Vintage

Winch Manufacture and Design

The original winch - driver, spreader operator and two mechanics, just in case. By Terry Neumann In the early the history of Balaklava GC, winch manufacture and design was governed by the availability of materials and the skill and imagination of the people who built them. There…

Winch Manufacture and Design

VINTAGE GLIDING

At the Australian Gliding Museum, Jim Barton celebrated his 93rd birthday. Jim was a co-founder of the museum 25 years ago and is well-known for his long association with gliding through the Gliding Club of Victoria at Benalla. Jim has also received a Special Commendation Award…

VINTAGE GLIDING RALLY AT WARWICK

By Kevin Rodda Earlier in the year, Laurie Simpkins sent out the word to an eccentric group of glider pilots and their eclectic group of vintage/classic gliders to join a rally at Warwick Aerodrome at Massie. Located 14km northwest of the City of Warwick on the beautiful Darling…

Australian Antique Aircraft Association FLY-IN

Northrop Primary Glider By Peter Raphael Every year, the Australian Antique Aircraft Association holds a Fly-In at different locations around the country, at the same time holding their Annual General Meeting and Awards Night. Established in 1974, this group promotes and…

Hunter Valley Gliding Club Vintage Rally Easter 2023

Andrew Dickson prepares for an hour in the Museum’s K8b, assisted by Warwick Kenny. Dave and Jenne Goldsmith The Hunter Valley Gliding Club members based at Warkworth, near Singleton NSW, went all out to ensure that visiting Vintage Gliding Australia members – and their precious…

VGA Annual Rally

Dave and Jenne Goldsmith The first VGA Annual Rally at Millicent continued the tradition of flying vintage gliders just for fun. Generally, the weather for the week did not encourage long distance flights, leading to a more social atmosphere throughout. Local facilities are…

Bendigo Gliding Club Open Day - AGM Fabric Course - Warwick Vintage Week

Overhead the airfield by Gordon Trollip Bendigo Gliding Club Open Day Bendigo Gliding Club has finally had a chance to run an Open Day for the public. The past couple of years have been challenging for all clubs, faced with restricted social interaction and now, uncertain…

K8B Restoration at the Australian Gliding Museum

Peter Raphael in the K8b, James Stevenson, Jim Barton, Jenne Goldsmith, Alan Hopkins, Hal Hopkins, Trevor Odering, Dave Goldsmith, David Slater, Andrew Willox and Leigh Snell. By Peter Raphael and Dave Goldsmith The first flight of the Museum's K8b since January 1995 took place…

Easter Vintage Regatta

New Museum President Peter Champness flies the Zephyrus AUSTRALIAN GLIDING MUSEUM OPEN DAY, AGM AND BARBEQUE AND VINTAGE GLIDERS AUSTRALIA RALLY By Dave Goldsmith Normally held in November but delayed by Covid, the Vintage Gliders Australia Rally and Australian Gliding Museum…

Hunter Valley Vintage Rally

The newly restored M200 was a star. By James Moffat Over the Easter long weekend, the Hunter Valley Gliding Club has hosted its annual Vintage Rally, and what a weekend it was! A dedicated group of local and visiting vintage pilots and their aircraft descended on the site for…

VGA Rally 2022

David Howse ready to go. By David Howse Photos:David Howse, David Goldsmith, Peter Raphael With the onset of summer and the lockdown over, we all looked forward to the VGA Rally this year, which was held 8 - 15 January. My preparations were to drag Yellow Bird (Boomerang VH GQO)…

Newly Restored K8 at the Australian Gliding Museum

Australian Gliding Museum members are looking forward to flying a newly restored Schleicher K 8. By Dave Goldsmith Restored Schleicher K 8\Approaching the completion of its restoration plan under the leadership of Peter Raphael, the attractive bright, shiny red and yellow colour…

Easter Vintage Regatta - Hunter Valley Gliding Club

Cobra 15 Polish high performance single seater owned by Phillip Brown. By Paul Dickson Photos by Phillip Brown 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the Hunter Valley Gliding Club Vintage Regatta. Thankfully the recent flooding rains in Eastern Australia had abated and great autumn…

Vintage Gliders Australia Annual Rally Bordertown 9-6 January 2021

To be or not to be? There was great uncertainty as Christmas approached, although all the necessary preparations had been made for a COVID safe National Vintage Gliders Australia Rally at Bordertown from 9 to 16 January 2021. Our esteemed VGA President, JR Marshall, knew what…

Vintage Lockdown

As an active member of the Bendigo Gliding Club and the Australian Gliding Museum, both located outside the Melbourne urban area, it was frustrating to accept that I would be unable either to continue with the restoration of the museum's K8 VH-GMA, or travel to Raywood and fly…

Glider Flying at Mount Gambier

Glider Flying at Mount Gambier By Ron Austin In 1948, while living in Mt Gambier, I became aware of a group that was building a glider to fly. Enquiries lead me to a chap named Frank Swartz. He worked in the town as a motor mechanic and explained the flying idea to me. Those…

A Vintage Glider at the 2020 Keepit Regatta

A Vintage Glider at the 2020 Keepit Regatta David Pickles waiting to launch beside the Dart (photo: Ivo Ivelin). By Paul DicksonHunter Valley Gliding Club I have flown the Keepit Regatta several times in the past and it is a very friendly and relaxed comp, so I thought it would…

A Model Clone of the Zephyrus

A Model Clone of the Zephyrus and how we found the missing plans Vincent Crockett poses with his 1:3.5 scale model of the Zephyrus. By Peter Champness In October 2014, Vincent Crockett of Scale Soaring UK contacted the Beaufort Gliding Club, saying that he would like to…

GAus Awards 2-24

Gliding Australia celebrated outstanding members who have contributed to the sport’s growth, achievement, and excellence. These awards honour individuals who dedicate their skills, time, and passion to various aspects of gliding. Here’s a look at 2024’s recipients across both…

Service and Sporting Awards 2024

The AWPA Nancy-Bird Walton Memorial Trophy Awarded to Beryl Hartley

At the Awards and Presentation dinner of the 2024 annual Australian Women Pilots’ Association (AWPA) conference in Mildura 20 April 2024, Beryl Hartley from Narromine Gliding Club was awarded the AWPA Nancy-Bird Walton Memorial Trophy. This award is AWPA’s most prestigious award…

AWPA Pilots Flock to Sunraysia Gliding Club

The Australian Women Pilots’ Association (AWPA) held their 2024 Education Day at the Sunraysia Gliding club in Mildura, VIC, home of the 2023 FAI Club Class World Gliding Champion James Nugent.

Gliding Australia Awards 2023

After general business was concluded at the GA Annual General Meeting the recepients of the Gliding Australia Awards for 2023 were announced. The awards and recipients are listed below with extracts fromtheir citations. Below are extracts from the Citations for the GA Awards.…

GFA Awards 2022

The GFA Annual General Meeting was held as a video conference for the 3rdyear in a row on 31 August. Members from all over the country were able to take part without the need to travel. This innovation has made the AGM more accesible and increased attendance at the meeting.…

Beryl Hartley and Training Program Steering Group Receive FAI Awards

Paul Tissandier DiplomaThe annual FAI awards were announced on 1 November 2022. The prestigious awards are given in a variety of categories across sports aviation. This year Beryl Hartley was awarded a Paul Tissandier Diploma. The Diploma is awarded to ‘those who have served the…

GFA AWARDS 2020

GFA AWARDS 2020 The GFA Awards and some GFA sporting trophies are presented at the GFA AGM each year. Only one award is made for each category annually. Congratulations to the GFA Awards 2020 recipients. CITATIONS Wallington Award Over the past couple of years as the National…

GFA Awards

The GFA Annual General Meeting was held as a video conference for the second year in a row on 24 September. Members from all over the country were able to take part without the need to travel. This innovation has made the AGM more accesible and increased attendance at the…

GFA Awards and Sporting Trophies

The GFA Awards and some GFA sporting trophies are presented at the GFA AGM each year. Only one award is made for each category annually, and if there are no nominations (or none that are judged worthy) then the Award need not be made.In order to allow the Board sufficient time…

Winch Manufacture and Design