October 13 2005
An ultralight flying instructor and his student sustained back injuries after their 2-seat Drifter landed heavily at the Boonah airstrip south-west of Archerfield around 1100hrs

Media eye-witness reports indicate the airspeed of the Drifter may have decayed below a safe approach speed allowing the machine to "drop out of the sky"
 
The ultralight landed heavily collapsing the undercarriage - the machine then turned around and slid backwards into a boundary fence

Established in France in 1924 the Medal was first awarded in 1925 and is one of FAI's 2 highest awards - "it is reserved for those who have contributed greatly to the development of aeronautics by their activities work achievements initiative or devotion to the cause of Aviation"
 
49 year-old "nurse-midwife" Jon Johanson spent many thousands of hours building modifying and testing his RV-4 home-built aircraft and over the past few years completed a number of record breaking flights
 
He is the only person to have flown solo in a single-engine home-built light aircraft around the world 3 times and "became one of the bravest and most adventurous light aeroplane pilots of all time"

Record flights included:
1) Three times around the world (heading east, west and north)
2) Over the north pole (part of the third round the world flight)
3) Over the south pole (first solo single engine)
 
The Federation Aeronautique Internationale has awarded the prestigious Medal to only 3 other Australians involved in aviation pursuits in the past - Bert Hinkler in 1928 - Sir Donald Anderson in 1973 and more recently (in 1989) to Peter Lloyd AO OBE
 
Details on the FAI Gold Medal Awards click HERE
 
News Desk previous report in 2003 click HERE