Connellan Airways
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Connellan Airways
I have fairly vivid memories of Connellans back in the early 60's. In particular, they had a beautiful Lockheed Electra (tail-dragger variety), aluminium burnished like silver, that used to be serviced by the TAA engineers at DRW. As a kid, I sometimes got to sit in the cockpit during engine runs, which was a bit of a blast back then. If anybody knows/has a picture of that aircraft, or remembers the rego, I'd appreciate any advice.
I was back in town recently and saw the tarmac area where it used to sit, which was out the back of where the old terminal was sited. The TAA guys were lodged in a workshop at the rear of the hangar facing the car-park. What really amazed me, looking back, was that in this same area TAA DC-4 freighters used to do a 180 in something the size of a basketball court and park facing 36.
Does anyone else remember, or should I just go to the vets and get put down?
I was back in town recently and saw the tarmac area where it used to sit, which was out the back of where the old terminal was sited. The TAA guys were lodged in a workshop at the rear of the hangar facing the car-park. What really amazed me, looking back, was that in this same area TAA DC-4 freighters used to do a 180 in something the size of a basketball court and park facing 36.
Does anyone else remember, or should I just go to the vets and get put down?
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No mention of an Electra here only Beech 18s.
The Roller, converted to a utility, is preserved in immaculate restored condition at ASP Airport Terminal.
"With the settlement from the Shell Company a Beech C18S VH-KFD was purchased from Brown & Dureau, and this was a turning point for Connellan Airways. Over the next few years two more Beech 18s, VH-BJJ and a Beech D18S VH-CLI, were acquired and later also a Beech Travelair, Beech Barons and Beech Twin Bonanzas."
"He was assisted in finance by his friend Damien Miller and purchased 2 Percival Gulls and a 1920 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce with a tourer body to be used in constructing aerodromes"
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Forgotten??
It's sad to see that there is hardly anything left to remind us of the Connair era. The transport they provided opened up northern Australia (NT, WA and QLD). They used to do five day mail runs in beech 18's.
The aerodrome at Ayers Rock is named Connellan airport, but hardly anyone knows, or uses that title these days. It should be used as a reporting point.
The Rolls Royce ute they used is at Alice Springs airport, and the volunteers at the the aviation museum valiantly try to keep things going.
The aerodrome at Ayers Rock is named Connellan airport, but hardly anyone knows, or uses that title these days. It should be used as a reporting point.
The Rolls Royce ute they used is at Alice Springs airport, and the volunteers at the the aviation museum valiantly try to keep things going.
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Here is a little history of the tragic event at YBAS on Jan 5 1977. A very sobering read.
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Thanks for that Ovation. I worked in and around those hangars for many years and while I had heard the story (short accounts) I had never heard it in detail. You can still see the "scars" in the offices upstairs where the aircraft first impacted, from where I believe Connellans' office was located at the time. Some people say they have heard the sound of people whistling coming from the empty hangar downstairs in the early hours - I can't back that one up but it certainly was a spooky place to be at 4am in the morning. It also explains the name of the access road to the hangar "Liana Nappi". Cheers for that.
Their was book written about Connellan's/Connair in the mid 1980's produced by the NT historical society, an interesting read particularly the politics behind the scenes.
Interesting that the government of the day turned on Eddie, after all the work that he put into establishing the airline network through the NT, WA, Qld and opening up Ayers Rock for tourism.
Somewhere in Darwin, there was a number of large colour photographs of the Connellans/Connair fleet including the DC-3 at Ayers Rock, the F-27 at Alice, the gypsy powered Heron and Beech 18 at Darwin airport outside the old terminal, a Riley modified Heron in flight over the East Alligator River and one of a Twin Bonanza on a cattle property.
Interesting that the government of the day turned on Eddie, after all the work that he put into establishing the airline network through the NT, WA, Qld and opening up Ayers Rock for tourism.
Somewhere in Darwin, there was a number of large colour photographs of the Connellans/Connair fleet including the DC-3 at Ayers Rock, the F-27 at Alice, the gypsy powered Heron and Beech 18 at Darwin airport outside the old terminal, a Riley modified Heron in flight over the East Alligator River and one of a Twin Bonanza on a cattle property.
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Thanks guys, I was only a kid at the time, and probably confused the twin-tail, but I still remember the smell on a warm wet-season day.
As remarked, Eddie Connellan is not credited sufficiently. He was an incredible pioneer and visionary. Just my opinion, but he should remembered in perpituity with a government funded fellowship/scholarship for the best and brightest in aviation in the NT.
Unfortunately, governments prefer spending money on less worthy projects.
As remarked, Eddie Connellan is not credited sufficiently. He was an incredible pioneer and visionary. Just my opinion, but he should remembered in perpituity with a government funded fellowship/scholarship for the best and brightest in aviation in the NT.
Unfortunately, governments prefer spending money on less worthy projects.
The present Nanny Territory Government wouldn't be interested in old Eddie Connellan and what he achieved in aviation.
Best just to give a heap of taxpayer dollars to Virgin, Tiger and Jetstar and watch them shoot through!
Best just to give a heap of taxpayer dollars to Virgin, Tiger and Jetstar and watch them shoot through!
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The Electra was very similar in appearence to the Beech 18.
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Thanks for posting that. I was aware of the story, and I know Kym Hansen and Tony Byrnes. They are both highly respected engineers, in Alice Springs and both did major maintenance on aeroplanes I flew for a lot of years. Brian Cairns is now retired, and lives near the golf course in Alice Springs.
I also knew Ron Dymock from the old days of parachuting in Brisbane.
As you say this is not often spoken of in Alice Springs.
Another drama that happened here in the days of the F27's was the attempted "hijack" that occured on an inbound F27. The hijacker demanded that a a light aircraft meet the F27 on arrival, and bring a parachute for him.
Ossie Watt was the CFI at the aeroclub, and he duly brought a Cessna to meet the F 27, but he also had a "navigator" who was a policman.
The hijacker came out with a very unhappy flight attendant and he was shot and killed on the tarmac.
Ovation
Thanks for posting that. I was aware of the story, and I know Kym Hansen and Tony Byrnes. They are both highly respected engineers, in Alice Springs and both did major maintenance on aeroplanes I flew for a lot of years. Brian Cairns is now retired, and lives near the golf course in Alice Springs.
I also knew Ron Dymock from the old days of parachuting in Brisbane.
As you say this is not often spoken of in Alice Springs.
Another drama that happened here in the days of the F27's was the attempted "hijack" that occured on an inbound F27. The hijacker demanded that a a light aircraft meet the F27 on arrival, and bring a parachute for him.
Ossie Watt was the CFI at the aeroclub, and he duly brought a Cessna to meet the F 27, but he also had a "navigator" who was a policman.
The hijacker came out with a very unhappy flight attendant and he was shot and killed on the tarmac.
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Not in exact parrallel with my original post, but it seems that a few remember the 'good olds'.
Bushy's post on the F27 reminds me of when they used to do the run from Darwin to Alice and all points in between. An early memory was of one taxying in at Daly Waters, back in the days when the airfield was a designated INTL alternate on the charts. I was there a while back and after visiting the pub, I took a drive down the old runway - sad to see the the disrepair the place had fallen into.
Bushy's post on the F27 reminds me of when they used to do the run from Darwin to Alice and all points in between. An early memory was of one taxying in at Daly Waters, back in the days when the airfield was a designated INTL alternate on the charts. I was there a while back and after visiting the pub, I took a drive down the old runway - sad to see the the disrepair the place had fallen into.
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Beach 18
I too had the pleasure of riding and actually being behind the wheel of Eddie Connellan Beech 18 in around 1960/61. My dad was a surveyor and I a junior chainman with the Nt Admin Land and Survey and we as a family had befriended Eddie, I also had the disticnt pleasure of doing the same with the old Dehaviland (?) Dragon he flew.
I left the Alice and went to WA crayfishing and did cropdusting mixer marker with Bob Couper cropdusting in Cunderdin WA, we flew Gipsy foures and had a new Cessna 185 Skyfarmer which crashed in a paddock at Training (?) and was written off, I was in the aircraft behind the hopper and had some problems being extracted due to the tail being bent into the rear of the cab..I joined the army for twenty years after that to get away from all the exitement!! Dont know why I said all that, but it may be of interest to some? Eddie is/was a great territorian!!
I left the Alice and went to WA crayfishing and did cropdusting mixer marker with Bob Couper cropdusting in Cunderdin WA, we flew Gipsy foures and had a new Cessna 185 Skyfarmer which crashed in a paddock at Training (?) and was written off, I was in the aircraft behind the hopper and had some problems being extracted due to the tail being bent into the rear of the cab..I joined the army for twenty years after that to get away from all the exitement!! Dont know why I said all that, but it may be of interest to some? Eddie is/was a great territorian!!
Last edited by Speedie; 20th Oct 2008 at 00:19. Reason: rename Beach to BEECH
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VH-ACM still flying
Quote:
"He was assisted in finance by his friend Damien Miller and purchased 2 Percival Gulls and a 1920 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce with a tourer body to be used in constructing aerodromes"
For those interested - one of the two Connellan Gulls VH-CCM (originally VH-ACM and before that G-ACUP) is still flying. Based at YMUR now. It flew the second mail run in August 1939 out of Alice.
"He was assisted in finance by his friend Damien Miller and purchased 2 Percival Gulls and a 1920 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce with a tourer body to be used in constructing aerodromes"
For those interested - one of the two Connellan Gulls VH-CCM (originally VH-ACM and before that G-ACUP) is still flying. Based at YMUR now. It flew the second mail run in August 1939 out of Alice.
