GAF – Aviation Historical Society of Australia

DerekB22/03/202321/05/2024

AHSA Melbourne Meeting March 2023 (Annie Floodin: Boeing History)

Our March 2023 Melbourne meeting featured a presentation by Annie Floodin, a historian from Boeing Historical Services who is currently visiting Australia connecting with...

1938 Avro Anson Mk I A4-27 of 22 Squadron RAAF crashed at Green Hills Bombing Range, Liverpool, New South Wales on 29 May 1938 after completing bombing practice. All five crew members were killed: FLTLT M.P. Alsopp (Pilot), CPL W.A. Lockwood, AC R. Lawson, LAC J Gordon, and AC J. Mackey. Sources: ADF-Serials; aviation-safety.net website

1942 The first flight of the CAC Boomerang fighter was carried out by CAC test pilot Ken Frewin at Fisherman's Bend on 29 May 1942. A46-1 took to the air just 14 weeks after the project commenced. Frewin was granted a bonus of £100 for the flight and the CAC staff were allowed to stop work and view the test flight from outside the factory. Source: Meggs, Keith, Australian-Built Aircraft and the Industry, Volume 2.

1945 CAC CA-12 Boomerangs A46-17 and A46-82 of 8 Operational Training Unit RAAF collided in mid-air near the gunnergy range and crashed 10 miles NE of Parkes, NSW on 29 May 1945. Both pilots PLTOFF Charles Neil Weatherson (431676) and PLTOFF William Ernest Lyall Foster (264486) were killed. Sources: ADF-Serials; aviation-safety.net website

2003 On 29 May 2003 the Boeing 717 VH-VQI, performing QantasLink Flight 1737, took off from Melbourne Airport, bound for Launceston. About ten minutes later, the cabin crew began preparing for the onboard meal service. The male cabin manager and one female flight attendant crewing in the front galley did not notice an agitated passenger in Row 7 stand up. He began moving forward towards the galley and crew. Then suddenly, the passenger produced two sharpened wooden stakes from his pocket as he reached them. The passenger first stabbed the female flight attendant. She had facial lacerations around her temple and eye area. He then stabbed the male cabin manager several times in the back of his head. The cabin manager was bleeding profusely from his head, neck and chin. Although injured and bleeding, the cabin manager immediately tackled the passenger to unbalance him. There was a scuffle, and he eventually got the passenger on the floor. Several passengers (including a Canadian paramedic and a former Canadian soldier) helped restrain the attacker and held him down. Although she was bleeding from her face wounds, the flight attendant found the plastic tie handcuffs from the stowage carried onboard and passed them to the Canadian passenger who overcame the attacker. Four passengers managed to get on top of the man to restrain him. They tied up the man's wrists and ankles and kept him in a space between two seats. Without the help of the four passengers, the cabin manager feared he would have been killed. A passenger described the cabin manager's actions as 'very brave' and was concerned at the blood coming from his wounds. Boeing B717 VH-VQI was later registered as VH-NXN when operated by National Jets for QantasLink. VH-VQI later became VH-NXN and departed Canberra, ACT, Australia, for Victorville boneyard, CA, on Friday, 3 May 2024. Sources: Aviation Safety Network website; Aussie Airliners website; The Age, 30 May 2003, p. 12. Sydney Morning Herald. via aph.gov.au website

2006 A Qantas Boeing 747 wing tip struck a blast fence at New York's JFK Airport around 5pm local time on 29 May 2006. QF107 from Los Angeles had 204 passengers on board. They claimed it took Qantas and airport staff about an hour to get the plane clear of the blast fence at the edge of the tarmac. Source: Debbie Cuthbertson, ‘Qantas jet hits airport blast fence’, Sydney Morning Herald, 30 May 2006. via aph.gov.au website

2008 On 29 May 2008 the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport resolved to conduct a formal inquiry into the administration of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and related matters, with a reporting date of 9 July 2008. The inquiry aimed to examine and assess the effectiveness of administrative reforms and governance undertaken in CASA since 2003 and its industry role. Source: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/ via aph.gov.au website