Bush Pilot New Guinea

[Pete McCluskey.]

Scary terrain and scary passengers..

Pilatus PC-6 Bush Flying - Timika, Papua (Pt 2) on Vimeo

 

[John]

Thanks Pete, scary memories I didn't need, I spent a fair bit of time up in them thar hills in the early 90s, working for Curtain Bros, every landing was an accomplishment all on its own.

cheers John

 

[clive]

Thanks Pete,

Used to fly survey in PNG, but low level stuff. The company had a Beech Baron with twin 380HP engines for the high stuff. One pilot's eyes popped at god knows how many feet, (unpressurised) and the aircraft was saved by the navigator. That aircraft (Aero Commander) probably still has the stress marks where the fueselage/wing meet. We all knew enough to come close to landing the things without killing ourselves.

The stories of flying in PNG are legion.

 

[Mark]

Had to laugh at the friendly looking passenger wielding the Axe.

 

[John]

aXES AND bUSH KNIVES[ MACHETE'S] ARE LIKE CELL PHONES UP THERE EVEYRY BODY CARRIES ONE

 

[John]

Axes and bush knives [ie machete's] are like cell phones up there, every one carries them , everywhere.

 

[Ron Earp]

Cool video - my flying club's rules for unimproved airports would have prevented pretty much all of that. Party poopers.

 

[Paul Brameld]

The moto: Right 1st time, comes to mind !

BTW the cargo on the middle flight - they were bloody big pizzas

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Even the bushmen want to be "enhanced"!!!!!

 

[Jack]

I don't know of any PC-6 Porters here in the USA. Really suited to the task at getting in and out of unimproved airfields.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

They are excellent STOL aircraft and very tough, I'm surprised you don't see many over there.

 

[Jack]

Actually, Fairchild is building them, mostly for military use. The turboprop version, under license from the Swiss. Not too many for general avaition. I have flown on several "Continental Air Services" Porters, a long time ago..