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Riding The Beech 18 - Well Sort Of + Pics

Ryan h From Australia, joined Aug 2001, 1451 posts, RR: 1
Posted (3 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 3915 times:

This trip came about as an re enactment/commemorative 90th anniversary flight in honour of Harry Butler, a pioneering South Australian pilot from the early 20th century.

On 6 August 1919 he was the first South Australian to fly across Gulf St Vincent from Adelaide to Minlaton on the Yorke Peninsular. He also carried mail on the plane.

Today a De Havilland Tiger Moth will carry a commemorative mailbag to Minlaton and me and others will follow in a Beech 18.

However, the night before I got at phone call that the Beech 18 had developed engine trouble and a substitute aircraft would be organized. So the Beech 18 still eludes me.

Thursday 6 August 2009
Parafield YPPF – Minlaton Airstrip
Piper PA 31-350 VH-IOD

We all arrive at Parafield Airport about 8 AM and await the arrival of the substitute Piper Chieftain.
The Tiger Moth was brought out of the hangar and photos were taken of the aircraft with a banner in front etc.
The Tiger Moth departed before our plane around 9 10.

Tiger Moth and other aircraft seen at Parafield in the morning.

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

Once that had gone we boarded our plane soon found out some seatbelts were too short!. There was a delay of about half an hour while extenders were found. Thankfully my seatbelt fitted me in the last row of seats and I was not going to move.

Once the seatbelts were sorted we finally got going about 9 55.

Takeoff was very rough, one of the roughest takeoffs I have experienced for a while.

Turbulence continued until we crossed the coast and over the water was smooth. Once over the Yorke Peninsular there was a little turbulence until we landed at Minlaton.

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

After we landed at around 10 41 a Cessna Caravan landed with well known Australian businessman Dick Smith onboard and then a long wait for the Tiger Moth which did not arrive until around 12 30.
The headwinds over Gulf St Vincent caused it to use more fuel than planned so it had to stop to refuel.
The Tiger Moth did not stay long. The mailbag was dropped off and the aircraft left soon after as it was far too windy to stay on the ground.

We were driven into the main township of Minlaton to the Harry Butler Memorial where his restored Bristol Monoplane is kept. Speeches from various people were made. Our group missed some of this as we were still at the airport awaiting the Tiger Moth.

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

We were driven into town in vintage cars.

Once we got there took photos etc of the restored Bristol Monoplane and listened to the last of the speeches.

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

Around 3 PM we were taken back to the airport.

Thursday 6 August 2009
Minlaton Airstrip - Parafield YPPF
Piper PA 31-350 VH-IOD

We got going about 330 PM.

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

MyAviation.net:

Photographer © Ryan Hothersall

Still windy, but takeoff from Minlaton was not as rough as from Parafield. This time there was a little turbulence over the water, and it got a bit rougher over the land again. Apart from that the flight was uneventful.

Landing back at Parafield was a little bumpy but was not too bad.

Despite the delays and aircraft substitution it was a good day out.

South Australian Spotter