Tarmac Topics Magazine Aug/Sep 2022

PRESIDENTS REPORT

Tarmac Topics

Photo Credit - James Walker

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)

CEO REPORT by Alan Wilson

by Ray Challen by Jim Di Menna

PATRON

His Excellence the Honourable -

Chris Dawson Governor of Western Australia

COMMITTEE

Ray Challen President ray@challen.com.au

Stephen Pearce Vice President spearce@outlook.com.au

Jim di Menna Treasurer Jim.diMenna@zetta.com.au

Haydn Vernon Club Captain Haydn.vernon@gemcorail.com.au

Andrew Eldridge Committee Member Andrew.eldridge@bigpond.com

Russell Philip Committee Member raphilip@westnet.com.au

Vaughan Emery Committee Member vaughanemery@bigpond.com

Michelle Yeates Committee Member michellekyeates@yahoo.com.au

Alison Glew Committee Member alison@alisonglew.com

Welcome to our new club members

Ryan Brass

Trevor De Vis Brooklyn Hodge Duarte Soares Lachlan Morrison DiegoLa Torre Sebastian McGregor Robert Bunce Yasmin Hosseini Mark Reynolds David Verbossche Babu Kothalanka Hemopo Alexander Tanya Ramakrishnan Liz (Elizabeth) Grow Rosalind Ibbotson Simon Dec Renton Kelly Jayde Bowen Dominik Swalski Gavin Driver Ahmad Abdelhameed Harvard Chong Kai Stanbridge Christopher King Krystal Bavington Christina Restall Michael Rigby Akash Lobo Joel Baldwin Hamish Hillier Kellie Simone Brody Johnston William Niven Charles Wood Frank Bluhe Gennaro Di Dato Adam Hosey Kiara Arthur Edgar Olyerhoek Armstrong Glenn

Des Byfield

Korum Ellis

Steen Hanning

Ross Lewin

Clive Odgers

David Prescott

Adam Waugh Janet Williamson

Bradley Redding Shane Everett Diego La Torre Morante Chris Hamilton Charlie Thomas Faldrian Nur Hay Richard Lowenhoff Adrian McRae Jasbir Kaur Alison Prior Jack Somerville Rick Hodge Dylan Thomas Ronald Gribble Talan Benbow Ashley Lee Kyle Chan Chavez Rossi Vyom Patel Alison Dunn

Shravan Bhardwaj Maxine Tate Ronald Gent Gareth Lloyd

Hugh Rayment

Selwyn Bore Tarak Elalkamy Ethan Evans Liam Woodward

CEO REPORT

Written by Alan Wilson “Forward”

It is an honour to pen my first article as CEO in “Tarmac Topics”, a journal I fondly remember was in circulation as paper-based magazine back in the late 80’s when I first ventured into the world of aviation.

I would like to start by thanking everyone whom has given me a very warm welcome to the Club and been generous with their time in showing me the ropes. In particular I would like to recognise my predecessor David Currey, David O’Brien, the Club’s Staff and Committee who have been particular generous and patient.

My most abiding and striking impression of the Club is the culture and its people. In just over three months I have seen occasions range from great celebrations and achievement to that of deep sadness and tragedy. The way the Club’s Committee, Members and Staff have conducted themselves and looked after each other across this spectrum is a great credit to the culture and the camaraderie in our Club.

The legacy of the Club, built upon 93 years of history, witnessing the dawn of aviation and all of its great achievement and leaps forward since, is palpable. It also feels like we are bearing witness to another great era about to dawn. There is no doubt the aviation industry has been devastated throughout Covid and is only now just starting to slowly remerge. But as it inevitably does, it will emerge a very different sector. Geo-political tensions, altered economies and supply chains, challenged airlines and aircraft manufactures have all reshaped our industry permanently.

But the underpinning need for air travel and transport, a structural global pilot shortage and the record funding pouring in to decarbonise aviation and aircraft technologies will make the next era incredibly exciting. To think that a young pilot just getting their wings today, will fly on aviation fuels derived from renewable feedstock, electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid technologies not even invented yet, is mind blowing.

All this represents a great a great opportunity for our Club and college to celebrate the past, but equally embrace the future and modernise, refresh and keep our Club relevant throughout the next era of aviation.

As this unfolds, the team RACWA is fully committed to making your club better each day for our members and strives to keep improving the value proposition. I hope that you see positive changes in the coming months and that RACWA feels like your spiritual home, surrounded by like-minded people with a love of the Club and all things aviation.

Alan and his daughter Jessica running the Sausage Sizzle at YMUL Open Day 2022

CLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Written by Haydn Vernon

Well, hi there! Here I am sitting down and “knocking out” my first Tarmac Topics article for all my fellow RACWA members.

Now since taking on the role of Club Captain I have had several moments where I have asked myself why I dobbed myself in for this? Is it because I’ve got nothing else better to do? Nah, not really. Or is it because I wasn’t thinking very clearly? Hmmmm, maybe, but no. Or is it I felt I needed to help the previous Club Captain out? Perhaps, but again not the real reason.

So, after some careful thought about my logic or stupidity, call it what you like, it’s like this:

I joined this historical Club way back in 1986, and through doing that, it has had a profound influence on my life. It has given me the great gift of becoming an aviator, supported a lifelong passionate interest in aviation and introduced me to so many other aviation enthusiasts who have become friends through competitions, fly-ins, and sharing more than a few drinks at many other club events.

So, I thought it was about time I stood up, had a “crack”, and give something back to this Club of some significance, that has enriched me over some years now.

My focus, along with the Flying Committee, is to develop a strong member base, to promote club flying and the social benefits the Club can provide, that all members can enjoy and be proud of.

You may not be aware this club has its place in WA Aviation history. A history, which all members should be proud to embrace, with its roots dating back to the old Maylands Aerodrome.

Just recently I took a drive with my son down to the Maylands boat ramp which is at the site of the original Maylands Aerodrome. At the entrance of the car park there is small park which holds a memorial signifying with different plaques and photos the important history this Aerodrome played in WA Aviation history.

While walking around the different plaques and embracing the historical site I came across one that really struck a proud note, it remembered and signified the important presence of the Royal Aero Club at the Maylands Aerodrome.

So, there I am, standing there, and the realisation that I am part of an organisation of such significance to WA Aviation history was an amazing feeling, and then I looked

Maylands Aerodrome Commemorative Park

over to the Police Academy and sighted some of the original hangars which are still there today, wow!! All I can say is - stick it on your bucket list.

Now it’s time to start the journey and I know with the support that I will get from club members and management we will all make it a good one hey!!, or at least try to.

One great activity the club offers monthly are the Competitions, held at both YPJT and YMUL of which I am a great advocate of.

These are designed to test your airmanship skills which you as a pilot might need to call on throughout your flying adventures.

We offer placings by a scoring system, but really it isn’t about winning, it’s all about making you a better pilot, which through my own experiences I can relate to and support.

The best part about the Competitions is that they offer you a cheaper alternative to keep your currency, a social outing with other members and the other really good thing is that you don’t have to be licensed as there is always an instructor on duty as an air judge, couldn’t be any better could it!

So come down and join us, details and links to register are advertised in our weekly Tarmac Topics email, get yourself down to the event as we would love to see and meet you, you never know you just might give us a lesson in flying.

The up-and-coming WALAC competitions are on the 11th and 12th of November which includes Formation, Aerobatics, Streamer Cutting Practice Force Landing and Spot Landing followed by a dinner that evening at the Club.

Another activity that the Club offers is our Fly-ins whereby we fly into different destinations and either stay overnight or make it just a day event.

This a great way to meet other members and to enjoy your flying on a social level as well as witness some of the antics that some of the members get up to and these are done several times throughout the yearly calendar.

Any rate I will have a lot more to report in the next issue as I am still trying to learn the ropes, but on a closing word and on behalf of the members, I’d like to extend a great thanks to our previous Club Captain Mick Harcourt who has down an amazing job over the past 4 years, Good on Ya Mick!

Catch Ya Soon Hayds and Norm

Club Captain - Haydn Vernon with Norm

HEAD OF OPERATIONS

Written by Jarod Rowe

Hello there!

Recently at safety meetings we’ve seen a few reports come up based on pre-flight of aircraft and I thought with that it would a good time to talk about the little 1%ers when it comes to the pre-flight of an aircraft.

Now this list isn’t designed to be conclusive but get you thinking about what it is that you’re checking as over time we all can become complacent. Many of us have a routine that we follow religiously when conducting a pre-flight inspection, a system developed over time that will work for any aircraft that we fly but just how in depth is it?

We often look at the larger big-ticket items, the things that if a failure occurred could lead to a catastrophic even but what about the minor supporting items? These often could be supporting items to these major structural components that if failed or missing, could in turn lead to the major component being at risk.

Securing items – there’s no limit to the amount of these on an aircraft, you will see hundreds of screws and rivets on an airframe but these aren’t the only things to consider. Many components like hinges will have rods running through but then require a bend so they don’t slip out either end, is that rod all the way through?

Control cables not only need to be taught but will have some form of backup safety to stop them from disconnecting, for example when conducting a pre-flight on the tail section of a 152/172 the rudder cables also require lock wire on the attachments.

As for elevator hinges you will see the pivot points have lock nuts on them, these lock nuts then require split pins too so that they don’t inadvertently come loose. It’s the checking of elements like this that could save your life.

Another thing to consider is your ability to perform a quality lookout, this time of year we’re starting to see a lot of the small bugs out again. This combined with sporadic showers can often leave windows quite dirty. When collecting your book to head out to the aircraft ask ops for a bottle of window cleaner and a fresh rag too (in a perfect world the preceding pilot would have cleaned the bugs off after their sortie!) not only will it make the experience more enjoyable for your pax but when there is a significant build-up or the light hits it the wrong way these imperfections on the windscreen can often make it hard to perform an effective lookout especially with the hazy days coming up over summer.

Then there’s correctly understanding and actioning a maintenance release but I’ll leave Reece to talk about that one this month in his safety manager article. At the end of the day, it’s imperative that pilots understand the difference between a permitted and unpermitted unserviceability and also what exactly to check for and the level of depth required in that inspection.

With all that mentioned if you’re not sure on an item grab an engineer or instructor to come have a second look for you. If you feel like you may want any pointers to look for on the aircraft you’re flying, feel free to ask an instructor for some tips on areas to pay attention too. Until my next article, enjoy the warmer weather and hopefully see you guys out a lot more now this extended winter is finally easing!

ACHIEVERS

Congratulations to all of our achievers for the months of August and September. We are very proud to see so many people reaching new heights in their flight training with us.

FIRST SOLO

Benjamin Palmer - First Solo - August

Brooklyn Hodge - First Solo - September

Charlie Stewart - First Solo - September

Chris Hamilton - First Solo - September

Conor Flynn - First Solo - September

Diego La Torre Morante - First SoloSeptember

Dylan Thomas - First Solo - September

Elisha Lim - First Solo - August

ROYAL AERO CLUB OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INC.)

Lachlan Morrison- First Solo - September

Louis Martino - First Solo - September Richard Lowenhoff - First Solo - September

Sebastian McGregor - First SoloSeptember

Ryllie Mack - First Solo - August

Ryan Brass - First Solo - September

Keli Crew - RPL - August

Jeremy Hill - RPL - August

Brent Livesey - RPL - August

Armando Marcelo - RPL - August

AylwinLim - RPL - August

Matthew Brice - RPL - August

Rylan Joynes - RPL - August

William Evans - RPL - August

Thomas Paytner - PPL - August

Riley Wallace - PPL - August

Geoff Chambers - PPL - September

Lochlan Cable - PPL - September

Molly Blumears - PPL - August

Daniele Wright - PPL - September

Connor Lock - PPL - September

COMMERCIAL PILOT LICENCE (CPL)

MURRAYFIELD MATTERS

Written by Harry O’Brien

Greetings from Murrayfield!

Spring weather is upon us! Time to shake off those winter blues and get flying.

The Murrayfield maintenance team have been hard at work these past two months keeping the grounds neat and tidy. Runway 09/27 has received some much needed grading and rolling, as have the aprons, turn-around area for runway 23 and entry roads. A new windsock for the threshold of runway 27 has been erected replacing the old, tattered one and new lights have been installed on the main windsock. Members John Ridgeway, Tim Smale and Tony Fisher are to thank for this effort. Without them, we would not have an aerodrome. We received a new addition to the Murrayfield instructor team in August. Connor Jardine started his instructing journey at Air Australia, working his way up to be a grade two instructor. Connor is available Monday to Thursday and Sundays. If you see him around be sure to say hello and introduce yourself.

The boys from Coodanup College Clontarf Academy and Alzheimer’s WA came down to visit us this month. Both groups were excited to check out our Cessna 152’s and 172’s and see the movements of different aircraft around this busy aerodrome.

Congratulations to John Anderson! John completed his first solo flight on the September 17th. The morning was calm and after two circuits with instructor Karl Baumgartner, he was ready to go. John was so excited upon landing he asked over the radio if he could go for another. Keep up the good work John!

The cool calm mornings we are now getting create great flying weather so make the most of it. Happy Flying!

John Anderson ringing the achievers bell

Dakota Rempel - CPL - September

David Golab - CPL - September

SAFETY REPORT - ARE YOUR PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS COMPLETE?

Written by Tim Berryman

At a minimum we all check the fuel, oil, control surfaces, remove control locks and the overall integrity of the aircraft etc. before we fly. Why? Because we want to be safe and ensure the flight goes as planned.

But have you checked the Maintenance Release?

The maintenance release contains critical information on when then next maintenance is due and/or any unserviceability that previous pilots have identified.

It is an important document that is a CASA requirement to legally fly the aircraft. If any of the following occur:

• Hours for periodic maintenance exceeded

• Daily inspection not signed

• Required equipment unserviceable

• Intended operations contrary to the approved category e.g. charter flight if the aircraft is in the aerial work category

Not only can the aircraft not be flown legally, and a RACWA and potentially ATSB incident report may be required but also you are also not insured!

Next time you are down at the Club for a flight and you are unsure about anything on the Maintenance Release, please grab one of our friendly Instructors or Maintenance team to confirm.

The following is a reminder of the items you must check and complete on the maintenance release prior to flight. Note signing the daily inspection certifies that the inspection has been completed and is only required to be signed before the first flight of the day.

PRESIDENTS REPORT

Written by Ray Challen

Hello Members

Another Annual General Meeting was held in September, marking the passing of another year for the Club. 2021/22 was a year of mixed outcomes and results for RACWA. On the positive side, there was a marked increase in club activity. Club competitions and flying events were very well attended, with record participation in some competitions including a record number of competitors in one night circuit competition.

For the first time in many years the Club held a long-distance multi-day fly away to Derby to commemorate the centenary of the first scheduled air service in Australia, operated by Sir Norman Brearley’s Western Australian Airways. Credit goes to the Flying Committee and other members that have volunteered their time to organise flying events and other club events.

Most of you will have noticed that the weekly Tarmac Topics newsletter was expanded in content and refreshed in presentation over the year, greatly improving the communication with members and, no doubt, contributing to the increased participation in club events.

However, RACWA returned a poor financial result for the year. Training was adversely affected by staff and student absences that resulted in a very high incidence of cancelled flights and delays in progress of the CPL courses of the Western Australian Aviation College. We also had large increases in costs and long delays in delivery of aircraft parts, most notably with engines and engine parts. Several actions are being implemented to reverse this position in 2022/23. Some of these actions will be accompanied by an improvement in member services, particularly the digitisation of many of our paper-based work processes and billing mechanisms.

Five club members nominated for Committee positions, resulting in an election being held. Vaughan Emery was re-elected for a second term, and Alison Glew was elected as a new committee member – welcome Alison. Thank you very much to the other three club members that nominated. All of you have capabilities and skills to the committee that would have benefitted the club and I hope that you re-nominate for committee in the future.

Turning to Club flying and activities, the long-haul fly-away to Kangaroo Island was held in September and is reported on elsewhere in this magazine. Weather conditions were a little less than friendly and there were several last-minute cancellations as well as delays in departures (and returns) of several aircraft and crews. Nevertheless, all aircraft and crews that departed Jandakot made it to Kangaroo Island and reported every positively on the experience, even if it part of that experience is making difficult go or no-go decisions on a daily basis.

A second Spring flyaway was held on the first weekend of October to the Wheatbelt town of Koroda where aircraft and crew were given a warm welcome by the locals. Tragically, this event was marred by the loss of two club members in an accident on the return flight – a loss deeply felt by members and we extend our sympathies to the families.

Looking ahead, our new Club Captain Haydn Vernon assures me that the calendar for the remainder of Spring and summer is full of events, so there is ample opportunities to get in the air.

Safe and happy flying Ray

YOUNG EAGLES PROGRAM

Written by Amy and Kylie Spicer

Hi! I’m Amy. I recently completed my 2nd Young Eagles program. They’ve both been extremely fun, each time we’ve learnt different things.

I’m not what people expect as a future pilot. Being only 9 years old, I’m still a kid, but Young Eagles lets us have fun and learn at the same time.

My favourite lesson was navigation. We planned a flight from YPJT to YBUN on the simulator, I got picked to take-off and fly the first five minutes, and then we swapped pilots (hopefully without crashing during the pilot swap). The SIM was super popular with all the kids. We also did a radio lesson which is good practice for me in my Cessna 172 lessons. Radio is still a bit scary because of pronunciation mistakes but all the instructors’ encouragement is great.

Visiting Police Air Wing was an incredible opportunity. Ian, our Air Wing escort showed us the briefing room, camera footage from the helicopters and drones, cells and the best part, Hangar Tour. We were able to see all their flight gear. There was an empty spot for the PILATUS, so hopefully we’ll see it next time.

Other places we visited include WA Radio Modellers Club, RAAFA Aviation Museum and Heliwest. Our instructors did an RFDS paper plane competition which concluded brilliantly with the departure of a Pilatus PC-24. The winner got to be a pilot on the Boeing 777 SIM at Flight City Simulation Centre. Our Young Eagle Instructors are a fun group, led by James and Taylor. We were very well looked after and each participant got a gift bag and certificate. But more importantly we got encouraged in our aviation futures.

FROM A PARENT PERSPECTIVE

The Young Eagles program is a perfect balance between having heaps of fun and demonstrating the commitment needed to succeed and be safe in aviation.

Usually a drop and leave program, a few parents found the Police Air Wing and Flight City day too interesting to miss out!

There is a real buzz around having like-minded kids together sharing a passion and it was very interesting to hear about the kids future aviation dreams. Having a child pursue aviation is not cheap, but my main consideration as a parent is value for money and the Young Eagles program delivers perfectly.

Well done to Taylor, James, the instructors, supporters and RACWA. Parents – sign up quick for any future programs as the word is getting out!!

Our future Pilots, Crew, Drone, RC or SIM operators are ready and raring to take on their aviation futures.

Amy Spicer on the Clubs’ Flight Simulator

Young Eagles - Visit to our friends at Flight City 777 Simulator

KANGAROO ISLAND FLY AWAY

Written by Jim Di Menna

During September 2022, several club members (including partners, family, and friends) flew across Australia to spend a few days visiting Kangaroo Island which lies off the mainland of South Australia. It is a beautiful island that is home to native wildlife including sea lions, koalas, kangaroos, and diverse bird species with over one third of the island being protected nature reserves.

Planning for the trip commenced some 12 months ago and initially some 20 aircraft registered their interest. Unfortunately, an unfavorable weather forecast deterred many with 11 aircraft and over 30 attendees participating. The aircraft included a Baron; Twin Comanche; VANs RV6, RV7A and RV14A; two Piper PA28s; Airvan; Glasair; Cessna 172; and a Mooney. As well, due to weather, some participants made their way to South Australia on airlines.

The flight across to Kangaroo Island proved challenging due to weather. The original plan was to leave Jandakot on Monday 5 September with overnights in Kalgoorlie, Forrest, and Ceduna and arriving at Kangaroo Island on the Thursday. Some of the IFR pilots managed to stick to the schedule (even avoiding thunderstorms!) but many pilots delayed their departure to avoid the worst of the weather. While somewhat frustrating, the weather didn’t dampen the spirits, and all had an enjoyable (if challenging) flight across some very remote areas of Australia.

An interesting stopover for most was Forrest Airport, situated on the Nullarbor Plain, some 88 kms west of the WA/SA border. The airport was established in 1929, when it served as an overnight stop on the first scheduled passenger air service between Perth and Adelaide. This was operated by our very first president Sir Norman Brealey (West Australian Airways) from 1929 to 1934.

Hangar at Forrest Airport

Dinner at Forrest

Today, the airfield consists of two sealed runways, an aircraft parking hangar, and some cottages for overnight accommodation.

Kangaroo Island had a lot to offer on a three- or fourday stopover, and is highly recommended as a holiday destination. A jovial dinner was held on one evening of the stopover, also attended by club member Iain Currill now resident in South Australia and who flew down to Kangaroo Island for dinner.

Pilots took various routes back to Jandakot with some retracing their footsteps and others taking the opportunity to do more site seeing through South Australia and further afield. Some of us went onto Narromine (NSW) where the Sports Aircraft Association of Australia held their annual two-day Ausfly event.

Poor weather was again a factor for many pilots and initial plans to track home via Esperance were abandoned in favour of a shorter route back via Forrest and Kalgoorlie.

Thankfully everyone arrived back safe and satisfied with the trip.

Also interesting was the flight from Port Lincoln to Kingscote Airport (Kangaroo Island) which is 105nm over water with very few places to land in the event of an aircraft problem!

Seeing the coastline of Kangaroo Island was a welcomed site after being over water for so long with the arrival into Kingscote Airport being generally uneventful. Kingscote has two long sealed runways that are used by RPT.

Aircraft at Kingscote Airport

Kangaroo Island Fly Away Trip - ‘Great Australian Bite’.

BATTLE OF BRITAIN

82ND ANNIVERSARY

Written by Squadron Leader Paul Falconer-West RAAF Ret’d

Every year the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia commemorates and honours the memory of the actions and sacrifices of the Battle of Britain Air Crew by having a Dawn Patrol across the City of Perth and over the Kings Park War Memorial.

On Saturday 17 September 2022 the Western Australian contribution to the 82nd Anniversary of the Battle of Britain was carried out from Jandakot in two major phases. The first was a Battle of Britain Commemorative Dawn Patrol over Perth followed by the second which was at the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia (RACWA) club rooms.

There was a total of 16 aircraft divided into five flights, depending on aircraft type and performance. Briefing was held before dawn at 0515hrs in the RACWA Hangar by Club Captain Mick Harcourt and Senior Tiger Moth Flight Instructor David Schneiker. The initial weather forecast was light winds and cloud at 7 octas of cloud 3000ft. Departures from Jandakot were to be in the following flights: DUXFORD, HURRICANE, METEOR, SPITFIRE and DORNIER.

The de Havilland participation came in DORNIER flight: DH82A Tiger Moth VH-FAS(A17-37) (Mick Harcourt and Paul Falconer-West), DH82A Tiger Moth VH-CKF(A17-421) (David Schneiker and Melissa Gibbs), and DHC-1 Chipmunk VH-POR (Bob Pride).

The Flights were to scramble at 0550hrs from Jandakot RWY24R. The planned route was Jandakot RWY24R at 1000ft – Yangebup - Lake Thomson at 1500ft – Woodman Point -Fremantle – Preston Point - Kings Park War Memorial (remaining west of Kwinana Freeway) Herdsman Lake-Observation City at 1000ft – Fremantle – Powerhouse –Adventure World - Jandakot RWY24R.

The clouds stayed at 3000ft and allowed sunbeams to poke through to join fog patches covering parts of Perth. Single and formation departures were the order of the morning. Air Traffic Control provided Clearance Bravo at Fremantle and maintained watch on the Dawn Patrol through to Observation City. The flights returned OCTA to Jandakot. The flying was cold and uneventful. All flights were “Mission Accomplished”.

A RACWA mess breakfast was held at the club rooms. Mick Harcourt invited myself to deliver a short Battle of Britain address after the breakfast at 0800hrs. The RAF had 2,936 aircrew, flying Hurricane and Spitfires mainly, from many countries to fight in the Battle of Britain (10 Jul – 31 Oct 1940). 537 died.

Battle of Britain - Photo Credit - Ryllie Mack

The RAAF had 35 aircrew in the Battle. Ten were killed. Of that 35, eight became aces (5 or more enemy aircraft shot down). Flight Lieutenant Pat Hughes of Cooma, NSW scored 14 before he was brought down on 7 September 1940 with his aircraft being struck by debris from an

exploding bomber which he was attacking. He was the highest scoring Non-British Fighter Pilot in the Battle of Britain.

If it had not been for the Few who had defeated the Luftwaffe in the skies of Britain, we would not be commemorating the sacrifices and achievements of these FEW men at today’s Dawn Patrol. Lest we Forget!

I invited the audience to attend the Bullcreek Aviation Heritage Museum to see the two Spitfires there. One is a Mk22 and the other is a replica of a Mk XVI. Although the RAAF pilots had flown only Mk1 and MkIIs in the Battle of Britain, the RAAF Association was only able to obtain these two Spitfires to commemorate the Fighter Command veterans. On the way home, I stopped at the Museum to reflect at the Spitfire Replica on the Battle and its impact for our lives today.

Many thanks to Mick Harcourt and David Schneiker for including this RAAF Veteran – SQNLDR Paul Falconer-West Ret’d ENGARM (46.5yrs) in today’s Commemoration Dawn Patrol.

Battle of Britain - Photo Credit - Ryllie Mack

OUTBACK AIR RACE 2022

Written by Ed Jones

Ever wondered about flying yourself round Australia?

Every three years the Outback Air Race (OAR) is a great excuse, or opportunity, to see Australia from what is I think the best vantage point - your own cockpit! What better way to experience this great country, with the bonus of raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). The Lottery Office Outback Air Race finished in Coffs Harbour on 11th September 2022 having raised $750,000 for RFDS - a fundraising record for the event being held for the 11th time.

Thirty-four teams and 86 people set out from Darwin and landed at Coffs Harbour 13 days later having flown 2000nm. As a private pilot the chance to see Australia and raise money for the RFDS is a great motivation to participate and 2022 was my third OAR.

Canberra team Wacky Warbos, (flying Cherokee 140) were officially declared the winners of the race, with Goondiwindi’s Team Tait (flying a Beech Bonanza) raised the most money for an individual team with an impressive tally of $106,000.

You get to see firsthand what conditions are like for the RFDS and how important it is to keep their planes in the sky.

Of course, as pilots and teams there is also the incentive of a couple of weeks of flying surrounded by spectacular scenery and telling aviation stories at the end of each day. An excellent test of skills, OAR is a time and accuracy trial, points are awarded for each leg of the race and there is loads of fun along the way.

You make great friends, see great towns and meet lots of wonderful locals with the added benefit of a LAME and Doctor travelling with the event to help and support you should something unexpected happen to your aircraft or yourself.

The race began at Emkaytee south of Darwin and travelled through Cooinda, Adels Grove, Shute Harbour, Gladstone, Roma and Goondiwindi before landing in Coffs. As a team from WA we had the added benefit of travelling via Broome, El Questro and the Bungle Bungles to Darwin and Tamworth, Broken Hill, Coober Pedy and Esperance on the way home.

My aircraft, VH-FHU, a 50-year-old Avions Pierre Robin (HR100-210) Perth-Perth took 55 hours, consumed 2,300 litres of Fuel and 7 quarts of oil.

Teams came from all over Australia plus one team who flew their Partenvia over from Auckland NZ just to take part.

See you in 2025?

Flying through the outback, visiting remote towns and cities, you realise what a vital service the RFDS is. Everyone seemingly has a story to tell of family members being saved by the service and are only too happy to donate to the cause.

FHU back on line at Jandakot

INDUSTRY PRESENTATION

Written by David Currey

“Do your best at all times” advised Allan Bradley at the September Industry Presentation. The theme of the presentation was to encourage students to set themselves a goal and planning the steps required to achieve the goal. He expanded this theme by advising students of what the industry expects of aspiring airline pilots.

Self-management is essential when developing a plan. The plan should be written down and placed in a prominent place where it can be seen. “See the plan, work the plan”, Allan stated. The plan needs to be specific with timeframes for each part of the plan. “If it is worth achieving, it might not be easy, but it is definitely worth setting out an achievable plan as soon as possible.”

Allan used recent reports from Boeing, Airbus and AOPA to demonstrate the significant demand for pilots in the next 20 years. Internationally, between 540,000 and 620,000 new pilots will be required, with approximately 39,000 in the Australasia region.

The recent CASA regulations have increased the requirement for certain pilots to have completed their ATPLs. Allan strongly recommended students to complete their ATPL and IREX exams as soon as possible. “Stay in study mode and get the exams completed before embarking on career moves that requires you to relocate” he recommended, “Put completing your ATPLs and IREX exams in your plan”. He also recommended students complete the on-line CRM and Dangerous Goods exams.

Allan emphasised the importance of pilots always being well presented when in uniform. “You are always being watched. Aviation is an unforgiving industry, so set high standards right now, during your training, and stick to them”, he advised. He also suggested that pilots should ensure that their social media presence fits in with the expectations an employer would have of its pilots.

The presentation also included a practical component; students were required to work as teams to build structures using marshmallows and spaghetti sticks. The task was to demonstrate the importance of planning and team work.

Industry Presentations are held on the last Friday of every month at 4pm. All members are welcome.

Members and Students testing their skills

WAAC UPDATE

Written by Jerry Woong

August and September were very busy months for the college. First, we introduced a new and final intake for the year, the class of C22. I wish them the very best for the remainder of their training and hope that they do their best to achieve as high as they can. There is no better time than now to be starting their flight training and careers as there is foreseeable demand for pilots moving forward.

A22 got stuck in with their flying block for August and September after their first CPL theory exams block. A good effort overall from all of them and until the second theory exams block starts they can keep flying and building those command hours required for the issue of their CPLs. The weather gods have not been the kindest to all of us this winter or the post winter months, I hope that all students can really make use of their available time making sure that their flights depart on time and have their KDRs done during the wet and rainy days.

B22 have finished their PPL theory exams and will commence their PPL flying. As the PPL syllabus is quite short, they will be starting their first CPL theory exams block. I wish them all the very best for all of their CPL theory exams and want to reiterate that retention of the knowledge and approaching these exams with an open mind is key to completing these exams and making the knowledge work for you.

There is a tendency for student pilots to underestimate the CASA theory exams at all levels because they all think that it is all the same. While in some cases it may be, there is still a lot out there to learn. Just as an example where previously back in 2020 there was an attendee for a CPL Air Law class that was a first officer from Qantas and even though they had passed all their exams a long time ago all they wanted was to know where regulations could be found. I hope that what they learn here will stick with them for as long as possible as one day the knowledge will be required to ensure the flight is conducted and concluded safely. Best of luck to all students.

Winner of the Competition at the Careers Expo

WAAC STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Written by Lochlan Cable

I have always dreamed of becoming a pilot ever since the age of seven years old. As a kid I used to ride my bike 10km to Perth airport in the summer heat just so I could watch the Qatar 777-300er come in to land [my favourite aircraft].

After being passionate about aviation for so long I came across the aviation specialist program at Morley senior high school, that’s where the journey to becoming a commercial pilot began! During high school I was able to achieve my first solo flight being mentored by Bridgid Tait, and shortly after I applied for the WAAC commercial licence course, which I started on 3 January 2022.

Under the guidance of my instructors Pia Durk and Simon Saddick I progressed through RPL training in the Cessna 152 and have just finished my PPL training achieving my PPL licence on the 11 May 2022 in the Cessna 172. The journey so far has been amazing! Being able to fly regularly and being in the air is the greatest feeling in the world. Aswell as gaining so much knowledge about aviation, what more could anyone want right? But what makes the course at WAAC and the Royal Aero Club itself so unique and special isn’t just the flying, it’s also the people involved in and around the Club. From the flight instructors who sacrifice their time and go above and beyond to help their students, to the ground theory instructors who are given the stressful task of ensuring we attain the knowledge to pass the ground exams.

And of course, my class mates, as well as the students in other classes, above and below, we all have a special connection, rather than a competitive, cut throat environment where everyone only looks out for their best interests. It’s all about helping one another through flying and catching up after hours that’s created a strong group dynamic that radiates positivity throughout WAAC and the Club.

Whether it’s helping someone with a concept they can’t understand or supporting another who’s flight didn’t go as well as first planned, we are all there for each other.

And that in my opinion is what makes WAAC have a reputation of ‘’excellence in aviation’’. Always trying to be the best whilst lifting everyone up with you.

I am very excited to finish my hour building and begin the final stage of achieving the commercial licence, which will be done in the Grob G-115 and I hope to become a flight instructor with the Royal Aero Alub after the course. I hope to see everyone that reads this in the air soon!

Aviate navigate communicate.

Lochlan Cable

WAAC STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Written by Riley Wallace - Class A22

My passion for aviation dates back to my early childhood and was strongly influenced by my father who held a Private Pilots’ Licence and is an aviation enthusiast. Spending my younger childhood years growing up in Narrogin, my father would often take me to the local airfield where we would spend the day watching light aircraft come and go.

At age 13 I joined the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) at 701 Squadron in Bullsbrook, and at age 15 I would find myself back in my old town of Narrogin learning to fly gliders with the AAFC and ultimately fly solo for the first time before I could even learn to drive a car!

Many exciting opportunities that I will forever be grateful for presented themselves in my time with the AAFC, such as being flown to Bathurst in New South Wales to compete in the AAFC National Flying Competition to then flying CT4 trainers with the RAAF in Tamworth, NSW.

Throughout my school years. I worked at my local KFC to fund my love of gliding and would make the almost 4-hour commute down to Narrogin any weekend that I could.

Having been out of school for a few years now working full time and even spending a couple of years at uni, I started to look at getting back into the aviation industry and this was made accessible to me through VET fee help with the Western Australian Aviation College.

My time at WAAC so far has been nothing short of amazing, challenging and exciting. I have the most amazing peers, all of whom I consider close mates, and I am grateful for my fantastic instructors as well as the admin and support staff.

Riley Wallace

THE OLD FLIERS GROUP

Bulleting No 193 August 2022

Written by Steve Rogers

We have heard Rob Vaughan-Johnson speak before of his time flying in the U.K. and in Africa. Rob came to us today, helped by his wife Stephanie, to speak about his role in the rescue of the crew of the floundering “Key Biscayne” oil rig. The rig was being towed south from Darwin when it and the towing tugs were caught in a storm near Lancelin. When the tow lines parted, the rig began taking in water and was being blown towards the shore. How to get the 58 crew off safely? Two RAAF Iroquois helicopters and Rob’s Sikorsky S76 were tasked with this. Not one person perished. It was noted that Rob has been the oldest person to present at the Old Fliers.

RACWA President Ray Challen recently asked me if I had a succession plan for Chair of the OFG. It was Brian John who chaired the OFG from April 2004 until Feb 2013 when I took over. Now, 94 meetings later I drew this meeting’s attention to the fact that I am offering the Chair to someone new. Whilst I can continue with filming, editing and internet work, I feel that someone with new ideas is needed to progress the Club. A nominee can email, phone, or write to me. If more than one person nominates, a meeting can choose. Ideally, I would like a new Chair to start in January 2023. Naturally I will give all the help I can to make a smooth transition.

Bulletin No 194 September 2022

Written by Steve Rogers

91 members and guests came to enjoy presentations by two fine speakers and they weren’t disappointed!

Bevan Marshall told us how he had volunteered as a pilot / engineer on a humanitarian mission in Ethiopia.

Challenging terrain and climate to be sure. One day he was asked to fly five passengers from Asmara airfield. This is at 7,627 feet elevation. Midday heat made for a density altitude that degraded engine and aircraft performance. If that wasn’t bad enough, they had to also clear powerlines that lay in their path.

Tales involving Steve Fossett, Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, Rod Stewart, and Leonard Cohen for instance. He brought a world globe signed by the crew of Steve Fossett’s chase plane. Miles has many more stories, and we hope to have him back sometime soon.

STAFF & MEMBER NEWS

RACWA welcomes Melville Senior High School to our club. The Melville High School Specialist Aviation Program has been running since 1984 and has a purpose-built aviation centre that houses two moving flight sims and has been producing pilots for decades. The school also has a RePL (Remote Pilots Licence course) and has successfully trained 58 drone pilots in the last three years under the guidance of three qualified pilots and flight instructors.

RACWA now caters for the majority of the Aviation schools in the Perth area and welcomes Melville High School to the Club.

Pictured is Hana Moosajee, the first year 8 student to fly at RACWA with the schools’ flight instructor Randall Brink.

MSHS Student Hana Moosajee

IN MEMORY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II

Written by Kristin Moriarty

It is with great a sadness that we woke on the 9th September to the news that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away overnight.

Queen Elizabeth II was the Commonwealths’ longest serving monarch during a 70-year reign which oversaw an unprecedented amount of change in the world. Her Majesty was an exemplar of living a life of service and duty in a consistent and dignified manner. It is remarkable to reflect that Her Majesty was born 3 years before our Aero Club was incorporated and was in fact 10 years old when the “Royal” Aero Club name was officially adopted.

Our clubs’ flags flew at half-mast for 10 days to observe the mourning period.

In the new year you will see a change in our logo as we change from the Queens Crown to the Kings Crown in the visual identity of the Club, something that has not happened for 70 years. We were lucky to find a hand painted version of the old logo on an honour board upstairs that we are able to use for the design as there were no electronic copies available so long ago.

Flags at half mast for the Queen

Queen Elizabeth II

TARMAC

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