Our Pilot
Richard McDonald
Richard was born 04/03/1964 at Leongatha Victoria. Raised on a cattle farm in that area and began flying at the age of 16. Obtained his commercial pilot licence at 18 years old along with an Agricultural Pilot Rating. Richard was excepted into Super Spread Aviation later that year flying Callair A-9's, spraying rice around Deniliquin. Progressed into the Beaver DH-C2. During this time he joined the Victorian Aerobatics Club and dabbled in the aerobatic competitions flying the S1 & S2 Pitts Specials available in the club.
In 1985 Richard finished his Instrument Rating and gained a job for a few months flying a C-185 float plane in Tasmania. He was offered a job in Leongatha crop dusting, flying the C-188, Fletcher FU24, Trasavia Air Truck PL-12 & Pawnee PA25.
In 1988 he was excepted into Hazelton Airlines, flying Chieftain PA-31 and C-310's for a period of eight months. After a short Session night spraying at Goondiwindi QLD in a turbine Thrush S2R-T/15, he re-joined Hazelton Airlines were he began flying Shorts 360, Saab 340's and Metro 23's serving with Hazelton for ten years.
At the end of 1997 he moved to Warren in NSW to take up Cotton spraying once again flying high capacity crop dusting aircraft. He is flying the Polish built Dromader with an American Turbine conversion, conducting mainly night spraying operations during the summer months. Recently Richard had the opportunity to follow his lifetime dream and purchase VH-DIE the MIG-15. He was checked out in the aircraft by it's previous owner and found a joy to fly.
Richard McDonald has a over 12,000 hours flying hours, of which 5000 hours are in airline aircraft, 6000 hours agricultural flying and 1000 hours flying for the fun of it