Introduction

Winter is approaching however there is often good weather for flying at this time of the year and it is a good time to start preparing for the summer aerobatic season in the Melbourne area.

Anyone is welcome to join this email list by filling in the form online at https://www.ozaeros.net.au/?page_id=774.

Moves

We finally have the scores from the 2016 National Aerobatic Championships so congratulations again to Sportsman (or is that Sportsgirl?) Champion, Natalie Korrum, and Michael Chlepko! A great effort and a fine performance to come out ahead of all the keen competitors.

Results of the Australian Light Aircraft Championships aerobatic competition held at Latrobe Valley on 1^st April: First – Campbell Davies, Second David Clemence and Third Des Barry (from NZ) – congratulations!

Loops, Voices and the Fear of …

The title comes from a short story in the book by Richard Bach: A Gift of Wings which is a good intro to the talk I will be giving at the Kyneton Aero Club on Monday, 19th June when I will cover “What is a loop?”, the abysmal and tragic accident history of Decathlons in Australia, the state of spin instruction in this country, LOC-I training initiatives by the FAA in the USA compared with CASA and a short course in upset recovery which I recommend for all pilots.

Qld Aerobatic Championships

These are being held at Watts Bridge on 13-16 July – please let me know if you are interested in competing.

Airplane Updates

UPG will soon be finished its annual maintenance which was extended this year due to the need to repair a propeller blade after a minor stone chip and also to replace one of the main strut attachment fittings. I expect it to be ready to go for the weekend of 13-14 May.

Michael Chlepko took delivery of his “new” Laser recently with a ferry flight back home from Perth. It is now based at Bacchus Marsh which is fast becoming the main centre for aerobatics in the Melbourne area. I look forward to seeing Michael compete in higher categories in future. Michael’s Laser was originally built by my friend Bob Davis in the USA in the early ’80s and he competed in it in the World Aerobatic Championships. Bob was inducted into the International Aerobatic Club’s hall of Fame in 2002. Read more about Bob at http://www.ilavhalloffame.org/members_12.htm

Jacqui Walker, the late Alan Shiels and I built our Laser VH-JAD at the same time that Bob built his. Both aeroplanes are still going strong as is VH-KGZ which was also built at the same time in Melbourne.

USA National Aerobatic Championships

A few of us are interested in competing in the USA in 2017 – anyone else?

It is on from 22/9/17 to 29/8/17 at Oshkosh, WI – more info at https://www.iac.org/us-national-aerobatic-championships-2017

I can provide copies of the sequences and rules for anyone interested.

Free Membership of the IAC

Join up now to get free six months membership of the IAC including the excellent Sport Aerobatics magazine at https://www.iac.org/roll-with-us-join-or-renew

Ozaeros Shirts and Caps

I have some top quality polo shirts and caps with the Ozaeros logo available for sale. Polo shirts are $40 and the caps are $15 (both free to new Ozaeros Team members competing in 2017).

For more information email David.

Happy Flying

Hope to see you at the airport sometime soon.

Keep in touch – email David.