iscover
The RAN operated only two Austers, A11-300 and -301, the latter of which is depicted here. They operated during the 1953 to 1963 period and were eventually sold through the then Dept of Supply.
Reflections — Auster
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Auster
Anyone who has made a study of Ross Gillett’s splendid book, ‘WingsAcross the Sea’* will know that the RAN operated twoAuster J/5G Autocars during the period 1953-63.
The aircraft were mainly used for communications work between NAS Nowra, NAS Schofields and Bankstown, the latter being the location of the major civilian repair facilities supporting the RAN FAA. The aircraft were held on the strength of the Fleet Requirements Squadron with no pilots specifically allocated to fly them. The old hands weren’t interested in slumming in Austers, so if you were young and keen, it was possible to get a checkout provided you were prepared to do the communication runs. I was in a front line squadron at the time but managed to get time off for a little extra-curricular flying. I note from my log book that I had a half hour checkout; things were fairly relaxed in those days.
A common problem that most of us experienced, being military left hand throttle, right hand stick people was with the central throttle, which required you to fly the aircraft with your left hand. The problem was accentuated by the fact that we were used to flying much heavier aircraft and found the hold off left handed difficult, as they were twitchy little aircraft. Some tried flying cross handed (not very successfully) and others like myself would cut the throttle and change hands, a technique not to be recommended. I know that general aviation aircraft are all configured this way, but it is not easy if you have been trained on, and spent all your time flying aircraft configured the other way round. It was only years later, when I started flying ‘lighties’ that I finally became comfortable with this arrangement.
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