January 20 
The latest in light aircraft engines is a 4 cycle, liquid cooled, jet A (or auto diesel) fuelled, turbocharged 135hp 4 cylinder piston engine

The German designed diesel engine has been developed to replace ageing C172 and Piper Cherokee aircraft engines that are now expensive to maintain and overhaul

The engine is almost maintenance free with the regular oil & filter changes able to be carried out by the pilot

The STC cost on a C172/PA28 conversion is around US$40,000 including the engine at US$20,000

Germany's new diesel calls for a new engine after what normally is an engine overhaul period (TBO) of around 2000hrs for Lyco & TCM types

This new engine is designed not to be overhauled but replaced instead with another new unit at 2400hrs

During the diesel's life cycle data is downloaded from several micro chips attached to the engine and sent to the manufacturer on a regular basis via the internet as part of it's ongoing serviceability

Engine control is by single power lever coupled with a CSU Prop that develops greater thrust for take-off

 January 20 
An ultralight has been blamed for traffic chaos on the Bruce Highway north of Brisbane on Saturday

The ultralight landed just short of Caboolture airport after the engine failed on approach and that created a 12km backlog of traffic caused by passing motorists looking at the downed aircraft

A search by the Police, the Search and Rescue helicopter and Ambulance finally found the pilot at the local hospital

   He had a sprained ankle

 January 16 
Brisbane based budget airline, Virgin Blue, is reported in the media as having signed up to purchase 50 new Boeing 737 passenger jets

This is a major turn-a-round for the relatively new airline that commenced operation in OZ flying between Brisbane and Sydney back in August 2000 and who have, up to now, leased all their aircraft

"The first 10 will be delivered next year"

 January 17 
A Wellington Mk IV bomber that crashed into a remote island in the Outer Hebrides, west of Scotland in January 1944 has been recovered by archaeologists from a warplane museum in the UK

The bomber, with a crew three, finished up 563km north of their intended destination after navigation problems

"It was the middle of winter and we ran into some very, very bad weather"

 January 18 
A FA-18 Hornet from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, the world's biggest warship anchored off Freemantle in WA, ran off the end of the runway at the Pearce air force base

The fighter had been taking part in training exercises and was one of 20 jets currently stationed at RAAF Pearce base taking part in exercises at the Lancelin bombing range north of Perth

 January 21 

From the Airservices web site:

A SERIES OF 3 HIGH ALTITUDE ROUND THE WORLD SCIENTIFIC BALLOON FLIGHT WILL BE LAUNCHED FROM ALICE SPRINGS BETWEEN JAN AND MAR 2003. THE FLIGHTS WILL INVOLVE A CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE EARTH AT ABOVE 100,000FT. THE BALLOON IS HELIUM FILLED AND WILL EXPAND ON ASCENT TO A SIZE OF APROX 65 METRES. IT IS INTENDED THE 2000KG PAYLOAD WILL BE RECOVERED BY PARACHUTE OVER THE AUSTRALIAN MAINLAND. ASCENT AND DESCENT RATE IS APROX 1000FT/MIN. BALLOON COLOUR CLEAR. TRANSPONDER EQUIPPED. ACFT OPR IN CTA IN THE VICINITY OF THE BALLOONS CAN EXPECT DIVERSIONS. HAZARD ALERTS WILL BE ISSUED OCTA. THE FLIGHT WILL TAKE APPROX 10 DAYS TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE EARTH. FROM 01 142000 TO 03 310930

 January 16 
A World War II vintage Harvard AT-6 trainer aircraft enroute from Bankstown to Bathurst had an engine malfunction 8 km east of Bathurst and was forced to land in a paddock after a Mayday call

The father and son team on board the aircraft were uninjured and walked away from the downed aircraft

A second water bombing aircraft has crashed fighting bushfires in the Kosciuszko National Park - the pilot was uninjured