News & Updates from Vicki Avcin ~ AusCrafts · Page 52

Wednesday 23rd July 2020 was an end of an era.

Last week I told you about her last flight out of Brisbane, but Wednesday saw her last flight out of Australia, forever.QANTAS 747, VH-OEJ, known as Wunala, flew out of Sydney for the last time on her way to Los Angeles (LAX) before one last flight to the Mojave Desert where she will spend the rest of her days.

The 747 fleet claimed a lot of firsts in their time as QANTAS was the first airline in the world to operate a 747 only fleet.

Since 1971 QANTAS operated a total of 65 747s.

The first 747 took of from Brisbane 49 years ago and has since carried over 250 million people safely to their destinations and home again.

QANTASs first female Captain, Sharelle Quinn had the honour of commanding the final flight.

The last flight out of Sydney was done in style, with her leaving Sydney Airport, flying over the CBD and the iconic Harbour Bridge then up over the Northern and Eastern suburbs and beaches, then headed south, doing a low level flyover and dipping her wings as a farewell to 747-400, VH-OJA which is preserved at the HARS Museum at Albion Park and then turned eastward for her final flight to LAX.

But after 10 mins of heading east, we saw her turn back.

Lot of joking happening that she didnt want to go, crew had hijacked her and she was going to Longreach (where QANTAS was born) but hoping that it wasnt a problem…… but there was one last surprise that no one saw coming.

We watched and watched until the message was evident, she signed off with a flight forming the famous Flying Kangaroo before once again heading off to her final destination.

A wonderful and very fitting signature to leave.

Sad day to day for Queenslanders as we say farewell to the Queen of the Skies with the Brisbane farewell flight for the last remaining Qantas 747-400ER Wunala VH-OEJ – the 57th and last Boeing 747 delivered to Qantas in 2003QF747 made its last landing ever after a farewell joyflight from Brisbane Airport, over north Brisbane, down and over the Gold Coast and back to touch down back at Brisbane Airport.

A limited number of seats were available for people to put their name down and go into a draw to be part of the historic flight.

I wasnt on it, sadly, but for the lucky ones that did win a seat, it mustve been a very nostalgic experience.

Im an avid plane spotter and wouldve loved to have been down there to see her grace the skies for one last time.

I will never get to fly on a 747, something I always wanted to do.

As the 747s are being mothballed all over the world, it is a sad time for aviation and aviation buffs so to just be able to watch her take off, fly and land really does bring a tear to the eye.

Hubby has flown on one many years ago when he had to go to Melbourne for work. There was a pilot strike on at the time and no domestic flights so he had to board an incoming international flight and go to Melbourne on that.

Economy was fully booked so he got to go upstairs and fly business class. He says it is one of the best experiences he ever had at work! He watched the Livestream this morning with me and said he really did feel sad that these planes are now being taken out of service.

She will take off one last time to go back to Sydney then Canberra for 2 more joyflights and then go to the boneyard forever.

Big push on for the Fire Services to take a couple on for air tankers. Personally Id like to see one go to the QANTAS museum in Longreach (where QANTAS was born) so that people can experience her forever.

Farewell Queen of the Sky.

Facebook does have its good points……… we can stay in touch with friends and family and even meet new friends.

I have stayed in touch with many of my friends from years and years ago and when one of them posted on FB that they were here in Hervey Bay we organised to meet up.

Claire was one of my crew when she started as a recruit and I remember being in the Firefighter Games team with her, her first structural fire that she ever went to and many many hours out fighting wildfires with her over the years.

She put it on hold when her first bub was born and then the second one came along. She was always the life of the party but as she put it when the kids came along it was time to grow up and put things on hold.

She now has 4 gorgeous girls and ran her own business till recently when she returned to finish off her diploma in nursing.

We had a wonderful few hours catching up, reminiscing and talking about family. She went to school with my eldest two kids. So for all its faults, FB does bring people together.

Sadly unbeknown to us as we were laughing and talking, one of her best friends husband was victim to a shark attack over on Fraser Island.

As hard as they tried to tend to him he succumbed to the attack. Wasnt until she got back to where they were staying she got the news and messaged me to tell me.

I knew there had been an attack just before she got here but never in our wildest thoughts would it turn out to be someone one of us knew.

Almost felt guilty that night that we were so happy when her friend had lost a loved one just over the other side of the island.

But he was doing what he loved, scuba diving.

Since the last devastating fire season here in Australia, all sorts of offers and memorabilia have been made in order to raise money for different charities that have assisted both people and animals that were impacted by the fires.

In February, an offer was put out for a limited edition figurine of a little firefighter with a little koala.

All money raised from the sale were to go to the RSPCA Nation Bushfire Appeal to assist with helping with caring and rehabilitation of the animals either injured or those found whose habitat had been destroyed.

From the orders they raised $AU750,000 for the appeal.Its sad to see so many offered on Ebay now as majority of people I think purchased to keep and the money would go to the RSPCA but some brought up big so they could make a profit themselves which means the profits they are making wont go to a worthy cause.

Hubby ordered one and a couple of weeks ago they were sent out. Our little Bushy will join all the other fire related teddy bears and things I have collected over the years.

Isnt it so cute?

I spent Wednesday morning at the station doing some work and planned on being home by midday. I got delayed and at 1.15 hubby rang to say daughter had rung and would be ringing back so come home.

Got home and sure enough she rang within 10 mins.

Phone dropped out twice and third time she said shed ring back because she was going into the car place to get something.

While I was talking to her I was sitting out the front of the house and noticed a car pull up out the front of our place, didnt think anything of it because people stop all the time because its where they get phone reception.

Hubby went out to go to the shop and I saw the car speed off, him in hot pursuit. He gets home from the shop and asks me did I see the pink ribbons on 2 trees at the front.

No I didnt So off I go to look (couldnt see from the house) and get some pictures.

Told hubby to ring the police because we there is a big problem with people tagging fences, gates, trees which mark a place for robberies and dogs getting stolen.

While taking the photos I noticed a car parked down the road but couldnt see if it was the same car.

As I got down to the house, Im still telling hubby to ring the police, daughter was on the phone and I was telling her what was going on.

Being a cop, shes asking whats going on, and the same car pulled up out front again and we see someone start putting pink tape on more trees, and Im saying to daughter I have to go and ring the police.

Shes saying no stay on the phone and tell her whats going on. Hubby snuck up the yard, hiding behind bushes and trees and when he got up to the front this person takes off down our fence line.

Im well and truly panicking now, and raced inside to grab my phone to try and take a pic of whoever ran from hubby.

Daughter is still telling me to stay on the phone (landline) and Im saying no I have to ring the police.

Im hurling abuse at this person saying What do you think youre doing…… not so politely.

As I got to the end of the house, this person came round the corner of the house……….. it was my son!

Well I just went to jelly. I couldnt talk, gave him the phone and said talk to your sister while hes trying to hold me up to stop me from collapsing totally.

With that the car turned and came down the driveway………with my daughter driving.

The pair of them thought it was extremely funny, then I find out that when hubby chased them up the road, they pulled over and my son got out, so he then found out what was going on.

Mind you he said he was about to rip into whoever got out of the car till he realised who it was, then went along with it all.

When it all settled down they said theyd come up for the night as she had days off and as my son still cant drive after his accident a year ago, they decided to come up for the night which was awesome.

All I can say is Karma is coming to get both of them!!