For Everyone

For SABC Members

Last month I visited my son-in-law and daughter on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne. Tyabb Airstrip is approx 65 kms by road from Toorak. Judy Pay has some great warbirds there:

• P40 Kittyhawk (being restored)
• Two Texan T6 Harvards
• Trogan T28
• Mustang
• Winjeel
• Tiger Moth
• and few others I can't remember

Hire costs are a lot more reasonable than the Jandakot toys:

• Mustang $880 for 30mins
• Trojan T28 $660, and
• T6 Havard $330

Stephen Death (yep that's his name), an ag pilot by profession flys all the toys for Judy. Stephen flys No2 in a four aircraft Harvard aerobatic team. Judy also has two other instuctors on the Harvards and Trojan. 

The Mustang rear seat has stick & rudder, throttle, pitch, altimeter, IAS. The view is poor - the front seat and pilot blocks nearly everything, you get better vision from a Tiger or Chippie.

It's a huge buzz when the massive four bladed prop turns to start, then blue smoke bursts back from the sides of the massive nose. Ten minute warm up/checks, lined up, tail-up at   about 50 kts, lifted off at 115 kts.  Economy cruise is 220 kts, but I can't remember what boost.

Very noisy engine which sounds much better from outside.  Sixteen Cottesloe Golf Club members were playing  on the Mornington, and they knew we were coming - so we buzzed them at ???? feet. They later told me it looked and sounded terrific.

Stephen did a few positive G barrel rolls, plus some very tight turns (felt a little squeezy    after the turns).  

The cloud base was 3000', so no slow flying, clean or dirty darn it! Anyway flew around at 220kts, tried rate 1 turns, rate 2, the Mustang just gripped the sky - rudder balance is a lot easier than my Jabiru I can tell you.

Stephen then suggested I really crank it around in what seemed vertical to me, first left then right, she just hung onto the sky. Goodness knows what it must be like at say 350 kts. Then  flew back another 8 minutes straight and level to Tyabb.

Stephen took it downwind at 150kts, set fine pitch and first 10 degrees of flap, gear down at around 145kts. Very long downwind as a C172 was on base. 20 degrees flap late downwind, 135 kts, then off base with gradual selection of the last 3 or 4 settings. Stephen had a very low approach, he told me he was going to "wheel" it on.  Over the fence at 115 kts.

It was all over all to quickly. Gotta go back and see my daughter again, very soon!

Please click on individual images for a larger size of that photo.