His Excellence the HonourableChris Dawson Governor of Western Australia
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
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
Louise Kemp Committee Member lekemp40@gmail.com
Michael Keene
Hayden Jones
Jess Moxham
Padraig O’Connell
Tamanui Watson-Savage
Daniel Kirkpatrick
Megan Gray
Troy Miller
Neave Harrop
Danielle Briggs
Chloe Chan
Heshan Alnaser
Christine Buluran
Jason Body
Alan Creighton
Anthony Lanzi
Keith Growden
Andrew Hartill
Christopher Tomic
Joel Steinberg
Tina Cassidy
Mattias Clark
Caleb Todd
Nathan Hyde
David Xing
James Plumer
Rachel George
Jerry Hart
Richard Wakely
Aliesha Aird
Ali Zeinal
Johnny Zhang
Callan Gors
Matthew Edwards
Bea Shakjiri
Mark Thoresen
Jan Rebello
Dave Forster
Conor Barnden
Jackson Barnett
Steven Gurr
Elli Howard
Matthew Howard
Ryllie Mack
Ben Moodie
Alexis Morrison
Abozar Nawa
Kirsten Reeder
Hazem Shaaban
Riley Walsh
Clancy Smith
Neel Joshi
Shaughn McCagh
Leeland Sharpe
It was heartening to see a key plank of the Clubs’ Strategy be realised with the refurbishment of our club facilities during the 4th quarter of 2023, which was the culmination of many months of hard work by staff, members, committee, students and volunteers alike. This collective effort enabled the project to be managed in-house and delivered under budget without any compromise in the quality of the finished project. It was such a fantastic collective effort and built a great sense of achievement of what we can do as a club. There are too many people to individually recognise, but to all of you whom got involved and contributed to this project to make it such a great success, simply, Thank you!
It was fitting that the inaugural event was to host John Douglass farewell and to unveil “JD’s Bar” in the great mans’ honour. JD’s Bar has become the centre of club activities especially for Friday night members drinks, which will be further enhanced with the installation of flat screen TV’s that will, importantly, arrive before the commencement of the 2024 AFL season for the footy tragics’ amongst us!
Importantly, this space now enables a multi-purpose facility for members to enjoy as well as a source of revenue generation via event hire. The staging of the Annual Presentation Ball in the function room proved its capacity to cater for larger scale events. The facility for industry presentations and associated gathering will only enhance the club’s reputation as the epic-centre for General Aviation in Western Australia.
I look forward to ongoing developments in the year ahead. We are working on various initiatives that will give Members opportunities to leverage your membership and benefit from being a part of the largest Aero Club in the region. The gaining of an RA-AUS certification was a seminal moment in 2023 and will enable the club to develop this category in 2024 and provide another avenue for members to pursue affordable and contemporary flying.
I am looking forward to sharing the next steps as we built upon these foundations to keep our great club progressing. I hope to see you at the club soon.
Hello Club Aviators it’s Norm and your friendly Club Captain back to report after a some break about the ongoings around the club.
Started back in October where we had the two regular Competitions both at YMUL and YPJT with consistent numbers with a couple of new members attending and competing. This is encouraging to see as it demonstrates that member involvement is growing. As Usual the YMUL support team cooked up a wonderful and hardy breakfast that was enjoyed by all.
As you all aware now the café and members area have gone through extensive renovations which has certainly made it a very comfortable area to hold such members events and to relax in after a day’s flying.
All that were involved in this project to make it happen need a big thankyou as without their commitment the end result would not be as good.
On 4TH Nov was the YPJT Club Open Day which was very well attended and supported from the public and a big thankyou to all who volunteered to time to help prepare and support during the day.
Just prior to that event a band of dedicated members came down over a couple of evenings in which they re-painted the parking bays, filled in the large pot holes at the front of the club and generally helped with a big clean up. This benefited the club immensely and thanks to all that were involved.
WALAC was postponed in November and will be held on the 5th and 6th of April, this will work better for those who are intending attend ALAC hopefully in May at Newcastle (yet to be confirmed).
Due to the fires that were near YMUL airfield and the residual smoke that was present in the area the decision was made to cancel the competition for that day, placing safety first in this instance. We still had our normal competition at YPJT later in November which was well attended.
On The 18th November we held the clubs Annual Dinner in the newly refurbished club which was a success and the feedback from members was positive.
Into December with the Members Christmas party kicking off on the 1st on a Friday night, this had better numbers than last year with around 56 attending, in 2024 we would like to get that number closer to 100.
The two competitions held both at YMUL and YPJT had two circuits for each competitor which encourages pilots a great economical way to maintain their currency, I fully endorse these and should be taken advantage by our members.
Well that just about wraps up what has been a busy and successful flying year for the club.
In 2024 we will be offering a new competition called the Decathlon Cup spread over 5 competitions between the months of February and May with great prizes up for grabs. This is a form of incentive to get pilots participating in our competitions and enjoy some of the flying benefits our club has to offer.
We are planning three fly-ins next year which include Jurien Bay, Collie and Temora. Formations will also planned for the first Friday of each month.
I would like to thank the members of the Flying Committee, Instructors and Staff for their hard and dedicated effort throughout the year and without it a lot of these events would not have come to fruition.
And lastly thanks to you the members for your support through the year and if any member feels that they could contribute more and wish to sit on the flying committee please feel free to get in touch, you will be surely welcomed.
See You all in 2024.
Tallo Ho
Norm and Hayds.
Complacency kills, it’s a term we’ve all heard before. “Don’t worry I’ve done this plenty of times before” is the second most dangerous phase behind “watch this”.
In the commercial environment it’s all about checklists and standard operating procedures (SOP’s), even for simple tasks. Whether you’re doing it for the first time or thousandth time it’s the same procedure, you may ask why considering it would be well ingrained by the time you’ve hit triple digits. The reason is simple, complacency, through years of checking and training and human factors we know if there’s a checklist that lists every item regardless of how mundane it is and it requires checking then we know it gets done.
Over time in a single pilot operation we can often become complacent without this system because the reason “I’ve seen it work before”. Even commercial operators I’ll catch out for IFR training not looking at the control surfaces during
a control check or acknowledging flaps are set for take-off without looking at them. Recently I too fell into this trap with digital systems of not confirming alignment to a compass on the ground, only to discover in flight a ten degree discrepancy between the two and for NDB approaches this becomes a nightmare in flight.
Now whether you follow the checklist all the way through, or do your checks via memory then cross check back to the checklist to make sure all is covered, either is acceptable in the single pilot operation. My advice is just do them out aloud, regardless of if you’re by yourself because you’re more likely to identify if you’ve missed something with an external monologue as opposed to an internal one.
Until next time, safe flying.
Congratulations to all of our achievers for the months of July, August and September. We are very proud to see so many people reaching new heights in their flight training with us.
Strong easterlies and the summer heat haven’t deterred the newest operation at the club, now an approved RA-AUS training provider.
Newly appointed RA-AUS Senior Instructor and CASA Grade 3 instructor, Gareth Lloyd, with full-time 15yr old high school student, Johntie Schulz, managed to progress through the Recreational Pilot Certificate (RPC) syllabus quickly and efficiently in our newly crosshired RA-AUS composite training aircraft, the Slovenian Pipistrel Alpha Electro.
The Electro is unique. It doesn’t need AVGAS, or Jet A1, but a health supply of electrons provided by its two onboard 10Kw battery packs. No more dipping fuel tanks, no more topping up the oil, no more carburetor ice, no more mixture control, the Electro’s 60Kw electric motor does not need or suffer from these ailments.
Johntie’s full time training saw him flying his 1st solo circuit in a gentle afternoon Mandurah seabreaze. This is a massive milestone in aviation, and all before Johntie is legally
able to operate a motor vehicle. It just shows, with great training and mentoring, you can achieve anything you put your mind to!
Murray Field has been an awesome venue for the Aero Club to commence RA-AUS ab-initio training, with plenty of landing options, quick access to the surrounding airspace to train, and spectacular scenery of Mandurah and the Peel Inlet, why not call our Operations team to book a Trial Flight in our Electro today!
Hello all and hope you had a fantastic festive season.
For those that have recently visited the club, you may have noticed that we have now installed some electronic security doors in the operations area. We have been extremely fortunate in the fact that Peter and Karen Signoreli from PKM Auto Doors kindly donated the mechanisms and associated “gadgets” that have allowed us to automate two sets of doors in the operations area. The glass doors between the front entrance and the operations/foyer area have now been replaced with electronically controlled sliding doors, we have installed an electronic lock on the door between the operations area and the hangar and the right hand doors leading from the operations area to the apron are now electronically controlled self-opening and closing, controlled by either PIN or swipe card from both inside and outside the building.
So why the changes?
The doors from operations to airside…
In their Conditions of Airport Access and Use, Jandakot Airport Holdings (JAH) advise that the airport has obligations to maintain a security barrier under the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004. All operators are obliged to assist JAH with maintaining this barrier. Our unlocked and to some extent, uncontrolled doors presented the opportunity for people to breach this barrier creating both security and safety risks. The installation of the electronically controlled doors is part of the actions we are taking to rectify this situation.
Access at present is via the use of either PINs being entered or use of a swipe card on the touch pads located both inside and outside the building (on the CEO’s office side). We are restricting the issue of PINs as we have found from the past that these are often passed to others, who then pass to others etc. resulting in an eventual failure of the system.
Access then for the majority of members will be by the use of a swipe card, each aircraft “book” is supplied with a card
so members wishing to fly club aircraft will have easy access, simply hold the back of the book to the card reader. If members require access and are not hiring a club aircraft, please see staff at the operations counter and they can organise access for you.
The door from the side passage to airside…
At present, exit is unrestricted however, use of a swipe card is required to enter the building. Eventually exit will be restricted to improve security.
The door from the front “main” entry to the operations area…
This door has had the ability to be locked and restricted for some time however this has, and will continue to be utilised for afterhours only and in extraordinary circumstances. We have however modified it to a sliding door due to the availability of equipment from PKM’s kind donation.
The door from operations to the hangar… Hangar security has presented significant issues for us. I think that it is fair to say that hangar access in the past has been somewhat a bit of a free for all, a situation in today’s world that to be honest is unacceptable. The hangar is a busy place, is high risk and distractions to engineers work can have real safety ramifications, in addition, a lot of very expensive equipment is easily accessible. If access to the hangar is required please contact our operations staff who can then liaise with the Chief Engineer.
Further work is required to improve airside security and this will be implemented in the near future. The installation of security doors is seen to be the best solution as it creates minimal disruption, the other option is installation of a secure perimeter fence creating an ambience similar to Casuarina Prison and still requiring security controlled gates.
Have a wonderful, successful and happy 2024.
On November 4th, the club successfully hosted its annual Jandakot Open Day. The event featured a lineup of distinguished guest aircraft, including the Beechcraft 1900, Cessna Citation, Cessna 340, Cirrus, and the innovative Pipistrel Electric aircraft.
Visitors had the opportunity to explore a variety of club aircraft on display, such as the Cessna 172, Mooney M20J, Super Decathlon, Vintage Tiger Moth, and Grob G115. These aircraft were showcased as static displays, allowing the public to get an up-close look.
Additionally, the Open Day provided a chance for attendees to experience Cessna 152s and the Sling, available for enjoyment when not in use for trial flights. The event drew participation from internal stalls representing the WA Avia -
tion College, RACWA Members, RA-AUS, and Young Eagles. Noteworthy participants included the Air Force Cadets, Australian Women’s Pilot’s Association (AWPA), WA Model Aircraft Sports Club, Flight City, PenJet and Girls Can Fly Anything.
Throughout the day, our Head of Operations Jarod Rowe led two engaging Learn To Fly Seminars, which garnered considerable interest, reflecting the enthusiasm of those considering a career or hobby in aviation.
For the first time during a public event, the Apron Café and RACWA Bar were open, attracting a bustling crowd. The new members lounge buzzed with laughter and a positive atmosphere.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the volunteers who played crucial roles in setting up, assisting throughout the day, and ensuring a smooth conclusion. Special appreciation is extended to John Snare and David O’Brien for their exceptional organization and vital contributions on the day.
Lastly, a warm thank you to all the patrons who came to visit our club. Your participation made the day truly special, and we eagerly anticipate welcoming you back for more thrilling aviation adventures in the future.
This year’s awards night was nothing short of extraordinary as we decided to shake things up and host the event right in the heart of our own facilities. With immense pleasure, we welcomed guests to an unforgettable evening filled with surprises and delights.
The awards kicked off in a unique setting - our very own hangar, transformed with an av system, stage, glitter backdrop & seating. Upon arrival, our guests were treated to a sophisticated affair with a jazz band playing, drinks and canapés served amongst our sleek aircraft. As the evening unfolded,
we presented all the wing recipients of the season and the club awards. Congratulations to everyone once again.
Ascending to our upstairs space, attendees were transported back in time with a dazzling Roaring 1920s theme. The atmosphere was electric, complete with a photo booth capturing timeless moments, a live jazz band serenading the night & an open bar for refreshments.
The culinary experience featured a buffet main course that delighted the palate. To cap off the evening, a help-yourself dessert board ensured a sweet conclusion to a night filled with laughter and camaraderie.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who graced us with their presence, making the night truly special. Your energy and enthusiasm added to the magic of the evening. We sincerely hope each of you had a fantastic time, and we look forward to creating more cherished memories together at next year’s event.
The Quiz Night was hosted on Friday 24th November was well attended with over 70 club members and friends joining together to form 10 Teams (VH-Fairly Clever Individuals, Casa La Vista, The Fighting Mongooses, Mo Problems, Simple Minds, Galahs, Dos Hombres Tres Chicas, Quizopher Walken, Kentucky Fried and The Quokkas). Some groups put a lot of thought into their team names!
During the evening JD’s Bar was busy with Isabela and Stephen providing service with a smile and quenching the thirst of the competitors. Whilst Apron Café offered a special Mexican menu for the event and it was nice to see Bianca and Helene enjoying the fun wearing their sombreros whilst serving nachos and tacos.
The Quiz consisted of 7 rounds of questions on a range of topics (Aviation, General Knowledge, Entertainment, Geography, Sport, Music and a general mixture). Some were certainly easier than others. In-between rounds there was a paper plane competition, where competitors had not only to design and make their own plane but then fly them 5 metres and hit the centre of a target.
There was a wide variety of prizes on offer, a $300 Dan Murphy Voucher, a voucher for the hire of a Cessna 152 for 30 mins, a pocket multi-tool, a meal for 2 at the Apron Café, 2 x $50 cash prizes, a massage, club polo shirts and wine and let’s not forget the pink fishing rod! A big Thank You to the donors of the prizes which were not only provided by organisations but from individual members too.
It was nice to see members of CASA (who had given a presentation earlier in the day) stay on and join in the fun.
1st Place was team Dos Hombres Tres Chicas with 41 points then closely followed in 2nd Place by team Casa La Vista with 39 points then closely followed in 3rd place by team Quizopher Walken with 38 points. Well done to all teams.
The paper planes competition was also won by members of the Dos Hombres Tres Chicas who were awarded the meal for 2 at the Apron Café.
It was a fun night with some hearty competition not only between teams but also between members when it comes to flying paper planes.
Thank you to everyone who attended and made it a fun night. Thanks go out to Mick Harcourt and Mark Kemp for being our quiz masters for the evening, to Steve Wilson the score master and Louise Kemp who was the runner for the night.
The social club is always looking for members to join them in helping out with events as well as offering new ideas for future events that you would like the Club to offer. Contact Mick on 0402 800 862 or Louise on 0422 637 159.
and gained an insight into the culture and people of the land.
That evening we had a formal group dinner that was also attended by the CEO of the Shire.
Now it was onto the outback town of Boulia located on the edge of the Simpson desert and at the crossroads of several outback routes. Boulia is in the Channel Country. All watercourses in this area are part of the Lake Eyre drainage basin, and most dry up before their water reaches Lake Eyre.
Next stop, Alice Springs for fuel and Kings Cross Station for a night’s stopover. The next day, most of the group took the opportunity to fly the scenic route around Uluru (Ayres Rock) and the Olgas. There is a special procedure found in the ERSA that defines the route etc. Nothing too complicated and stunning views of “the rock” and the Olgas.
Our last overnight stop was Leonora for a meal and some rest before returning to Jandakot the next day.
The trip to Longreach and back was a great success. All thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the feedback has been very positive. Time to start planning next year’s adventure to Temora in NSW!
Season’s greetings from the Western Australian Aviation College (WAAC)!
In this last quarter of 2023, we experienced new beginnings, insightful presentations, and enthusiasm from both students and staff.
Fuelling WAAC’s success is our spirited team of young ground instructors, all eagerly dedicated to maintaining the college’s high theory standards. Their passion for aviation education ensures that our students receive not only technical knowledge but also practical inspiration to reach new heights in their aviation careers.
In November, we hosted Craig Peterson, an Aviation Safety Advisor from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), for an industry presentation. Delving into CASA’s vital role within the aviation industry, Peterson provided a critical analysis of prevalent accidents and incidents, offering valuable strategies and best practices to ensure safety in the skies. Our Open Day in November soared to new heights, attracting prospective students eager to explore the aviation industry. The event generated a wave of enquiries for WAAC’s future full-time CPL Diploma of Aviation course.
As the year draws to a close, we welcome our final full-time CPL course intake of 2023, F23. Comprising a group of determined individuals, poised to achieve their aviation goals and dreams.
With 2024 on the horizon, WAAC is poised for new challenges and triumphs. With ambitious targets to further enhance the learning experience for our students and achieve strong results in aviation theory examinations. On behalf of the entire WAAC team, I extend warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our students, staff and members. As we reflect on the achievements of 2023, we eagerly anticipate a year filled with new milestones, achievements, and a continued commitment to excellence in aviation education.
Aaryan Kapila is making strides in his aviation journey, having completed all of his theory exams and currently engaging in his CPL hour-building phase. His most cherished memory involves achieving his Private Pilot Licence (PPL).
With ambitious career aspirations, Aaryan aims to become a Qantas Captain, aspiring to pilot the A380 before its retire -
ment. Before reaching this pinnacle, he envisions working as a scenic pilot in Broome or Exmouth, contributing to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), and obtaining Low Level and Float Endorsements.
Aaryan made special note of the pivotal role of the Ground School instructors and expressed gratitude to flight instructors James Minchin and Dave Royans. It’s been a challenging yet rewarding year at WAAC and he appreciates the support from everyone who’s helped him on his journey.
Meet Stan Meyer, our dedicated Ground School Manager, whose aviation journey began at the age of 14 in Canada when he took his first lesson in a PA-28 back in 2008.
Stan’s passion for flying led him to complete his Canadian Private Pilot License in 2019, followed by the conversion to CASA PPL and the attainment of his CPL in April 2021 with the RACWA.
Stan’s aviation achievements include obtaining endorsements in NVFR, Aerobatics, G3A & DF training, MMPC, and RU. Notably, he achieved his CPL milestone in the M20J MWE aircraft which is his favourite aircraft. Stan’s commitment to professional growth is evident in his recent Grade 2 upgrade and successful completion of the Multi-Engine Instrument Flight Rules (MEIFR).
Beyond the cockpit, Stan aspires to make a difference by combining his love for flying with a passion for helping others. Expressing a desire to one day fly turboprop aircraft with organizations like the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), Stan envisions contributing to medical missions in countries such as Papua New Guinea, providing assistance to those in need.
One of Stan’s favourite parts of his job is watching students achieve their goals exceeding what they thought was possible. I’m sure his students and himself will achieve great things in 2024!
This month we moved back to the lounge at the Royal Aero Club. Now renovated and looking good. A new ‘Apron Cafe” to cater to us. We expected 88 but that turned out to be about 100 guests. Brian and Erica Hernan were invited to attend. A Club C152 has been named “Brian Hernan” in his honour.
Our first presenter was Trish Bevan, an ex-MMA Hostess. Now in her 80s, Trish gave a great talk centred on her life flying in DC-3s at 8,000’. There were plenty of amusing moments which, I’m guessing, weren’t amusing at the time. Severe turbulence, drunk passengers and missed meals. MMA aircraft also transported very ill patients to Perth. The “hostie” was also expected to care for them too. After a break we had a presentation by Dr Peter Gall. Peter has a interest in the life and times of famed aviator, Bert Hinkler.
Bert grew up in Bundaberg and from an early age was attracted to flight. He observed the graceful flight of Ibis. He built his own glider. In 1912 American pilot “Wizard” Stone came to Bundaberg. Bert was able to fix his Metz Bleriot and was offered the job of mechanic. Bert then made his way to the U.K. and pestered Tom Sopwith for a job. When WW1 broke out he volunteered.
His war service, aviation feats after WW1, records and flight to Perth was detailed by Peter. Sadly, for Bert, it ended on a remote, snowy mountain in Italy and a hero’s funeral. Next month will be the last OFG luncheon this year. As yet, no one has volunteered to take over the role of coordinator. The future of the OFG as we know it is uncertain.
Written by Stephen Rogers
This was our last luncheon for 2023. I estimated 100 guests joined us. Many members came with their wives because of the topic of our presenter. Apron Cafe provided excellent fish and chips. President Ray Challen and John Ridgway presented Tim Smaile with a Life Membership. John spoke highly of the work that Tim gladly carries out at Murrayfield Airfield.
After these formalities we had lunch.
Flt. Lt. Sue Freeman then took the podium to tell us about her journey, firstly in the RAF and then, here in Australia, in the RAAF.
Sue spoke about the various aircraft she has flown from the humble Chipmunk to the Tornado F3. She has piloted an aircraft to over Mach 2. Sue then held a Q & A. There were many questions posed to her by the audience.
Sue encourages men and women to consider a career in the Air Force. Her own son is of an age where he may take that path. Sue said that she will ensure that she isn’t his instructor to avoid embarrassing him!
We finished by wishing everyone a safe and joyous festive season.
My position as Coordinator is still open for a contender to take over and carry the Old Fliers Group into 2024 and beyond.
