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Old 06-13-2018, 07:47 PM   #85
woofa.express
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Tocumwal, NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,744
Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Reprimand from Malaysian military base commander
I was to fly from Jendarata to a plantation airstrip near Ceni insouthern peninsula Malaysia. When I arrived it was necessary for me to go in person and speak with the commander of a military helicopter base nearby.
How did you get there the man enquired. I flew outside controlled airspace (OCTA) I responded. He gave me a dressing down for not having lodged a flight plan. Very dangerous pilot I was. Could have had a midair if no one knew I was around. (Malaysian OCTA movements are about nil but I didn’t tell him that because he knew anyway.)
It was only a few weeks later there was a midair. Two military helicopters, both on radio and right above the control tower. That is, in controlled airspace and in view of the controller.
For the duration of my flying career all midair collisions have been CTA (controlled airspace) or pilots on radio. There is only one exception that I am aware of and that was in a cotton area in Northern NSW. It was a fatal and very sad especially for those of us in the ag business.
Whilst the above was serious and sad there was a humorous comment made by the surviving pilot. His engine had been taken out and the hopper also The most forward part of the aeroplane was his feet.The windscreen was intact but that only kept the bugs off his face. As the aeroplane descended ground wards in a waffling manner the pilot said to himself,‘shit this is going to hurt’. It did indeed. He had many months off work.
I have avoided several close calls by watching out however that doesn’t seem a fashionable thing to do by many pilots. Many of them believe they have discharged their obligation by making a call to “all traffic”.
Not watching where you are going is a story by it’s self and I think I might write one.
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