|
AirCentre Aviation News Digest
FEBRUARY 1998
Sunday 1
Later this month the Government is expected to announce who will be the
new "Owner" of Archerfield Airport come July 1 this year
. . . . . it has "only" taken ten years to correct a bad decision when these
"public" airports were originally "sold" to the F.A.C. back in the 1980's
. . . . one can only hope that a lesson has been learned by the bureaucracy and that
"they" will not make the same mistake twice in making "their" recommendations to the
Government!
And the converted wartime "Guard House", the Airport Cafeteria
is "back in business" after an expensive short shift, which was just for customer car parking
. . . . . the "spirits" in God's Little Acre next door must be nauseated and
"turning over" in their graves with all this "intrusion" right on their doorstep!
Sunday 8
A sleepy airport was aroused mid-morning by an avtur burning Hawker Hunter
generating thrust and noise as acceleration tests are carried out on 10L
The single seat jet fighter is ready to go and is now in the "only waiting for the
paperwork to be finished" mode
The tests confirm all is "GO" for flight with this "warbird" which now makes
number two of the "servicable" Hunters at Archerfield
Details on the other 2 seat model Hunter are available at
Hunter Flight
And the '4 is missing it's number 3, click HERE to view
And high time Tomahawks get the chop, click
HERE to see the
latest airworthiness directive issued by CASA that affects all PA38 Aircraft and their Owners
. . . . . yesterday a "high time" PA38 was worth good money as a trainer
. . . . all of a sudden, to-day, it's different, ..very very different!
Click Image for enlarged view
Debrief  and
Fuselage  Marks
Monday 16
The passing week has seen low movements at the 'Field due to the heat and
"not so good" weather
Yesterday the Hunter was busy trying out "drag" chutes for
possible operations into and out of Archerfield
. . . . . departing appears to be easier than "arriving"
And the missing engine has been found on the starboard wing of the '4
. . . . . check out the latest in Groundcrafts
fixing up the "lost" number 3 engine in the DC4 Aircraft
View latest 
Groundcraft
Thursday 26
from the 'Field was airborne over the Malaysia Jungle on a ferry flight in a Piper PA31 Navajo en-route to Australia
3 and one half-hours into the flight from Bangkok and cruising at 13,000 ft with last light approaching - an engine failed
Shortly after the remaining engine also decided to quit
The end result was a "dead stick" landing in the only available clearing in the Jungle in what can only be described as genuine "tiger country"
The "parent again" PILOT
(it was a girl!) received only minor injuries and was here at Archerfield the next day minus the aircraft
. . . . . bad luck can sometimes turn "good" just when needed, especially at an
extremely critical time
. . . and how do you explain to "officials" what happened when one is unable to
communicate in their local language!
. . . . anyone want to buy a "dirt cheap" PA31 in "as is, where is" condition ?
|
