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| Last Updated: Fri Apr 13 12:31:11 UTC 2012 |
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| Last Updated: Fri Apr 13 12:31:11 UTC 2012 |
| General Aviation Imagery |
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Bellanca 8KCAB Decathlon VH-SAR |
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The airborne sequence of images was shot during a two day flyaway visit to Flinders Island, off the northern coast of Tasmania, in early 1991. The 8KCAB VH-SAR (fixed pitch prop variant) was the workhorse basic aerobatic trainer at then General Flying Services (now Oxford Aviation Academy) at Moorabbin. It was not my preferred 8KCAB due to a slight ding in the left wing leading edge making it prone to wing drop when flying inverted. The pilot in command of SAR in these airborne formation images was Rob Spry, a very gifted young instructor and avid aerobatic pilot, and my aerobatic instructor at that time. He was tragically killed together with my good friend and fellow engineer Ron Sisley soon after, in early November 1992, during the ground impact of Pitts S-2A VH-SZA they were flying near Cranbourne (I had flown SZA a week prior to the accident). All air to air images were produced with an M645/1000S and f2.8 80 mm lens, using Fujifilm 400ASA print film, the remainder using a Pentax SF7. |
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Bellanca 8KCAB Decathlon VH-CUM |
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8KCAB Decathlon VH-CUM was the GFS
aircraft preferred for Sportsman competition flying and practice, and
being properly rigged, it handled better than any other 8KCAB I have
flown. This selection of images was taken over several years in a range
of locations. All images produced using a Pentax SF7 and a range of
print film media.
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Bellanca 8KCAB Super Decathlon |
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The Super Decathlon differs from the
basic 8KCAB in the installation of a more powerful 180 SHP Lycoming
AEIO-360-H1A or -H1B fuel injected engine, and a constant speed prop.
While many competition pilots prefer the Super, the extra weight more
than often offsets the extra power and flexibility of the constant
speed prop. Depicted is the pristine VH-XUK, then owned by an oil
industry engineer, which I flew out of Jandakot in Western Australia,
and VH-BWM, based then at Moorabbin. All images
produced using a Pentax SF7 and a range of print film media.
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| Pitts S-2A VH-UPU /
Pitts Special VH-PUG |
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The Pitts was the most popular
competition aerobatic type in Australia during the early 1990s. Whilst
it is a handful for beginners, the Pitts has superb rolling and
pitching performance, although its stability margin is borderline.
Depicted is dual seat S-2A VH-UPU then owned by GFS, and Special VH-PUG.
All images produced using a Pentax SF7 and a range of print film media.
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Laser 200 VH-JAD |
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David
Pilkington's VH-JAD was a frequent sight at aerobatic gatherings and
competitions during the early 1990s. All images
produced using a Pentax SF7 and a print film media.
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Piper PA-28 Cherokee Warrior VH-BZG |
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This sequence of images was shot
during a three aircraft formation flying team practice hop across Port
Phillip Bay from Moorabbin to Point Cook. It shows a series of
formation shots starting with transit over the bay, a landing a Point
Cook, a departure from Point Cook, and a final image in transit across
the bay. At that time I was lead pilot for one of several
competition formation flying teams at GFS, and hitched a back seat ride
in the lead aircraft. All images produced with an M645/1000S and f2.8
80 mm lens,
using Fujichrome 100D slide film.
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Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior VH-CBF |
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These images
were taken during a formation practice flight over the Melbourne CBD in
late 1993, from the Cessna 172 lead aircraft I was piloting. Marc
Goroff, a PhD graduate of Caltech, was in the back seat and used my
Pentax SF7 35 mm SLR to produce the imagery - Marc is an experienced
aerobatic pilot.
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Piper PA-28RT-201 Cherokee Arrow VH-ESK |
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Piper PA-28RT-201 VH-ESK over central
Victoria on the return flight from Mildura circa 1991. My
formation
flying
team number two in 1993, a
completely fearless young aviatrix, was tragically killed
flying this aircraft in a likely fatigue and
disorientation related night
flying
accident in September, 1994, on descent to Adelaide in South
Australia. All images
produced using a Pentax SF7 and print film.
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Cessna 172 |
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My 'pet hate'
in GA types is the Cessna 172. I have never understood
why the 172 was so popular, given its mediocre handling, poor upper
hemisphere visibility and general clumsiness. All
images
produced using a Pentax SF7 and print film.
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Beechcraft BE33 Bonanza |
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Melbourne and Moorabbin Aerial Imagery |
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| All photos and text ¿ 1985 - 2010 Carlo Kopp | |||||||||
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| Artwork and text ¿ 1994 - 2010 Carlo Kopp; All rights reserved. |
| $Revision: 2.154 $ |