|
|
Post by brianc on Jul 20, 2016 1:57:22 GMT -5
Hi Guys, I have just joined BGA and look forward to a long association! I am a keen piston thumper enthusiast from the Highlands of NSW Australia. There are plenty full-size units nearby but my favourite is the HARS Connie. Here are a couple of videos I shot of Connie with my Canon 60D camera fitted with a 400mm lens. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIfvTFG_p7s and www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmrIOU0kJZoI have already flown the CalClassics Connie around the world east about (19 stops) from a 1950s Qantas timetable (on another VA). Even though I have purchased all the other Connie variants available I still prefer the freebie. It will be interesting to see what A2A come up with. I like flying on VATSIM so hopefully I'll catch up with some of you in the virtual skies or on Teamspeak! Running FSX from the box on Win 7 64bit professional - Storm Trooper gaming computer. There are plenty of add-ons to go with it of course. Currently flying the Connie again on the Kangaroo Route (BGAD203) as QFA203 on Vatsim. Today completed leg 3 from Melbourne having just landed in Jakarta. Cheers Brian |
|
|
|
Post by robau707 on Jul 20, 2016 17:46:39 GMT -5
Hi Brian and a warm welcome to our VA.
We are a small group spread across the world and enjoy our flight sims.
As you may already know you can fly any plane anywhere in the world at anytime, there are no tests like some other VA's.
We hold two events during the year that also attract many from other VA's, one each February named the GAAR (Great Australian Air Rally) with the other event each September called NZAR ( New Zealand Air Rally), we look forward to you flying and enjoying these events with us.
Our forum is always open for any comments or suggestions so go for it.
Have fun and enjoy your flights.
Cheers
Rob
Vice President
|
|
Ed Burke
Member
Healthy living is fine, but it's having fun that keeps us going!
Posts: 433
|
Post by Ed Burke on Jul 22, 2016 19:46:14 GMT -5
Hello Brian, welcome aboard. I see you are a Connie fan and I am also, in a quieter fashion. I live in the hills behind the Sunshine Coast and I enjoyed seeing our Connie flying overhead during a display at Maroochydore a few years back. Had a flight from Darwin to Sydney in the mid fifties in one of the Qantas birds, great.
It might be time to do it again!
Cheers, Ed Burke
|
|
|
|
Post by robau707 on Jul 22, 2016 19:55:13 GMT -5
Hi Ed,
Well what a small world, I am on Bribie Island, must meet up one day.
Rob
|
|
Ed Burke
Member
Healthy living is fine, but it's having fun that keeps us going!
Posts: 433
|
Post by Ed Burke on Jul 23, 2016 4:38:59 GMT -5
Yep, not far. When things get quieter here we must say hello, a bit hectic at the moment I'm in Flaxton.
|
|
|
|
Post by brianc on Jul 23, 2016 5:42:48 GMT -5
We hold two events during the year that also attract many from other VA's, one each February named the GAAR (Great Australian Air Rally) with the other event each September called NZAR ( New Zealand Air Rally), we look forward to you flying and enjoying these events with us. Thank you Rob and Ed for the warm welcome, I will try and partake of any events available. I love the Connie but anything with a propeller is fine by me! I fly jets occasionally but they are boring compared to keeping the CalClassics Connie in the air. I've been to Bribie Island and the Hinterland. I would have loved to have flown in the real Connie but I have been in a real 707. Cheers Brian |
|
|
|
Post by robau707 on Jul 23, 2016 6:28:08 GMT -5
Hi Brian,
When I started at Qantas a long time ago they had just sold their last Connie but we still had the U. S. Navy WV-2s coming through and stopping off for maintenance on there way to Antarctica which included the "El Paso Road Runner".
Qantas then had the baby 707's, 138s, four Electras, two DC-4s and 2 DC-3s in the fleet, they were great days.
Cheers
Rob
|
|
|
|
Post by brianc on Jul 24, 2016 0:03:05 GMT -5
Hi Rob,
They were great days indeed! When I finished school I was chasing steam trains while they were still in revenue service. I wasn't so much into aviation at that time.
I married in 1973 and my wife was working for Qantas at the time (a punch card operator at head office). We went to Fiji for our honeymoon and travelled both ways in a Qantas 707. It was the turning point for me!
We travelled to Europe for Christmas 1973 and we had quite a variety of aircraft. We flew out of Sydney in a Qantas 707. At Honolulu we changed to a BOAC VC10 to LAX. We had a few days in LA. From LAX to KFJ we travelled in an early 747 as a domestic flight, then we had to de-board and wait to get back on. We eventually boarded the same plane to take us to London. At London we caught a Lufthansa flight to Stuttgart.
Coming home we were caught up in the fuel crisis and ended up being booked on an early 747 home from London to Sydney via Bahrain, Singapore and Perth. It was a great trip!!
|
|
|
|
Post by robau707 on Jul 24, 2016 5:18:19 GMT -5
Hi Brian,
Well we have a few coincidences.
The way my shift worked out in those days, I would fly to Fiji every third weekend for the weekend and stay at the old Skylodge by Nadi Airport which was a great meeting place for airline staff from all over the world.
I met my wife there, she is a Kiwi from Auckland and worked for Air New Zealand. After meeting her my travel arrangements change so instead of Fiji it became Auckland every 10 days to see her or she would fly to Ozzie.
I was able to work it that after work I could fly to Auckland with Air NZ on a DC-8, have two days with her then fly back to Oz on their DC-10 the following morning.
We too married in 1973 in Auckland with our honeymoon being Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Hong. Flying 747-200 to Singapore then SIA 707 to Bangkok and Hong Kong doing that fabulous approach into Kai Tek. Coming home it was 707 HK to Darwin then Melbourne and then TAA DC-9 to Sydney.
March this year we did a 12 day tour of the North and South islands of New Zealand flying each day between ports in a DC-3, we even went whale watching North of Wellington at 500 feet, that was KOOL.
Apart from above some of the other flying machines I have flown in are DH Rapide, Grumman Widgeon, BEA Trident, DC-4, B727, C-130, Caribou, 747SP and all the modern stuff that rockets around these days including the A380.
Guess I am just an aviation holic, not sure whether that a good or bad thing......he......he.
One other coincidence is I have a very close long time friend that lives in Bowral whom I will be visiting in November on my way to see my daughter in Canberra, so if we could catch up for a coffee somewhere that would be great.
Cheers for now
Rob
|
|
|
|
Post by brianc on Jul 24, 2016 17:29:43 GMT -5
Hi Rob,
Fascinating. It is interesting how many parallels there are between us. We went back to Europe in 2000 flying with SIA. The travel part between Australia an Europe was not nice. As a result we let our passports lapse as we won't be travelling overseas again.
My aviation fix is in the virtual world now.
I would be happy to catch up with you for a coffee somewhere. I live just off the freeway halfway between Bowral and Goulburn. If you have access to my email address please drop me a line and we can arrange something.
Although I am retired I do some work from home but I am available almost any time.
|
|
|
|
Post by robau707 on Jul 24, 2016 19:05:25 GMT -5
Hi Brian,
No problem with the email address as I have administrative rights, will drop you a line closer to November.
Cheers
Rob
|
|
