Alltrikes

Scary storm too close for comfort!

All day Peter and the students had been watching the weather systems developing. There was a trough moving down from Broome which was linked up with a massive low pressure system in Bass Strait. Peter had been commenting that there would be no flying during the day because it would develop into a huge storm which might even develop into cyclonic patterns. The training completed for the day, and the students gone back to their accommodation for the night, we were standing outside with our neighbours, just before dark, watching a huge storm cell form. The cloud was the darkest we have seen, with drenching rain to the west of us and a magnificent  thunder and lightning show unfolding all around us. Then it started to rain, then hail, with very strong winds, so we retreated inside to watch from the safety of our loungeroom. Anne even checked out her fabric storage room (just in case it got any scarier...)

After an hour or so, it had all settled down and we went to bed after watching a little TV. But we didn't get to sleep. A Helimed aircraft diverted from Wangaratta (because the aerodrome is presently unavailable at night because of an extensive loss of power).  Peter and Alex went out to assist by bringing the helicopter into a safe area. Over three hours later (well after 2 a.m.) he and Alex returned to their respective hangars, having helped the ambos load five people, who had been injured in the storm which had developed into a mini cyclone damaging a swath of countryside from behind Cobram, along the river and Lake  Mulwala, and on as far as Rutherglen. Entire caravan parks, homes and businesses had been destroyed. In one caravan park, the residents had fortunately chosen last night to go out for tea together, or there would have been many more injuries caused by falling trees, shattered caravans, overturned motorhomes and collapsed buildings.

This morning, both YFT students flew across the lake and saw the devastation for themselves, before the ubiquitous media helicopters entered the local airspace, taking over the CTAF radio frequency in order to ensure safe separation. Come to think of it, today was a great day to be studying Aviation Radio groundschool, because there were lots of real life examples (both good and bad calls) coming through the base station all day!

Peter and Anne would like to thank all the people who rang to check on our welfare, and also those of you who thought of us. The aerodrome is unaffected, now that the rain has cleared from the drains.