Do we really nead ATC?

[Slasher]

The Dart-powered 20 ton Dog Whistle was fantastic for wrecking the left ear hearing of the captain and the right one of the F/O. Twasn’t a type one would relish to stay very long on.

[OFSO]

During the New Year Boogie I have seen two Pilatus Porters loaded with sky divers start from opposite ends of the Empuriabrava drop zone strip and each turn to starboard as they lifted off, about a third down the runway.

[reddo]

Oh ATC can happily spear people at each other. Torrejon in Madrid. Even the Spanish Airforce had a go at them for that.

[Ex-Ascot]

in a BN2T once,

Ah so desu; The Turbine powered Bongo Van! Never even seen one! One allegedly appeared in PNG as a demo model way before my time there but supposedly disappeared just as quickly as it arrived!

We had a piston one first, I actually really enjoyed flying it but for nutter dropping the turbine was much better, no cylinder head temps to worry about. I could get the thing down from 12,000' in one circuit and land before the nutters in free fall. I flew the BN2T with delivery mileage on it. That was not a lot from the Isle of White to Weston on the Green. That was G-WOTG. Our C206 was G-SKYE and the piston islander G-DIVE.

Had a millionaire friend who wanted to upgrade his chopper. But it was either that or landscape the rather large garden. His wife Gillian wanted the garden, he the new chopper. He managed to secure the G-ILLY registration for it. The garden won.

Not a very good photo because of the glass but me in action.

[Alisoncc]

Aaaahh. The BN2A. Flewed this one more than a few times. Not long after it won, for it's type, the London-Sydney air race, in 1969. This was the one that actually did it.

Bit before your time Ex-A. Jeez, all of fifty years ago. Pinky used to play with them too, same place.

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[John Hill]

......the turbine was much better, no cylinder head temps to worry about. I could get the thing down from 12,000' in one circuit and land before the nutters in free fall.

There is a meat bombing operation in a hangar next to our museum and I must say they are somewhat different to our company of geriatrics. I think they have a rule that the jump plane does not land until all chutes have been accounted for.

They are good neighbours and have lively parties although if I were attending I would take along a couple of my own CD's!

[Alisoncc]

I think they have a rule that the jump plane does not land until all chutes have been accounted for.

Is that in case you leave one up there and have to go and find it, and effect a rescue ?

[OFSO]

Rule would be impossible to apply in Empuriabrava. One skydiver went in through a roof into the living room of a house. Hole almost impossible to spot. Body only found after holidaymakers arrived weeks later. Another drowned in the Bay up by Empuriabrava, body washed up a year later by l'Escala.

[llondel]

I can see wanting to avoid landing underneath one, could get a bit messy, especially if they drop over the airfield, so don't rush down. I can see instituting a rule of "do not descend for X minutes" based on jump altitude to make sure they are all down even if you don't know where they are.

[John Hill]

I think they have a rule that the jump plane does not land until all chutes have been accounted for.

Is that in case you leave one up there and have to go and find it, and effect a rescue ?

More likely so he can see which way the Outlander was drifting.

[Pinky the pilot]

Not long after it won, for it's type, the London-Sydney air race, in 1969. This was the one that actually did it.

Ah yes, old ATZ. Now unsure of what became of it, but when I lobbed on Douglas Airways doorstep back in early '90 the only Bongo Van left in the old Aerial tours reggo was ATS. A 300hp fuel Injected engine version, it was the only Islander in the company with a full IFR panel that (sort of) worked. Had ADF, VOR, Van X DME etc and all mostly worked to some degree.

Unfortunately it was 'parked' into the side of a fairly high piece of real estate to the Nth of Port Moresby one morning by a fellow Pilot and Housemate.

RIP Rod G.