CAC Wirraway – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB30/11/202223/11/2024

Australian aviation history digital archive

In its mission to preserve and promote Australia's aviation heritage, the AHSA hosts the following digital archives. Click on the image to go to...

DerekB27/04/202204/06/2023

The Aircraft Projects of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation

This new book by author and AHSA member Joe Vella has just been published (April 2022). Joe began writing this book in 1983 when...

DerekB29/09/202027/12/2022

Australian-built Aircraft and the Industry (Vol 2) by Keith Meggs

The latest book released by author Keith Meggs Volume 2 of this encyclopaedic work (containing only one chapter, being chapter 15, spread across two...

DerekB16/09/202027/12/2022

AHSA Monthly Meeting 16 Sep 2020 (Derek Buckmaster: The Wirraway “Newspaper War”)

Derek Buckmaster gave a presentation on The Wirraway "Newspaper War". The AHSA September monthly meeting was held online via Zoom. A recording of the...

Cover - CAC Ceres by Derek Buckmaster

DerekB08/06/202027/12/2022

CAC Ceres – Australia’s Heavyweight Cropduster by Derek Buckmaster

The Ceres agricultural aircraft was produced by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) in Australia from 1959 to 1963. A total of only 20 airframes were...

1944 Bristol Beaufort VIII A9-550 of No 15 Squadron RAAF crashed at Menangle Park Airfield, Camden, New South Wales on 29 March 1944. The aircraft crashed after take-off, there were 5 fatalities and the aircraft was destroyed. Sources: ADF-Serials; aviation-safety.net website

1968 Auster J/4 Archer VH-CGD crashed at near Waterford, Queensland on 29 March 1968. There were 2 fatalities and the aircraft was substantially damaged. Source: aviation-safety.net website

2003 Canadian Safari VH-VDB crashed at 4km SW of McLaren Vale, SA on 29 March 2003. The pilot and passenger in this kit-built helicopter were making a private flight from the pilot's property to a nearby airstrip. At about 1415 Central Summer Time, witnesses reported seeing the helicopter flying in a south-westerly direction. One witness, who knew the pilot, reported that he saw the helicopter commence a gentle left turn and the pilot waving to him moments before it broke up in flight. That witness also reported seeing the cockpit bubble shatter and a cloud of white dust appearing from the area of the cabin. Witnesses reported having heard the engine operating immediately prior to and following the in-flight break-up. Other witnesses heard a loud metallic sound, and described the helicopter almost stopping, pitching nose-up and a main rotor blade folding, before pitching nose-down and descending steeply. The helicopter collided with a large tree and a shed before impacting the ground at the rear of a residential house block. There was no fire. Both occupants were fatally injured. Source: ATSB

2006 The Aviation Transport Security Amendment Bill 2006 was introduced into Parliament on 29 March 2006 to provide for special events at airports and management of cargo security clearances. Source: House of Representatives, Debates, 29 March 2006. Bills Digest, no.157, 20 June 2006. via aph.gov.au website

2008 Qantas flight 580, a Boeing 747, flying from Perth to Sydney with 420 passengers on 29 March 2008, made a precautionary emergency landing at Adelaide when an external window in business class cracked. Source: Hannah Silverman, ‘Qantas plane forced to land’, Sunday Mail ADL, 30 March 2008, p. 27. via aph.gov.au website