Dead chopper pilot 'was thrillseeker'

3rd July 2009

A HELICOPTER pilot who died when his solo flight crashed in Queensland had earned his living as a volcano tour guide and race car driver, a colleague says.

The helicopter crashed into bushland just outside the Gold Coast airport.

AAP

A HELICOPTER pilot who died when his solo flight crashed in Queensland had earned his living as a volcano tour guide and race car driver before trying his hand at choppers.

Franz Schmoellerl, 71, from the Sunshine Coast, died on Thursday morning when the small Robinson 22 chopper he was flying came down in bush just inside the Gold Coast Airport precinct.

The Austrian-born pilot was doing solo flight training in preparation for his helicopter pilot's licence.

He had recently returned to Australia after working for six years as a relief pilot for Vanuatu's Unity Airways, a company which runs light aircraft sightseeing tours of the volcano Mount Yasur.

Colleague Tony Deamer described him as a larger-than-life character who had previously driven for British Leyland in European touring car championships before gaining his flight licence in his 50s.

He was also a trained ear, nose and throat specialist, Mr Deamer said.

"He was the sort of person who made a trip to the volcanoes a wonderful experience, even if the sun didn't come out or the rain was so bad no one saw the lava explosions," Mr Deamer said on Friday.

"Franz had such a wealth of stories."

"... He'd raced cars, he'd done a lot of hang-gliding, and a bit of diving, scuba diving, feeding sharks and things like that.

"He had some massive stories and I'd really love to be able to get a hold of his diaries."

Mr Deamer said his friend had also flown around the islands delivering presents at Christmas dressed as Santa.

"He was just a lovely person, so friendly, and really, really sweet," Mr Deamer said.

"It's a sad loss."

Meanwhile, key parts of the chopper, such as the main rotor blades and rotor head, will be flown to Canberra for detailed analysis.

Senior investigator Neville Blyth said a team of four investigators would start sending the wreckage on Friday.

"I would expect them to send some other items such as instruments from the cockpit which may have stored information in them which might help with the investigation," Mr Blyth said.

Mr Blyth said the bulk of the wreckage would be stored at a hanger at Gold Coast Airport until the investigation is complete.

"The team should complete their investigations on site by the end of the weekend," he said.

"The engineering analysis will continue and a preliminary report on the cause of the accident should be complete in about 30 days."