On this day in 1990, Canberra Airport was the final destination of the aircraft, "The Soul of Canberra". It witnessed the elegant touchdown of the 1947 V-tail Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft that was flown by Canberran pilot Dr. Antek Skotnicki and his American co-pilot, Dr. Don Young.
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Their odyssey spanned 35 days and covered 30,000 kilometers, beginning from Broken Hill and retracing the historic route of the Great Australian Air Race of 1919. This pioneering flight, undertaken by Ross and Keith Smith, marked the first aerial connection between England and Australia.
It was certainly not a smooth journey by any stretch of the imagination as unforeseen delays and safety concerns prompted the duo to forge ahead independently, culminating their epic journey in Canberra rather than the designated finish line in Sydney. Only eleven aircraft remained in the rally, which had just departed Singapore.
"The Soul of Canberra" was acquired by Dr. Young on behalf of Dr. Skotnicki from a senior aviation enthusiast in Los Angeles. Customized for the rally with additional fuel tanks, modernized radio equipment, and navigation aids, the aircraft bore witness to its own unique history.
Dr. Skotnicki, a molecular biologist at the Australian National University, and Dr. Young, a research chemist from California, shared a passion for aviation that brought them together a year prior during Dr. Young's visit to Australia.
Their journey spanned continents, from Europe through the Middle East, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, with numerous landings in remote locales. Overcoming challenges such as rerouting over central Australia due to floods and aiding fellow aviator Brian Edwards across the Red Sea, their resolve was tested but never faltered.
Despite encountering numerous setbacks like a burst tire in Ahmedabad and the temporary loss of an engine near New Delhi, Dr. Skotnicki and Dr. Young remained undeterred, their determination driving them to triumph as they touched down in Canberra, their mission accomplished.
