RAAF retires the 707 - photos hot of the press

Here is my story and photos from todays final RAAF 707 flight.

http://www.warbirdz.net/phpBB2/showthre ... #post16948

[bomberflight]

And here's the story as related by the media ....

Qoute

Defence officials have had to allay the concerns of Sydney office workers, who watched as an air force fighter chased what appeared to be a passenger plane.

Some people thought Australia's most populous city might be coming under attack.

Instead the Australian Defence Force was bidding farewell to one of its aircraft.

The media had been alerted about the fly-past over Sydney harbour bridge but not, apparently, the public.

A number of office workers decided to evacuate their skyscrapers after watching in alarm as a passenger plane flew low over Sydney harbour chased by an air force fighter.

After flying over the city the planes banked over the coast then headed back towards the central business district.

One eyewitness said the sight and sound of the planes was "terrifying".

Another said he'd never been so scared.

But rather than witnessing the pursuit of a hijacked plane, the office workers were watching a farewell flight.

One of the defence force's Boeing 707 aircraft was being retired from service, shadowed by a hawk fighter from which aerial photographs were being taken.

Unqoute

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 481039.stm

[Mark_Pilkington]

.
I see his point......

Not everyone appreciated the flyover. In a letter to the Herald, Robert Harriss of Oyster Bay said he and his colleagues would have appreciated a warning.

"We saw what appeared to be a large commercial airliner trailing smoke, flying directly towards our 39th-floor offices, with a fighter jet in close pursuit," Mr Harriss wrote. "It seems somewhat irresponsible for the Defence Force to fly a large plane towards the city's largest office buildings.

regards

Mark Pilkington

[vernicator]

Some people thought Australia's most populous city might be coming under attack.

Oh for the love of...are you kidding me??!! Are people still really this ignorant??!!

Go for a walk thru Sydney and meet the yuppies, wowsers and whimps.. i see them everyday.

Tonight a Dash 8 took off from Mascot/Kingsford Smith Airport and did it ususal departure by flyng OVER the city CBD at around 500m and climbing.. and someone near me pointed it out and said a terrorist could be on board and i just rolled my eyes and muttered to myself ... what a individual of questionable judgement... the planes have been doing that for over 60-years + .. and only now people are worried..

[Mark_Pilkington]

vernicator
Pilot Officer


Joined: 14 Apr 2006
Posts: 109

Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:15 am Post subject:

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Quote:
Some people thought Australia's most populous city might be coming under attack.


Oh for the love of...are you kidding me??!! Are people still really this ignorant??!!

I wonder who was looking out the windows of the WTC telling his co-workers not to think such silly ideas too? -

The "reality" of the modern world is that it CAN HAPPEN! it did happen, and it can happen again.

The Defence department should have considered the risk the flyover would create those concerns, given the fact that airliner flyovers of our major cities, with fighter aircraft along side are not common occurances, and most non aviation people would not "jump to the conclusion" that the RAAF owns and operates old airliners and might do flyovers to retire them.

If Defence really wanted the public to share in the retirement celebration it could have promoted the B707 fly-over for days before so there was no risk of confusion and un-informed general public viewers.

regards

Mark Pilkington

[vernicator]

...

[skybolt2003]

Some people thought Australia's most populous city might be coming under attack.

Oh for the love of...are you kidding me??!! Are people still really this ignorant??!!

I have to honestly say, are you this ignorant? Why would it be ignorant for a city dweller to be concerned at such a spectacle if they had no idea what was going on? I live in NYC and even though I am a pilot and a lover of all planes have several times since september 11th seen things that made me a little concerned. Did they over-react? well, given the known circumstances, yes. But not knowing, I'd say it was a reasonable reaction.

I love the commentary from migace/sabredriver/hguscu/wixlover/etc and you. Very intelligent and informed. To quote you, oh for the love of . . .

[vernicator]

Wow..so much bs...


<vernicator wades through it to stage left and exits laughing hysterically>

[skybolt2003]

Here is my story and photos from todays final RAAF 707 flight.

http://www.warbirdz.net/phpBB2/showthre ... #post16948

Hey sorry, I just actually read the story penned by our own wixlova/etc. OUTSTANDING work my friend. I will recommend it to my third grade son's teacher–as an example of exactly how not to write, well, anything. Bloody stupid work.
Thanks for the link.