(TENSE MUSIC)
MAN: Bush Aviation and Training
can help you realise your dreams.
From your very first solo flight
to becoming an airline pilot,
we'll take your career to a whole new level.
With top-rate instructors, our training is second to none.
We make the skies available to everyone.
So forget the twisted rails and broken roads -
charter an aircraft and get there before time.
Be rested and come out swinging.
Call now on:
-(MAN SIGHS) -(AUDIO STOPS ABRUPTLY)
It sounds like we're selling golf clubs.
And that damn awful line about swinging - who came up with that?
Swinging's OK. Gets our name out there.
We've already got enough work that we can point a joystick at.
Yeah, we're doing OK.
Anyway, things will change when the new King Air arrives.
I can't wait to get my hands on it.
It's second-hand.
Ex-RFDS, and it's a cracker.
And who's going to fly it? You?
Mmm. (LAUGHS)
You need to get your hands on this.
Never damn good enough.
Don't start shaking your head at me.
I am sick of being buried in your mess.
MY mess?
I need more time at home. You need more time with Ben.
He is really stressed about the HSC.
Remember your son? Ben?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And that's all you ever say. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
And you never listen.
-What? -(DOOR SQUEAKS)
-Aunty Joan! -Oh, don't you look great!
-Hi! -Hi, sweetie.
-MAN: Hey, sweetie. -GIRL: Hello.
What have you got there?
'A World Full of Goo' and 'Angry Birds'.
Oh, I bet you have. Back again?
Oh, no rest for the wicked.
You're the talk of the town, mate.
Ah, they're a good team.
Yeah, maybe, but I need a star.
Come on, let's exit stage left.
Let me see what treat I can get you.
-(LAUGHS) -Everyone's talking about it.
Ah, it was close.
I heard it was unbelievable -
a 50-yard field goal and you nailed it.
(CHUCKLES) We've still got the finals.
Boot in.
OK, where to today?
I need you to go up to Broken Hill.
I've changed your flight. Charlie's called in sick.
And you'll be overnighting it in Griffith.
That's full-on.
-That hotel in Griffith... -What's wrong with it?
-It's right on the freeway. -Yeah?
There's a trucking yard next door
and there's that guy that plays the bagpipes.
And it's next to the bottle shop,
so the tradies are always drinking till sunrise.
Yeah, you young blokes. I don't know.
When I was your age, I'd sleep under the wing in a raincoat
with a packed lunch and a thermos.
What's wrong with Charlie?
Ah, he's worn out, knackered.
Crusty. Always whingeing about not getting enough sleep.
You know about his, uh... little episode?
Yeah. Landing in an alternate.
Mmm. I reckon he just woke up in time.
So I need you to step up to the plate.
No, you'll be right.
I mean, after all, you are my favourite nephew.
And I remember Charlie being your favourite mate, so...
Yeah, well.
(LAUGHS) She's growing.
So are you.
-Oh, yeah, I'm pretty well cooked. -(WOMAN LAUGHS)
My legs ache and I have to plan my trips between toilet stops.
-But other than that I'm all good. -Good.
Just need Nathan around a bit more.
You know how it is.
I sure do. This family loves to work hard.
He's learning from the best.
MAN: And only the best will do.
WOMAN: Here's Daddy.
I've got an overnight.
(SIGHS) Alright, well, I'll stay at Mum's, then.
-Just in case. -Sorry, babe.
So am I.
-See ya, Daddy. -See ya, princess.
-I was your princess once. -And you still are.
-Can I get a lift with you? -WOMAN: Yeah, sure.
Great.
Right.
Oh, take those.
(BOTH CHAT INDISTINCTLY)
Alright, Frank. Get fuelled, get loaded and get going.
Don't worry. Bill will be here in a minute to give you a hand.
It's too easy.
-Whoa! Whoa. -Love to dance, but I got to go.
'Bye, Frank.
Hi, John. This is Jared.
He's up for his first flying lesson.
-Good afternoon. -You lucky boy.
I wish I was taking off into the wild blue yonder.
But c'est la vie.
I'll just dive into my desk and sink into the paperwork, hm?
-Won't I? -Can I get the keys to the 152?
No. Um, you'll have to take the 172.
The 152 is up for her 100-hourly.
-Uh... -There it is.
You make sure you take care of my little baby.
-I promise. -OK?
-Thanks. 'Bye, John. -Nice to meet you, sir.
WOMAN: Come on.
Hey, John.
You on your own today, boss?
No, they're breaking the door down trying to get to me.
Where's Joan?
Um...she's at some sort of meeting at Ben's school.
-I don't know what. -Oh.
What, no cupcakes for morning tea?
You get your muffin-grabbin' hands onto some boxes.
I need you to load up Zulu Tango Quebec.
Rowan's are driving me crazy.
They're threatening to take their business elsewhere.
-Yeah, well, about Rowan's. -Yeah?
Yeah, well, they're packing their crates badly.
Their load's all over the shop.
-The pilots are starting to complain. -(PHONE RINGS)
-(SECOND PHONE RINGS) -So what's new?
-They're always complaining. -(MAN CHUCKLES)
-Here. -Right.
-JOHN: Yeah? -Hello?
-Look... -Yeah, he's just on the other line.
-I know, I made a promise. -Hang on.
And I'll get those parts to you today.
MAN ON PHONE: They need to be there. I could lose business.
I've got two mechanics waiting.
Look, trust me. They're already on the way.
MAN: They're definitely going to be there today?
-Yep. -This can't go on like this.
-I got it. -I got to go.
-Thanks. See ya. -A lot of promises.
But nothing's happening...
WOMAN: That's all good.
Make sure it's all clear before start-up.
OK.
Hey, Frank, give us a hand with this, will you?
-G'day, Bill. How are you? -Mate, just hold that, will you?
-Yeah, sure. Got you. -Great.
-Voila. -Still not fixed the brake on this?
Nah. Told John, told Joan.
I've even put those little post-it stickers
on those boards in the office.
You know, even used the little pink ones.
Nothing gets done.
Clear left. Clear centre.
Clear right.
Clear prop.
-BILL: You right? -FRANK: Yep.
-Watch your head, mate. -Easy.
Hang on.
-(GRUNTS) -Alright. Yep.
BILL: Yep. Yep.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)
-WOMAN: I have control! -(ENGINE STOPS)
You're lucky no-one was hurt.
Tricia's quick thinking meant the prop tips caught the brunt,
but it could have been catastrophic.
What's it going to cost?
Well, you need a new prop for a start.
Plus I've got to pull the engine out, I'll have to strip it down,
check her out.
I'll get back to you with a price, but you're not going to like me.
I've already got that damn insurance bloke breathing down my neck.
Funny enough, he was happy when he signed me up.
Now my premiums are going to skyrocket,
and all he can do is bang on about safety management.
Mate, it's not a bad idea.
When I first set up out here I had all kinds of problems.
I was running myself ragged trying to do everything myself.
Every twist and turn, something was going wrong.
-I'm hearing you. -I called CASA.
I spoke to one of their safety advisors.
She was great.
She left me heaps of material on safety management,
including a kit.
I don't know, just made me start looking at my business
from a whole new perspective.
I've got 'gotchas' everywhere.
Oh, yeah, we all do, but these guys really helped.
Stopped me limping from one problem to the next.
Mate, look, I wouldn't know where to start.
Well, I started by making Mick our safety officer.
He's a good engineer and he's keen on safety.
He's done an amazing job.
He started identifying all the hazards around here
and we worked together as a team to come up with ways to manage the risk.
He's got everyone involved, right from the ground up,
even the cleaner.
You know what?
I reckon I could make Charlie head of safety.
Well, he's not interested in anything else.
and let's face it, he's too worn out to fly.
No, not Charlie.
He'd see it as some kind of punishment
and he'd go out of his way to muck things up,
and you need a champion.
You need someone with a bit of fire in their belly
who's genuinely passionate about safety.
-What about Tricia? -Trish?
Yeah. She's got an aviation degree.
She's already studied safety management.
-She'd be ideal. -No, no, no.
I need Tricia in the air instructing, not on the ground waving her finger.
-I've got too many bosses. -She could do both.
Oh, mate, look, I appreciate the advice,
and thanks for the great sales job,
but it all sounds like, you know,
too much paperwork, effort and money to me.
Well, nothing's free, but I'll tell you,
I've got contracts now with some of those mining companies
I would never have got in the past.
Oh, I've got plenty of work. Work's not the issue.
Well, you tell me -
how many aviation businesses do you know
survive a serious accident?
How about I get you that CASA safety advisor...
-No, thanks. -John, come on. Think about it.
Alright, look, you just get me that price.
I need that bird in the air asap.
Alright.
At least you didn't say, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
-You been talking to my missus? -(BOTH LAUGH)
So, Trish, I heard you studied safety at uni.
Yeah, SMS - it's a really good idea.
You know, we really need to identify all the hazards...
SMS? What's that stand for? Save Me from Sorrow? (LAUGHS)
If so, you better keep this one straight.
(LAUGHS)
JOAN: It wasn't her fault. She's a good little worker.
It could've been a lot worse.
Yeah, I could be stuck in this damn office with you
for the rest of my life.
if you're a wit you could've been half right.
Just leave me alone.
-What are we going to do? -What do you mean?
About the business. It is on a hiding to nowhere.
We need to sort it out.
Well, it's not all my fault. You're doing the books.
Oh, and putting post-it notes every-bloody-where.
Who knows what's going on? You're never here.
Because I'm trying to keep our family together.
Our son is struggling to cope. This HSC has got him rattled.
You need to look after him. He needs a father.
Yeah, well, I do my best, but it's never enough.
And what are you talking about, anyway?
Ben's always been good at school. He'll be alright.
'Alright'?
You've really got no idea, have you?
-(DOOR OPENS) -FRANK: Hey, sorry, guys.
Just got back from Parker's,
and Zulu Tango Quebec is over at maintenance.
What?
FRANK: Yeah, there's smoke coming out the port engine,
and they can't get onto it until after lunch.
Probably going to run out of hours.
-You got any other good news? -Sorry, boss.
It's OK. You go.
We'll sort it out. Thanks for letting us know.
Yeah, OK.
Serves me right. I'll get Nathan to cover the next job.
You cannot load up Nathan. Amy is due any day!
There's no-one else.
Do what you want, John. I'm going.
Yeah, right, leave me to it.
It's just a cracked tube - bit of oil in the exhaust.
Should be ready in a couple of hours.
All good. Thanks, mate.
Alright, means you'll be out of here before sunset.
Yeah, lucky me.
I know, I know - I'm your favourite nephew.
-Hey, Nate. -G'day. There's a lot there.
I put the big one in the middle just like you asked.
-Good-sized crate. -Cool.
Well, pretty much my limit, so I better hit the skies.
BILL: Righto, mate.
Alright, have a good flight.
(TROUBLING MUSIC)
(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)
-(ALERT BEEPS REPEATEDLY) -(BANG!)
(SOMBRE MUSIC)
TV REPORTER: A local football hero and father, Nathan Chalmers,
has gone missing while piloting an aircraft
over the Blue Mountains near Katoomba.
A search for the aircraft has been called off
and will resume in the morning.