Sad day for Aviation

[John Giddens]

  I was out at Watts Bridge yesterday as was bulldog on Saturday , what a fantastic day it was . We were only there a few short hours and enjoyed it heaps . The flying was gr8 , a continual live flightline saw heaps of T/O,s and landings with the great old warbirds retracting their gear so fast after liftoff I was quite amazed really , looked really cool. Heaps of car clubs made there way too and created alot of interest , they were awesome too. I want say how sad I am for the families for those involved in the tragedies that occured firstly off Stradbroke Island , and later in the day at Watts Bridge. Its a very sad loss for them and all who share their passion in aviation .

 

[Bulldog]

Well said mate, i agree totally   

[maxter]

Yes I noticed the piece in the news today...  Sad indeed...  May the deceased RIP.

Thanks for posting,

[Turnip]

For starters, I'm not sure about the tragedies that you speak of as I am in the states. It's always a very bad thing when an aviator is lost.

Secondly, the T-28 picture REALLY set me back. I was stationed for 2 years in VT-27 NAS Corpus Christi Texas. I was the line supervisor and in charge of 77 plane captains and 78 T-28B Trojans. I have many hours in the Trojan. This thing is built like a tank and will definitly put your brain to spinning. We did "acro" over Bob Hall Pier off Padre Island, swooping down and buzzing the oil dericks.

  In a nutshell, a lot of fond memories. I was stationed at Corpus when they decommisioned the Trojan and went to the Mentor (T34)

[hutchie]

Well said mate, it was a great weekend, many great aircraft flying-in but i have to say that Kim and Cameron Rolph-smith were complete idiots in how they operated. eg dodgy approaches, very low passes, turning towards the crowd and so fourth. But i have to admit it looked pretty cool lol. Kim would be the only person the makes the cockpit of the T-28 look small. It was great for me burning down in VH-ZUK from toowoomba on Saturday and Sunday, Cloud bashing both times, best flying experience i have ever had. The Mustang Displays were excellent by Frank, nothing beats the sound of a Merlin, even the Wright Cyclone on the T-28 sounded good. It was a sad day with Barry Hempel, one of the most experienced pilots in the world, then the moto-glider, The pilot being John Giddy i think and the passenger Shane Winter both sadly losing there life, looks to me that they clipped the fence. But the weekend was awesome, petersm69 will be making a video of all the photo's and Videos and posting them on Youtube, i will keep you posted with the video everyone!

[dreamnugget]

Hi guys, yes sad 24 hrs in Qld aviation.  The first incident off Stradbroke was apparantly a booked joyflight in an old Yak for a 20th Birthday present flown out of Archerfield, latest reports is the wreckage has been located with 2 persons on board.  The second out at Watts bridge involving a motorglider (as reported in the paper) with 2 persons on board...early reports are that the plane was coming in on approach and the front (nose) just dropped down towards the ground ( again from news reports).  Condololances to family and friends.

[markwlee]

I went on one of those YAK52 Aerobatic flights with Barry Hempel as a Birthday present a few years ago, before his accident with the hangar door.  We did some amazing stuff over Greenbank: Loops, Rolls, Inverted Flight, Stall Turns and Lomcevaks!  What sticks in my mind (besides the constant stink of aviation fuel, the clouds of exhaust in the cabin at the top of stall turns and the nausea) is the low slow roll over the forest on the way home - he assured me it was 500'.  We pulled about +4½g & -2g -less than the 5½g grey-out I experienced in a Decathlon but still exhausting.  He landed on the grass beside 01R to conserve tyre rubber.  It was a great gift but this recent tragedy is a reminder that with true excitement comes real risk.