Friday 30 January 2015

Boeing found at Armidale Airport

I took my clients (Jenny and Greg) in Armidale out for dinner on Wednesday night and as the evening progressed I told them about this blog. Jenny turned to Greg and said I should contact Lachie and see if he will show Brendan around. I had to ask who was Lachie and what did he do.
I was told he ran "Fleet Helicopters" up at the airport and has a few really old awesome aircraft.
I was getting quite excited as I had seen these aircraft from the fence but couldn't get any good descent photographs.
The next morning Jenny rang Fleet Helicopters and told them my story, without hesitation Lachie said send him around.
After meeting Lachie (Lachlan Onslow; Director / Chief Pilot) I was made to feel very welcome and Lachie took the time out of his busy day to show me around his workshops and hangers.
After walking through the very busy workshop where I saw 3 helicopters being worked on we walked outside where I saw a North America AT-6G and was in ore of its condition.
We then walked on to a row of Helicopters and the pride and joy of his fleet was "LUCY" a pink Huey UH-1H (CN 5229) painted in Breast Cancer Pink, with the slogan "Lucy Fights Fires and Cancer"  and she even has her own Facebook page. Lucy is always looking for donations for Breast Cancer and donations can be made via the Fleet Helicopters website www.fleethelicopters.com.au or
https://secure.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?RegistrationID=810202#&panel1-2
Up in the corner of the yard near the road was a big beautiful De Havilland DHC 2. I remember looking around thinking wow this is awesome, when Lachie took me over to a very large hanger and inside were a couple of Cessna 525's and a 441 among other things, then out of the corner of my eye I spotted Boeing Stearman E 75.  But it seemed Lachie wasn't finished with the surprises yet.
We walked onto yet another hanger where I found an Aero Vodochody L-39 C in perfect condition and I even got to sit inside this amazing machine. Then as I was about to leave Lachie came over to the car and said the Boeing Stearman will be going up very soon for a joy flight, so I hung around and watched as this beautiful ol' lady started up and taxied passed me.
On my 6hour drive back to Brisbane all I could think about were the amazing aircraft I was very lucky enough to see. A special "thank you" goes  to Lachie Onslow for showing me around and I am confident if you ever pass through Armidale Lachie would be very happy to show you around too...   I suggest you contact him first.
Below are a few of the many photos I took that morning.



VH-WHF NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION AT-6G (CN 168307)



















 


















VH-ONZ HUEY UH-1H (CN 5229) BREAST CANCER
 
LUCY FIGHTS FIRES and CANCER


VH-AAO De HAVILLAND DHC 2 (CN 146)


FLEET HELICOPTERS
VH-RJB CESSNA CITATION 525A (CN 525A-0094)

VH-KXL CESSNA 525 (CN 525-0100)


VH-OXY CESSNA 441 (CN 441-0267)






 
VH-FIS AERO VODOCHODY L-39C (CN 931510)







VH-JLW BOEING STEARMAN E75 (CN 75-5492)

 




BOEING STEARMAN READY TO TAXI OUT FOR A JOY FLIGHT

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