Posts Tagged 'solo'

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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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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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 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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Twists and turns.

Aviation is a dynamic field of endeavour and today I am reminded of that in more ways than one.

Firstly, a sincere congratulations to Matt Hall with his superb performance to register second place in yesterday’s Red Bull Air Race in Perth. In a consumately professional performance, Matt flew a series of clean runs with ever-decreasing times to set the Perth crowd alight. The signs are ...

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Come there and back with me!

It’s been a busy week for ‘There and Back’.

Liaising with the RAAF and Airservices Australia regarding clearances and landing approvals and even squeezing in a breakfast interview with ABC radio. As the days count down, the interest in the flight seems to be increasing exponentially, with the website recording a massive amount of visits and the emails flooding in. There are community groups and school ...

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Donations, DVDs and Destinations.

The interest in this around Australia flight continues to grow and I’d like to thank evryone for the growing list of emails of support. I am making a genuine effort to answer each and evry one and to date I think that has been achieved. Also, a very special thank you to everyone who has donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service through the online facility on the ...

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Counting down the days!

One month to go until ‘There and Back’ departs Bundaberg on May 5th!

I checked out the aircraft this weekend at Temora’s NATFLY and the Jabiru J230 looks fantastic. More importantly, it ran like a Swiss watch for the flight from Bundaberg. There was also an opportunity to assess the rig for the onboard HD camera and it promises to capture some great images on the way around Australia.

There’s ...

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$1,000 donation mark surpassed. Thank you!

Thanks to every one of you we’re well on the way to our target of $10,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The May 5th departure is still some weeks off, but the interest out their in the community is evident by the emails, phone calls and donations that are coming in.

EVERYONE can play a part in the lead up to flying ‘There and Back’. Tell your friends, family ...

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Air Show Action!

When not visiting points of historical significance in Victoria this weekend, we found time to attend the Centenary Air Show at Melton.

From antique Avro Cadet’s to Chris Sperou’s thrilling aerobatics, there was something for everyone. On such a day the cameras are snapping at a very high rate, so check back at the ‘There and Back’ gallery as we post photos from an exciting day of aviation.

…and please don’t ...

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A Moment in History.

This rather average paddock is the site of a rather significant event.

The pine trees in the distance provided the backdrop to Harry Houdini’s first powered flight at Digger’s Rest Victoria on March 18th, 1910.

Driving down the road, if you blink you’ll miss the historic marker. Yet with a breeze blowing and a QANTAS 767 climbing overhead, you could almost imagine the fragile Voisin taking to the skies that ...

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Test Flying Completed!

Hi All,
Despite the weather’s best efforts to spoil the show, the flight test program for the Jabiru J230D is now complete! The aircraft is all set and ready to go and will make the trip to Temora for Natfly, which will provide an excellent opportunity to confirm performance and planning figures.
The attached photo shows the J230 sporting one of the fantastic colour schemes that new ...

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100 Years Today.

Today marked 100 years since Harry Houdini took to the skies under power at Digger’s Rest in Victoria. That flight , in a Voisin biplane, set Australia on a very distinguished course as the young nation went onto become a pioneer in aviation with names like Hinkler, Kingsford Smith, Bonney and the Smith brothers all making their own indelible mark.

This centenary landmark is being marked by a Festival of Flight ...

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Thank You!

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Royal Flying Doctor Service through ‘There and Back’ so far.

We haven’t even left the ground yet and the first $1,000 has almost been raised. What a great effort!

Remember that every little bit helps, so whatever you can afford to ‘chip in’ toward this worthy cause it will all be greatly appreciated. Be it a dollar or five, it adds up very quickly ...

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All the way from the USA!

This is Dillon with his dog, McGee.

He typically represents the interest I have had from schoolchildren on opposite sides of the globe regarding the flight around Australia.

Yesterday was spent speaking with children at the local public school and those active minds raised a number of pertinent questions about flying light aircraft; many of which related to bathroom breaks! In the meantime, Dillon from New England in the United States started ...

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Bundaberg’s Countdown Continues…

As the countdown to departure on May 5th continues, the Bundaberg News Mail continues to support ‘There and Back’.

Bundaberg is central to the centenary flight in so many ways. It is the home of the Jabiru Aircraft facility and the town which gave us the aviation pioneer, and my boyhood hero, Bert Hinkler.

Follow the link below to see the latest article in Bundaberg’s local ...

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