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Neighbourhood Safety
At the Master Plan Meeting we were told there was a 1:1 000 000
risk of injury to residents from an Airport Related Activity
The very NEXT DAY a plane narrowly missed one of us ON THE BEACH!

Index

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CRASH June 2001
 

Another Crash on Runway 18. 
CLICK on Thumbnail for Full Size Picture.
On Thursday 21st. June 2001 at 11-45am (only 1 month after the LAST Crash) a Twin Engine Piper Commanche crashed whilst practicing single engine landings. The aircraft owned by Queensland Avaiation Services from Caloundra with the Instructor at the controlls and two student passangers was written off. - At least it was inside the aerodrome boundary fence this time.
We are now waiting for the THIRD incident to happen.

CRASH May 2001
 
 


Crashed Aircraft in scrub 300m short of Runway 18. 
CLICK on Thumbnail for Full Size Picture.
On Friday 18th. May 2001, a twin engine Cesna CRASHED in the so called PUBLIC SAFETY ZONEnorth of the Main N/S Runway. This Zone has been Officially SHORTENED from 1500m to 1000m from the end of the runway and is approximately 350m wide.
However it STILL includes many of our HOMES.
We think it should be called"DANGER"Zone, because this is the area that most Crashes are expected to occur, but the authorities seem to think that this misnaming somehow reduces (or disguises) the HAZARD.
And why is it that whenever there is an incident such as this, the pilot is always praised as A HERO?
Months later - and investigations are still underway. But reports are, Both engines failed shortly after takeoff due to NO FUEL.    In other words - an EFATO.    Students practice the proper procedure for this type of emergency over our rooftops all the time.    If they can't safely make it to the runway, they are supposed to try the beach or ditch in the sea.   So why didn't he?
Should we be grateful that our lives and homes were put in jeopardy by a Hero?

BEACH LANDING 24th. FEB. 1999

CLICK on the Thumbnails for Larger Pictures
This light aircraft RAN OUT OF FUEL just short of Runway 18 
Look how much BEACH he had to land on, - And this was LOW TIDE.
CLICK Thumbnail for Larger Picture

This Pilot's action in undertaking a flight with insufficient Fuel on board for at least 45 minutes
of EXTRA Flying time than his ETA is a SERIOUS BREACH of Air Safety Procedures and should
be grounds for Cancellation of his Licence.
Instead of which, he was hailed in the media as a HERO and this LIFE THREATENING ACTION
was reported as "The Pilot executed a TEXTBOOK LANDING on the deserted beach"

What would have happened to me if he had BLOTTED His Copy Book ?
What if I had stood up and taken a step towards the water ?
What if he had hit a Patch of SOFT SAND ?
I'm supposed to feel SAFE knowing I was almost KILLED by this Expert HERO ?

Airport personnel were quickly on the scene with jerrycans and the Cesna180 took off before
any TV cameras could record the event.
This TAKEOFF was probably ANOTHER ILLEGAL Action, and the aircraft should have been
removed from the Public Beach on the back of a TRUCK.
But who's counting ?
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EMERGENCY LANDING 5/3/1999

Within a fortnight we had ANOTHER One in a Million event when a Twin Engine Barron? had to Abort Take-off on Runway 18 and make an emergency landing because the Pilot had forgotten to secure his Fuel Cap. 
Lyn Mulvaney was alarmed to see SMOKE erupt from his starboard engine as he banked hard over her rooftop in an effort to return to the Airport.
Most of us were unaware of this incident. - How many OTHERS do we never hear about?

Max Tracey says - "Plenty"
Like the Cesna which crashed into the clearing just south of the runway at
Little Mudjimba on the 4th. October 1993,
and the other one that ALSO ran out of fueland landed on the beach at Yaroomba. 

Or the ANSET Flight to Sydney on 1st. June 1995 departing Maroochy at 1.00pm
It wasCANCELED DUE TO A FIRE ON BOARD.

And we STILL DON'T HAVE A FIRE SERVICE at Maroochy ! 

Don Culley want's to bring in DIRECT OVERSEAS FLIGHTS by putting 
the Local Fire Brigade ON STANDBY when the Jets are about to land !

Talk about COMPROMISING SAFETY STANDARDS !!!
Perhaps ignorance ISBliss?

From now on, we will be receiving a report about ALL these safety incidents.
We'll try to keep this Page UPDATED.
"I just hope there's enough room." -- Says Max

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How SAFE are We?

It's only been a few months since a Cesna CRASHED on Runway 18 whilst
performing a Touch-and-Go - tragically killing two people.
This Pilot was EXPERIENCEDand already had his licence.
But this manoeuvre is carried daily by INEXPERIENCED STUDENTS
(Many too young even to obtain a normal DRIVER'S LICENCE)
"And MANY are from overseas and have difficulty understanding Control Tower Instructions" -Says Max.
Meanwhile, on the ground below, we are blissfully unaware of this potential disaster circling overhead and flying over our rooftop at 4 minute intervals for the hour long lesson.
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EFATOs are now BANNED

This EXTREMELY ANNOYING Manoeuvre (EngineFailureAfterTake-Off) is supposed to have been BANNED since an agreement between the Flying Schools and Local Residents was reached back in March 1993. - Prior to then they used to do REPEATED Touch-and-Go's followed by an EFATOon EVERY CIRCUIT for a Whole Hour Long Lesson. - Sometimes AT NIGHT!!!
Thankfully this has now ceased -- Well ALMOST! -- Now and then they have a RELAPSE,
When they do - RING UP AND COMPLAIN- Otherwise people like Airplanwill write in their Reports
"The Flying Schools practise a Good Neighbour Policy and DO NOT carry out EFATO's over residential Areas" - like they did in The Latest Master Plan.

The NEW All Hours HOTLINE for COMPLAINTS is
5448 9618
or you can call AirServices Australia through The Brisbane Noise Enquiry Unit on
1300 302 240

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