Last month saw the new owner of the airfield making his presence felt with regular visits to the 'field and the completion of the A.A.C. signage on all the previously marked "FAC" signs

The airside interests during the past week included a visit from a New Zealand registered Cessna C206 and the return of the "30's era" Waco

Also making news was the departure of the Rapair "boss(s)" to the USA where they are attending the EAA Fly-in and Convention at Wittman Airfield

Click HERE to view a condensed text version of the EAA news about the Aussie fraternity now enjoying Oshkosh

. . . . . . the main terminal building passenger lounge is missing the potted plants!

. . . . . . it must be the lack of passenger movements and the "user pays" system that bought on their removal

. . . . . well, owning airports (and aircraft) is not necessarily a good "investment" nowadays compared with previous years

. . . . . view this news desk comments on the airfield statistics back in October 1996

Airside actions of interest during the week included an attempt by the 'field's DC4 to get airborne after another long maintenance "spell"

On Tuesday, with most of the airfield "workers" on lunch break and the general public observing "roadside", the '4 taxied out on "two" and began the pre-take-off checks

Satisfied after extensive running up of all four engines, the '4 backtracked the 10L runway, lined up and commenced rolling for take-off

The take-off was aborted shortly after the application of full power when the no#4 engine failed to respond and actually stopped rotating

. . . . . it always happens when you have a large audience

. . . . . and always when you least expect it

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The DC "Four"

on "Three"

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. . . . . aahh, well, it's back to the maintenance "shop" (again)!

. . . . . owning aircraft and owning bank overdrafts certainly have a good relationship nowadays!

. . . . . well, each one needs the support of the other, remove one and the other has got to go as well!

Highlights "airside" during the week include "Ekka" arrivals, lost aircraft and a mini air display

This time last year saw only one aircraft in the "itinerant" aircraft park during Royal Show week, whereas this year it's seven

Thursday morning saw the 'Field covered with a smog/smoke haze resulting in one learner pilot becoming "unsure of his position"

The Tower controller "earned his money" skilfully negotiating with the pilot of the lost aircraft and after a few minutes, and with the assistance of Brisbane Radar, he was able to locate the aircraft 3 miles SW of AF heading away from the airfield

The aircraft landed a short time later and taxied back to the flying school without further incident

And to-day Bob Tait in his Pitts S1 put on a "mini airshow" around lunch time for the students of his Pilot Theory School

One of Seven
Cessna C185 in the Airpark

. . . . . . Bob turned his theory of flight into "real life" with a skilful display of low level aerobatics, enlarge the images below to "find" the Pitts S1 "wrapped up" in it's own display smoke during manoeuvres

The past week saw the loss of a TV news helicopter on Tuesday when, on approach to land at the Ch.10 Station on Mt. Cootha, it struck the ground

The TV "choppers" from the "mountain" are regular visitors to this airfield for refuelling and news gathering

Also trying to create news to-day was another "Groundcraft" attempting to gain lift-off speed on runway 10R behind a landing DH82A Tiger Moth frown by a local Qantas flight engineer and Cessna C170 aircraft owner

. . . . . . . ironically the news gathering machine turned out to be the news
. . . . . a sad event felt by all connected with aviation

. . . . . . one would think that trying out Buses to achieve V1 on runways would be a passing fad, but no, it continues to happen

. . . . . . and for those who are interested, click HERE to view the DH82A and C170 "tail dragger" pilot and AirCentre coffee club member enjoying a late nite "heart starter"

Small changes occurring on the 'field during the past week mainly with staff from the local flying schools

The CFI of one operator is about to change his office from the "Southern" side of the airfield to the northern "Lay't" side

. . . . . . . CFI mateo thinks 5 plus years in one operation is long enough and has decided to move on to an area where the pastures really are "greener"

. . . . . . click HERE to view local "hand made" movie of the "I flew with Bob Hoover" aviator featured in to-days news, but be warned, the file is 181KB in size and may take a few minutes to load