A fully loaded 6-seat light aircraft - type not identified - aborted take-off at a late stage on Dunk Island in FNQ and ran off the end of the runway into a sand bank

The incident occurred around 0900 hrs yesterday - one passenger was airlifted to Cairns base hospital by helicopter and has since been released

Steve Fossett's Bellanca aircraft has been found in eastern California but no human remains are at the crash site

The site is situated on the side of the Sierra Nevada mountains at an elevation of 9,700 feet near the township of Mammoth Lakes

The 8KCAB had smashed head-on into the mountainside at high speed consistent with a non-survivable accident

Most of the fuselage disintegrated on impact with the engine found several hundred feet away with images indicating severe damage

The Amberley air base west of Archerfield is preparing for one of the biggest air-show events here in OZ to be held over this coming week-end - light aircraft wanting to go to the show require a "landing slot" and at the time of this report all "slots" have already been filled

Meanwhile down in Kiwi-Land there is drama surrounding the Hamilton International Air-Show - which was to be held in mid February 2009 - it has been postponed due to air show management unable to come to agreement with the airport operator over site location

Today marked a significant day in the development and progress of the Kingaroy built Whitney Boomerang as the first aircraft leaves this country for Kiwi-Land on a sales demonstration flight to Kerikeri airport

Recently certified to FAR-23 specifications this ideal pilot training aircraft has had limited acceptance here in OZ as a low-cost pilot training machine

Preparing for departure on the first leg of the journey from Archerfield to Lord Howe Island is company pilot Warwick Henry

The media's press fuss over the last available photo shoot while the aircraft's designer Bill Whitney looks on this flying machine that bears his name