Kerry Packer's Falcon roo-ted
Friday, May 13, 2005
AUSTRALIA
Australia’s richest man in dispute about repairs after kangaroo hit his jet
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE in Sydney
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Australia’s richest man Kerry Packer is engaged in a legal tussle with a local council over who should foot the repair bill after a rogue kangaroo clouted his private jet, a report said on Friday.
Mr Packer claims Snowy River Shire Council is responsible for the AUD$400,000 (HK$2.39 million) bill to fix his Falcon 200 jet after it hit the roo on the runway, the Daily Telegraph reported.
It said the council refuses to pay, citing what it calls improper landing procedures by the pilot at the Snowy Mountains airport south of Cooma in southeast Australia last August.
A council official was quoted as saying that pilots should radio ahead so the runway can be cleared of intruders.
It was not known if Packer was on the plane, which suffered minor damage to a wing flap system. The extent of damage to the kangaroo was also unknown.