FROM DAVE'S BLOG ON THE SYDNEY BANKSTOWN AIRPORT ARRIVAL

 Aug 25th

 Sydney the big day!..

 This is the day I have been waiting for and planned for, for over 2 years
 to fly over the Sydney harbour bridge and in to Bankstown.

 I didn't sleep much and I was up at 6.30 wide awake, we went into the
 airport for around 9am the plan was for me to meet up with dick Smith
 over head the long reef golf course and reporting point for the Victor
 1 VFR route on the coast just outside Sydney harbour.

 While we were at the airfield there was a phone call from 7news and the
 TV helicopter was just outside Newcastle and was heading down to film me.

 It got to 10am and I was ready for the off I climbed into the quik and Rob
 pushed me back to get the engine warmed up, the TV crew then landed and
 started filming me on the ground.

 When I was up to temperature I taxied out, Rob took off first in an
 Airborne XT 912 topless wing, and went over head to wait for me.

 Then I took off being filmed, we then headed out to the coast and started
 to head towards Sydney we went down at 500ft.

 The helicopter then came along side and filmed me flying down the coast
 and I did an interview while I was flying, I was a bit too early for the
 meeting at Long Reef so I just did some orbiting around over the sea for
 a while.

 Then another helicopter flew out along side of me and started to film me
 then another helicopter came so I had 3 helicopters buzzing around me filming.

 At about 12.25pm Dick arrived in his helicopter and we headed in to Sydney
 harbour, only at 500ft helicopters everywhere buzzing me and filming, my
 route was to fly straight up the middle of the Harbour and go over the
 southern tower of the Sydney harbour bridge and not above 500ft.

 So that's exactly what I did, my heart was beating away like a little
 generator and smiling like the Joker from Batman (a permanent smile).

 All I could think how lucky I was to have the privilege to be doing this.
 Awesome it was this time I wish I had some body with me to share the moment,
 it was truly spectacular.

 A beautiful sunny day and very light winds this I what I had wanted and this
 is what I got no fighting with the bar for a change, so that made it special also.

 As I headed into the harbour I could see the bridge coming up and the Opera
 House sitting below it, I did as I was instructed and followed to the southern
 tower the opera house just below me to my left and went over the southern
 tower with only about 150ft below me. I looked straight across at the top of
 the bridge and I could see people doing the bridge walk waving at me.

 Then I had to follow the river right up through the centre of Sydney to a race
 course before the turning left and heading to Bankstown.

 Still under 500ft the view was very special and the TV crew helicopters were
 still very close to me filming.

 I got cleared straight in on to runway 29 right northern runway where a follow
 me car was waiting for me.

 I followed that in that took me to Dick Smith's hanger where there was a host
 of different people waiting to meeting me.

 I turned the engine off and then TV crews came over and Dick Smith came to say
 hello and we had a good chat and talked to the media for a good 30 mins.

 Then I was presented with a plague from the Recreational Aviation Australia Inc.
 in recognition of my flight from the UK to Australia, so a big thanks to
 everybody at the RAA for that, it is very much appreciated.

 And they have also pledged a cheque for the air ambulance, and also are putting
 up a scholarship for disabled flyers in Australia in my name, that brought a
 tear to my eyes, THANK YOU.

 My quik was then put into the hanger for the night and I went over to John Cameron
 Aviation where they found a hotel for me.

 Then John took me towards it, but on our way he noticed that my tyres on my
 wheelchair were held together with Duct tape, so stopped off at a cycle shop and
 treated my chair to a new pair of tyres.

 Thanks John, then later me and john went around the Darling Harbour in to the bars
 and had some food, so another thanks to John for the night out.
 www.jcaviation.com.au

 But really big thanks to Dick Smith for everything.

 I'm now looking forward to a few days around Sydney.

 Dave