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Old 06-27-2018, 02:42 AM   #121
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Quote:
Originally Posted by GerryAllen View Post
Must be something about pilots, I was told by the school councillor to take auto-motives in high school so when I got kicked out, I could get a job changing oil. Instead headed to the local airport, got a job after school pulling airplanes in and out of the hangar. When not tugging aircraft around was washing, polishing and vacuuming them. By the time I finished high school had my commercial pilots license, never looked back. Heard later the councilor was speechless and most of the teachers were cheering me on.
When my aviation career ended I retired with 22,380 hours, flew the older Boeings including B747s and traveled all around the world. Must be something said for being slow and focused he he he.
I could tell stories about what some real sharp class mates ended up doing, suffice to say I am quite happy with my career choice. God Bless you all.
Gerry Allen, Birch Bay Wa


that was a most pleasing post Allan. I had tomorrows story planned however I will change it to a story of my children. you should relate to it. Do send me your email address and I'll muster up some photogaphs and post in return.
each year I host a morning tea and luncheon for old cropdusters. those of us who sprayed DDT. That was abolished about 81. There was no mark up in this insecticide and manufacturers didn't defend it as they wanted to move new products they had patents on. Bigger markup.
The direction aviation is taking is of concern. More computer controlled aspects to cover unskilled pilots. That's airlines not ag. My kids keep me informed and I see this in accident reports. Ag is becoming more computer , not control but monitoring. ag to me is like riding a bike. I have had 50 years of it this July. but I mess up the computers used for tracking and monitoring. The, look I'll continue in an email, cheers, gary
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Old 06-27-2018, 07:26 PM   #122
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Response to Gerry Allen’s reply to my story of David Link.
I had today’s short story planned but in view of a reply from Gerry Allen I have written a new story. Gerry’s story moved me and his story is similar to mine and many other pilots I know and mix with. The biggest requirements one needs to achieve in aviation is to crawl over 3 miles of broken glass to get there.Nothing else is important. Formal qualifications only massage the ego of the holder and detract future employers attention to applicants knowledge, ability, initiative and work ethic.
This story is about my 2 sons. Whilst I am both pleased and proud of them, their work and determination to achieve, is the point of this story. This is similar to David Link in yesterdays story and to Gerry Allen (fromBirch Bay, Washington state) who is a high time airline pilot and responded to the David Link story yesterday.
My sons are Dennis (Mushy) and Michael (Moo). When they were kids I never asked them to work. I just told them they had to. No misunderstandings there. Part of that work was aeroplane related, washing and loading chemicals, fertilizer or seed.
In their school holidays they worked at a local gliding school (you might call gliders sailplanes). Sweeping, mowing, cleaning and other shitty work. The boss wanted his pound of flesh and that pleased me.
When they finished school they worked for me. No privileges. Drove heavy loading trucks. Big hours, same wages as other employees. They saved sufficient money to pay for their flying licences.
There is a two year age difference. They both towed gliders, same school as mentioned above. Mushy finished with about 700 hours total time and Moo 900. Good experience and good leadership by employer and staff. $60 per week for about 80 hours work. Acceptable by dad.
Mushy found a job in an aeroplane paint shop. Dirty and smelly. Did a short term working for a third level airline then made it to a well known airline.
Moo worked in a furniture manufacturing factory then a third level airline. A well known airline took him too. Today they both are international pilots and have commands on heavy jet airliners.
Why have Itold you this? Not to brag but to demonstrate how determination overcomes the bullshit of ticking boxes and qualifications. Uni graduates in aviation theory and licence issue where it was all provided didn’t do so well. One such kid is the son of a late personal friend. He did however make it to airlines. Today he is a baggage handler.
Today much has changed but there is something that hasn't. Work and determination to succeed is rewarded. Not only in flying but other jobs and professions as well.
There is another subject that is close to my heart. The treatment of farmers by government, media and public. These are the people that toil hard, frequently losing money, even going bankrupt with drought or floods.They grow the food that is placed on our dining table. We all should be gratefulto those people on the land. That story is for another day.
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Old 06-28-2018, 02:00 AM   #123
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Tocumwal hosts Fairlane Meeting.
Tocumwal Ford Fairlane meet. Two people I asked which car they liked the most. The answer was quite predictable. The same vehicle. Both were quick to add their favourite was the maroon ute parked over the road. Utes are a popular cult vehicle especially in farming areas where farm boys inherit their dad's old ute. It's sort of a sports vehicle. One can put the dog and swags on the tray and that seems to hold a lot of status. Two dogs on the back is even more status. these are working dogs not lap creatures.
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Old 06-28-2018, 02:23 AM   #124
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

I have 3 Model A's and a G.M. Holden. One each for my 4 kids. Too many for me to look after so my son Dennis gave his to his friend to use. It is better to have them used than sit idle. It lives at Goulburn NSW and the user is an aeroplane engineer. I think Dennis gets a bit of aeroplane servicing done there. All vehicles have names. this is "old chocolate" .
You, reader, will notice I've posted 3 today. Too cold to venture too long outdoors.
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Old 06-28-2018, 02:58 PM   #125
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Mohammad turns green.
I arrived at Sahabit number 9 airstrip, as arranged to find my loader driver waiting but no fertilizer to spread. It wasn’t too much longer before the fertilizer arrives, in 1 ton bags. Well there were no slaves to decant these bags.
Having Mohammad translate I say to the drivers, 3 in all that if I, Mr Gary decants would they help. In one noun, said with explicit clarity the answer was negative. I ask again with emphasis on Mr Gary also decanting. Again an unambiguous response.
“Mohammad tell these drivers they have tiny little balls”. Mohammad’s brown skin changes colour. “Mohammad tell them” and again “Mohammad tell them”. Mohammad is now green and the words come from his mouth slowly and constrained. I spread my thumb and forefinger to about half an inch to illustrate the size I had in mind.
Needless tosay I had extremely offended them. Well that was my intention. They were dark on me.
They made several trips during the day and they lightened up. On their last trip I got a wave and a small smile.
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Old 06-29-2018, 02:31 PM   #126
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The Anyway Brothers.
I was spraying cotton at Wee Waa in central NSW. The aeroplane developed an oil leak from flange where the propeller is bolted to the engine drive shaft. Oil on windscreen obscures vision. An O ring needed replacing. I flew to Moree to the workshop. I had not met the owner / chief engineer. He walked up to the plane and offered his hand. “I’m Campbell anyway”. I took his hand and gave my name. Campbell gave a good firm handshake. I like that.
Another bloke appeared and with a handshake he introduced himself . “I’m Phillip anyway”. Must be Campbell’s brother I figured. Then a third bloke appeared and like the previous two introduced himself “I’m Peter anyway”.
Well Ithought it was great. Three brothers working together in a business. The Anyway brothers.
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Old 07-01-2018, 04:38 PM   #127
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Red Tide.

No, nothing to do with Russian submarines.
I was working in the Malaysian state of Sabah which is located in the north east of Borneo. I had 2 drivers. One Amat and the other Ali. We mostly took 2 when we were working away from our usual base. Company was important to them.
One day Ali was to work but he came to me “Ali very ill today Mr Gary, cannot work”. That’s okay Ali, Amat can work in your place.
Next day Ali came to work again because it was Amat was very ill. Strange. Next day Mr Gary very ill. I flewback to base and saw a Filipino doctor by the name of Dr. Pete. He wanted to send me to hospital in an ambulance. I had never seen an ambulance at our base town and the ambulance probably meant a taxi with the fastest driver. Just didn’t appeal. So I flew to town, Lahad Datu, about a 30 minute flight. You will find it on Google Maps.
A local doctor received me. I asked his name and he said it was so long I’d need to stop for a drink of water before I finished saying it, but the abridged version was Anan.
I had the shits. Badly. After 3 days the doctor was keen to send me to Tawau where they could operate on me. That didn’t appeal greatly either. Then they changed their mind. They intended to discharge me. Probably couldn’t afford an orang putti (White man) death on their hands. About the same time Dr Pete’s wife arrived with several bunches of grapes and a bottle of prune juice. This I consumed then I was discharged.

I called a taxi to take me to the airport where my plane was but on the way I needed a toilet stop badly and had him divert to the Exectitive hotel. The grapes and prune juice had run straight through me. I shit. Large quantity, rapid and runny. Instantly, yes instantly I felt better. The Dr. Pete’s food stuffs had cleaned me out.
Some weekslater the company principle was up from South Australia and we were having dinner at a grubby little cafe about 10 miles out of town. A doctor was there,a mate of Dr Pete’s. He knew about the incident and said I shouldn’t have flown as my blood pressure was down to 70. Then the boss man said “forgot to tell youGary, 7 died at that time”. The poisoning was from “red tide”. That is an algae, pale red in colour. It had grown in the sea out from Tawau. The 3 of us had being poisoned from eating fish. Red tide is not an uncommon occurrence in many parts of the world. They, Ali and Amat were tougher than I and recovered in a day.
I have just looked up Red Tide on the internet and treatment is contradictory. 1. Pumpstomach out and that’s what the grapes and prune juice did. And 2. Give charcoal and that stops diarrhoea.
Did you readabout my charcoal incident in a previous story?
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Old 07-02-2018, 03:25 PM   #128
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Nick Names.

Our kids all have nick names. Many people have nick names. Derived mainly through their personality or habits or habitat or something associated to them. Of course.
I know acontractor who doesn’t really have an ego but got this name, I think, because he has been successful and competing contractors are just a little jealous and resentful.
Have you heard this before. FIGJAM. Well you can guess what the first letter stands for.
F*** I’m Good, Just Ask Me.
Maybe thatname is not uncommon but it always amuses me.
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Old 07-02-2018, 03:31 PM   #129
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OFF LIKE A SHOT OUT OF A CANNON

When I was a young bloke I took a job mustering cattle in the outback Kimberly Range at a station by the name of Dunham River.
Outback stations have some characters and some with an AKA names. Many escaping alimony and some the law. They can be unique people with strong personalities and character.
Dunham River station was purchased by a Texican by the name of Goddard. He purchased a Piper Cub and I flew it and mustered wild cattle in conjunction with a stock camp. The stockmen in outback are known as ringers. I guess this name was because wild cattle would break from a mob and the stockmen would head them back into the mob which would move in a circular motion. Bulls that just could not be mustered were caught individually by ‘bull catchers’. The ground surface would need to be smooth enough to run a vehicle that had built onto the front a ‘bull bar’and had steel wrapped around the cab and had the roof and windows removed. Justlike the movie ‘Hatari’.
Well one well known bull catcher was TC, short for the cannon. A tough bloke with a soft heart.TC and family lived in a caravan park in the nearby town of Kununurra. Well TC had never submitted a tax return in his life. One day two tax inspectors arrived at TC's campsite and advised that their call was a courtesy call and they would be back in the morning to review TC's books. Well TC had no books. He also had a dislike and perhaps a fear of government. Yes they would return in the morning.
When they returned in the morning TC was gone. He had returned to Dunham River,collected his semi trailer and stock crate plus his Toyota bull catching vehicle. He had passed through Camooweal in Western Queensland some 963 miles east. Canon my name and cannon by function.
Would you believe no matter how intensive the tax men inquired and delved they couldn’t find anyone who knew where TC had gone.
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Old 07-02-2018, 03:47 PM   #130
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Record employment in Aerial Ag Industry.
Dalby is a town of 13,000 people on the Darling Downs and is located 130 miles north west of the state capital of Brisbane, Queensland. It’s industries are predominantly agricultural mostly grain and cotton with supporting industries. One of these industries is agricultural spraying services of which there are three. The oldest was formally Les Keys Aviation and sadly Les was killed in a power wire strike in1973. The company remained in the family and rebadged itself as Keyland Aviation. I flew for Keyland from 75 to 79. A good company to work for. I departed to prepare for an airline job but never made it. I was offered an ag aviation business in the Riverina and took that. I was always a little disappointed I never got to fly those big powerful aeroplanes but I did make the best choice. But I am getting away from the point of this story.
Recently retired secretary to Keyland is Sharon Bridle. 52 years in one job. What Sharon didn’t know wouldn’t be worth knowing. She started when she was 22, so you can figure out her age.
She was a good looking chick when she started and only one thing has changed. She is now a good looking middle aged woman.
She will spend quite a bit of her time nursing husband Bob who suffers from spinal arthritis. Despite his handicap, which is severe, he is always smiling and jovial. Don’t think I would be.
Enjoy yourretirement Sharon and I know you enjoy your grandkids. You are fortunate to have a happy bloke to live with.
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Old 07-02-2018, 06:58 PM   #131
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I don't even know where to begin when it comes to my love affair with the model A. I grew up in Northern Massachusetts, and my parents had a barn full of antique cars. We had forties flatheads, Packard's, a 53 Dodge, and two Model A's. One was an old doodlebug cut down in WWII to be a tractor, dozer, and snow plow. My father had been plowing our driveway with it since the blizzard of 78. The other was a 31 Woody, and she was all original.

When I hit the age of twelve, most of the cars were gone; the woody to boot. But the doodlebug stayed. That was my first restoration. I started it with my father when I was twelve, and finished when I was 16. We rebuilt the engine, pulled what was left of the body off and did all that work as well as the chassis. I loved coming home from school and working on that old truck. she still plows the driveway today, and is my avatar.

Fast forward to me at 24. I graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a 4.2. my folks were thrilled! my graduation present? a Model A I could drive. I found a barn fresh 30 Tudor that hadn't been started in 60 years. I went and looked at it, bought it, and drove it up on the trailer myself to bring it home. I partially rebuilt the engine, and have kept the car in its original survivor state. Shes not the prettiest thing to look at, but it's my first real A. I have put close to 7500 miles on the car, and met many people in the region who are connected with the car and know it well. In fact, I was at a car show, and the original owners son saw the car and left me a note on the windshield. Come to find out, the first owner of the car was my great uncle.

A's have a funny way of taking hold of people. Im newly thirty, and am getting married next October. My fiance loves the Model A, and beams every time she gets a ride in it. I have nine Fords in my quiver now, all antiques, and she still loves the Tudor the best. So instead of leaving the altar in a fully restored stock 50 shoebox woody, she wants to leave in the A. I couldn't have picked a better car to do it in.
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Old 07-03-2018, 03:46 PM   #132
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A Remote chance of Good Luck

When I was in business I appointed 2 agents, both farmers in their respective areas. For the Oaklands area it was Peter Kerr who thoroughly enjoyed the job. Organising other farmers and being general assistant to us. He was great to work with.
About midday Peter arrives at the airstrip which was really a paddock of last years stubble just as I was touching down. I pulled up at the loader for the next load and Peter tells me to shut down. I was losing oil.
Now skip back to the previous night. We had changed the oil and the bottom collector tank plug was not tightened. I will explain how the lubrication system works, basically anyway. The engine is a single row 9 cylinders. Always an odd numberfor each row. Thus a 2 row may well be 18 cylinders but each row remains an odd number. Number 1 cylinder is at 12 o’clock and they are numbered in an anti clockwise direction looking from the front. You will notice a small collector tank between numbers 5 and 6. This collects oil from the top of the cylinders which lubricates the valve rockers and valve guides. From this collector tank oil is pumped back to the reservoir which is an airframe component and holds 9 or 10 gallons. To drain the oil one drains the reservoir and this collector tank. The bottom of the collector tank has either a quick release valve or a brass screw. Mine was this brass screw that was not tightened.

Now back to Peter. He had seen the plug fall out on touch down and oil spilling from the collector tank. He also knew where to find the plug which wasn’t difficult anyway. Just follow the oil slick just like Hansel and Gretel followed the rose petals.
We screwed the plug back and checked the oil quantity. Lost very little.
Now what a great coincidence. Plug lost and observed. Lost on landing and not in flight. Saved an expensive engine and potentially the airframe.
I had a R1340 engine pump the entire oil overboard some years previously. That’s another story. The oil loss came to my attention by the odour of heat and I made a landing, did destroy the engine though.
Every farmer asked me how the crank worked. Simple. Maybe I’ll do a story about it. Anotherday. Perhaps tomorrow.
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Old 07-04-2018, 03:44 PM   #133
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Exhilarating and Embarrassing.

You know what teenage kids are like, especially girls. Always embarrassed about their parents. Yes?
We have a daughter named Sarah. But when she was born my wife Patsy and I couldn’t agree on a name. Her birthday was July 14th 1974. Now that just happened Bastille day( 185 years before). The French equivalent to the American 4th July. So being Bastille day she was, in the interim, nick named Fifi. The name never wore off.
Fifi always had plenty of friends visit and the first question they always asked was “Mr M, would you please take us for a ride in your old car”?
Yes, of course I would. They’d all pile in. Up the road we’d go honking and waving at oncoming cars pretending we knew them. One could plainly see the confusion on their faces. The visiting girls getting right in the spirit. Fifi sliding below window level with embarrassment. Then up town. Honking at any boys on the footpath. And waving to of course. Under the seat Fifi would slide.
God, you can be an embarrassment dad.!
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Old 07-05-2018, 05:42 PM   #134
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The Staff Car.
After making the purchase of my first A I drove it home. It was running very poorly, difficult to drive with front wheel slop. I had paid $2k for this and the farmer who sold it to me thought I was just nuts. He was correct .
When I reached our small town of 2000 I followed a ute (pickup) that had a load of school kids on the tray, all in cricket whites, armed with shin pads and bats and stumps. Everything one uses to play cricket. They were being driven to the sports ground.
Well when they saw me in that car, Jed Clampett’s car couldn’t hold a candle to it, they with outstretched arms gave me the thumbs up. At that very instant, as if it was their signal of command, the car got wheel shimmy. Their outstretched arms and their thumbs up immediately became an outstretched fore finger pointing at me, heads held right back and they were roaring with laughter. I think I still had their approval.
Then into our back yard. Didn’t get wife’s approval. Instead got her abuse. What? What will you do with that? We don’t have much money and you’ve just blown a heap ona pile of rusty tin!
Well marriage remained a bit distant for a while. As I said we had no money.Eventually it was rebuilt and runs well. It is painted desert sand (light) and the marriage improved.
It was used in my business. For a 3 month period we hire and accommodated an additional 2 pilots for the duration of the rice sowing and spraying season. The first two out in the morning each took a vehicle with a closed cabin and last to leave got the A. because it was cool. However the first to return home in the afternoon or evening took the A when it was warm. I call it the “staff car”.
A traditionat the start of every season was to buy new and ridiculous hats. One year Mexican. One particular afternoon we donned these hats and drove 10 miles south to Tocumwal. I well remember, infact would never forget, being overtaken by an expensive Landrover with 3 mature and well dressed ‘Ladies’ on board. As they drew abeam us they all turned and looked left (we drive on the left in Au). At that very instant they broke down with laughter. Difficult to describe the instantaneous and intensity of that very moment but the 3 of us still mention it from time to time. Yes the hats did attract attention. Mainly they were purchased as a new season ritual and perhaps a form of kinship of 3 experienced crop spay pilots.
The three of us will never forget that very short and very funny incident. I don’t believe the 3 ladies in the Landrover will either.
below is a photograph of the Tourer behind the ute and to the right is the "staff car" when I first got it home.
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File Type: jpg staff car first purchased.jpg (20.1 KB, 10 views)
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Old 07-05-2018, 05:55 PM   #135
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Tomorrow I shall have an explanation of how a radial engine works. It is a question many people ask me. Many of you will know but there will be some who don't and are curious.
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File Type: jpg cat2.jpg (28.0 KB, 6 views)
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Old 07-06-2018, 09:26 AM   #136
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Radial engines. How do they work?


My apologies to you. The illustrations were supposed to be with the pertinent explanation but because I am an old fossil or computer dinosaur they ended up down the bottom. I'm sure you will figure it all out. g

To answer the question. How do they work. The question every farmer asked me.
Here is the crank and the conrod conection plus cam.The master rod is number 5 cylinder. If that fails the engine trashes itself. I have had that experience.
The cam is a ring of about 12 inches in diameter. The R985 has gear teeth on the inside of the ring and of course the lobs on the outer.

There is only one crank journal.

This is a supercharger. Piston engines have a centrifugal blower and jets have axial compressors. The PT6 have both.

Note the collector oil sump between numbers 5 and 6. This oil is pumped to the reservoir which is an airframe component. Notice the Pratt and Whitney badge on the sump.Engineers steal that on engine removal when it goes for overhaul. The push rod covers in the engine illustrated above are chromed. This massages the owners ego.
For those inquisitive people you may well find working models on youtube.
Hope you enjoyed reading that.
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File Type: jpg radial crank 1.jpg (13.4 KB, 4 views)
File Type: jpg Radial crankshaft.jpg (12.4 KB, 5 views)
File Type: jpg radial conrod system.jpg (6.2 KB, 4 views)
File Type: jpg crank conrod system R985.jpg (11.6 KB, 5 views)
File Type: jpg centrifical blower.jpg (4.5 KB, 4 views)
File Type: jpg cam ring.jpg (10.6 KB, 10 views)
File Type: jpg r985.jpg (18.5 KB, 7 views)
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I know many things,
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Sometimes I forget things.

And there are times when I have a long memory.

Last edited by woofa.express; 07-06-2018 at 09:36 AM.
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Old 07-07-2018, 02:39 AM   #137
woofa.express
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

you have today's story early.

DIFFICULT HARRY.

I was enroute to Darwin and then onwards to Malaysia. The first sector is 11 hours and I decided to stop at Alice Springs and have a lunch break at the airport terminal. I spoke to Darwin tower out of courtesy because I didn’t have a transponder. I got some bloke by the name of Harry. He was most difficult. I may get to Darwin and declined entry he said. I didn’t think that would happen so after lunch I spooled up for Darwin and took off. I didn’t have alot of power.Something was wrong. The engine has just had a hot section inspection. Why would something be wrong unless it was assembled incorrectly. I turned around and returned to Adelaide. Yes a seal had been crushed in reassembly.

I departed 4 days later, again had lunch at Alice then called Darwin tower. What a change. Bloke most helpful and even apologetic about the attitude of Harry. The flight through Darwin and onwards was just how I like it. Uneventful.

To proceed with this story I must explain a service provided by Air Traffic Control (ATC). Weather conditions are recorded and transmitted continuously to all inbound aeroplanes. This is called ATIS meaning "automatic terminal information service."

When I returned home about 2 months later I wrote to the Officer in Charge of the Darwin base.
I suggested to him he promote Harry to PAR. Now that means, in my mind anyway, permanent ATIS reader. Never did get a reply to my letter.

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I know many things,
But I don't know everything,
Sometimes I forget things.

And there are times when I have a long memory.

Last edited by woofa.express; 07-07-2018 at 02:46 AM.
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Old 07-07-2018, 11:39 AM   #138
Jim Brierley
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Woofa, you forgot to tell us that a radial engine of 9 cylinders has 8 cam lobes, a 7 cylinder 6 lobes, etc. Now, let them figure that out!
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Old 07-07-2018, 03:04 PM   #139
woofa.express
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I had never counted them but yeh that would be correct. A four stroke engine that requires two revolutions to have each one fire. And they fire alternately and induct alternately.
My name. Woofa is my dog pictured in my logo and Woofa express is his vehicle, so he thinks. My name is gary and I frequently use "oldcropduster". Old? yes this months makes 50 years of it. I want to retire but my boss asks just one more year.
But I don't take offence. cheers, gary
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But I don't know everything,
Sometimes I forget things.

And there are times when I have a long memory.
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Old 07-08-2018, 02:41 PM   #140
woofa.express
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

James McGee. #1

I drove from Finley to Wee Waa one day in 1995. It was late morning and I was between the towns of Coonabarabran and Narrabri, a timbered area known as the Pilliga. The country was undulating and there were some steep climbs.
I came across an elderly gentleman pushing his bicycle up the hill and I stopped and invited him to put his cycle on the back of my ute and I would take him the next 70 miles.
In a Texican speech drawl he told me it was his ambition to ride the whole way from Melbourne to Cairns. He was passed 70 yo. He went on to tell me he was adiabetic and did some long rides including Mexico to Canada.
Where do you sleep I asked. Just on the road side he replied. I am tired and have no difficulty.
Is there anything you want I asked? Yes, water please.
What? Didn’t you bring water?
Yes, I did,but I didn’t know it was so far between locations to replenish.
I will be back this evening. Is there anything I can bring you? Yes, more water please.
It will be about dusk. If you are pulled over leave your high vis saddle bag on a guide post for me.
That evening I find the saddle bag, and refilled his water bottles and gave him some nice sandwiches I bought in Narrabri. We conversed some more and I left him on his stony uncomfortable bed.
He called me on the phone from Cairns. He had made it.
We had an interesting conversation back in the Pilliga. One that made me feel ashamed. Het old me he had only 3 months visa in Australia and had to keep moving. Just ask for an extension I suggested. No, he could not. Before this current visa was issued he was required to sign a document to state he would not apply for an extension.
This bloke had fort in the Coral Sea to stop the Japanese fleet from invading Australia and we treated him like that. Do you think it was shameful? If those public servants had a brain they would be lonely. Of course they would blame the government.
We corresponded by mail. He had many tales and he was hospitable. He would drive his campervan to the Oshkosh air show to give he and I accommodation for that big renowned air show. I never did go.

He tells an interesting story and this is revealed in “James Mcgee #2 tomorrow.


Recently I read an account of an elderly American being reprimanded by a French immigration official for not having a visa to enter France. The elderly gentleman retorted by saying the last time he came a visa was not required. The official asked "when was that?".
In 1944 the elderly gentleman said.

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Sometimes I forget things.

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