Yes, it sounds completely bizarre but in Australia bizarre has always been the new normal. A thirsty man who taxied his wingless plane, with the propeller running, down an Australia street to visit the local pub is in hot water with his local authorities.
Locals in Newman, Western Australia, were stunned when on Monday a wingless Beechcraft two-seater aircraft was seen creeping down the main road of Newman, a mining town in the Pilbara District.
“On the way back through town… here’s a plane parked outside the Purple Pub,” said one Newman resident Beau Woolcock in an interview with ABC radio.
“Even more special was seeing one of the local coppers poking his head in the door of the plane looking like he was asking for a licence.”
But local police were, understandably less impressed and amused.
“It was a pretty stupid thing to do,” Newman police sergeant Mark McKenzie told reporters, saying the propeller was running and it needed to be steered by foot pedals. It was not clear why it had no wings.
“Kids were coming home from school. It could have been very ugly. All he needed was one gust of wind … because without the wings, it’s not stable.
“People think it was a bit of a laugh but it was very dangerous and we’re not very happy with it.”
But the wingless pilot is now a local legend and has earned adoration from the pub’s patriots for his unconventional and determined way of making sure he doesn’t miss a cold one with his mates.
But Police are stumped as to whether the would be pilot committed any offences saying the plane did not leave the ground or cause any traffic accidents and the man passed a breath-test at the scene.
“I need to look at what the appropriate offence would be as it’s a bit of an unusual one,” said police officer Mark Garner.
IMAGE: (Courtesy, Newman Police)