• 30 December 2024 I had an article published in the Hobart ‘Mercury’ newspaper. Read all about it!
In the news
You can read, for context, three articles appearing in the ‘Mercury’ newspaper. On December 13, 2024 a front page and page 7 article appeared in the ‘Mercury’ newspaper, regarding East coast Tasmanians objecting to a proposed change to flight paths into Hobart Airport, by Air Services Australia. It was followed up on December 20, 2024 with an ill-informed opinion offered by a Glamorgan-Spring Bay Councilman. I could not allow his to be the last word on aircraft noise. Senator Jonathon Duniam came to meet me in Bothwell, some years ago, to get his head around the issues, as I had flown into and out of Hobart Airport as a passenger and as a pilot, many times. Further, I had flown a wide variety of aircraft during my aviation career spanning thirty-six years, including serving as a captain of Boeing 747-400, 747-300, 747-200, 737-800 and 737-700 jets. Various aircraft overfly Bothwell, though mostly Boeing 737NG aircraft, Airbus 320, and the Wespac Rescue Helicopter. Recently, I had made a 20 second recording of a Jetstar A320-232 jet flying overhead about 10,000 feet. When I played it back, I could hearing birds chirping. I wondered what all the fuss is about. I decided to write a article to rebut the rubbish written by the Councilman pretending to be the “hero of the people”. As we live on an island, at somepoint, aircraft must overfly someone. I reckon the folks who are complaining about the aircraft noise are looking for compensation from the government and if they didn’t have any aircraft noise to complain about, they would find another cause célèbre.
• 7 March 2023 I made a submission to the Aviation White Paper
Aviation White Paper Branch
Domestic Aviation & Reform Division
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
GPO Box 594
CANBERRA ACT 2601
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-white-paper
• 11 July 2022 I published my second edition of my autobiography, within with I provide safety advice to the aviation community, as well as telling my story how I became a pilot. Please refer to the link for my book, “Dancing With Clouds – Never Take ‘No’ For An Answer”, ISBN: 9780648485575
• 20 November 2020 I gave evidence before the Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Australia’s General Aviation (decline), chaired by the Honourable Senator Susan McDonald. Refer to Page 2, Submission No. 22
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Rural_and_Regional_Affairs_and_Transport/GeneralAviation/Submissions
• 7 September 2018: The first edition of my book “Dancing With Clouds” was launched. The public exhibit and book launch was from 8 to 30 September 2018, at Salamanca Arts Centre, Long Gallery, Hobart.
• 4 April 2018 I offered my advice to Senator Jonathon Duniam, who was representing community concerns regarding Hobart Airport Noise. As a pilot of 36 years experience, who has flown a wide variety of aircraft, I offered him the benefit of my experience, in correspondence. October 2018 he drove up to meet with me, in my home town, where we met over coffee, at a local cafe. I spread my Enroute navigation charts,as well as Jeppesen Standard Intrument Arrival Charts, Standard Intrument Departure Charts, and Approach Plates for Runways 12 and 30 onto the table. We discussed the noise issue and I explained aircraft operations and pilot awareness of an aircraft’s “noise footprint” and Fly Neighborly” advice from the aviation regulator.
• 19 August 2015 I offered advice to Australian entrepreneur, adventurer, and philanthropist, Mr. Dick Smith, AC, at his request, regarding F.A.A. Regulations. As of 2023, the gentleman is worth a cool $77 million. From 22 July 2022 to 22 July 1983, Mr. Smith piloted a Bell 206B III JetRanger helicopter, registration number VH-DIK, solo around the world and is the first person to do so. He was the first to fly a helicopter solo across the Atlantic Ocean. He set five Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) world records —and, he asked for my consultation. By comparison, I earned my F.A.A. Instrument Airline Transport Pilot Certificate in the Bell 206B III Jet Ranger, on 5 October 1983, but would have lucky to navigate the helicopter around the San Francisco Bay Area, for Spirit Airways.
• 13 August 2015 An article I wrote that appeared in “Flight Safety Australia” magazine, November-December 2005, titled “One Strike And You’re Out”, regarding collision hazard that wires pose to low flying aircraft was quoted in a Transport Canada Aviation Investigation Report A14Q0060.
• 5 October 2014 it has been that long ago that I have advocated for upgrading Hobart International Airport, lobbying many in State and Federal government, to no avail. Most of the stakeholders and politicians seem to know better than someone who has used Hobart Airport both as a pilot and passenger. In the letters below, I wrote to the State Premier du jour, but was referred by a Minister, long gone to the State’s aviation guru “du jour”, long gone, who assured me his plan was more than adequate, for the next 25 years and discounted anything I had to say, during our very brief meeting, in his office on Elizabeth Street . How many times has the Hobart Airport been upgraded, since 2014, and it is still inadequate?
• Since 1983, I have been an internationally published Aviation Safety and Technical Writer. I was first published in the “Pacific Flyer”, about the use of oxygen.
