Posts Tagged 'owen zupp'

The Journey Continues

The Journey Continues

While the flight ‘There and Back’ has concluded, the journey is just beginning in many ways.

There are speaking engagements and correspondence to attend to. Later this month I’ll be speaking at the Press Club in Canberra and for the first time making a presentation of the recent trek around Australia.

As words of the manuscript flow into text, it is obvious that a wealth of material also exists in a visual sense; split between still images and ‘High Definition’ footage. With ...

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Snap Shot Magazine

Snap Shot Magazine

Owen was recently featured in the Southern Highlands magazine “Snap Shot”

 

 

 

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Simsational

And the pleasure began from the moment Qantas Captains Andrew Foxton and Rob Ford opened the door to the massive flightdeck of the A380 simulator.

These dimensions are afforded by virtue of the actual flightdeck being positioned ‘between levels’ with its floor space dictated by the width of the main deck below. It is so large in fact that the physical dimensions of the simulator’s flightdeck had to be ...

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$10,000 target achieved! Thank you!

The target of $10,000 in funds raised by ‘There and Back’ for the RFDS has been achieved! Thank you to everyone who has contributed.

As if ‘There and Back’ hadn’t kicked enough goals, this final milestone rounds of the flight with a wonderful sense of completion. The most recent donation was made by someone preferring to remain anonymous, but was dedicated to the memory of my Dad and ...

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Beyond There and Back.

Today is my first full day at home since the around Australia flight concluded at Bundaberg last Sunday.

It has been a day of ‘administration’ and sending off those vital cheques to the RFDS. We are well within reach of the $10,000 target and the facility to donate to the RFDS will remain open a little longer, so please contribute and help ‘There and Back’ meet its fund-raising goal.

There ...

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Jewels of the South. Wednesday May 19th.

After a fantastic day off with my family, it was back to the skies today.

The little Jabiru had rested the night in the hangar at Mittagong and was soon refuelled and ready to fly on its first short flight of today. A mere hop to the east, the flight was a terrific opportunity to see the rolling green hills of the Southern Highlands before sliding down ...

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Thanks Bundaberg!

On this day of departure, a special thank you must go to the folks of Bundaberg.

Everyone has been so helpful and interested; from cabbies to Councillors. Bundaberg was the ideal location to depart givenits historical ties to Bert Hinkler and the home of Jabiru aircraft.On that note, the Hinkler Hall of Aviation is a ‘must see’. http://hinklerhallofaviation.com/ However, the people and the place itself are ...

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Today’s the day!

Today’s the day!

It’s dark here, but I can see stars out my window. My fingers are crossed that the weather will play the game so that ‘There and Back’ will make a a scheduled departure at 10am.

One last ‘Thank You’ to everyone for their messages of support and donations thus far. Also, to my family and friends and the engine room team of Rob, Buckets and Hayley. Thanks to all.

Now ...

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Ready to go.

So after all of the planning, the day of departure finally comes tomorrow. And I can’t wait!

Today was spent attending to all manner of details. There was practice at changing a wheel and ensuring that the cowlings held no mysteries about what lay beneath. Then there was the media. The phone started at 7am and everyone from The Courier Mail to ABC Radio and TV Channels 7 ...

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Two sleeps to go!

With ‘two sleeps’ to go until departure, sleep is a treasured item.

Today was spent at Jabiru’s facility and my first meeting with the ‘There and Back’ Jabiru J230 in its new scheme. The day was spent familiarising myself with the various small details relating to the aircraft that, if overlooked, could lead to inconvenience and enroute. Spare fuel cap keys, GPS features and avionics switching to name but a few. ...

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Back in beautiful Bundaberg.

Even a fog-bound Sydney Airport couldn’t prevent the first steps on the ‘There and Back’ journey as the trip to Bundaberg kicked off. Centrepoint Tower peeked its head above the low lying mist, while the suburbs of the northern shores were bathed I early morning sunlight. It was impossible not to consider what will have passed beneath my wings by the time I next catch a glimpse of the harbour city.

As the QANTAS Boeing 737 subsequently transited high above the ...

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The ‘There and Back’ Jabiru shows her new colours!

Here she is!

The first shot of the ‘There and Back’ Jabiru J230D in its special scheme for the upcoming flight around Australia. The team at Jabiru produced the tailored scheme on-site at their Bundaberg facility and the aircraft looks fantastic as the date of departure nears.

To be honest, I can’t think of a better way to see Australia from the air. Once again my thanks go to ...

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Some very special support.

Over the last few days I have received lots of support and good wishes from folks as far afield as Africa.

However, I received a very special wish from a little 6 year old girl from Bowral NSW named Ava. It came in the form of a card made with a lot of thought and a lot of effort.While the cover was adorned with an array of ...

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The word is spreading!

The media attention for ‘There and Back’ seems to almost be reaching fever pitch.

The website has been bombarded at previously uneseen levels, but the major breaking news is upcoming coverage with the Ten Network. They are keen to see the ‘There and Back’ Jabiru in all its new glory and I suspect grab a word or two from me as well. It is a ...

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Less than a week to go!

Yesterday was quite a day! So much so that the first spare minute to blog about ‘There and Back’ this morning came today!

Firstly, through a combination of cheques and online donations, a further $1,000 has been contributed to the Royal Flying Doctor’s cause. This amazing degree of generosity sees the total donations pass $3,000 and work is underway to have the website reflect the total sum raised ...

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Fair Skies Ahead.

With eight days to go, my eye is warily cast over the synoptic charts of the approaching weather systems.

The month of May was selected as it has generally friendly weather patterns characterised by big happy high pressure systems loitering in the Great Australian Bite. Meanwhile the dry season is in full swing across the northern reaches of Australia. All in all, a favourable situation. Yet, the ...

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The countdown is underway!

With the days to There and Back’s departure on May 5th down to single digits, the interest from all quarters seems to be spiralling upwards.

However, rather than a peak of frenzied activity, this coming week is really an opportunity to double check the preparation and attend to the growing media interest . It is also important to be well rested for an undertaking ...

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Lest We Forget. An ANZAC Day Tale.

As ANZAC Day dawned for another year, it once again called forth thoughts of those who have served and those who actively serve today both at home and abroad.

The day has always held special significance in our home and will again this year. Though my late father was never one to march, he would pay his respects quietly at the Dawn Service each year. He and ...

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The $2,000 donation mark is passed!

Another milestone has been surpassed today when donations reached the $2,000 level!

Thank you to all those who have contributed. As departure looms on May 5th, this is a great start that can only be built upon further when the Jabiru’s wheels leave the ground at Bundaberg in 12 days time.

Thanks so much to one and all. Please dig deep and donate a ‘Dollar for the ...

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Thanks to all!

Captain Harry Butler's 'Red Devil' at Minlaton, South Australia. (Image: alofbrid/Flickr)

Captain Harry Butler’s Red Devil

As disappointing as yesterday’s announcement of the closure of Woomera’s airspace may be, there is no denying that when one door closes, another opens. My route will now head south from Streaky Bay to Port Lincoln on May 13th.

The next day I will pay a visit to Minlaton, the home and ...

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