November 22  2006
Veteran professional pilot Mal Beard along with his student were carrying out a touch-and-go landing at Archerfield in a Yak-52 Russian built military trainer when the wooden propeller struck the tarmac shattering the blades

Mal attempted a go-around but was unable to gain sufficient airspeed for flight with the by now extremely shortened propeller

The retractable undercarriage 2-seat Warbird ended up well beyond the end of the main runway off the airport striking a tree in the process

News Desk Comment

Flying crop-dusters for a living years ago Mal was well versed in low-level low-power manoeuvring including the odd mishap that occurred back then

November 25  2006
Police and Emergency Services were called to an aircraft crash at Jacobs Well in SE QLD after a ultralight nose-dived into a cane paddock

The aircraft had just taken off from nearby Heck Airfield - a popular sport and recreational aerodrome - when the mishap occurred - the pilot received only minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment

 

News Desk Comment

Up until a few years ago the Heck Airfield was a small and almost insignificant airport supported only by a handful of recreational and home-builder pilots

Recent upgrades and lengthening of the main runway have now turned this once sleepy cane paddock on the edge of Moreton Bay into a thriving busy and progressive airport

November 30  2006
The Hangar 2 Archerfield based Russell Broadbent owned Aircraft Engineers and Associates Pty Ltd is to close it's hangar doors next month after more than 20 years of operation at Archerfield

The business had been for sale over the past few years as a going concern but with the downturn in activity at Archerfield there were no takers and the aircraft maintenance business will now close

Also involved is the WW11 era DC4 which the News Desk understands will be donated to a museum - possibly Longreach (when and if the authorities get around to issuing a permit-to-fly)

The shop owner has had a long tussle with the authorities over the years so-much-so the News Desk awarded Russell the "Order of the Block" back in 1999 for his fighting spirit - details HERE

His DC4 also featured a number of times in these pages - start HERE then HERE - more HERE

News Desk Comment -  Click on Year to view Reports
Previous Maintenance Shop closures recorded by the News Desk are - 2003 - Note:- New Flying School is Mal Beards - 2002 - Close/Reopen of AAC Hangar and also in 2002 a hangar lease kerfuffle that eventually shuts down this Maintenance Shop