PCDU Episodes:

Here is a full list of all PCDU Episodes since #1 back in 2009. Click on a title to visit the episode page & download or listen to the episode from there.

PCDU Episode 113: Fleeting Dreams

By Grant (Falcon124), on October 21st, 2013%

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:52 — 86.0MB)

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JQ's new 787 arrives at Melbourne

JQ’s new 787 arrives at Melbourne

The past month has included a number of events related to the Royal Australian Navy’s International Fleet Review 2013 as well as the arrival of Jetstar’s new 787-8. Grant’s been visiting a few ships & interviewing their aircrew while Kathy’s had a flight on Australia’s brand new MRH-90 Taipan transport helicopters. Not long after that, Grant was in Sydney to watch the mass-flypast of aircraft as the fleet steamed into Sydney harbour then both Steve & Grant were on the tarmac in Melbourne for the new Jetstar 787 arrival celebrations.

HMS Daring's Lynx

HMS Daring’s Lynx

Naturally this generated lots of great new content and we’ve packaged it all up as follows:

  • 0:06:43 – LT Hamish Walker, Lynx Pilot on HMS Daring
     
  • 0:13:37 – LT CDR Teilo Elliot-Smith, Air Warefare Officer on HMS Daring
     
  • 0:27:15 – CDR Angus Essenhigh, Commanding Officer of HMS Daring
     
  • 0:34:37 – LT David Roderick, Seasprite Pilot on HMNZS Te Mana
     
  • 0:46:17 – LT Hamish Liddy, Seasprite Observer on HMNZS Te Mana
     
  • 0:57:22 – Leading Hand Zach Taylor, Seasprite crew on HMNZS Te Mana
     
  • 6 SQN is combined RNZAF & RNZN

    6 SQN is combined RNZAF & RNZN

    1:06:29 – David presents Grant with their 6 Squadron patch & explains its symbolism
     
  • 1:07:43 – Grant chats with listener “Mick from the Frankston line”
     
  • 1:14:45 – Kathy Mexted chats with Steve about flying in the MRH-90
     
  • 1:17:45 – LT Jack Wadey, MRH-90 Taipan Pilot
     
  • 1:31:40 – CPT Brett Chandler, Commanding Officer of HMAS Creswell
     
  • 1:38:27 – Kathy chats about how she knew Brett Chandler from some time ago
     
  • 1:43:20 – David Hall, CEO of Jetstar Australia & New Zealand
     
  • 1:48:53 – Captain Jeremy Schmidt, lead pilot on Jetstar’s 787 programme
     
  • 1:55:19 – Gordon Rich-Phillips, Victoria’s Minister for Aviation Industry
     
  • 1:59:23 – We wrap it up and sign off

Kathy's aircraft for her media flight

Kathy’s aircraft for her media flight

Ben Wickham & Kathy Mexted getting ready to board the MRH-90

Ben Wickham & Kathy Mexted getting ready to board the MRH-90

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PCDU Episode 96: “Serge” – An Australian Top Gun

By Grant (Falcon124), on November 17th, 2012%

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:18:20 — 53.9MB)

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Serge’s “Fighter Pilot” book cover

It takes a special breed to push an F18 out to the edge of the envelope, fly missions ranging from surface attack to dog fights and then blow off steam with your squadron mates. It’s certainly not Top Gun but it does make amazing fodder for a book that highlights the good, the bad and the crazy.

Just such a book has been written by ‘Mac “Serge” Tucker‘ and it’s called “Fighter Pilot: mis-adventures beyond the sound barrier with an Australian Top Gun”

Steve & Grant chat to “Serge” about being a fighter pilot, flying & partying hard, blowing off steam and dealing with bureaucrats. We also cover:

  • The size of the fighter community in Australia and the camaraderie that has developed among them
  • The mentoring that occurs within the community covering both technical & behavioural aspects of being a fighter pilot
  • The interaction of fighter pilots with pilots from other parts of the RAAF
  • Serge’s career progressing from high school through basic training in the CT4, progression to the Aermacchi MB 326H (the Macchi) and on to the F18 via a stint on the Nomad.
  • Wing Commander Ross Fox’s influence as Serge’s mentor and the impact of his death in an F18 mid-air collision
  • Serge’s thoughts on the Australian Army & Royal Australian Navy
  • Working with the fighter pilots from the USA & comparing USA pilots with RAAF pilots
  • Old timer stories and their influence on current procedures
  • RAAF exchange pilots flying F15s & F22s with the USAF
  • The F35 JSF and its issues with kinematics
  • Drones and their use in the military environment
  • How the military have missed out on changing their operations & equipment to deal better with the Middle East environment & the modern political power dynamics
  • Serge’s love of hang gliding
  • Transitioning from being a fighter pilot to being an airline pilot
  • His final flight: a one-on-one dogfight with Matt Hall
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PCDU Episode 87: Wings Over Illawarra 2012

By Grant (Falcon124), on May 18th, 2012%

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (75.0MB)

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HARS Connie flying at Wings Over Illawarra 2012The Great PCDU Road Trip of 2012 covered over 1,700km in the course of a single weekend. From late on Friday night to early on Monday morning, Steve, Grant & Allan drove from Melbourne up to Wollongong (just south of Sydney) to attend the Wings Over Illawarra 2012 air show. Firmly ensconced in the Southern Biplanes hangar with a great view of the show unfolding beyond “Lilly Warra” (their big red Boeing Stearman), the mobile studio was set up (thanks Allan! :) allowing Steve, Grant & Anthony Crichton-Browne to record stacks of great content.

Most of that content has wound up in this episode, although we have saved a couple of bits for later. For now, kick back & enjoy:

  • 0:03:19 – Flying Officer Daniel Kruger & Warrant Officer Brett Lewis from RAAF 37SQN talk about operating the C130J Hercules (& a bit about the C130H too)
  • 0:16:35 – Joel Haski (Red Baron) & Jeff Criddle (Combat Dragon) talk about flying the A37 Dragonfly to & from the show
  • 0:19:13 – Lieutenant Commander Todd Glynn & Lieutenant Rob McBeeth from the RAN walk us through their careers getting to the SH60B along with a few typical missions and the Kanimbla Blackhawk crash
  • 0:38:17 – Andrew Musgrove from Southern Biplanes talks about the company and the adventure flights they’re offering
  • 0:45:01 – Barry Sandry, Marketing Manager for NSW Air, talks about the Commercial Pilot training courses & charter/scenic flights they offer
  • 0:52:28 – Army Red Berets Parachute Jump Instructor Warrant Officer Adam Paris tells us what it’s like to become a paratrooper & get on the Red Berets demo team
  • 1:11:13 – Chris Clark, chief pilot for Southern Biplanes, tells us how he got into flying, why they got a Boeing Stearman (and where they found it) and what’s involved in their barnstorming adventures in rural NSW
  • 1:18:37 – Harry Mitchell from Australian Aerial Patrol talks about their history and current fleet
  • 1:28:34 – James Gray, Officer Commanding of the Australian Air League‘s Albion Park Unit (and brother of Dave Gray from the Lifestyle PodNetwork :) runs us through the benefits & goals of the AAL

Finally, at 1:40:07, we start to wrap up the episode with a series of big “Thank You’s” to:

  • Southern Biplanes for the use of their facility during the day
  • Owen Zupp for letting us take a break at his place on the way to Wollongong (ace hot cross buns, mate! :)
  • The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) for putting on such a fantastic event and also giving us full access to the show (thanks to Russell Field for the safety walk around & the parking permit :)
  • Josh Masterton for his help on the weekend
  • Allan Van’t Padge for his fantastic support as PCDU Roadie & for riding shotgun the whole way up & back. We couldn’t have done half as well without you, mate! :)

Lilly Warra, Southern Biplane's Boeing Stearman

Southern Biplane's Stearman

With luck, we’ll recover in a few weeks and be ready for the next epic journey, but for now, we’re already working on the next couple of episodes :)

Notes:
* Cover art image courtesy of Cameron Hines

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PCDU Episode 80: Farewell 2011 (aka “Tom Cruise wraps my Dolmades” :)

By Grant (Falcon124), on December 30th, 2011%

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (68.0MB)

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All good things must come to an end and so too must the year 2011. It has been an amazing year of growth for PCDU as we’ve covered Avalon 2011, NatFly 2011 and Oshkosh 2011 along with a number of major events (eg: Qantas grounding) and added some new voices to the team. So as the year draws to a close and 2012 is waiting in the wings,  Steve,  Grant and Anthony  “The Infrequent Flyer”  bring you our Farewell 2011 episode:

  • Steve &  David Vanderhoof discuss the Royal Australian Navy  (RAN)  Sea King helicopters at the time of their decommissioning, developments with the C130 Hercules and a special Christmas greeting from David
  • We chat with Mo Ferrando from High Alpha Media about the Hexacopter and Octocopter units he was displaying for us at Tooradin
  • David Pilkington talks with us about his career in aeronautical engineering and aerobatics
  • David &  Grant go up in David’s Decathlon to fly an aerobatic routine above Tooradin (YTDN) and broadcast the manoeuvres and sensations during the flight
  • Adam Wooley from JoeyGlide chats with us about the National Junior Gliding Championships recently held in Queensland

As usual we have some great listener mail, including:

  • Ryan Hothersall sent us a link to the 2011 STOL competitions – amazing stuff!
  • Congrats to the AirStig who is celebrating the arrival of a new Stigette
  • Thanks to Keane Bourke for his Merry Christmas wishes
  • Thanks also to Garry Collins for his train jargon & congrats for Steve
  • Big shout out to Owen Zupp for his Owen Zupp Author page on Facebook and his new OwenZupp.com.au blog

Given it’s our end of year episode, we have a list of people & groups to thank:

  • Our sponsors over the course of the year:
  • All the listeners who donated to help us cover the costs of being at Oshkosh &  producing the show all year
  • The contributors who have helped us create content for the show:
    • Bas Scheffers
    • Anthony Crichton Browne
    • Kathy Mexted
    • ATC Ben (aka Ben Ippolito)
    • David Vanderhoof
    • Dan Morris
    • Pieter Johnson
    • Anthony Simmons, the Infrequent Flyer
    • Adam Visscher
    • Steven Pam
    • Allan Van’t Padje
    • Mike Wilson who helped us at Oshkosh

We’d also like to say thanks to:

  • AusAir Services
  • Ian Kershaw for his help with the survey
  • James Williams &  Dave Gray from LPN
  • Milford &  Charlie from Flight Time Radio
  • Max Flight & Courtney Miller for making this happen
  • Rob Mark for his hospitality at Camp Jetwhine
  • Mike Miley &  Rod Rakic from MyTransponder for the help at Oshkosh
  • Stu Stevenson for his hospitality post Oshkosh
  • Special thanks to Kitt &  Cathey for their continuing status as podcast widows!

So thanks again to our growing audience who have been with us as we’ve expanded PCDU over the course of 2011. Happy holidays and here’s to a whole new year of bringing you the most amazing aviation experiences & information from Australia &  New Zealand that we can.

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PCDU Episode 15: And now for something completely different, here is the news

By Grant (Falcon124), on November 1st, 2009%

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (64.0MB)

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We’re back to being our opiniated selves with a backlog of news stories to work through and discuss. Once again Bas Scheffers joins us for some of the news and to discuss a number of RA-Aus items. From Beavers to Tigers and even Kiwi Skyhawks doing battle with bureaucracy, we cover a diverse range of topics including:

As usual, our sound effects come from SoundSnap.com and our theme music track is “YouNameIt5″ by Brian Simpson (aka t3cat5).

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PCDU Episode 6: Plugcast

By Grant (Falcon124), on August 30th, 2009%

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (67.9MB)

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After almost two weeks we finally get another episode out, but this one should be worth the wait. We have our first guest discussion session (@MaxFlight from the Airplane Geeks Podcast) and we have our first interview (Carlo Santoro from the Flight Experience Melbourne 737 simulator). In addition to all this, we also discuss the following topics:

Our sounds come SoundSnap.com and our title track is “Younameit5” by Brian Simpson (aka t3cat5).

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