VH-BBN (2)
Cessna
180C Skywagon
(c/n 50820)
This 1960 180 was an ag spreader aircraft,
owned, at the time, by aviation legend Col Pay. The
above photo
was taken by Geoff Goodall at Bankstown in January, 1964. In
this type of ag 180
the
hopper was situated in back of the pilot, where the rear seat normally
was. The spreader fairing
can be
seen under the fuselage. This placement of
the hopper blocked half of the starboard entry
door, making that door unavailable for entry or exit, (somewhat
limiting in the case of an emergency),
the
only way out being via the left hand door (or through the windscreen).
Corespondent Peter
Reardon indicates he
had to seek both exit choices on 180s within his first year flying as
an ag pilot!
Unfortunately the pilot flying -BBN on 22 October
1969 wasn't so fortunate, as the aircraft crashed in
a paddock
near Scone, NSW whilst spreading superphosphate, the accident proving
fatal.