Wind Farms: Why This Pilot Calls Them ‘Widow Makers’

Kieran Cook grows grain near Tara on Queensland’s Western Downs, and he flies out there too, low and fast. The 110-metre wind monitoring towers that have gone up near local airstrips are so thin he says they’ve come up right under him. He calls them widow makers. Firebombers load up on his strip during fire season, and crop dusters and council choppers all work at tower height. Kieran says the towers went up with no consultation. For months the first one had no light at all, then it got a solar light that cut out overnight. He says it’s still non-compliant today. Vestas, the company behind the towers, says they’re lit and marked to best industry practice. Karl asks Kieran about his near misses, about the buck passing between CASA, council, the state and the developer, and about what he wants Canberra to do. In his words, out in the bush the only one who listens in the end is the coroner. Brought to you by Tanda. Rosters, payroll and HR in one system: tanda.com.au 00:00 Can you spot the tower? 00:46 Kieran Cook, flat out harvesting 02:27 What the towers are and why they matter 04:58 The near misses 07:10 What happens if you hit one? 07:23 “They’re widow makers” 08:50 Do they comply? 10:19 Safeguarding guidelines and the solar light 12:45 Buck passing between CASA, council and Vestas 14:58 “The only one that listens is the coroner” 17:17 What Kieran wants Canberra to hear #KarlStefanovic #Aviation #RuralAustralia #WindFarms #Farming