August 24  2007
It doesn't happen often - but when someone wants to give you $100,000.00 to spend on employing people - other than the Government with its handouts - there has to be a catch!

And there is ....in fact it might even be the first time in OZ a private citizen has donated money to one of the Government agencies - to help 'balance the budget' as the saying goes - to try and maintain the enviable OZ aviation safety record for the jet travelling public

 
Dick Smith is so concerned over the safety issues at Avalon Airport he has made out a cheque to Airservices Australia - the Government agency that looks after airspace in OZ - to help cover the costs of manning the control tower at Avalon when passenger jets arrive and/or depart the airport

The current situation has the Avalon tower 'unmanned' by air traffic controllers for Qantas Jetstar arrivals and/or departures which Dick considers to be totally unacceptable

August 26  2007
CASA has advised the media that they have grounded 6 high-time Cessna Conquests across the country - the other 28 on the OZ register of the medium-sized charter aircraft are not affected and remain flyable

Cessna apparently issued a warning it cannot guarantee structural integrity of the aircraft beyond 22,000 flying hours

News Desk Comment

Some aircraft (AA5's) have only 12,000 hrs before retirement

August 26  2007
The QLD Police Department have advised media that an aircraft carrying 4 parachutists made an emergency landing after the engine apparently failed shortly after take-off at Pimpama - the ensuring forced landing in a nearby paddock ended up with the aircraft "flipping onto its back"

One woman airlifted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with suspected spinal injuries was cleared as OK later - the other 4 on board including the pilot sustained minor injuries

News Desk Comment

Parachuting is accepted as a dangerous sporting pastime

August 30  2007
The NT Police have reported that an Aerial Medical Service Beech B200 Super King Air aircraft departing the Tindal RAAF Base for Ngukurr - an Aboriginal settlement on the Roper River - struck a wallaby bouncing across the runway

The Beech sustained damage to the main undercarriage and engineers were called in to access the damage before ordering the plane to land at Darwin about 300km north

The aircraft was forced to remain airborne for more than an hour to reduce the fuel load before attempting a landing

The pilot and nurse on aboard the B200 prop-jet escaped injury after the right undercarriage collapsed on touch-down

News Desk Comment

It's not the first time an animal has damaged an aircraft in OZ - but it maybe the 1^st at a 'secure' RAAF military base!

August 31  2007
Scientist Paul MacCready - inventor of unconventional aircraft - accomplished meteorologist - world-champion glider pilot - private pilot and respected aeronautical engineer has died - he was 81

MacCready headed the team that designed and built the Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross - he also built and flew a radio-controlled replica of a pterodactyl - the largest creature that ever took to the air in prehistoric times

His successes in these and other imaginative projects led to more than 30 prestigious awards and five degrees

On August 23 1977 the Condor made a successful 7-minute flight over a figure-eight course at the Shafter airport in the San Joaquin Valley - MacCready claimed the Kremer prize of US$300,000 for his efforts and was celebrated as the father of human-powered flight

News Desk Comment

MacCready often stressed the importance of independent thought - in 1987 his GM sponsored Sunraycer easily won the 1,867-mile solar-powered car race here in Australia