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On the Airbands
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Four of our “On the Airbands” readers have written to enquire: “What is Qantas 180, and where is it bound?” This flight is the recently inaugurated Tokyo/Darwin service. Equipment used is a Boeing 767-238, with the Tokyo departure on Monday evening, with an early morning Tuesday arrival in Darwin, followed by the continuation through to Sydney for a mid-morning arrival. The flight brings the total of Japan/Australia services to 32 a week. The first service was flown by VH-EAQ, commanded by Captain Noel Gordon, with First Officer Peter Campbell, and Second Officer Peter Mills. About the time you are reading this column, the aircraft flying the Qantas 180 service will be upgraded to a Boeing 767-338. On the subject of new things at Qantas, prior to now, all Qantas Satcoms equipped 747-400s were only involved in data transfer through computer terminals. Boeing 747-438 VH-OJQ has been fitted with Satfone capability, meaning high quality cabin voice and telephone communications can now be made. From an American reader, who wishes to remain unnamed within these pages, a story similar to one we came across some years ago involving our returning military from their Middle East service. They were being welcomed at Canberra’s Fairbairn Air Force Base by relatives, and some camels, specially arranged to “set the mood”. Apparently, one of the camels escaped and raised hell on the active runway! In this story, set at a fairly large airport in the American Midwest, a Chief Flying Instructor and student are holding on the runway in their Cessna 172, waiting for departing traffic on the cross runway. Suddenly, a deer runs out of nearby bushland, stops in the middle of the runway, and just stands there looking at them.
Twr: “Cessna Five Four Golf, Cleared For Takeoff.”
STUDENT: “What’ll I do Tower? There’s a deer in front of us.”
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