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How a CT-4 Airtrainer Test Flight Turned Into a Spin Problem
A test flight of the CT-4 Airtrainer reveals an unexpected spin problem.
Peter Dickens
Mar 64 min read


The Twin Otter Ferry Flight That Involved Rebels and a Bag of Cash
A “simple” ferry flight turns into a jungle negotiation with rebels, a bag of cash, and a hijacked aircraft.
Peter Dickens
Feb 92 min read


The Great Hilux Heist!
There are remote places...and then there are the Cocos (Keeling) Islands , a tiny Australian territory so far out in the Indian Ocean that even seagulls need to pack snacks to get there. Two habitable islands, about six hundred people, and, critically, an airport bar that seems to be the centre of all major social transactions. Southern Cross Aviation had been contracted to ferry a Boeing 737-300 from Australia to the UK, with a planned overnight stop on Cocos. Work colleagu
Peter Dickens
Jan 133 min read


Two Sabres vs Eleven F-4 Phantoms
In September 1966, the legendary Col Robin Olds , a larger-than-life leader with the combat record to prove it, took command of the 8th Tactical Air Wing. A double ace with thirteen victories in World War II and four more over North Vietnam, Olds was the driving force behind pushing for high intensity dogfight training between F-4 Phantom crews and our Sabres. His 'Wolfpack', an elite group of top pilots, reflected both his ferocity and his commitment to sharpening air combat
Peter Dickens
Dec 12, 20252 min read


Could Peter Have Flown the Spruce Goose?
Long Beach Harbour on November 2, 1947, aviation history was made when the colossal H-4 Hercules, forever nicknamed the "Spruce Goose" lifted from the water for its first and only flight. Piloted by the legendary Howard Hughes , who had spent five years overseeing its construction, the giant flying boat soared just under half a mile at low altitude, stunning spectators and answering the skeptics who had long derided it as a "boondoggle" or "flying lumberyard". Though the Spru
Contributor
Nov 10, 20253 min read
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