Rush for pilots and spectators

THE day after they were the centre of attention for an entire city, F-111 pilot Flight Lieutenant Justin O'Brien and navigator Squadron-Leader Lyle Holt said the so-called "dump-and-burn" display had been a real rush.

"It only comes around once a year and for that reason it's a relatively sought-after job," Sqn-Ldr Holt said.

"While it is what we're trained to do, there is definitely an element of extra adrenalin knowing that you've hit the dump point on time and your flame has worked and that you got out of there safely.

"And it's great knowing we have helped contribute to what is a spectacular show for Brisbane."

The hardest part was coming back down to earth.

"When we landed we finished off all our standard post-flight routine and jumped back in a car and had to remind ourselves that we were back in the land of 100km/h," Sqn-Ldr Holt said.

It took the pair just four minutes to reach Brisbane from the Gold Coast: "slow" by F-111 standards.

Sqn-Ldr Holt said a "nice line of emergency vehicles along Coronation Drive with their lights flashing" helped guide the jet to its target.

But it was also the weeks of detailed planning by the ground crew and Air Services Australia that helped everything run smoothly.

Riverfestival director Jonathan Parsons said the night was an immense relief after a lack of public liability insurance threatened to cancel the dump-and-burn display.

More here....