Bankstown 14th November 2009

[Grahame Hutchison]

A work meeting up the Central Coast in early December was a good excuse for a quick flight up to Magenta Shores at The Entrance. It was quite busy at Bankstown on Saturday morning, and I had to wait for a while for the fuel tanker to arrive.

With the tanks up to the tabs, it was a quick departure from 29R and I tracked north via Parramatta, Hornsby, Patonga, Terrigal and The Entrance. There was some early haze in the air and the city buildings were only just visible from Hornsby. Along the coast the beaches were sparkling and the sand ranged from white to gold.

The track back was direct Brooklyn Bridge, Dural, Prospect and back into Bankstown. Again it was busy at Bankstown, with three aircraft calling before me at Prospect and a couple after. While I tracked in the next two aircraft calling at Prospect were asked to hold, first time I have heard that one, and maybe it is related to the new airspace changes around Bankstown. There are limitations on the number of aircraft that can be in the Training circuit or on the active side of the airport.

Flying over for the day, I headed down to the Model Aircraft Expo at the terminal building where I caught up with Ray from Melbourne, who had some great photographs on sale. The model jets were fantastic and they ran up the engines a couple of times during the morning. The aircraft were taken out onto the apron, but up against the fence for everyone to see (30lbs of thrust apparently). They also had a jet dragster with an afterburner would you believe, and when they fired up the engine and hit the afterburner, there was a metre of flame out the back (the bitumen was burnt in the shape of the flame). Amazing to watch.

Out on the apron there was the Catalina, Cessna Birddog and A-37B Dragonfly, a DC-3 and RV-4. The A-37B had two passenger lined up for flights, and I had organised with airport operations to get out near the runway for the departure (thanks to Alan and Tony for their assistance, much appreciated).

Brooklyn Bridge on the Hawkesbury and fairly hazy to the west


The Mantra Ettalong Hotel


Crowne Plaza at Terrigal Beach


The Entrance


Magenta Shores - not a bad place for a meeting (and some golf and Tennis)


Looking south from The Entrance


Looking south over Gosford towards Lion Island and Pittwater


AS.350B2 VH-LEY (1686)


The two new Beech 350s VH-ZHT and VH-ZHS (not on the register yet)


Beech 350 VH-ZHT

[Grahame Hutchison]

Beech 350 VH-ZHT - the paintwork was quite discoloured aft of the exhaust


PBY-6A Catalina (46665) manufactured in 1945


DC-3, Catalina and A37-B Dragonfly


VAN'S RV-4 VH-WHC (3282) 1995 build


Close upof the video equipment in the A37-B Dragonfly. Notice the camera on the dash and the DV recording unit in a Pelican case in
the nose compartment


The model aircraft guys doing an engine run up on the Dragon - great stuff


Instrument panel on the Cessna Birddog - the missile launching switches are above the
windscreen and they can be launched individually or in pairs (eight in total). Arming switches
are on the top of the dash (in front of the 1357). A beautifully maintained aircraft with two
bullet holes, one in the starboard side of the tail and one in the rear starboard fuselage.
Sitting in the cockpit you are quite high and have an excellent view in all directions, with
the large windscreen and window panels overhead. For a tail dragger, I could still see over
the nose for taxiing.


PBY-6A Catalina VH-CAT


The dragster with afterburner - notice the blackened bitumen from the afterburner


Pitts S-2A VH-FFF (2183) 1979 build

[Grahame Hutchison]

R2160 VH-ZXY (160A-07009) 2007 build

EA-300/200 VH-XRB (021) 1997 build


Guiding the A-37B Dragonfly out from the display area - they were parked close up to the Catalina and RV4 with only a metre or so to
spare.


Pitts S-2A VH-OXX (2161) 1978 build


Cessna 172M VH-MHG (17263532) 1974 build lifting off from Runway 29R


Cessna 172N VH-JGZ (17272877) 1979 build lifting off from Runway 29R


Cessna A-37B Dragonfly (68-10807) 1965 build taxiing on Kilo for a Runway 29C departure


Cessna A-37B Dragonfly (68-10807) 1965 build taxiing on Kilo for a Runway 29C departure


Cessna A-37B Dragonfly (68-10807) 1965 build lifting off from Runway 29C - it was in the air by Tango 2


Cessna A-37B Dragonfly (68-10807) 1965 build climbing out off from Runway 29C

[Matt_L]

Grahame,

very nice photos and report.

What rego did you take up the coast?

[Lee G]

Graeme,

Do you know who the pilot was of the A37 (the picture of the guy with his hands in the air)?

[Grahame Hutchison]

Matt, Archer NRF was in for maintenance, so I took Warrior BVM.

Lee, the guy on the wing is Jeff, the Operations Manager for COMBATDRAGON, I think the pilot was Stewart.

[Gerard M]

Great photos Grahame, love the one of the Hawkesbury. It looks great.

And for the two new Beech's, possibly going to be moved to the RAAF? Recently VH-ZHP appeared as having the rego A32-439.

[Noel White]

Many thanks Grahame for your photos and report.

Any chance you know the rego of the DC-3?

Cheers,

Noel

[Matt_L]

Noel,

VH-MIN

[Dave Powell]

Great photos Grahame - thanks for sharing.

Whilst you were at YSBK, did you notice a NOTAR chopper outside the terminal - any idea of the rego? also the two Pionair CV340's - I noted VH-PDX - what was the other one?

Thanks again

DAve