Flying with friends #2

Mark and I work on a fly in fly out style roster, so when our days off matched and the weather was perfect we decided to make the most of it. We flew to the Sunshine Coast for some controlled airspace practice and to visit a bar/restaurant I used to visit a lot during my ATPL study’s many years ago.
Mark flew us to the coast in his C150 and I enjoyed the view out of a more “hands on” airplane then I am used to. Flying below the clouds is also something I don’t get to do often so this was another plus for me, being able to look out the window. This is the style of flying you dream of as an airline pilot.
As I write this I am currently in Tokyo for ten weeks doing a type rating on the B787. The study never ends so I won’t be at the club comp for a few months. I am looking forward to operating the B787 with its modern systems (there are a lot) but nothing is as good as enjoying trip in a Cessna with a mate and going for a fun flight. Cheers Mark for a great memory.
Jeff Hearn - First Officer
DDAC Member

Here's a few interesting callsigns that some well known airlines use. Enjoy!
"Jazz" Jazz Aviation
Jazz Aviation is Canada’s 2nd largest airline in terms of fleet size, operating under the brand name of Air Canada Express. The call sign Jazz is also used as the company’s logo.
"Shamrock" Aer Lingus
Call signs can be used to rep- resent national pride and the call sign Shamrock does just that. Ireland’s national carrier Aer Lingus, has been using the shamrock as its logo since the early 1960’s. It only seems fit- ting for this call sign to be used.
"Brickyard" Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines, based in Indianapolis, uses the call sign ‘brickyard’. This is paying homage to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 race which in 1909 was paved with 3 million bricks. Republic Airlines operates a fleet of 180 Embraer 170/175 and files to 100 cities in the U.S.
"Redwood" Virgin America
Based in the San Francisco Bay area famous for its California Redwood forests, Virgin America can be heard to use the call sign Redwood. Not only does the callsign fit the area but it also represents Virgin America’s red logo.
"Dragon" Hong Kong Dragon Airlines
Dragon Air began operation in 1985 and flies to 13 countries across Asia. Dragon Air’s all Airbus fleet is decorated with a red dragon. The red dragon represents power, strength and good luck, the ideal qualities of a passenger airline!
"Speedbird" British Airways
This callsign originated from British Airways’ original corporation the ‘British Overseas Airways Corporation' Logo which depicted a yellow bird commonly referred to as ‘Speedbird.’ The call sign was most notably used by the supersonic Concord.
"Waterski" Trans States Airlines
This novel call sign is used by Trans State Airlines dating back to the early 1980’s when the then Resort Air flew passengers to Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri for summer holidays.
"Dynasty" China Airlines
China Airlines is the largest carrier in Taiwan. The logo features a plum blossom and pays homage to China’s vast history, hence why the callsign ‘Dynasty’ is used.
"Cactus" US Airways
The callsign, Cactus originated in 1983 with America West Airlines that eventually merged with US Airways in 2006. This callsign may be familiar to those who remember the day it all went cactus for Captain Sully and Crew on US Airways flight 1549.
"Citrus" AirTrans Airways.
The tangy call sign “Citrus” was used by the Orlando based AirTran Airways, inspired by the state fruit of Florida, the orange.
Wouldn't it be cool if QANTAS had a callsign like 'Skippy' .

Going out for brunch with your friends is always fun, but have you ever tried an early morning departure followed by a bite to eat by the beach? Or, how about supporting some of our bush friends west of the Great Divide? We've got the access to the best of both worlds in Toowoomba and quite often there's a convoy of at least 5 or 6 aeroplanes heading to local breakfast fly-ins, brunches and lunches.
As a private pilot, it's OK to cost-share amongst you and your friends. This can make for a great day out and once the costs are spilt evenly between pilot and passengers, it's also really affordable. There's some great options within and hour's flight from Toowoomba. The Gympie flying club always puts on a cracker breakfast, and Watts Bridge is just down the hill for another mean feed. Feeling beachy? Fly to Caloundra and enjoy some fish and chips with the sand between your toes. Straddy is another pearler, they even have a courtesy car and cheap overnight accomodation!

Disadvantaged kids and their families were invited to enjoy a day of free scenic flights over Toowoomba last weekend. Over the last three years, Darling Downs Aero Club has teamed up with Fun Flight Australia for the event.
Fun Flight relies on the generosity of local pilots who donate to their time, skills and aeroplanes for the day. Over 60 people enjoyed flying in the beautiful weather conditions on the day. A BBQ lunch was provided by the aero club at lunch time.
Darling Downs Aero Club looks forward to hosting Fun Flight again in 2020 and encourages more people to register for the event.

"It’s pretty fun,” says 15-year-old Josee Currin, having finished her fourth hour of flying a Cessna 150 during school time at Fairholme College, Toowoomba. On Tuesday mornings once a fortnight, Josee and two other year 10 girls head to the Darling Downs Aero Club for an hour’s theory, followed by an hour of flying, as they work towards their recreational pilot’s licence – the first step in obtaining a commercial licence.
The girls are not missing any regular school classes, as all 96 of the year 10 students at Fairholme are out and about at the same time doing some form of vocational training. Some are working towards diplomas of business or crime and justice, and others are gaining a certificate 3 in disciplines such as fitness instruction, education support or nursing. But when Josee thinks of what the others are doing and what she is doing in the skies above them, she reckons she picked the right thing. “They’re pretty jealous I think,” she says.
Josee, one of the 183 boarders in the 740-student school, comes from Kingaroy, Qld, and is aiming for a career in aviation, possibly starting with the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. Another year 10 boarder, Maxi Hill from Meandarra, Qld, isn’t sure what her pilot’s licence will lead to, although it’s certainly not unusual in her family – her 17-year-old brother Artie is also working towards his licence, and her Dad’s main business is aerial spraying and fire-bombing, with planes based at St George, Meandarra and Mungindi. “So I was kind of always going to be doing it,” Maxi says.

When Maxi Hill jumps in the plane alongside her Dad these school holidays, she will be the one behind the controls, overlooking their farm in Meandarra. A new Pathways Program at Fairholme has allowed Maxi to take to the skies and get her hours up to eventually fly solo.