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Post by studentpilot on Sept 25, 2014 11:21:13 GMT 12
You people must have a different mix of super if you can get 1.5 ton in a 402, your flat out getting 1.2 or 1.3 (Single super) in a 502 with Australian super. The same goes for your strip roughness, you must have better strips over in NZ. The Tractor gear might be "Heavy duty" but there are some strips you just couldn't operate an Air Tractor on in OZ. Some operators in OZ will still use a strip that's been condemned by others, to the detriment of their own aircraft. I've yet to see a Tractor operating out of a 300 metre strip, Fletcher was still carrying 1200KG. Getting off the ground at 50 knots as against 65 or so with the Tractor uses a lot less ground. The two seats are good in the Fletcher, some Tractors have another seat stuck in the rear fuse tubing but it's useless for taking the cocky for a look around. There are lots of 30,000+ hour Fletchers still flying, be interesting in a few years to see what Air Tractors look like after a few years spreading super.
I might add you don't see many Fletchers with air conditioning, on a 35C+ day air-conditioning makes life easier.
It's swings and roundabouts comparing aircraft. Fletcher is not as demanding to fly as a Tractor, especially on short strips, that makes a difference at the end of a long week.
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Post by The Red Baron on Oct 1, 2014 13:42:02 GMT 12
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2014 15:45:38 GMT 12
Cracker shots. Those early Fletchers had a cool nose.
I made my standard pilgrimage to Hamilton Airport on my way up to the Forum Meet and got some pics of the three old Super Air machines slowly wasting away, as well as the six or seven others parked out front. Unfortunately my PC is U/S but I'll try and get some pics up soon.
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Post by suthg on Oct 2, 2014 7:29:36 GMT 12
I had a ride in one prior to the Fletcher laying the fert on our hilly farm, just to show him which hillside paddocks to drop on. Man did that thing have some get-up and go when empty!! Throw her over on the wing tip and accelerate down... noisy too! That was the best flight ever...
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Post by The Red Baron on Oct 4, 2014 9:51:18 GMT 12
Found another interesting piece of topdressing memorabilia,the old aerial photo the pilots used to take up to check the farm boundaries.It must have had a ride in many Fletchers (and is probably in the cockpit of the Fletcher above) and maybe even Tiger Moths.I can remember quite clearly Grandad spreading it out on a Fletcher wing and pointing out the boundaries before the pilot took off and did a reconaissance trip.The early Fletchers were single seaters so the farmer couldn't be taken up as they do now.Robertsons had a strict no passenger rule even after the 2 seats became available.I see the map is marked "Please return when finished" and the road running top to bottom,which is SH 1 is labeled 'tar seal' road.Its interesting Robertsons were topdressing the farm as we'd mainly used Adastra before that. As I've mentioned before Bruce Oliver was killed topdressing on the other farm block we had which was just down the road from the home farm,in 1959 in Adastra Fletcher ZK-BIZ.  |
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agman
Warrant Officer
Posts: 37
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Post by agman on Oct 4, 2014 17:45:02 GMT 12
60 years on 24 sep that BDS first flew in NZ and some of the early airframes are still out there doing it (or early regos) not sure how much of original airframe is left
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Post by seaweed on Oct 7, 2014 21:43:44 GMT 12
Hi Red Barron, You r photo captioned pilot I'm pretty sure is Doug MacElwain is my father,Alec Williams
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Post by The Red Baron on Oct 8, 2014 7:15:52 GMT 12
Cheers,I was taking an educated guess on the fact BIH was Doug MacElwains Fletcher.It would have definitely been a Hamilton based pilot.Unfortunately that slide is very under exposed,did my best to bring it up so you can see it.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2015 7:33:45 GMT 12
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Post by craig on Feb 9, 2015 12:26:41 GMT 12
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Post by delticman on Feb 9, 2015 12:58:27 GMT 12
An interesting history for 209.
Built as a dual FU24A, it has a big door. Note the rib under the door, the 954 does not have this.
After ZK-DZK it became AP-AYS and then ST-ALJ. Returned to ZK-DZK with Super Air until 1998. First aircraft fitted with cargo pod and went to YJ-NZ24 and to VH-UTR in 2001, fully rebuilt in 2002.
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Post by scrooge on Feb 9, 2015 14:27:09 GMT 12
How easy would it be to reverse engineer it to a top-dresser? If that is hard and expensive and it needs a full repaint and any engineering work done then that would affect the price
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Post by delticman on Feb 9, 2015 15:28:59 GMT 12
Would not take the guys at Super Air to do the job. Might only need a polish, the WA sun has taken a toll on the paint.
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Post by craig on Feb 9, 2015 15:42:41 GMT 12
If the hrs are correct then the motor and prop far exceed the asking price. Then factor in that dual Fletchers are like hens teeth (I assume it wouldn't be difficult to re-rig the duals), it has prob had no fert in it since the rebuild (if that was when the hopper came out) so quite possibly very little corrosion. If I wasn't up to my ears in Cropmaster this would be VERY tempting.....
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Post by craig on Feb 9, 2015 15:47:55 GMT 12
Oh it has got long range tanks by the looks too, so the ferry flight wouldn't be a problem!
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Post by baronbeeza on Feb 9, 2015 16:22:44 GMT 12
Deal done, you buy it and I will help get it home. I know exactly where that is at Jandakot, I used to work for another survey company (two actually) just a little closer down Compass Road.
I am sure your father did time in Fletchers as well, a matching pair.. well almost.
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Post by baz62 on Feb 9, 2015 16:33:28 GMT 12
yes that does seem cheap. Maybe she's due for a C of A inspection, some AD work that all adds dollars perhaps? Maybe she hasn't flown for a while? You'd only know by looking at the logbooks and doing some detective work. This sounds like a job for you baronbeeza! You just need someone with the cash and desperately wants a Fletcher!
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Post by Peter Lewis on Feb 9, 2015 17:35:54 GMT 12
You just need someone with the cash and desperately wants a Fletcher! Zac! . . . Zac . . . where are you Zac? |
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Post by craig on Feb 9, 2015 17:56:49 GMT 12
Deal done, you buy it and I will help get it home. I know exactly where that is at Jandakot, I used to work for another survey company (two actually) just a little closer down Compass Road. I am sure your father did time in Fletchers as well, a matching pair.. well almost. Yes he did. Unfortunately 400 hp really needs work to justify... and not really a sporty ride. Even the para drop outfits are going away from the piston so not a likely prospect. How many gliders could you pull with it!!!!! |
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gtw
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 85
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Post by gtw on Feb 10, 2015 14:46:43 GMT 12
Jan 1970 I flew VH-EOF over to Melbourne and then Sydney, It had the hopper removed, so 3 pax in the back on rugs. Jandakot to Ceduna 9hrs Ceduna to Morrabbin 6hrs 45min
then to Bankstown 4hrs. Ferried a C182 back. It was a good trip from memory. Easy nav, follow the road.
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