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was enjoyed by all 13 of us who attended. We met at the Environment Education Centre around near the helicopter area where a brief briefing was given regarding security - the same applied to this tour as with anyone travelling in or out of Sydney Airport. Due to terrorism these days, Sydney Airport is only one of two in the world that has these type of tours operating.

We were taken around to the Domestic terminal and went through the security check where upon on the inside we rejoined our bus for the drive around first the Domestic side of the terminal, then around past the Qantas Jet Base maintenance hangars and the wash hangars. It is quite a job washing a 747. Mr Rittie was very happy just to have a little Jabiru to clean. Then we continued over to the International side, past the freight handling depot with their McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters from UPS and Fedex also past numerous A340 Airbuses, Boeing 747-400s from airlines from all around the world.

Part of the parking apron is currently being upgraded to take the future A380 Airbus. From here the driver requested clearance to travel out along the runway area that extends into Botany Bay. We were on the service road beside the taxi way with quite a bit of distance between us and the taxi way, however, once the A380 Airbus arrives and its on the taxiway, its wings would be dangling over us. We headed back past the control tower to an area between the runways, parked and watched and listened to the aircraft land and take off.

The tour took 2 hours and we were returned to the EEC for morning tea and a further chat. I reckon once the Airbus A380 commences flying in/out Sydney it will be worthwile doing this tour again - just to park alongside the A380, to see it and appreciate the size of it. By the time the tour finished it was time to reward our tummies with some tucker. Some of us headed into Botany for some lunch and others headed back to the airfield to tinker with their aircraft.