Dear Garry, most interesting, Bill's flying career and ability, reminds me very much of the late Australian general aviation pilot Jim Hazelton 1931-2014, heard of him? Jim amassed over 50,000 hrs in the air in over 130 different types of aircraft. He started flying in 1950 on Tiger Moths in central NSW at Orange, became an instructor on them, moved into Ag flying in the mid 50s and took up Ferry flying in the early 60s. He was the first Australian to fly a single engined aircraft solo across the Pacific in 1964 - he went on to do over 200 ferry crossings of the Pacific from the US to Australia and more throughout the world. He was a pilots pilot and could do things with an aircraft few pilots could emulate. He ran a flying school in the late 60s/70s called Navair at Bankstown training a legion of pilots - including the Formula 1 race drivers Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, John Goss and many many more. He was quite character, bit of a maverick, but in the cockpit was master of his realm.
Hi Garry. A friend of mine in the early 90s would go to king Island to sheer sheep at the age of 17 +. He told of some of the flights over. He would catch the Mail plane out of Tooroodin on a Sunday night and return on a Friday. The mail plane would ply when no other planes would so he was sure of a flight every time. The stories of most flights were shocking and he was a straight shooter of a kid. Single engine Bass Straight you can only lightly imagine how bad some of the flights were and he was very scared at many times but he never failed to go if the pilot said I’m going wild weather or not. Regards Ken Steven Mawson is his name if anyone knows him let us know.
Had the great privilege of flying off The Hummocks with Billy during an easterly gale in 1963 My Father Ian Smith was held up taking shelter in Rainbow Bay on our fishing vessel The Rodney J His brother, my uncle , Frank Smith needed to be back on the mainland to catch a flight to Brisbane I needed to be back for school so Billy was called and he flew us off the island Needless to say it was a hairy trip in the Auster Bill was a lovely bloke and took me up several times 😊 Rod Smith
Well done Gary another great production. Will be enjoyed by many in NW Tas 🏆🥇
Great show again garry
Dear Garry, most interesting, Bill's flying career and ability, reminds me very much of the late Australian general aviation pilot Jim Hazelton 1931-2014, heard of him? Jim amassed over 50,000 hrs in the air in over 130 different types of aircraft. He started flying in 1950 on Tiger Moths in central NSW at Orange, became an instructor on them, moved into Ag flying in the mid 50s and took up Ferry flying in the early 60s. He was the first Australian to fly a single engined aircraft solo across the Pacific in 1964 - he went on to do over 200 ferry crossings of the Pacific from the US to Australia and more throughout the world. He was a pilots pilot and could do things with an aircraft few pilots could emulate. He ran a flying school in the late 60s/70s called Navair at Bankstown training a legion of pilots - including the Formula 1 race drivers Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, John Goss and many many more. He was quite character, bit of a maverick, but in the cockpit was master of his realm.
I loved all your work, these everyday people made this such a wonderful country.
Hi Garry.
A friend of mine in the early 90s would go to king Island to sheer sheep at the age of 17 +.
He told of some of the flights over.
He would catch the Mail plane out of Tooroodin on a Sunday night and return on a Friday.
The mail plane would ply when no other planes would so he was sure of a flight every time.
The stories of most flights were shocking and he was a straight shooter of a kid.
Single engine Bass Straight you can only lightly imagine how bad some of the flights were and he was very scared at many times but he never failed to go if the pilot said I’m going wild weather or not.
Regards Ken
Steven Mawson is his name if anyone knows him let us know.
Great work mate 🇦🇺 👍
Childhood memories,, a good feed of mutton bird .Great uploading mate , thanks
Had the great privilege of flying off The Hummocks with Billy during an easterly gale in 1963
My Father Ian Smith was held up taking shelter in Rainbow Bay on our fishing vessel The Rodney J His brother, my uncle , Frank Smith needed to be back on the mainland to catch a flight to Brisbane I needed to be back for school so Billy was called and he flew us off the island Needless to say it was a hairy trip in the Auster Bill was a lovely bloke and took me up several times 😊
Rod Smith
6:30 - Bird strike ?