March 28 
NASA has successfully flown the X-43A, an air-breathing scramjet, to 7 times the speed of sound for a period of around 90 seconds

After the hypersonic flight the vehicle glided for about 8 minutes and ended up in the Pacific Ocean approximately 450 miles from launch

The record breaking flight originated from Edwards Air Force Base in California where the Scramjet - on the forward section of a Pegasus rocket - was carried aloft under the belly of a B-52 and released around 40,000'

The QLD University conducted experiments in scramjet technology back in 2002 - that report is HERE

March 28 
In the USA an F/A-18 Hornet fighter - departing in company with another F/A-18 from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina - caught fire during take-off

The pilot ejected and the Hornet - engulfed in fire - went cartwheeling down the runway and finished up a burning wreck disrupting air traffic for a number of hours

The father of the military pilot is reported as saying:- "He's got a bump on the head" and is now resting at a nearby hospital

March 25 
A fire inside a local industrial building alongside Archerfield airport created drama for both aircraft and workers on and off the airport when thick toxic smoke billowed from the premises

The toxic fumes were caused by burning chemicals stored at the plastics factory

There were no reported injuries and the fire was retained to the building by the local emergency services

March 24 
OZ'e female pop-star and music sensation Holly Valance, along with a large support crew, took over the tarmac and main terminal at Archerfield to-day for an advertisement photo shoot

Archerfield's DC4 dubbed the "Grand Old Lady of the Skies" and former movie star was moved from maintenance to the main tarmac area to be part of the film crew's "hive of activity"

For the 1996 DC4 Movie Star report click HERE and for Holly's web page click HERE