The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is coordinating a search for a 1970 Aero Commander 500S freighter - VH-WZU - that left Cairns early this morning and was due to land at Horn Island in the Torres Strait around 0800hrs



The Safety Authority indicates the pilot reported over the radio he was due to land in about 15 minutes but did not arrive - a search between Cape York and Moa Island is underway with 13 aircraft allocated

Marlee Ranacher - daughter of prominent Northern Territory pastoralist and author Sara Henderson - was by herself in the Bullo River Station's Cessna flying low over the Victoria River when the engine failed forcing her to land on a mud bank in the middle of the river



The incoming tide left the 49-year-old with no alternative but to swim through the croc-infested waters to the river-bank which turned out to be only a few minutes before a massive "bombora" tidal wave roared down the river and swallowed the aircraft

Safe on the river-bank Marlee activated her emergency beacon which alerted the AUSSAR people in Canberra who phoned the homestead and advised her husband Franz of the emergency signal



Marlee's 42-year-old husband was a helicopter pilot and immediately flew to the location and rescued his wife



"I'm always glad to see my husband but I was extra glad today.. He is the best thing that happened to me"

An engineering firm in the USA - Bye Energy - is in the process of re-engineering the Cessna 172 and changing it to an all-electric platform which will reduce the need for fossil fuels and costly maintenance infrastructure while increasing access to flight training



Named “Bye Hawk” the company estimates its electric engine will need an overhaul every 25,000 hours with minimal in-service maintenance during this period