Hey Cat, got any idea which one this is? The caption says it's from Portugal. In Legg's book, he doesn't mention any Cansos in Portugal but a few ex-Chilean machines in Spain. This one looks like it may have been a FF machine at one time.
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history- ... under.html
FAO Cat Driver
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Siddley Hawker
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Chuck Ellsworth
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
Yes it was one of four that were for sale in Seia Portugal. I did the type rating training on the first one the Australians bought. Spent six weeks in Seia in 2003 I think it was.Hey Cat, got any idea which one this is?
This one was bought by some of the original group and one of the Dutch guys did their training last year but they lost an engine during the training. I helped them find two new engines and they have finally got it to Australia.
Both machines are PBY 6A's the best flying of all the PBY's.
David does a good job on finding PBY's I am surprised he missed those four.The caption says it's from Portugal. In Legg's book, he doesn't mention any Cansos in Portugal but a few ex-Chilean machines in Spain.
Yes it was and they ferried with the water bombing system still in it...I hope they get some fire bombing with it to help pay the expanses.
This one looks like it may have been a FF machine at one time.
The plan is I will head down to Sidney and check them out on the water once they get all the paper work and stuff done...and of course get my Australian License to teach reinstated.
I am really happy to see them succeed in this as that will make three flying PBY's left that are able to carry passengers.
This will be my very last flying job.
The most difficult thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
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Siddley Hawker
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
Thanks ..
The servo tabs were a big improvement huh?Both machines are PBY 6A's the best flying of all the PBY's.
Enjoy!The plan is I will head down to Sidney and check them out on the water once they get all the paper work and stuff done..
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Chuck Ellsworth
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
Makes them fly like a DC3.The servo tabs were a big improvement huh?
The most difficult thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
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North Shore
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
Surely that's Cat himself standing at the bottom of the ladder on the right - checking out the rear on the ?woman? coming down the ladder... 
Say, what's that mountain goat doing up here in the mist?
Happiness is V1 at Thompson!
Ass, Licence, Job. In that order.
Happiness is V1 at Thompson!
Ass, Licence, Job. In that order.
Re: FAO Cat Driver
When I was a kid (7 years old) my first unaccompanied flight in a plane was on one of these, operated by QANTAS (I think) on a milk run from Port Moresby, PNG, to Brisbane. Almost a 21-hour trip with stops all the way down the Queensland coast.
It was finally moored to a buoy in Moreton Bay, and we went by small boat to shore, where my Grandma would pick me up for the final 2½ hours of this endurance marathon.
I remember wondering why all landings weren't smooth and polished, after getting the shit kicked out of us in swells at Cairns. Quite a rush for a small boy. I guess that's where the seeds were sown...or maybe it was seeing my Grandma...
It was finally moored to a buoy in Moreton Bay, and we went by small boat to shore, where my Grandma would pick me up for the final 2½ hours of this endurance marathon.
I remember wondering why all landings weren't smooth and polished, after getting the shit kicked out of us in swells at Cairns. Quite a rush for a small boy. I guess that's where the seeds were sown...or maybe it was seeing my Grandma...
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FlyingFiremenC/PGSon
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FlyingFiremenC/PGSon
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FlyingFiremenC/PGSon
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
and yet another one that has been rumoured sold to the land down under.... this one being my favourite
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/pbyregis ... 46644.html
this one can also be found on youtube firing up and taking off
Sorry for the hijack on the thread
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/pbyregis ... 46644.html
this one can also be found on youtube firing up and taking off
Sorry for the hijack on the thread
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Siddley Hawker
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
No problem FF. Thanks for the info.Sorry for the hijack on the thread
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Chuck Ellsworth
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
C-GFFH was my favorite PBY in The Flying Fireman.
During the twelve years I flew there I flew all of their airplanes and ended up choosing that one as my machine until I left in 1986.
It may seem strange to some pilots here but of all the airplanes I have flown the PBY is my favorite airplane.
Here is a picture of us taking off in Senegal Africa in 1998, it may be slow in the air but you can't do this in a Boeing 777.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e353/ ... f4e977.jpg
During the twelve years I flew there I flew all of their airplanes and ended up choosing that one as my machine until I left in 1986.
It may seem strange to some pilots here but of all the airplanes I have flown the PBY is my favorite airplane.
Here is a picture of us taking off in Senegal Africa in 1998, it may be slow in the air but you can't do this in a Boeing 777.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e353/ ... f4e977.jpg
The most difficult thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
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Driving Rain
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
Cat, I got to agree, the PBY was the worlds most versatile aircraft. During it's lengthy service life it's performed the most varied duties ever assigned any aircraft ever.
Search and rescue, submarine patrol depth charging, spying recon, dive-bombing,mine laying
shipping, fuel haul, commodities, freight and passenger plus forest fire patrol and bombing. I'm sure I've missed a couple of duties.
One of my favourite memories was sitting in the blisters of JVC doing and Austin commodities run up the east coast of Hudson Bay as the sun was coming up,eating some of Bill Blahey's IGA profits, watching whales pods swimming below.
In 1998 I was in Seia Portugal on a 215 and meet the crews of both the Chilian PBY's all were fine gentlemen.
Search and rescue, submarine patrol depth charging, spying recon, dive-bombing,mine laying
shipping, fuel haul, commodities, freight and passenger plus forest fire patrol and bombing. I'm sure I've missed a couple of duties.
One of my favourite memories was sitting in the blisters of JVC doing and Austin commodities run up the east coast of Hudson Bay as the sun was coming up,eating some of Bill Blahey's IGA profits, watching whales pods swimming below.
In 1998 I was in Seia Portugal on a 215 and meet the crews of both the Chilian PBY's all were fine gentlemen.
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Chuck Ellsworth
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
True.
But.
How many 777 pilots can fly a PBY?
But.
How many 777 pilots can fly a PBY?
The most difficult thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
Re: FAO Cat Driver
hey...if they're OLD enough to have flown a pig-boat, they're likely TOO OLD to fly a 777...
Come to think of it, most of them probably don't even know what it is.
As a matter of idle curiosity, what's the difference between a 6A and a 5A, please?
Come to think of it, most of them probably don't even know what it is.
As a matter of idle curiosity, what's the difference between a 6A and a 5A, please?
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iflyforpie
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
If the PBY is like other Consolidated-Vultee products, the 777 pilots would have to do a work out before flying it. I got steel quads from sitting in the cockpit of the -580 pushing the rudder pedal to the floor and holding it to do spring-tab rigging.
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
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Chuck Ellsworth
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
The 6A can be identified by its high round shaped tail.
But the biggest difference is all the control surfaces have servo tabs that change the flying of the thing from what feels like a cement mixer to almost as easy as the DC3.
As to age, yes most high time PBY pilots are way up there age wise.....but one of the pilots who is ferrying the Cat to Australia is in his forties and flys for KLM as a full time job.
He is in his mid forties as I recall and flys the Dutch Cat.
But the biggest difference is all the control surfaces have servo tabs that change the flying of the thing from what feels like a cement mixer to almost as easy as the DC3.
As to age, yes most high time PBY pilots are way up there age wise.....but one of the pilots who is ferrying the Cat to Australia is in his forties and flys for KLM as a full time job.
He is in his mid forties as I recall and flys the Dutch Cat.
The most difficult thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
Re: FAO Cat Driver
swordfish..........you were a boy once?! were there aeroplanes back then?
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Chuck Ellsworth
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
The PBY5A has to have the heaviest rudder in all of the airplane kingdom to try and get full rudder deflection at any airspeed.
If you want a big dick the way to get one is hold it with one hand as a brace to allow you to apply full rudder on a PBY, soon it will swell so big you wont be able to get your hand around it....and as an extra bonus do it long enough and it will turn black.
If you want a big dick the way to get one is hold it with one hand as a brace to allow you to apply full rudder on a PBY, soon it will swell so big you wont be able to get your hand around it....and as an extra bonus do it long enough and it will turn black.
The most difficult thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying I can not remember even one trip that I refused to do that resulted in someone getting killed because of my decision not to fly.
Re: FAO Cat Driver
yeah moe....that might have been in the b4mowazthoughtof era... hehehehe
Well my quads were well trained in a UC64A Norduyn, but I understand that you have to get additional tricep and bicep training before you qualify for a ride in a PBY.
"As easy as a DC3" ....? hello, I thought the greas.C-3 was the ab-initio trainer for the pig-boat
Well my quads were well trained in a UC64A Norduyn, but I understand that you have to get additional tricep and bicep training before you qualify for a ride in a PBY.
"As easy as a DC3" ....? hello, I thought the greas.C-3 was the ab-initio trainer for the pig-boat
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FlyingFiremenC/PGSon
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
My uncle was a fighter pilot and a lifer for CP/Canadian and had the occasion to fly an FF cat a time or two and told me it was one of the most challenging aircraft to fly... real Flying he called it.... I am not a pilot but I had a few opportunities to steer an old girl or two around the sky.. remarkable planes and a surprising amount of work to fly...
http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp22 ... k/c286.jpg
http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp22 ... k/c286.jpg
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complexintentions
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
hey c'mon now what's with beating up on the 777 pilots? That thing is just a means to put some tax-free cash in the sock, in my Walter Mitty fantasies I'm flying a PBY...I got a chance to see an amazing flying boat exhibition in Sydney recently, all kinds of photos and videos and memorabilia of the Catalinas that were based in Rose Harbor and flew the honeymoon trips to Howe Island and the ten day, 30-stop luxury flights from Australia to England. That was the way to do it...bizarre now to do DXB-LAX in 17 hours....I was born too late. 
That thing is just a means to put some tax-free cash in the sock, in my Walter Mitty fantasies I'm flying a PBY...I got a chance to see an amazing flying boat exhibition in Sydney recently, all kinds of photos and videos and memorabilia of the Catalinas that were based in Rose Harbor and flew the honeymoon trips to Howe Island and the ten day, 30-stop luxury flights from Australia to England. That was the way to do it...bizarre now to do DXB-LAX in 17 hours....I was born too late. I’m still waiting for my white male privilege membership card. Must have gotten lost in the mail.
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Driving Rain
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
Fuk you owe me a keyboard!!!If you want a big dick the way to get one is hold it with one hand as a brace to allow you to apply full rudder on a PBY, soon it will swell so big you wont be able to get your hand around it....and as an extra bonus do it long enough and it will turn black.
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Cat Driver
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Re: FAO Cat Driver
And I'm betting there are a lot of women who have read this who when approached by some horney guy bragging about being a pilot the first thing they will ask is, do you fly a PBY? 
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Re: FAO Cat Driver
Any girl pilots flying PBY's?
ATA perhaps... I know they flew Lancasters etc.
ATA perhaps... I know they flew Lancasters etc.
