Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 17, 2018 14:33:32 GMT 12
In this episode we hear from Geoff White, who was a childhood friend of the legendary pilot Ray Hanna, serving together in the Air Training Corps during the 1940’s. Upon leaving school Geoff joined the RNZAF and trained as a pilot. He spent a lot of his career as a transport pilot with No. 41 Squadron on Douglas Dakotas and Bristol Freighters, one of the latter he flew out from England when it was first handed over by the factory. He also trained as an instructor, and this included a few flights in the North American P-51D Mustang.
On leaving the RNZAF Geoff took up a position flying for Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. (T.E.A.L.) and started there flying the Short Solent flying boats. He progressed through the company (which became Air New Zealand in 1965) onto the Douglas DC-6’s, then the Lockheed Electras, and then onto jets flying the Douglas DC-8 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Geoff captained the last successful Antarctic flight that Air New Zealand flew, and talks about this too.
Today Geoff lives in retirement in Albury, NSW, Australia. Dave spoke with Geoff via Skype a year ago to record this episode.
Here's the show link:
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2018/10/geoff-white/
On leaving the RNZAF Geoff took up a position flying for Tasman Empire Airways Ltd. (T.E.A.L.) and started there flying the Short Solent flying boats. He progressed through the company (which became Air New Zealand in 1965) onto the Douglas DC-6’s, then the Lockheed Electras, and then onto jets flying the Douglas DC-8 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Geoff captained the last successful Antarctic flight that Air New Zealand flew, and talks about this too.
Today Geoff lives in retirement in Albury, NSW, Australia. Dave spoke with Geoff via Skype a year ago to record this episode.
Here's the show link:
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2018/10/geoff-white/
