Light aircraft down NSW
 

From www.news.com.au and more specifically for those who just need to know http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...02-421,00.html


Now I don't know about you lot, but rightly or wrongly I'm a little bit sus on this one. Since when does a light aircraft like a C150/152 carry citizens band UHF to be able to call truckies in times of need?
I hope this is a poor hoax.

In some respects I agree, however thinking about the guys and girls out there looking for them on Christmas day, some of whom are volunteers, I hope it is legit. Of course with those on board the aircraft surviving.

On the point of form of communication, would it be unheard of for a light aircraft the flew a high percentage of its hours in a rural area to not have a radio that truckies could pick up? To me it does not seem totally unfeasible.

I have no evidence to say that this aircraft is based in rural area and rarely fly to an urban environment, just posing the question. My experience with rural aviation is very little.

Cheers

M

It wouldn't be unheard of for an aircraft to carry a UHF. I have flown several that have, and all the aircraft I fly now are equipped with it.

However, this sounds suss. If it's a hoax, then it's quite sad that someone could be so low as to do this.

Merry Christmas All

Mick

From the SMH. Good news ending on Christmas Day.





Plane crash rescue

Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Peter Hawkins
December 25, 2008 - 9:17AM

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Two men have been found alive after their plane crashed in rugged bushland in the Upper Hunter area of NSW yesterday afternoon.

An NRMA Careflight crew spotted the survivors, aged 38 and 32 about 10am this morning, standing next to the plane waving to the helicopter crew.

Their single engine Cessna 172 was found north-west of Merriwa, in the Great Dividing Range, upside down in trees, said a Careflight spokesman.

The two men were winched out of the ravine by the Careflight helicopter and taken to hospital.

It is not known if the two men are injured at this stage.

The CareFlight spokesman said they were alerted to the wreckage on the side of a steep ravine by a property owner and were able to search the area when cloud lifted shortly before 10am.

Police said the two-seater Cessna crashed while flying 380km from Mudgee to Glenn Innes in the state's north.

About 4.30pm on Wednesday a truck driver received a distress call on his UHF radio from the pilot of a light plane.

During the call the pilot provided co-ordinates in the Glenn Innes area, but a search by local police, ambulance paramedics, the Volunteer Rescue Association and helicopters failed to find the crashed plane.

The search on last night was called off due to poor light and dangerous conditions, police and Careflight said.

The bad weather, including low cloud and rain, may have caused the crash.

Police and rescue crews resumed the search at first light this morning and at the request of AusSAR, the search area was focused on the ranges which initially were covered in cloud.

SMH have revised their article. It is not so good news.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...998635591.html

VH-EKS Cessna 172