A Lifetime of Flight
The tight-knit homebuilding community recently mourned the passing of legendary pilot, Captain Graham Hewitt. Mike House explains what made Hewitt such an extraordinary aviator.
Read MoreThe Innovator
With a second child on the way and the spare cash tin suddenly empty, Bevan Anderson’s wife Rochelle told him that if he wanted to continue flying, he needed to find an income stream to fund his “very expensive hobby”. So he created AvPlan...
Read MoreMy RA Journey
Sixteen-year-old Gabby Elias has been fascinated by flying ever since she was a wee girl growing up on the family farm. With an ambition to fly fast jets in the RAAF, Gabby recently took the first step towards achieving her dream when she began training for her RA pilot’s licence.
Read MoreThe Interview
Irwin Hodder has flown for the RAAF and Qantas but he was convinced that there was work to be done in developing nations such as Papua New Guinea.
Read MoreAny Plan is Better than No Plan
When I was a pilot, it was axiomatic that one prepared a flight plan, frequently filed a flight plan and then flew in accordance with the flight plan. Rarely was I expected nor did I just take off and devise what I was going to do when I had fresh air under the aircraft.
Read MoreBorn to Fly
For some, following the same career path as siblings or parents can be a daunting task. But for helicopter pilot Johanna Osborne, doing so was a natural progression.
Read MoreNice Job if You Can Get It
Some helicopter pilots have found callings that not only support important missions, but also deliver a high level of personal fulfillment. AVIATOR takes a look at a few heli jobs that provide a unique and challenging application of flying skills.
Read MoreLe Champion
As a girl growing up in France, Aude Lemordant dreamed of being a professional pilot. Now a Boeing 777 pilot for Air France, the 32-year-old has certainly achieved that dream. But being an airline pilot isn’t enough for the ambitious Frenchwoman, who also holds the distinction of being the world aerobatics champion.
Read MoreThe Anti-Apartheid Mission
In 1981 the Springboks’ visit to New Zealand caused mayhem in the streets - protesters clashed with riot police and used a Cessna aeroplane to strafe Eden Park and to drop flour bombs during the third and final test match in Auckland.
Read MoreFlying for Fun
Recreational aviation has come a long way in the past 30 years. From being a disorganised group of enthusiasts to an organisation that has emerged as one that many consider to be the equal of its General Aviation counterpart.
Read MoreMoney, Money, Money
This month our resident solicitor Paul Clough deals with the transportation of millions of dollars worth of cash … and gold.
Read MoreThe Lap of Luxury
So you’ve got some serious cash to spend on a new aircraft. And not only have you always dreamed of owning your own aircraft; you’ve always dreamed of customising your new pride and joy. So what are the options offered by manufacturers when it comes to custom-design?
Read MoreRed Bull Pilot
Nigel Lamb is a Red Bull racing pilot, competing against the best of the best on a global circuit in some of the most exotic locations around the world.
Read MorePilatus PC-24: Super Versatile Jet
The relationship between the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Pilatus has just been elevated to another level following the Flying Doctors’ decision to order three brand new PC-24 twinjets for its operation in Western Australia.
Read MoreBringing Up the Rear – a Tail Gunner’s Story
Given the tail gunners’ job during World War Two was not only dangerous but statistically challenging (survival rate was around 30 per cent), a living tail gunner is a rare individual.
Read MoreTBM900: the Ultimate Personal Aircraft
Private pilot Jean Jacques Bely recently invested in a brand new high-performance TBM 900. Derek Royal caught up with Jean Jacques to discuss an aircraft that has taken the world by storm.
Read MoreTeen World Conqueror
Nineteen year old Australian Ryan Campbell last year became the youngest pilot to circumnavigate the world in a single-engine aircraft when he completed an epic 24,000 nautical mile journey in 70 days.
Read MoreTiger Moth – Best of British
On 16 December 2013, a Tiger Moth suffered a double port wing failure in Queensland’s Southport Seaway area and plummeted into the sea 300 metres off South Stradbroke Island, killing both the pilot and the passenger.
Read MoreBlue Collar Birds
Some people are suckers for blue collar aeroplanes, those birds that work for a living and always look as if they have grease under their fingernails. Some people call them “utilities” while others know them as “bush planes”.
Read MoreNavy Pilot
What does it take to be a Navy pilot? Derek Royal spoke to Lieutenant Tammielee Moffatt to find out.
Read MoreYou’re Never Too Old
As a seasoned private pilot with more than 1,000 flying hours logged and endorsed in various light twins and singles, I often think back to the beginning of my flying journey.
Read MoreRunway or Driveway?
John Travolta lives in one, and so too does an increasing number of much less famous (and less wealthy) people. Airparks – or housing developments designed for people who want an airstrip outside their front door - are becoming increasingly popular.
Read MoreAir Ambulance
In the early days, our equipment was fairly basic; we had aviation maps, a street directory and a compass. There were no mobile phones or GPS, the helicopter had no autopilots or stabilization and we would go into the mountains in all sorts of weather conditions and search for the injured person.
Read MoreJet Captain
As a girl growing up just a stone’s throw from Sydney Airport, Rosanna Vittorio was mesmerised by aeroplanes and dreamed of becoming an airline pilot. Now a captain with Cobham Aviation Services, Rosanna flies the Boeing 717 for QantasLink on RPT out of Darwin, the town she has called home for the past 16 years.
Read MoreCorporate Turbo
Computer software business owner Ben Roberts departs on trips from his base on the outskirts of Sydney without a worry about airport or airline dramas. He climbs into the cockpit of his company’s own Piper Meridian and takes off.
Read MoreCareFlight Pilot
Getting a gig as a CareFlight pilot is one of the plum jobs in the EMS industry.
Read MoreBrain Overload
That feeling of everything rushing into your brain but having none of it make sense lasts for only a short time in any new situation, but it is very real and affects just about everyone to a certain degree.
Read MoreAirborne Ambos – Snake Bite!
Flying to more destinations than any airline, over 120 Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) aircraft in 30 countries deliver physical or spiritual care and hope to those living in isolation.
Read MoreA Day in the Life of an Airshow Pilot
It seems that just about everybody, young and old, enjoys the spectacle of airshow flying. But what goes on behind the scenes in the lead-up to those 12 minutes of aerial ballet?
Read MorePutting the Engine in Engineering
Austrian manufacturer BRP celebrates the 25th Anniversary of its astonishingly successful Rotax 912 engine. The company started the production of aircraft engines in 1973 with the first certified aircraft engine delivered in 1975.
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