Australia - Russell Hill & Carol Clay Murdered While Camping - Wonnangatta Valley, 2020 #8

[JBowie]

Yep it was in his interview that he said the AirForce asked him to leave.
I wonder now if he actually got fired, or expelled or something like that.

"Asked to leave" ... just wondering how that works in the Air Force. Generally people sign up for a period of X years after which they can renew or quit. I've heard of discharges on medical grounds. Being kicked out as the result of a disciplinary hearing -- as I understand things -- usually results in a dishonorable discharge.

So what sort of discharge is being "asked to leave"?

 

[JudgeJudi]

"Asked to leave" ... just wondering how that works in the Air Force. Generally people sign up for a period of X years after which they can renew or quit. I've heard of discharges on medical grounds. Being kicked out as the result of a disciplinary hearing -- as I understand things -- usually results in a dishonorable discharge.

So what sort of discharge is being "asked to leave"?

He trained with the RAAF but decided to leave when he was not selected in the alpha stream to be an elite pilot flying fighter jets. “He was extremely bitter,” a friend said.

Loner, pilot, barbecue-lover - mystery swirls around accused killer

If that's true he would have been one unhappy camper. Oh, that's right, but that won't be his only time.

 

[JBowie]

He trained with the RAAF but decided to leave when he was not selected in the alpha stream to be an elite pilot flying fighter jets.

Yes, I have read that but its also said here on WS that he told police that he was asked to leave -- which, if true, ought to be in a transcript I would have thought.

 

[Sir_Loin]

I posted this on the previous page:

He trained with the RAAF but decided to leave when he was not selected in the alpha stream to be an elite pilot flying fighter jets.

Edited to add source: The Age, 4 December, 2021.

If that's true he would have been one unhappy camper. Oh, that's right, but that won't be his only time.

But that’s not what he said on the public record. Not sure why he would lie about it makes him seem like more of failure that he couldn’t be a “top gun”. For a guy that clearly has an ego it’s a big thing to admit. Could also see him telling people he left on his own accord but for the opposite to be true. Deception comes easily to him I’d have thought.

Then again maybe The Age got hold of his military records. Kudos to them if they did.

 

[Warshawski]

I've used outback toilets.

Some had huntsmen, there were no other toilets around, so I just did my business while not taking my eye off that spider.
The thought of waiting til we came across the next toilet never entered my mind

I've actually never met a man who would admit to being even a bit scared of spiders.

I grew up with the outback dunny…. and the newspaper in the 1/4 hession bag that was nailed to the wall. I remember one time when a child, a centipede came out with the newspaper!

 

[SouthAussie]

Being "asked to leave" (involuntary separation) can be for medical reasons, or "administrative" reasons. Link

If he lied about that to the police, I'm not sure why he would lie about something they can easily check, if they wanted to. But we know he lies compulsively. Maybe he didn't want to be seen as a pouty, angry quitter. Or maybe his poor attitude made him unsuitable for the RAAF ... an administrative reason for asking him to leave.


The Age went a little further in a more recent article. Stating that he joined the RAAF as a cadet in 1986, failed to make the top tier as a fighter pilot, learned he would likely be assigned to flying transport planes, then quit and became a commercial pilot - first in Tasmania (doesn't say which airline, maybe a small regional one?), then for Ansett, then for Qatar when Ansett went belly up.

This is also the article that states when he returned to Australia after flying for Qatar, 6 years later, he returned with "physical and personal baggage".

The article is by John Silvester and Erin Pearson. John Silvester is a good crime writer, and Erin Pearson did the podcasts about this case.

A lockdown project and a fallen tree: Gregory Lynn’s sliding doors moments

If Gregory Lynn had not kept bees or if a road that crossed the Wonnangatta River was not blocked on the fateful evening, a cool-headed pilot might have got away with murder.

www.theage.com.au

 

[JudgeJudi]

Being "asked to leave" (involuntary separation) can be for medical reasons, or "administrative" reasons. Link

If he lied about that to the police, I'm not sure why he would lie about something they can easily check, if they wanted to. But we know he lies compulsively. Maybe he didn't want to be seen as a pouty, angry quitter. Or maybe his poor attitude made him unsuitable for the RAAF ... an administrative reason for asking him to leave.


The Age went a little further in a more recent article. Stating that he joined the RAAF as a cadet in 1986, failed to make the top tier as a fighter pilot, learned he would likely be assigned to flying transport planes, then quit and became a commercial pilot - first in Tasmania (doesn't say which airline, maybe a small regional one?), then for Ansett, then for Qatar when Ansett went belly up.

This is also the article that states when he returned to Australia after flying for Qatar, 6 years later, he returned with "physical and personal baggage".

PPRuNe Forums - Professional Pilots Rumour Network

“The Herald Sun reported RAAF Trained, Southern Airways, Ansett -2001, Qatar Airways 2002-2007, Jetstar 2007-2021, then fired”.

 

[jjleroche]

Yes, I have read that but its also said here on WS that he told police that he was asked to leave -- which, if true, ought to be in a transcript I would have thought.

I'm thinking - possibly major dummy spit upon learning that he didn't make the cut to become a jet fighter pilot - then asked to leave as a result of said possible dummy spit. Purely speculative. MOO

 

[Highcountry]

Yes GL doesn’t strike me as the type to enjoy loud music and when I consider that he had a violent reaction to dogs barking it just confirms my hunch.

And seriously. All doors open. Lights on. Music up loud.

Who does that camping. It’s always all lights in the car off. All doors and windows closed. Especially at night. With anything valuable. You lock all doors.

 

[Highcountry]

PPRuNe Forums - Professional Pilots Rumour Network

“The Herald Sun reported RAAF Trained, Southern Airways, Ansett -2001, Qatar Airways 2002-2007, Jetstar 2007-2021, then fired”.

He failed RAAF. Never flew fighters.

General aviation training.

It was air ambulance - southern had the contract for that.

He has ‘issues’ at Air Ambulance, Ansett and Qatar.

 

[BreakingNews]

He trained with the RAAF but decided to leave when he was not selected in the alpha stream to be an elite pilot flying fighter jets.

He hated noise, yet is a pilot. And guns make a lot of noise. Suppose noises he makes are ok. He just doesn't like other noises.

 

[Cliff Hardy]

Yep it was in his interview that he said the AirForce asked him to leave.
I wonder now if he actually got fired, or expelled or something like that.

Certainly sounds that way. Not sure about now, but back then you signed on for a period of years and it was very difficult to sever that contract. If he was 'asked to leave' and we have to remember he volunteered that explanation, it would have been on the RAAF's terms and that points at indiscretion on his part.

 

[BoysTown]

He failed RAAF. Never flew fighters.

General aviation training.

It was air ambulance - southern had the contract for that.

He has ‘issues’ at Air Ambulance, Ansett and Qatar.

Hi Highcountry,
Do you know him personally?

 

[wallyworld]

I was once admitted to hospital for about 18 hours after a Redback bite on the foot.

About 2 weeks ago I brushed one off my shoulder. Caught sight of something out the corner of my eye, brushed it off and to my surprise it was a big fat redback. Not sure where I was when he hitched a ride on me or how long he was on board for

 

[sassyblue]

We call them black widows here in the States...I almost broke my hand once when I saw a great big one sitting on the back of my hand. Hate those girls!

 

[Howl]

I'm thinking - possibly major dummy spit

For us non-Australians, a dummy spit is "The act of overreacting (as an adult) to a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner."

dummy = pacifier

A dummy spit = a very angry/upset is baby spitting out its pacifier.

Hope I've got this right.

 

[Cliff Hardy]

We call them black widows here in the States...I almost broke my hand once when I saw a great big one sitting on the back of my hand. Hate those girls!

Ours have a distinctive red stripe on their back but apparently that is virtually the only difference between the Aussie and US versions of the widow spider.

 

[emirates1957]

He hated noise, yet is a pilot. And guns make a lot of noise. Suppose noises he makes are ok. He just doesn't like other noises.

Pilot’s have some whizz bang noise cancellation headsets that cost a fortune. The last thing they need is any static when getting details from ATC. Also during their walk around they would also be wearing head sets. What a perfect place to for Mr Top Gun to reside…. who hates noise and likes the wide open space.

 

[Bigdiggety]

We call them black widows here in the States...I almost broke my hand once when I saw a great big one sitting on the back of my hand. Hate those girls!

Both Genus Latrodectus, family Theriodae. And both equally venomous, some say the redback is slightly more, but it’s not that much different tbh.

The big ones are spooky looking

 

[jjleroche]

For us non-Australians, a dummy spit is "The act of overreacting (as an adult) to a situation childishly, in an angry or frustrated manner."

dummy = pacifier

A dummy spit = a very angry/upset is baby spitting out its pacifier.

Hope I've got this right.

Perfect!