Episode 26: David Pilkington on Aerobatics & Engineering

Posted on January 5, 2014 by admin
Episode 26: David Pilkington [ 8:37 | 15.79 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (338)

Steve & Grant recording live with David Pilkington at Tooradin

Steve & Grant recording live with David Pilkington at Tooradin

While doing a live broadcast from Tooradin Airport (YTDN), we were joined by David Pilkington, an excellent aeronautical engineer & well known aerobatic pilot. David tells us about how he got into flying and his career as an engineer including his work on the GAF Nomad. We also discuss David’s recent award of the FAI’s Paul Tissandier diploma for his contributions to aerobatics.

After the interview, David took Grant for an aerobatic flight in his Super Decathlon which was a great excuse to be flying inverted :)

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Episode 25: Super Petrel

Posted on December 28, 2013 by admin
Episode 25: Super Petrel [ 8:24 | 11.54 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (428)

Super Petrel LS amphibian (Image from Super Petrel Australia)

Super Petrel LS amphibian
(Image from Super Petrel Australia)

The boys splashed out at a recent RA-Aus NatFly event & chat with Rowan Whittington, the New South Wales & Southern Queensland rep for the Super Petrel amphibian. It’s a beautiful light-sport aircraft that gives you a floating hull amphibian with a pusher prop and biplane wings.

No wonder Grant’s been drooling over this one! :)

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Episode 24: Southern Biplanes

Posted on May 19, 2012 by admin
Episode 24: Southern Biplanes [ 8:04 | 11.21 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (514)

VH-ILW

Southern Biplanes' "Lilly Warra" Boeing Stearman (VH-ILW)

Steve & Grant recently attended the Wings Over Illawarra 2012 airshow where they caught up with Chris Clark from Southern Biplanes. Chris is the Chief Pilot who gets to take passengers for adventure flights in their bright red Boeing Stearman. We ask Chris about his aviation career, why they selected the Stearman and how they purchased & returned their beautiful red aircraft. We also chat about their barnstorming adventures where they take the Stearman into the country and fly passengers at various rural locations.

Chris chatting with Steve & Grant

Nose art on VH-ILW

Close up of the "Lilly Warra" nose art

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Episode 23: The Southern Knights

Posted on April 7, 2012 by admin
Episode 23: The Southern Knights [ 5:13 | 7.19 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (674)

Our first Flying Down Under segment for 2012 sees us recording on the tarmac at Tyabb Airport (YTYA) at the end of the Tyabb Airshow 2012. During the show we were able to chat with Peter Clements & Steve Death from the Southern Knights aerobatic team. We discuss their usual mounts (the T6 Harvard – aka T6 Texan), how the team was formed and what’s involved in keeping the pilots current & ready for each show they do.

Unfortunately the cross winds at the show were too high their usual T6 Harvards so three of the pilots jumped in T28 Trojans and for the first time ever presented “The Trojan Knights,” much to the delight of the crowd.

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Episode 22: Back to School

Posted on November 28, 2011 by admin
Episode 22: Back to School [ 8:06 | 14.82 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (519)

Steve & Grant are trying to get back into their school uniforms as they’ve discovered that Brentwood Secondary College (Steve’s old high school) have set up an aviation programme. Steve goes back to school to chat with Chris Barry, a teacher & pilot who has set everything up.

Chris learned to fly when he was in high school and had his commercial rating within a short time of graduating. He then did some instructing for a while but the aviation industry was in the doldrums so he became a teacher & went up to the Northern Territory at the top end of Australia. While teaching maths & science up there, he met a person who had a Cessna 210 but wasn’t a pilot. Chris very quickly wound up flying the 210 for the owner, getting to explore the Northern Territory in the process.

One of Aus Air Services' Jabiru 170s

Chris returned to Melbourne and started flying as a jump pilot at Tooradin, getting to know our friends next door at Aus Air Services. He then worked with them to create an education programme that would like high schools with flying, pushing it through the Education Department and getting it approved for Brentwood & other schools. The goal is to have students graduate with their commercial level theory completed as well as their private pilot license.

Steve then has a quick chat with Luca, Anthony & Nick who are about 16 years old and students at Brentwood. They talk about how they got into aviation and what it’s like doing the course, both theory and flying in Aus Air Services’ Jabiru J170s.

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