It all started after a small committee of Shepparton
Aero Club members headed by Paul Phillips and Simon Greig
was formed to organize the tenth running "The Great
Air Rally" which was soon to become the lynch pin
of something much bigger "Unlimited Aviation".
Early in the planning stages of the rally, organizers
of The Avalon Air Show saw that it could be used to funnel
aircraft and pilots to their event and subsequently the
two groups would work together to this end.
So two days of the weekend prior to the start of Avalon
were taken up with the dual rally, The Great Air Rally
on Saturday the 17th, then "Destination Avalon Air
Tour of Victoria" on Monday the 19th, but what would
the pilots do between the Saturday Evening Rally Dinner
and the start of the Avalon rally which would not get
underway until the Monday morning? "What about a
trade day where pilots could try out different aircraft
types", nothing of this nature had ever been done
before, so the embryonic weekend was now taking the form
of an Unlimited weekend of flying, hence the name.
But when the Greater Shepparton Council were approached
for some works to be carried out on the airport surrounds,
the suggestion of an open day for the public to be included
on the agenda was made and the weekend expanded even more,
it was becoming a major series of events, so the all encompassing
title "Unlimited Aviation" was born.
The logistics of planning and running the weekend were
enormous and soon sub committees were formed to work on
the bits and pieces phase of the event and while to the
layman it all worked like a well oiled machine, you could
bet your bottom dollar that many glitches were being smoothed
out along the way.
Mid afternoon on Saturday the 17th the first of hundreds
of aircraft began arriving at Shepparton, sixty five involved
in the G.A.R. (Great Air Rally) others were to be part
of the Trial Flight Field day and yet more were the normal
traffic that arrives at Shepparton on any given Saturday
the remaining aircraft were pilots rubber necking just
to see the action.
The aircraft traffic at Shepparton does not get any busier
or so we thought, two on downwind a couple more on base
then three lined up on final, but with well known flying
instructor Alan Cole, running a pilots advisory Uni Com
it all went smoothly with ground controllers taking over
as soon as the aircraft left the runway, to direct pilots
to the parking areas, and the bus that was to take them,
their passengers and luggage to the terminal lounge.
After a chance to relax and quench the thirst, the visitors
were then transported to their accommodation and afterwards
to the evening dinner.
Mention the name Laing Kidby to any one remotely involved
in aviation and immediately comes to mind details of the
man that re traced Bert Hinkler's epic flight from England
to Australia in an Avro Avian, then a couple of years
later flew the replica Vickers Vimy also from England
to Australia among the many achievements and deeds he
has been involved with in flying
Laing also organized and took part in the recent T.V.
show "The Peking to Paris Vintage Car Race",
yes he is a man of many achievements and Laing Kidby was
the keynote speaker who thrilled those that attended the
dinner, which also featured a presentation by one of Australians
best aerobatic pilots Pip Borrman.
If we thought the Saturday was good, then the following
day dawned with near perfect flying conditions and it
turned out to be a day beyond our greatest expectation
when over five and a half thousand members of the public
trouped through the airport eyeing off the aircraft that
had been put on display by their owners as well as the
war birds that were providing adventure joy flights for
the public, a Nanchang and a Yak 52, these round engined
aircraft were joined by a vintage Tiger Moth that also
provided the public with an opportunity to feel the wind
in their face with open cockpit flying albeit in a more
sedate manner.
Then the highlight of the day the unmistakable rumble
of a V12 Alyson engine growled across the sky announcing
the unexpected arrival of a Curtis P40 Kittyhawk to thrill
the crowd of pilots and public even further.
But the day really belonged to the aircraft dealers who
for the first time anywhere in this country were able
to demonstrate their wares to potential buyers, with an
apple to apple comparison flight, the circuit was filled
as these aircraft took off and landed in a continuous
stream
Former air traffic controller Geoff Nye joined Alan Cole
in a specially constructed tower and their combined expertise
saw an incident free day, Mr. Nye's commented after the
day had drawn to a close "there was no way that any
more aircraft movements could have been fitted in the
day"
The outcome of the first ever trial flight day was a lot
of positive comment and the possible sale of several aircraft
making it an event well worth the effort of planning and
running.
Boy we needed a rest, but just like the commercial "wait
there is more" no not steak knives but an informal
dinner and a briefing for the 30 plus pilots and their
crew who were to take part in the "Destination Avalon
Air Tour of Victoria" which commenced the next day.
Geoff Nye delivered a briefing on the procedures pilots
would need to be aware of to land at Avalon, and answered
a number of questions on how it would all work, then it
was off to bed for a good nights rest in readiness for
more fun filled aviation.
As good as Sunday had been weather-wise, the skies on
Monday were a leaden grey as low cloud heralded a possible
change to the weather with the threat of much needed rain
which was a good thing for the country side, but not for
pilots taking part in the rally.
Following fuelling and briefing, thirty two aircraft took
to off for the first leg of the rally and headed to the
central Victorian town of Maryborough for lunch, but that
is where the rally ended, rain and cloud down to the ground
kept everyone out of the air.
So what do you do with more than sixty people when they
can't continue their flight, simple organize at short
notice a bus trip to the historic gold field town of Maldon,
where they could play "Tommy Tourist" till their
heart was content.
The next day when conditions had not improved the rest
of the tour was cancelled and the awards for the rally
to that stage were handed out, then it was everyman or
women for themselves, most waited on the ground for the
weather to clear and made their own way to Avalon while
some headed home.
A damp note to end what had been an exciting and fulfilling
weekend of flying. The organizers are to be congratulated
for firstly coming up with such a great concept, then
for the running of all four features. Firstly "The
Great Air Rally", then the dinner with Pip Borrman
and Laing Kidby as speakers, then the Public Open day
and Trial Flight Day and finally the of the "Destination
Avalon Air Tour of Victoria" all of which combined
to make a week of "Unlimited Aviation".
