Post by Karl Welteke on Oct 25, 2018 16:13:41 GMT 8
Aviation Story on Corregidor 2018
On the 16th of Oct. 2018, two Australian pilots landed a very light plane on Kindley Field. The grass was not cut for a while and the pilots expressed a concern, worrying it might affect their takeoff, so they had to stay overnight. The grass got cut early afternoon next day and they were able to take off.
35 images of that event were uploaded into these two albums, take your pic!
Uploaded to Photobucket:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/91a7b042-453a-4968-aa45-cf150d77e834
Also uploaded to Facebook in a higher resolution:
www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/media_set?set=a.10214859626357896&type=3
For this forum presentation I chose these 14 images. They are uploaded to my Photobucket account, as the server. Because of Photobucket’s poor quality of service not all pictures may open.
Z159. On the afternoon of the 16th of Oct. 2018 we saw a small air craft making curves over Bottomside on Corregidor.
Z160. Late in the evening I met these two Australian pilots who landed their light aircraft on Kindley Field, they managed to find room at the ex MacArthur Café and we had an interesting conversation. I met them late because I was in the watering hole on the south side talking to some other interesting people. The two pilots managed to get some beer from the Baywalk Sari Sari Store, at the North-Shore Bottomside boat landing and also got some food there. I already killed a liter of Red Horse so I stayed with my diet drink. They work for an airline out of Hong Kong and keep this light plane at Clark. They knew Spike, the American Air Force Officer who spent time at the Hanoi Hilton, and knew about his activity to find and recover the WWII pilot who crashed on Tarak Ridge, Mt. Mariveles.
Z161. The two Australian pilots had parked their very light aircraft at the west end of the Kindlley Airfield and had to walk all the way to Bottomside until they met somebody. They had to pay a landing fee and discussed the high grass problem on Kindley Field. The island management told them they would cut the grass tomorrow. So the pilots made themselves at home, found food and beer and also paid for a special Malinta Hill Tunnel Light and Sound show.
Z162. I believe one of the pilots owned this very light aircraft and parks it at the former Clark Air Base. Both pilots work for Air Company that caters to tourist flights in Hong Kong.
Z163. On the 17th. Oct. 2018, when I returned from a long walk from Topside on Corregidor I was surprised to find the pilots still at the former MacArthur Café. They told me that the grass was being cut now. Then the word came to come out to the airfield and get ready. So, several people and I were able to catch a ride to the air field. The pilots checked out their air craft, evaluated the grass situation and decided to go for it.
Z164. The grass was high at the Kindley Airfield; it had not been cut for awhile.
Z165. The Kindley Airfield control structure has a new sign. I noticed the wind sock was not flying from its mast next to it. That picture is in the album. The next picture zooms in on this sign.
Photobucket doesn't let this picture open; here is the alternative, click on this IMG Thumb:
Z166. Apparently the Coast Guard seems to use this structure for a K9 Training Center, I did not see or hear dogs but then I did not look into the structure.
Z167. The tractor with his attached mowing device made two round trips between the two concreted ends of the Kindley Airfield.
Z168. These workers tried to fork away some of the grass but soon gave up.. The pilots said they were willing to give it a go.
Z169. The tractor overheated after the 2 roundtrips cutting some of the grass on the Kindley Airfield. The pilots agreed to give it a shot. This is the only tractor on the island for the grass cutting project.
Z170. It was time for everybody to clear the Kindley Airfield so the aircraft could do its takeoff.
Z171. The aircraft with two Australian pilots taxied to the east end because the wind was from the west. This was measured by the wet finger method; the windsock was not flying today.
Z172. The plane made it, lots of good bye waving. This was another interesting story for history, a nice way to end this visit to Corregidor.
Aviation and related URLs on Corregidor
Early aviation on Corregidor and Manila, forum thread.
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/244/early-aviation-manila-corregidor
Military-aircraft-using-Kindley-Field, forum thread.
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/1736/military-aircraft-using-kindley-field
Christmas Greetings roster book from 17th Balloon Company, Fort Mills, Corregidor, PI, from 1921.
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/2074/offer-scans-christmas-greetings-booklet
Fots2 presentation of the area north of the field, Trip reports, always Great Ones:
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/627/mans-land-north-kindley-field
Kindley Field, Cessna Flights 2006-07, Corregidor Then and Now.
corregidor.proboards.com/thread/756/kindley-field-cessna-flights-2006
Aviation Story on Corregidor 2018
On the 16th of Oct. 2018, two Australian pilots landed a very light plane on Kindley Field. The grass was not cut for a while and the pilots expressed a concern, worrying it might affect their takeoff, so they had to stay overnight. The grass got cut early afternoon next day and they were able to take off.
Forum: corregidor.proboards.com/thread/2148/aviation-story-on-corregidor-2018
Photobucket:
app.photobucket.com/u/PI-Sailor/a/91a7b042-453a-4968-aa45-cf150d77e834
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karlwilhelm.welteke/media_set?set=a.10214859626357896&type=3