Aircraft Vandalism at Wollongong Airport

[criticalmass]

A couple of days ago several parked aircraft outside the Aerial Patrol hangar at Albion Park airport were broken into. Piper Warrior VH-PMU was started and taxied into the fuel bowser, whereupon the miscreants shut down the engine and vacated the scene, not before stealing an ELT from another aircraft and activating it.

Damage to the Warrior might well exceed $40,000 (engine, prop and wing leading-edge damage for a start). Damage to the fuel bowser has resulted in it being non-operational until repaired. Fragments of propeller and fuel-fittings are turning up in widely scattered places. The Warrior went to Bankstown on a truck this afternoon. Fuel at YWOL is now from an on-site tanker until the bowser and associated plumbing is repaired.

Anyone with information as to the perpetrators of this vandalism might care to contact Warilla Police. As at the time of posting, the offenders are still at large.

[OzExpat]

Sir CM ... long time no see mate! I suspect that I'm one of very few who really understand this situation. It's the sort of thing that happens, one way or another, pretty much all the time here. It isn't easy to bring such people to account, even in a civilised place like Wollongong, probably because it isn't the sort of sexy, high profile crime that attracts mass voter outrage...:(

I truly hope your local cops can prove me wrong!

[criticalmass]

Hi Ozex, great to "hear" from you again,

The fuel bowser was repaired this afternoon (Fri 13th Sept) so refuelling at YWOL is "ops normal" for all you who care to visit. :)

No word on the vandals yet but it is early days. We watch and wait... :rolleyes:

Apart from that, YWOL and surrounds remain a pleasant sight to the eye of an aviator. Just wish they'd seal the new taxiways and get on with the HARS hangar and museum. :p

[OzExpat]

No word on the vandals yet but it is early days. We watch and wait... :rolleyes:
Of course you realise that, at the end of this particular phase, there's gunna be .... <gulp> ... lawyers :eek:

[criticalmass]

OzEx,

As long as they are flint-hearted lawyers with voices like a handful of gravel being thrown on a path, let 'em lose on these feral hoons!:D

No further news of the vandals, we wait patiently whilst the massive steam-driven wheels of the creaking and groaning investigative process grind their grist exceeding fine.

[OzExpat]

Just havta hope that them flint-hearted lawyers ain't representing the feral hoons. :eek: I wish the creaking and groaning investigative process good luck and God speed! :) It's about time a message was sent to these juvenile ratbags that their behaviour will not be tolerated.

I wish them much pain!

[engine out]

just out of curiosity didn't somebody tell me that same organiosation a while ago had set up several security cameras around the airport with one aimed at that are of tarmac, if so shouldn't it all be on that or as usually are they in place and not working!

[Kermit 180]

Hi CM!

I'd hope your Police would take this very seriously, for one the d*ckheads involved managed to start an aeroplane (where'd they get keys etc?), and secondly, they managed to ram a FUEL BOWSER! :eek:

Reminds me of a case here last year where a 172 was nicked and taken for a joyride at night by a non-licensed student pilot :eek: The cops did their job well on that one, he was prosecuted accordingly.

Hope they catch the idiots that did this. :mad:

Kermie

[criticalmass]

Kermie!

G'day mate! I understand the authorities are very keen to apprehend the offenders because crimes relating to aircraft are Federal crimes in Australia and they carry huge penalties. From a law-enforcement perspective, getting a conviction for Federal crime is a good career move.

We wait and hope. The evidence suggests this was a fairly serious attempt to get any one of several aircraft started. As for ramming the bowser, that seems to have been accidental rather than deliberate. One can only assume the felons were in a "chemically-distorted" condition at the time. For a would-be aeroplane thief, deliberately ramming a fuel bowser is not exactly a smart move.

Catch you in chat soon I hope.:D

[Deaf]

Kermit

Without going into details (which you should know anyway), it isn't exactly rocket science to start most lighties without a key.

[TIMMEEEE]

CriticalMass - I haven't been to WOL for many a year after having learnt to fly there many years ago.

What's the go there now with respect to taxiways and a restoration hangar?

I would have thought the combination of a 5700kg pavement limit and the Shellharbour council doing everything in their power to dissuade one and all from anything to do with aviation would have scuttled this.

[criticalmass]

Timmeeee,

The new taxiways are in but not yet sealed and still blocked off with cones. A new runup-bay at the threshhold of rway 34 likewise. Apparently the earthworks have to be allowed to settle for a while in case there are any subsidences which can be repaired before the asphalt goes on.

The foundations for the HARS hangar and complex are in but not much seems to have happened in the last couple of weeks. This area is also isolated with wire-screen fences and cones. Perhaps someone from HARS might update us on progress and forthcoming work?

Apart from that, YWOL is much as ever. The council appear to have recognised having an airport isn't such a bad idea now, especially with the pressure on small operators at YSBK. The last figures for pavement loading I saw in ERSA indicated a MTOW upper limit of 7500Kg and max tyre pressure of 600Kpa.

We are optimistic for the future at YWOL. Truly a great place to learn to fly, especially with the local met conditions!

[criticalmass]

Propswinga,

Agree about the westerlies, I could do without them, they arrived early this year and they're still with us. It costs a lot of fuel to fly west from here!

As for HARS, well, if they bring their aircraft down here the place will end up looking like, well an airport I guess. :D

The lack of progress on their hangar and museum complex is disturbing, likewise the slow pace of runway/taxiway work. :confused:

As for Aviex, someone better make a decision soon or it will be too late to hold it anywhere. YWOL or YSBK, either one would do as far as I am concerned.

Whilst the council might not be as aviation-friendly as we would all like, the fact is we can fly from YWOL and I for one intend to do so as much as finances and time permit, prophets of doom notwithstanding. :rolleyes:

[Wheeler]

Funny how these forums wander off the point. I thought this one was about poor old PMU getting bashed up.

Anyway, personally would love to see HARS, AVIEX and a few more hangars at YWOL and it does have enormous potential especially now that GAAPs are becoming prohibitive. What a pity those brick vaneer folk on the ends of the runways vote!

[criticalmass]

Wheeler, you're right, we are digressing,

PMU will in all probability fly again. It went to Bankstown on a trailer recently (and at last I can say I pulled the wings off an Archer!:D ) and the insurance cover was "healthy". New engine, new prop, wing leading edge fixed, it should have a whole new lease of life.

No word yet about the perpetrators. In the words of the late King Charles 1st, "Dum Spiro Spero".

As for the council, my aged father (a source of great wisdom to me) has always maintained that "councils are like nappies - unless they are changed regularly, they start to smell terrible!"

It's very hard to argue with logic like that!:D

[PROPSWINGA]

Latest gents is that PMU is to be written off as the damage exceeded the value!:mad:

[THREEGREENS]

Paul,

you can't actually say you have pulled the wings of an ARCHER because VH-PMU was not an ARCHER (at least, not the last time I saw it unless they did some mods in the mean time?):p See you on your return old bud!

GS:cool:

[criticalmass]

THREEGREENS,

er, um...actually, I'm not Paul.:D

Good point about PMU not being an Archer though. Failed my journalism course so all Pipers are Archers, all Cessnas are 182s and all jets are Boeings.;)

[the wizard of auz]

So using that logic, Ned, all clothes lines, kites and roo bars with towels hanging over them are Bumble bees?
:D :eek: :D

[criticalmass]

Hi Wiz!

Fox Fire would certainly agree with you but I'll remain tactfully silent. She's somewhere in England at the moment I believe.

How's Daisy?:D