Sitting in my chilly office, looking out over a bleak, wintery landscape, past stacks of reference books and papers, I am trying to finish the article on travelling up to the Torres Strait that appears later in this edition. I have to tell you, it’s a little hard to recapture the feeling of sitting in the blazing sun on a steamy tropical island just weeks ago. It has been a difficult winter for flying this year – especially on the Australian east coast. Most of us are fair weather pilots and there’s been a distinct lack of that lately. I remember an instructor saying that ‘If there’s more than 2 lines on the Weather Briefing, leave the plane in the hangar”. I like to think I’m a bit gamer than that these days. But not much. That’s why, as this edition goes to print, I’m looking forward to some warmer – if not clearer – weather and the chance to get some more flying in.
Our airshows and events are back after COVID – although the weather has been playing hell for organizers – and I have gotten to a few recently. Anyone who was there will tell you about the huge crowds at those events. It’s clear that there is an appetite for events but also that there is support and interest for aviation. I think that augurs well for the future. Speaking of which, the team at RAAus have been doing a lot of important work in areas such as Group G, medical requirements and access to controlled airspace that will be important to our long-term future. It’s a case of small incremental gains. The recent removal of the 45kt stall speed requirement from Group G is a great example of a small, but significant win. These gains aren’t won by having a fight. They are won by thoughtful submission of a fact-based case, within the regulation building framework. It’s un-sexy and often unseen work. It’s time and resource-consuming, but ultimately it is how things get done. And they are getting it done. So, dibs to them and the others doing this work.
This is something of a bumper edition and it features more articles and story ideas contributed by readers than ever before. That’s what we like to see. If you have something you think is story worthy, get it to us. If you have pictures, we’d love to see them. This publication is about a community of aviators and enthusiasts. So, keep those stories, letters and pictures rolling in.
I hope this edition will inspire you to get out there and enjoy whatever style of aviation you enjoy.
Safe travels!
