WHAT A JOURNEY IT’S BEEN
Just over a decade ago, in May 2011, a new publication hit the shelves of newsagents and the letterboxes of RAAus members. That publication was SportPilot, a new members’ magazine for the RAAus community. SportPilot was conceived to bring enjoyable and informative stories to current pilots, and to introduce our form of safe, affordable and exciting aviation to more potential flyers. Over the years, SportPilot has been in the hands of multiple editors, undergoing several makeovers and changes to print runs. A lot has changed, but one thing has stayed the same; the dedication of our readers. Over the course of the last 100 editions, more than 1,000 stories, articles and letters to the editor have been published, each one sharing an important insight into the incredible world of aviation from those who love it most.
Take a look back at the last 100 editions with us. Read, reminisce, and celebrate the community that has made this publication what it is today. The last 100 editions have been a blast, here’s to 100 more!
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN / ISSUE #1
Take a look at Mick Poole’s Pilot Talk from the very first issue of SportPilot. The recent MTOW increase from 545kg to 600kg was the hot topic of the time, a move that helped to considerably expand the RAAus membership and open up a wide variety of aircraft to RPC-holding pilots.
ONE OF THE WACKIEST / ISSUE #7
Easily one of the more “out-there” aircraft to ever grace the cover of SportPilot, the FK14 LeMans is a variant of the German-built FK14 Polaris that does away with the traditional bubble canopy, replacing it with two side-by-side “roadster-style” windshields. Eye-catching, sleek and sexy, this 1950’s sports car-inspired plane never really found a footing in the mainstream market. A shame!
A CLASSIC INDEED / ISSUE #10
This incredible restoration of an ERCO 415-C Ercoupe graced our pages in Issue 10. Originally built in 1946, this Ercoupe was restored by Ward Marsh, the president of the American EAA before finding its way to Queensland.
THE SPIRIT OF RAAUS / ISSUE #10
A quirky little build that epitomises the RAAus mission, Roy Bartlett’s Tipsy Nipper was designed to bring the joy of flight in the most affordable way possible. Check out this incredible story of a man that never stopped tinkering, continually improving his pride and joy.
NOT QUITE A BIPLANE / ISSUE #18
Have you ever come across a Dragonfly in the field?
This fantastic four-winged contraption was featured in Issue 18 and belonged to Yoshi Tanabe, a pilot with Japan’s All Nippon Airways and a lover of the weird and wonderful. The Viking Dragonfly is a two-seater, tandem wing aircraft, designed by Bob Walters and first flown in 1980.
SETTING RECORDS / ISSUE #24
Just another example of our members doing incredible things, in May 2013, Tim Howes set a new Australian record for Total Circuits Completed at a whopping 122. Over the course of 8 hours, Tim made history and raised money and awareness for the rescue of racing greyhounds Australia-wide.
MR. PRESIDENT / ISSUE #34
In May 2014, SportPilot saw its first column from new president Michael Monck. Still tirelessly fighting at the helm of the RAAus community to this day, Michael’s achievements while president have been near impossible to count. This edition’s From the President is Michael’s 67th report in SportPilot as president, an incredible feat indeed!
SPORTING A NEW LOOK / ISSUE #34
The Rotax 912 series has been a staple of the aviation community for decades. In May 2014, another variant was added to the lineup. The Rotax 912 iS Sport is a performance-oriented version of the 912, said to significantly improve fuel efficiency, torque and includes an updated ECU.
INTO THE STRATOSPHERE / ISSUE #34
Issue 34 also featured the story of one of the most ambitious aircraft designs ever, and the Australian family behind it. The Ligeti Stratos, a tailless, boxwing aircraft with a ducted prop in pusher configuration, was originally conceived and built by Charles Ligeti in the mid-1980’s. This story tells the tale of both Charles and his son Ron, who was attempting to rebuild his father’s incredible design.
MEMBERS ONLY / ISSUE #40
This announcement in Issue 40 marked a tough time for RAAus, as cost-cutting measures were required to ensure the longevity of the organisation. As a result, SportPilot was removed from the shelves of newsagents for a 3-month trial in order to reduce the print-run and save money. Thankfully, under strong leadership, RAAus was able to bounce back from these trying times, with SportPilot triumphantly returning to magazine stands in newsagents Australia-wide.
IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A FISH / ISSUE #40
The classifieds section of the magazine has seen countless aircraft find new homes across the country, but none have been as incredible as this contraption! On the pages of Issue 40 was this Ramphos Trident. If you’re thinking “that looks a whole lot like a boat with wings”, that’s because it is!
THE DIGITAL AGE / ISSUE #43
Following on from the 3-month trial of SportPilot being removed from newsagents, the magazine underwent another format change. As of April 2015, SportPilot would be delivered universally in a digital-only version, with a subscription model introduced for the printed version of the magazine.
HELLO RPL / ISSUE #45
In September 2014, CASA introduced the Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL), offering RAAus pilots a realistic, achievable pathway to flying VH-registered aircraft. This feature in Issue 45 of SportPilot takes readers through the process of gaining an RPL, and outlines some of the benefits the qualification can bring.
OUR ONLINE HOME / ISSUE #50
As part of this move to a largely digital distribution, SportPilot announced in Issue 50 that we had found a new online home in Issuu. A fantastic platform that currently holds every edition of SportPilot for viewing online, we are proud to still be using Issuu for digital distribution to this day.
LIVING UP TO THE HYPE / ISSUE #60
In August 2016, SportPilot reported on the announcement of the new HypeR microlight from the UK’s P&M Aviation. A sleek take on a classic microlight design and built for pilot and passenger comfort, the HypeR has become a stalwart of P&M’s lineup of impressive microlight machines.
END OF AN AVIATION FAVOURITE / ISSUE #65
As KLM announced the end to their 747 service to Princess Juliana International Airport in St Maarten, SportPilot lamented the loss of one of the bucket-list items in any aviation enthusiast’s book. Flights still come and go only metres above this crowded beach, but nothing will ever compare to having your sunbathing session interrupted for several seconds by the shadow of a mighty 747.
STRUCTURAL CHANGE / ISSUE #70
June 2017 saw RAAus take a major step in streamlining and modernizing the organisation. As of Michael Monck’s report in Issue 70, RAAus had ceased to be an incorporated association and officially became a company limited by guarantee. This change allowed RAAus to be further democratised, and set up the organisation for the success it is currently experiencing.
SMILE AND WAVE / ISSUE #70
Issue 70 also saw SportPilot featuring an ambitious amphibian design by Paul Vickers of Vickers Aircraft in New Zealand. A two-seater, high wing aircraft with an automatic folding wing mechanism, Paul was confident that “the first model off the line will be close to perfect” and had elected to skip the prototyping phase altogether and go head-first into production. This fascinating aircraft, while looking incredible, is still yet to roll off the production line as of July 2021. We can only hope we see it sometime soon!
RECORD FOR A REASON / ISSUE #86
Liam Morey’s epic attempt at becoming the youngest person to circumnavigate Australia by air unassisted was featured on the pages of Issue 86, but there was more to his story than breaking records. Liam’s attempt was done to promote STEM to high-school students, encouraging them to follow careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
AS SWIFT AS THE WIND / ISSUE #86
This incredible example of 1940’s aircraft design was featured in Issue 86, arguably one of the most beautiful aircraft to grace our pages. The story of John Frederick’s Globe Swift, a side-by-side taildragger, is one well worth reading again.
OUR SUCCESS STORIES / ISSUE #88
RAAus has often been a pathway for people seeking to pursue a career in aviation. In Issue 88, we featured a series of pilots who had begun their aviation journey in Australian-made Jabiru aircraft. One of these pilots, Aimee Moccata (now Aimee Heal), began flying Jabirus before joining the RAAF, taking to the cockpit of the King Air B350 and the Airbus KC-30 MRTT. We caught up with Aimee again in Issue 98 as she continued to chase her aviation dreams, now piloting a Pilatus PC-21 as one of the RAAF’s prestigious Roulettes.
A NEW ERA
A FRESH START
Following the tragic passing of previous Editor Mark Smith in 2019, SportPilot was thrust into a state of limbo. Fortunately, the team at RAAus were determined not to let SportPilot come to an end, teaming with Pace Media to revive the magazine and relaunching it to the members in August 2020. Pace introduced a new print style and confirmed their commitment to telling the stories of our community.
WHAT’S NEXT
We’re now four editions in at the helm of SportPilot. While it’s only a miniscule amount in the history of this publication, we hope we’ve begun to make our mark on what is the widest circulated aviation magazine in the country. We’d like to express our gratitude to previous editors Brian Bigg and Mark Smith, who both helped shape this magazine into what it is today. As for the future, we’re keen to see how SportPilot will continue to grow. We’re committed to telling the stories of our vast community, and making sure members’ voices are heard. It’s an uncertain time that we live in, but we hope to ensure that SportPilot will remain a constant for many editions to come.
