APRIL 20  2008
A Home Hill couple escaped serious injury this morning when their Gyro Magni rotary-wing machine crashed during landing on a sandy beach at the mouth of the Burdekin River in North QLD

Michael and Linda Howard had planned to spend their day fishing and beachcombing on a sand-bar near Groper Creek - they sustained minor injuries

 
Media reports have the gyro hit by a gust of wind on landing - images indicate the soft sand may have been a major contributing factor

The Magni Gyro's home is just outside of Milan in Italy where gyros have been manufactured since the mid 1980's

APRIL 19  2008
An Amberley based F-111 ended up with a new nose job after collecting a pelican cruising at around 900 metres near the Evans Head military bombing range

 
The hapless bird impacted the nose cone of the F-111 and then ended up cooked in one of the two engines - the F-111 crew were able to get their almost crippled machine back to Amberley for an emergency landing

APRIL 16  2008
Former Mount Isa resident Terry Byrt has purchased the Archerfield based MacAir Airlines for an undisclosed amount - MacAir's managing director and warbird enthusiast - Randal McFarlane remains in his current role as MD

The new owner has ordered four Bombardier Q400 72-seater passenger aircraft to be used on the Mount Isa to Townsville and Cairns routes

 
Media reports have the new owner as an x-miner, prospector and former fisherman and supporter of Reg Ansett and the airline that bore his name - Terry is aiming to rekindle the Ansett spirit and intends to rename his newly acquired airline "Ansett MacAir"

Randal's latest warbird acquisition - the A-26 Invader Bomber - remains at Archerfield and is currently viewable from the main terminal building