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The Royal Flying Doctor Service was another important aspect of Outback Air's work. Richard did a lot of gratis piloting for the Service, sometimes using his own aircraft and at other times flying their aircraft. He saw this as his way of giving back to the outback he loved so much.Outback Air was also frequently chartered to fly contractors and State and Federal politicians to the Torres Straits. More dangerously, | The Royal Flying Doctor Service was another important aspect of Outback Air's work. Richard did a lot of gratis piloting for the Service, sometimes using his own aircraft and at other times flying their aircraft. He saw this as his way of giving back to the outback he loved so much.Outback Air was also frequently chartered to fly contractors and State and Federal politicians to the Torres Straits. More dangerously, | ||
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- | One time, just after Richard obtained his private licence, he flew to a cattle station to deliver emergency rations after a cyclone. As he landed, he encountered a roll of fencing wire, blown there by the cyclone, and it wrapped itself around the front of the plane. Nobody had thought to check the landing strip. The next incident was years later when he was returning to Cairns from a charter. It was dark night with a thunderstorm between his position and the Cairns airport. His aircraft lost all its electrics including radios and undercarriage motor. When Richard eventually landed, it was with his wheels up in a blaze of sparks. Given he still had a lot of fuel stored in the auxiliary wing tip tanks, Richard quickly left the plane in case it blew up. The third incident was when Richard and Ilma were spotting for prawns over Fog Bay in the Northern Territory and had an encounter with a Lesser Frigate bird with a wing span of one and a half meters. The bird smashed the windscreen, hit Ilma on the way through and ended up in the back of the cabin. Following a ‘Pan’ call Richard flew the plane back to Darwin. A few stitches later, a new windscreen and aerials, and a sustained industrial clean to remove fish and bird parts, they were able to return to spotting.\\ | + | One time, just after Richard obtained his private licence, he flew to a cattle station to deliver emergency rations after a cyclone. As he landed, he encountered a roll of fencing wire, blown there by the cyclone, and it wrapped itself around the front of the plane. Nobody had thought to check the landing strip. The next incident was years later when he was returning to Cairns from a charter. It was dark night with a thunderstorm between his position and the Cairns airport. His aircraft lost all its electrics including radios and undercarriage motor. When Richard eventually landed, it was with his wheels up in a blaze of sparks. Given he still had a lot of fuel stored in the auxiliary wing tip tanks, Richard quickly left the plane in case it blew up. The third incident was when Richard and Ilma were spotting for prawns over Fog Bay in the Northern Territory and had an encounter with a Lesser Frigate bird with a wing span of one and a half meters. The bird smashed the windscreen, hit Ilma on the way through and ended up in the back of the cabin. Following a ‘Pan’ call Richard flew the plane back to Darwin. A few stitches later, a new windscreen and aerials, and a sustained industrial clean to remove fish and bird parts, they were able to resume |
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Richard and Ilma sold Outback Air in 1985. The next two years were spent primarily in the Torres Straits helping the Islanders to establish their own crayfish businesses. They helped the Islanders to process, pack, store and market their catches. Richard purchased a boat named Moi-Kuzi (meaning successful hunting) and sailed it up from Cairns with friends. Following this trip Richard declared “Adventure is sheer terror recollected in tranquillity”. | Richard and Ilma sold Outback Air in 1985. The next two years were spent primarily in the Torres Straits helping the Islanders to establish their own crayfish businesses. They helped the Islanders to process, pack, store and market their catches. Richard purchased a boat named Moi-Kuzi (meaning successful hunting) and sailed it up from Cairns with friends. Following this trip Richard declared “Adventure is sheer terror recollected in tranquillity”. | ||
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- | On returning to Cairns, Richard accepted a government contract to assist Aboriginal people living in their communities to establish businesses and make them profitable. During this time Ilma worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service to establish and run its Visitors Centre catering to domestic and international visitors. They then relocated to Townsville, while maintaining their house and ties in Cairns. The move to Townsville was because their children were both living there. | + | On returning to Cairns, Richard accepted a government contract to assist Aboriginal people living in their communities to establish businesses and make them profitable. During this time Ilma worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service to establish and run its Visitors Centre catering to domestic and international visitors. They then relocated to Townsville, while maintaining their house and ties in Cairns. The move to Townsville was because their children were both living there. |
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