In the news today:
"Police today have charged a man with the theft of a rare helicopter known for its ability to avoid detection, after the craft went missing from its hangar.
A 48-year-old Port Macquarie man was charged this morning with stealing the ex-military Kiowa, which had been reported missing from Bankstown Airport by its owner on May 4, a police spokeswoman said.
"The owner had visited the private hangar and noticed damage to the locks and main door ... and the helicopter missing," she said. She had last visited the helicopter in its hangar last December, she said.
Police found the helicopter on May 6 at Taree Airport on the Mid North Coast and returned to its owner, police said.
The 48-year-old turned himself in to Bankstown police this morning and was charged and will face Bankstown Local Court on June 18.
According to police, the aircraft is a rare collector's item and one of only three in Australia.
Gary Byk, a helicopter enthusiast who has written a book titled Kiowa in Australian Service, said the Kiowas were heavily used for "battlefield reconnaissance".
"These were the guys that sneak around and see what's happening," he said.
"They would be used in stealth mode and use the natural foliage to sneak up and see what the enemy is doing.
"I remember they used to have open days in the country where four Kiowas would be about five kilometres away in the countryside and would show themselves to the crowd before going to ground.
"About 15 minutes later, they would pop up right in front of the audience to their amazement, no one would have noticed."
However, Mr Byk was surprised one had been allegedly stolen.
"I spent a lot of time riding in them as a paramedic. They were noisy, they were cold, they vibrated - I don't really see why someone would be overly enthusiastic about it."
I heard a name mentioned, but it isn't in the press yet, so i will keep quiet in case I am wrong, but the name I heard was a person renowned for telling massive lies about himself.
But why would Mr Byk describe a Kiowa as being stealthy, and then say they are noisy? Perhaps he is trying to describe NOE flying. The paper lives up to the standard for accurate aviation reporting again...