Bankstown Today - Sat 27th Nov 2010

[Grahame Hutchison]

Having completed my AFR a couple of weeks back, I thought I would spend a morning just having a good look around the hangers at Bankstown, hoping for something a little different. As it turned out, luck was on my side and I was able to catch a Falcon 2000EX, Boeing Stearman and a PZL M18, then topped it off with a look over the Agusta 139 operated by the Ambulance Service Of NSW. Here are the images with a few others of interest.

VH-MVY B200 (BB-1324) 1989 - RFDS


VH-WIO Falcon 2000EX (183) 2009 - Balmoral Air - Ready for departure


VH-WIO Falcon 2000EX (183) 2009 - Balmoral Air


VH-WIO Falcon 2000EX (183) 2009 - Balmoral Air - Rear cargo door open for baggage loading


VH-WIO Falcon 2000EX (183) 2009 - Balmoral Air - With both passengers on board and taxiing out with reverse thrust deployed


VH-YUP AS355 (5158) 1982 - McDermott Aviation


VH-CWS DC3 (9286) 1943 - Peter Christoudias


VH-SSV SA226 (TC-383) 1980 - BES Operations


VH-ILW Boeing 75 (Stearman) (75-4522) 1943 - Christopher Clark
This aircraft was imported from the USA and is beautifully presented.


VH-ILW Boeing 75 (Stearman) (75-4522) 1943 - Christopher Clark

[Grahame Hutchison]

VH-ILW Boeing 75 (Stearman) (75-4522) 1943 - Christopher Clark


VH-ILW Boeing 75 (Stearman) (75-4522) 1943 - Christopher Clark


VH-ILW Boeing 75 (Stearman) (75-4522) 1943 - Christopher Clark


VH-FCF Nanchang CJ-6 (4332020) 1986 – Sequoia Aviation
The Nanchang was going to be the camera aircraft for an air to air photo shoot of the Stearman.


VH-ILW Boeing 75 (Stearman) (75-4522) 1943 - Christopher Clark


VH-FCF Nanchang CJ-6 (4332020) 1986 – Sequoia Aviation


VH-HYJ R22 (3697) 2004 – Bankstown Helicopters


N20865 Bell 214B (28065) 1981 – Bank Of Utah Trustee
No sign of the Erikson Sky Cranes so far this year.


N20865 Bell 214B (28065) 1981 – Bank Of Utah Trustee


VH-TGI PZL M-18 (1Z015-15) 1985 – R&M Aircraft

[Grahame Hutchison]

VH-TGI PZL M-18 (1Z015-15) 1985 – R&M Aircraft - Must be really interesting to taxi with a nose that long.


VH-PHW AS350 (4074) 1006 – NSW Police Force


VH-SYV had just returned to Bankstown, and after a short chat to the pilot, he asked if I would like to photograph
inside. With the aircraft facing into the sun it was going to be difficult to shoot the panel. The pilot suggested
we tow the Agusta 139 into the hanger out of the sun, so we both climbed in up front and the tug towed us to the
hanger door, and backed us in. As the batteries only last a short time with all the avionics powered up, the pilot
connected the ground power unit so he could run through all the systems with me. The light through the front windscreen
was still bright so the panel shots have a little glare on them (maybe a tripod and some sun shields next time).
There is a mouse (joystick) and Enter Key on the center panel that controls the Primary Flight Display and Multi-
function Display operation. This is all menu driven and the displays can be configured very easily, the system also
provides the best composite of the two displays should one display fail. There is no coms unit on the centre panel,
this is all done through the CDUs and displayed at the bottom of the PFD. When the electrical system is displayed
on the MFD, you can see the external power unit connected and a full schematic of the complete electrical system.
A big thank you to the CHC pilot for taking the time to show me around the Agusta 139 and explain it’s systems,
really appreciated.

VH-SYV Agusta 139 (31126) 2008 – Ambulance Service Of NSW
Two Primary Flight Displays, two Multifunction displays and an Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS). You can see
the three parallel runways at Bankstown on the Moving Map display in the centre of the main panel.



VH-SYV Agusta 139 (31126) 2008 – Ambulance Service Of NSW
Primary Flight Display and Multifunction Display on the copilot side.


VH-SYV Agusta 139 (31126) 2008 – Ambulance Service Of NSW
Primary Flight Display and Multifunction Display on the pilot’s side. The electric standby instrument (ESIS) can
be seen at the top left.


VH-SYV Agusta 139 (31126) 2008 – Ambulance Service Of NSW
Centre panel with integrated mobile phone at the bottom to contact hospital staff, with the GRN to the right. Half
way up on the left is a highly accurate EPIRB locator.



VH-SYV Agusta 139 (31126) 2008 – Ambulance Service Of NSW
The ground power unit (bottom left) was connected as the batteries only last a short period of time with all the
avionics powered up. The rear cabin has four crew positions and a laterally oriented stretcher for the patient.



VH-SYJ Agusta 139 (31114) 2008 – Ambulance Service Of NSW
The engine cowl is pulled forward for routine checks.

[Paul f.]

Great photos as usual Grahame

[phil.l]

Good stuff Grahame, love the falcon.

[JamesW]

Great photos..Never knew those A139's were so equipped..even a CDU which looks identical to a E170/190 honeywell FMC..Lucky pilots

[Jayden Laing]

Nice photos. Correct me if I wrong, but the PZL M-18 VH-TGI is one of the first on the Aus register to be converted into a turbine rather than using the old piston pumper engines!! Yes it would be very difficult to taxi a plane with a long nose like that (ex Concorde pilot maybe )

[Grahame Hutchison]

Hi Jayden, looks like there are now seven TPE331-11U-611G powered PZL M-18s on the register, and 34 M-18s in overall.

[Maikha Ly]

Grahame

By far these are my most favourite set of photos you've posted from YSBK. Please please please keep posting them! Please allow me some indulgence as most aircraft you've photographed evoke some great aviation memories for me!

I remember when VH-CWS did a flyover of Bankstown before its landing, as I was doing a pre-flight prior to a session of circuits. Raved about it here as well. Absolutely majestic and I sincerely thank the pilot for his initiative to do a flyover!

As for VH-SSV, I have to give full credit to this particular aircraft for very much sparking my enthusiasm and interest towards multi-engine turboprops. I remember sighting it a few years ago as it landed at Bankstown, and immediately it captured my imagination for all things Regional Airliner related. My scope and sphere for things aviation related was limited, and I thought this would be the largest aircraft that operates in Bankstown! Is it still operational or is it being sold off at the moment?

VH-TGI reminds me of my recent years living in the Riverina. Was driving out Temora/Cootamundra way along a road when out of the blue, one of these aircraft, flew right above the road cropdusting a field. I was absolutely blown away by how low and fast they flew, so pulled over, watching as this chap did a circuit to do the next row. At the end of the field a good km away, I could see a chap walking along the field, stopping, then waving this bright red flag to signal the aircraft to literally aim for him. Very captivating form of entertainment at the side of the road in the middle of know where and during a pleasant sunset summer evening How often does VH-TGI operate out of Bankstown?

Polair 1 (VH-PHW), this chopper frequently flies over my suburb, I assume doing some form of surveillance or something, occasionally, has a big spotlight on it

VH-SYV I've also been able to take a squiz at, and it has some very impressive equipment inside, which more importantly, I hope saves plenty of lives.


Once again, a great set of photos!

[Russell D]

Awesome shots Grahame. Do keep them coming. I was at BK yesterday starting my conversion training on the PA28-161 (VH-FTU) in prep for PPL Cross-country NAVs.

The Nanchang departed two planes after me as I headed out to the training area (11L departure) and then it just rocket past when I was abeam Prospect tracking towards tadpole lake. He seemed to climb up through 2500" into controlled airspace heading Westbound, before doing some pretty wicked dives, spins, and whatnot.

After briefly watching the spectacle, I then turned South to give him some room so I could start all my airwork.

By the way, coming back into BK from the training area was horrendous yesterday. The smoke was really light in the training area, but tracking in from Prospect was pretty much barely above VMC. Could barely make out the ground even at 1000". The Robin ahead of us doing the same just got swallowed up by the smoke, as did my my instructor and I moments later.

We ended up turning blind towards the airfield and then realised we overshot the approach since Warwick Farm racecourse was slightly off to our North. We headed for 11C initially cause it was the only one we could actually see, and then at about 2nm out, we could start a visual for 11L. Tower stopped sending people into the training area after that I think.