2tonne

Recent accident report from ATSB: The pilot commenced a missed approach due to birds near the runway. One bird was struck and the aircraft subsequently collided with a bull. The occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was substantially damaged. That has got to be some bad luck, not just a bird but hitting a bull as well...just cannot imagine what it would be like to hit a bull. As per ATSB "Highest Injury level: None" - pretty sure the bull is not ok

This is part of an email sent to CSIRO alumni by Dr Megan Clark: It is with great sadness that I share with you that last night we received confirmation that four of our former CSIRO colleagues lost their lives in a helicopter accident just outside Sydney last Thursday. Dr Tony Farmer (former Deputy Chief Operations), Dr Gerry Haddad (former Chief of Industrial Physics), Dr Don Price (CSIRO Fellow) and Dr John Dunlop (former senior research scientist) were on the helicopter. This was a private trip by four friends and former colleagues which ended tragically. Terrible tragedy. Great loss for their families, friends and former CSIRO colleagues.

I was recently involved in a planning fight with a local politician who was a pretty smooth operator. Word of caution when speaking to a politician is be very careful in what you say - there were many things we said that were turned against us both in the local paper and at the administrative tribunal. When we suggested publicly that he was a little loose with the truth, we received confidential letters threatening us with defamation actions. Mind you, in our case the politician was very smart and well connected, whereas from this blokes letter he doesn't seem real bright.

Hi Tomo, great pics. I was at the show with my two eldest boys, aged 4 and 6, and we had a fantastic day out. It was fun to watch them jump up and like crazy with excitement as the roulettes did their stuff - and even more fun watching their faces as the F-16 screamed off the runway! Wish I'd put my earplugs in for that one. The long day and heat on the Sunday meant they ran out of puff early in the afternoon, so had to leave before the F-22 - oh well, at least I have an excuse to visit the show next time!

Yep, at the moment I pretty much know nothing, so it is all a learning experience despite not getting into the air. Scott, it's like you're reading my mind...thinking of which plane I would like to own, living closer to an airstrip...I can't stop - I'm already on the slippery slope to addiction

My first 'real' lesson today, but think I may have discovered one of the frustrations of learning to fly - clouds below 1000 ft and raining. So, no flying. Did do a full walkaround pre-flight testing fuel etc and some more cockpit familiarisation, so was still very interesting.

Hi daddy-jake, I will keep you posted on how things go. I hadn't even heard of a recreactional pilot certificate until a couple of months ago - glad I discovered it though.

Hi all, I am new to this. I have had two TIFs - 1 in a Cessna 172 at Essendon and the second in a Jabiru 160 out of Lilydale. Both flights were great and I am hooked. Tough choice but have decided to keep going with the Jabiru at Lilydale. Something about flying out of a grass strip around the Yarra Valley is pretty appealing. Back for my first real lesson soon - can't wait. 2t