Not these easiest thing to 'fence'

[Pontius]

Nicked from Northam (http://www.news.com.au/national-news/western-australia/plane-stolen-from-northam/story-fnii5thn-1226664013135)

[Ultralights]

with jabiru seemingly washing their hands of their engine issues, i would not be surprised to find it intact with no engine.

[Avgas172]

Amazing .... I'm confident no one would steal my 172 .... They couldn't afford the avgas to fly it away :{

[Shagpile]

http://files.ozrunways.com/email_images/stolen.jpg

[SgtBundy]

But, didn't the ASIC cards stop them?

[onetrack]

Well, typically, the cops have immediately stuffed up with their projections. It might have had fuel left in it for 300kms range - but it holds 17USG according to specs, and has a range of 600SM with full fuel.
If someone had enough piloting skills in the region, to get it off the ground and make it vanish - then they would surely have also planned to come with enough jerrycans to top it up, so it ended up, a long way away.

Surely ATC in the region must have picked up an unidentified radar signature in the wee small hours, between those dates? Or did he fly low enough to avoid radar, on a moonlight night? (last full moon was very bright).

If so, then there should be reports of low-flying aircraft at night in the W.A. wheatbelt or Goldfields? Or do you reckon he was cheeky enough to fly it out in broad daylight?
In which case, I'd have thought an unidentified radar signature would be even more likely to be spotted.
I don't know where you'd even begin to hide an aircraft, even if it is an RAA aircraft - someone has to have seen something. I know anytime I hear an aircraft engine, I want to know what it is.

One has to immediately suspect a crooked station owner with a remote station, far enough out, to never incur too much interest - and in need of a cheap little mustering rig.
Either that, or it's going into a 40' sea container, and heading out via a little-used port (Wyndham?), marked as "machinery parts", to PNG, Indonesia, or maybe even China??

This brings back memories of the Cessna stolen from Maylands Aerodrome in 1962, which was crash-landed near Ethel Creek.
The thief was a disaffected European immigrant who had been taken flying lessons, and who decided he was going to get himself a relatively cheap, self-drive, trip home. He got a lengthy stay in HM Hotel instead - then I believe he was deported.

ADASTRA AERIAL SURVEYS - Photo Album (http://www.adastra.adastron.com/album2/tb-009.htm)

[ANCPER]

So he achieved his aim, just took a little longer than he expected!

[onetrack]

ANCPER - Yes, I guess so - but I'll wager that that wasn't his "Plan B"! Come to think of it, he probably didn't involve himself in too much planning, if he ran out of fuel! :)

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

From Radio 6PR This arvo......

Its been 'fenced'......
Found in a canola paddock near York, approx 40km or so away from whence it came.
A local farmer doing his rounds around the paddocks found it in amongst his crop today. 'Safe & Sound' apparently..??

Just wanted to get home..??
No resale value..??
Who knows....??

Cheers:ok:

[onetrack]

Wow, I'll wager there's one Jabiru owner who's got a grin from ear-to-ear! Maybe the joyrider suddenly found the pet carpet snake, the owner kept on board! :)
If he didn't have a pet carpet snake before, I bet he gets one now, and locks it in the cabin! :ooh:

Stolen plane may have been taken on joy ride | WA (http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/stolen-plane-may-have-been-taken-on-joy-ride-20130617-2oe2t.html)

[Pontius]

Saw the same article. Good news for the owner :ok:

Lost but now found (http://www.avonadvocate.com.au/story/1578523/ultralight-stolen-from-northam-aerodrome-found/?cs=1265)

[truthinbeer]

Farmer too pissed to drive home, has brainwave.........

[Fliegenmong]

Remember one of 'our' fleet of A 582 Drifters stolen one night from the compound.....bribed the 'guard' dogs with steaks they did, cut the fence and then cut up the aircraft :{:{:{..the coppers found it a few months later still in pieces under a house.....an incidental find whilst they were investigating another crime :(

[VH-XXX]

We had someone try to steal the engine off a Drifter at our airport. They got it all off except for the choke cable when they must have been disturbed and left without it.

Someone also lifted a whole TigerMoth engine, but not an aircraft as yet.