bit about our lot in life. It pays to get involved with something like this occasionally to remind ourselves how lucky we are......

 

Coop

 

(Bugga- left the camera in the car, didn't I. Maybe next year...)

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

Coop, very touching read. Thanks for sharing mate. It is people like you that can make a difference. If you gave these kids and their parents even a few minutes of joy it was well worth it don't you think? I try to do it daily. Go out of your way and make someone's day. Makes you feel good. Thanks again.

 

 

[siznaudin]

Some days we like to whinge a bit about our lot in life. It pays to get involved with something like this occasionally to remind ourselves how lucky we are......

 

Good one, Coop - well done! We've done a couple of similar car ride things in the S series, (not the veterans as yet.. although the Hi-wheeler will be ideal - could probably pack about 6 or 8 kids into it), and it certainly brings home just how fortunate we are, in so many respects.

 

 

[Coop]

The Hi-Wheeler, eh? That should get a few giggles. Makes me laugh just looking at it...

 

You should put up a photo here- while it's not, strictly speaking, an aircraft- it does get you well off the ground....

 

Coop

 

 

[siznaudin]

The Hi-Wheeler, eh? That should get a few giggles. Makes me laugh just looking at it...You should put up a photo here- while it's not, strictly speaking, an aircraft- it does get you well off the ground....

Coop

Here y'are...

 

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[Coop]

What do you think of that chaps?

 

(And we thought flying was risky...)

 

Coop

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

I would not want to hit/be hit by anything in that car :eek:

 

 

[Coop]

I would not want to hit/be hit by anything in that car :eek:

If it ran you over, it would certainly leave a crease in your trousers....

 

Coop