By Josh Davis
Photos Edward Forgacs
Hunter Valley Gliding Club held its annual Easter Vintage Regatta over the Easter long weekend and following week. Pilots visited from interstate, including Matt Sternberg from Warrick with his aerobatic Salto for the first time. On the Easter weekend, members were treated to short joy flights in Phil Unicomb Aviation’s Tiger Moth, BCI, the youngest Tiger Moth on the Australian register, built in 1964.
Young gun commercial pilot Ben Brynes flew the Tiger, assisted by newly minted commercial pilot Julia Freedman. Along with BCI we had a number of other private Tiger Moths fly in from Luskintyre, as well as a number of RA Aus aircraft visit from all around the area. This is part of the club’s drive to become a more welcoming and inclusive environment to all people involved and interested in aviation.
Visitors and club members were treated to fantastic weather, lots of vintage gliders, flying and friendship with visitors to our club.
Club CFI Paul Dickson wrote, “I would like to extend my thanks to the organisers, tuggies, instructors and other helpers as it was a fantastic effort. Special thanks go to Neil & Kylie for dinners as it is a real effort to organise and feed so many people.”
Over the weekend we had 126 launches and gliders were in the air for a total of 106:30hr. When you take into account the separate tug and glider landings and other powered traffic, we had about 450 aircraft movements on the airfield.
