Bankstown 14/08/2010

[Grahame Hutchison]

I was out at Bankstown this morning to look at the avionics in a few aircraft I am interested in, and took the camera along for the ride.
This is what I found on my way around ...

VH-BTN Aero Commander 680-FL(P) (1695-35) 1967 built - the cockpit has seen plenty of action


VH-XSN Warrior PA-28-161 (28-8016317) 1980 built and currently with Schofields.


VH-MJT Archer PA-28-181 (28-7790256) 1976 build - I did my NAV training on a previous incarnation of this aircraft, some great trips
to Canberra. Currently with Schofields.


VH-SFA Archer II PA-28-181 (28-7690364) 1976 built and currently with Schofields.


VH-NFR Warrior PA-28-161 (28-16068) 1988 build and currently with Schofields.


VH-AFB Cessna 172A (47647) 1960 build.


VH-RWV Cessna 172P (17275710) 1982 built. This aircraft has a camera fitted on either side of the rear cabin shooting out through the
lower fuselage (below the P of Par Avion).


VH-ISM Beech Sierra 200 C24R (MC-670) 1979 build - retractable undercarriage.


VH-ZRA SEAREY (IDK410C) 2006 build. They were of on a trip up to the Central Coast at a very leisurely 75kts cruise and GPS equipped.


VH-ZRA - Close up of the ROTAX engine.

[Grahame Hutchison]

VH-TAD SEAREY (IDK420C) 2007 built - this rego previously belonged to an Australian Airlines A300 that from memory served some time
with Air Niuguni.


This is a very neat looking aircraft and what a bonus to be able to land on water where ever you like. The wheels retract upwards.


VH-EAJ PAC 750XL (0132) 2007 build - under going pre-flight and refueling.

[Noel White]

Thanks Grahame. Always look forward to your camera visits to Bankstown.

Pity you didn't get that bloke standing along side VH-EAJ to correct the hexcode for that aircraft. It's displaying 7C1445, when it should be 7C1449.

[Russell D]

Awesome pics and info as always Grahame.

Yesterday I am pretty sure I saw SFA fly overhead my house in Erskine Park (near the white roofs next to Kennett Strip). It was maintaining 1500', heading in a NW direction. I was in the backyard, and was watching it (as i do with just about any plane that is flying nearby lol). And if i am not mistaken, it appeared to flash its landing light a couple of times in two brief pulses. Of course, it could have just been the Sun glare just shimmering of the nosewheel. But for a second, i was like "OMG, Schoies even know where I live".

On another note, I've seen VH-EAJ a number of times near the Air BP apron at BK while taxiing past of pre-flighting my a/c. And I've always wondered what EAJ is used for? Is it some sort of charter service or something? At one stage I thought it might be involved with aeromedical flights, but in your pic below I'm probably inclined to think more along the lines of cargo/freight. Still, I just find it one of the more unusual looking a/c at BK.

Cheers and hope to see you around Schoies sometime soon. Perhaps next weekend, cause I see your name on the booking sheet for Sunday, and I have my GFPT with the CFI Bill at 12.30.

[Grahame Hutchison]

Hi Russell, I have a contact at Combat Dragon who operate from the same hanger as the PAC 750, so I will see what I can find out. From memory it was being used on Mining Charters, but I will see if I can confirm this and the Hex Code for Noel. At present I am planning to fly out to Bathurst and Orange next Sunday, my niece and her husband work at the Newcrest Gold Mine, so hopefully the weather is good. There have been so many bad weekends over the last few months (rain, high winds or fog). Good luck with your GFPT.

I forgot to mention that the two Searay's taxied over to the T Hangers where a third Searay appeared. I have seen these three fly over my house before, they sound like a swarm of bees.

[Russell D]

Hey Grahame,

I did a little research, and seems like the PAC 750 is used for a number of roles, one of the main ones being skydiving. However, it also seems to be quite popular for use in cargo/freight on short-haul regional/GA routes.

Enjoy your time in Orange. Yes the past weeks have been terrible regarding weather. My GFPT has already been cancelled 3 times already, so hopefully it will be 4th time lucky next Sunday.

Cheers for the best wishes.

Happy flying

[Jason H]

Nice photos Grahame, nice to see XSN and NFR still getting around. Was flying them earlier in the year....they were good except for XSN's non ability to climb, and NFR being out of balance the second you put the pilot in

[Peter Agatsiotis]

looking at Grahame's photos and the replies reminds of my brief stint at flying lessons (1992 with Navair) plus a few endorsement flights with other guys that needed 'weight' to finalise endorsement.

I took these photos in August 1981 and the young fellas can see what Bankstown looked like back then.

[Mick F]

Fantastic Peter. It's sad the look at places like Bankstown now, and see the lack of aircraft, compared to the number of aircraft in your photo's.

Sadly, GA is in a very sad state now, no thanks to the governments who have no idea about the importance of GA.

Selling airports, rising regulation costs, rising air service costs, increasing regulation beyond what is sensible, some of the many reasons why GA is dieing in Australia.

Perhaps when they find there's no one to pilot their flight to Canberra one day, and they ask why, they'll then realise the importance of this part of the industry in Australia.

Mick

[Adam P.]

Is that a RWY18L I spy there???

I think I see a threshold for a grass RWY18R next to it.

More importantly - look at how many aeroplanes are parked on the aprons. You don't see anything like that anymore.