|
Post by vs on Nov 2, 2007 20:40:37 GMT 12
Air Chathams also have a really mint cessna 206 out at the Island which is used to carry freight and pax to Pitt Island which is to the South of the Chatham Islands
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 4, 2007 12:56:08 GMT 12
That would be a lonely job?
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Nov 4, 2007 13:52:36 GMT 12
They've lost a few aircraft on the Pitt Island service over the years:
Cessna 337F Super Skymaster ZK-TAI Cr Pitt Island, Chathams, 4Dec86 Cessna T337G Pressurized Super Skymaster II ZK-TSH Caught wind-shear on t/off Waipaua, Pitt Island, Chathams, 6Sep88 & DBR Cessna U206F ZK-DOA Ditched into sea off Pitt Island, Chathams, 18Mar99.
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 5, 2007 20:23:49 GMT 12
DOA is an unfortunate registration mark?!
|
|
|
Post by Peter Lewis on Nov 5, 2007 22:41:09 GMT 12
True - asking for trouble, really.
|
|
|
Post by paddy on Nov 6, 2007 6:45:41 GMT 12
Actually a rather apt name. 1/ That aircraft gave me 27 stitches in my left hand when a faulty mag switch allowed it to fire on one cylinder while I was pulling it through. 2/ I nearly died in a beatup gone wrong. Low airspeed, downwash from trees, power wires and a house in the escape path and 6 skydivers on board. It would have killed all on board + plus many on the ground. The wingtip in 60 degrees of bank got within 2 feet of the ground. 3/ Flying into cloud at 90 feet crossing Cook Straight just approaching the South Island. The Pilot (un named but the same) dropped flap to give a bit more warning time in case he saw an Island coming through the cloud. It got very quiet on board for a few minutes 4/ A stall turn at 100 feet into a valley near the Warateh (spelling) TV Tower near Palmerston North. 5/ Stalled at 9000 feet while Skydiving with 5 Skydivers hanging outside the aircraft resulting in a 180 degree flick turn. 6/ At least 1 skydiver killed jumping from that aircraft (I was on the load) 7 Numerous overloaded flights into and out of some very marginal strips (Anyone flown into Te Horo south of Levin) 8/ I logged 8 hours flying that AC when our Jump Pilot was a QFI (Seats out for jumping so I sat on a Beer Crate for the flights) Oh we were young and stupid then. I'm amazed it survived to ditch. With what was done to it over it's life it should have fallen to pieces (preferably on a skydiving flight where we all had parachutes)
|
|
|
Post by paddy on Nov 6, 2007 6:53:36 GMT 12
I forgot 2 others: 9/ The body of the skydiver killed was flown in DOA after the funeral from Palmerston to Christchurch for internment. A real DOA. (Skydivers have a macabre sense of humour) 10/ I nearly died on a jump from DOA (200 foot reserve opening) I would have impacted (don't you love that word) on the tarmac 300 feet from a crowded Palmerston North Terminal.
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 7, 2007 8:44:45 GMT 12
Bloody hell, it's amazing you're still with us Paddy!
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 7, 2007 11:02:22 GMT 12
It sounds like DOA's now in its rightful place at the bottom of the Pacific, Paddy!
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 19, 2007 14:59:27 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by FlyingKiwi on Nov 19, 2007 16:17:54 GMT 12
That last one's a stunner!
|
|
|
Post by beagle on Nov 19, 2007 18:20:26 GMT 12
just a little bit of sun strike to make your day
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 20, 2007 7:21:21 GMT 12
Gorgeous photos there Joe! Please thank the photographer for us.
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Nov 20, 2007 13:45:57 GMT 12
Will do.
|
|