Those of us who were fortunate enough to sometimes travel to work by plane will remember the most memorable of these flights. This was mine.
I had been working with some woolgrower clients endeavouring to improve their flock. We had been keeping our eyes out for some fine wool merino ewes. The clients had been scanning the rural newspapers Stock and Land, Queensland Country Life and finally found exactly what we had been looking for – 800 Egelabra ewes one and a half years old for account Elders Narromine, the breeder.
What a find.
I rang the agent at Dubbo/Narromine (400 kilometres away) and spoke to the Elders Mansfield agent Rob. Everything appeared to be in place for the four of us to inspect the sheep with a view to purchase.
Due to the distance, Rob suggested that we should go by a small plane. I had a friend I had taught wool classing years ago, Gavan. An experienced pilot, Gavan assured us that we would be home by 4 pm in the afternoon.
We set off for Dubbo and were over Finley in New South Wales when there was a huge bang.
Gavan assured me that it was only the side window.
The side window? Half of the side of the plane appeared to be missing!
We travelled along with a gaping hole in the side of the plane. As we landed at Dubbo there were planes of all types. An agricultural plane with the side missing did not look out of place among planes used for doing agricultural work.
I chased up the Elders Agent so we could ascertain whether the sheep were suitable, only to find that the Engelabras were not to be seen. In fact, I was told that the property was inundated after recent rain… ‘But, don’t worry mate, there are plenty of sheep to choose from’. Not the specific ones I wanted!
There were no suitable sheep, half the plane was missing and it was coming on to rain – heavy rain at that. The cloud was very low, so much so that one couldn’t see the ground.
We managed to take-off and headed for home. We experienced another frightening wind gust, only to find the map we were steering the plane had been sucked out of the space that had been the window!
We guided the plane home, flying above tree height to keep contact with the ground and watching out for land marks.
Yes, we got home. No sheep, but a day to remember!
What a day.
Godfrey Marple
November 2016
I had been working with some woolgrower clients endeavouring to improve their flock. We had been keeping our eyes out for some fine wool merino ewes. The clients had been scanning the rural newspapers Stock and Land, Queensland Country Life and finally found exactly what we had been looking for – 800 Egelabra ewes one and a half years old for account Elders Narromine, the breeder.
What a find.
I rang the agent at Dubbo/Narromine (400 kilometres away) and spoke to the Elders Mansfield agent Rob. Everything appeared to be in place for the four of us to inspect the sheep with a view to purchase.
Due to the distance, Rob suggested that we should go by a small plane. I had a friend I had taught wool classing years ago, Gavan. An experienced pilot, Gavan assured us that we would be home by 4 pm in the afternoon.
We set off for Dubbo and were over Finley in New South Wales when there was a huge bang.
Gavan assured me that it was only the side window.
The side window? Half of the side of the plane appeared to be missing!
We travelled along with a gaping hole in the side of the plane. As we landed at Dubbo there were planes of all types. An agricultural plane with the side missing did not look out of place among planes used for doing agricultural work.
I chased up the Elders Agent so we could ascertain whether the sheep were suitable, only to find that the Engelabras were not to be seen. In fact, I was told that the property was inundated after recent rain… ‘But, don’t worry mate, there are plenty of sheep to choose from’. Not the specific ones I wanted!
There were no suitable sheep, half the plane was missing and it was coming on to rain – heavy rain at that. The cloud was very low, so much so that one couldn’t see the ground.
We managed to take-off and headed for home. We experienced another frightening wind gust, only to find the map we were steering the plane had been sucked out of the space that had been the window!
We guided the plane home, flying above tree height to keep contact with the ground and watching out for land marks.
Yes, we got home. No sheep, but a day to remember!
What a day.
Godfrey Marple
November 2016
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