40 years is a mighty long time in aviation, and here we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of RAAus. What started off as a small bunch of rebels has matured into an organisation representing almost ten thousand members, pilots, school operators, maintenance providers, and aircraft owners.
We owe a debt of gratitude both to the people who fought those early battles and to the people that picked up the torch and carried it forward over those four long decades. I’ve been flying for a bit over 20 of those years and I got to witness the rebirth of light aviation, transforming the RAAus pilot from fringe dweller to mainstream.
In this edition you’ll find some great pics from those years, take a look and see who you recognise. This September we are coming together in Canberra to celebrate the 40-year milestone. I’ll be there with some of the SportPilot team, so come and have a yarn to us – safe in the knowledge we are happy to talk planes all night. For those of you who can’t make it, next time you’re with a group of pilots, raise a glass and remember those who have made it possible to do what we love.
As we move into spring, I guess more of us will be trying to get some flying done. I’m certainly due for a few laps at the airfield to keep my hand in before I set off on another adventure. Happy and safe flying to you all!
