Fed: Small planes complete UK to Australia air race

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2001
Fed: Small planes complete UK to Australia air race

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says an international air race from Britain to Australia
which ended yesterday was a fitting commemoration of the nation's Centenary.

A group of small aeroplanes completed the London to Sydney Air Race at Bankstown Airport
in western Sydney shortly after the planes swooped over the harbour.

Mr HOWARD says the participants are to be admired for their courage and skill, sense
of adventure and fun, and says aviation is part of Australia's history.

The event's winner was Spirit of Kai Tak, a bright red twin-engined Piper Aerostar
decorated with paintings of Chinese dragons and flown half way around the world by a team
of four from Hong Kong.

Runners-up were the British team of TIM ELLISON and MARK WILKINSON in a single-engine
Beechcraft Bonanza.

Mr ELLISON has been a paraplegic since a Royal Air Force Harrier jump jet he was flying
crashed due to engine failure.

A helicopter flown by British adventurers JENNIFER MURRAY and COLIN BODILL came third.

MURRAY last year became the first woman to fly around the world solo in a helicopter,
while BODILL flew solo around the world in a microlite aircraft.

AAP RTV as/RT

KEYWORD: UK RACE AUST (SYDNEY)

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