There were some very welcome sights at Caboolture Airfield on Saturday, all a long time coming:


Welcome Sight #1

John Clayton back in the air after a 10 month absence.

Welcome Sight #2

Kevin Rodda takes off in his Schweizer SGS 1-35 after almost 8 months preparation.

And apart from that we accomplished 7 training or check flights, 3 solo flights, an AEF passenger flight and a couple of very satisfying dual flights shared by old mates. 13 flights all up for a total club aircraft time of 1:43 in CQC and 2:11 in IKW. Plus 1:12 in WUC.

The day started slowly with no students in sight and not even the rostered duty pilots. JC was back into action immediately, driving the lead tow car to get the small duty crew’s procession off towards RWY 12.

Michael Somerfield arrived in time to join that procession and take the first flight with Duty Instructor Kevin Roden.

JC got into action again to fill the duty pilot void. He was soon surrounded by a growing bunch of old mates who dropped by to say g’day:

Bert Persson, Barry and Lyn McCarthy, Tony Sorensen, Lindsay Mitchell and David Higgs were among the many familiar faces making quite a crowd around the pie cart.

Meanwhile: Messrs Higgs and Roden refamiliarised themselves with flying in strange attitudes, AEI Rod Wilson took his passenger for a 35 minute ride, Speedy Gonsalves self-launched and was gone for hours, Karl Bodi and Eric Dickeson flew off by themselves (Karl returning to relieve Tony Esler in the tug) and Garrett Russell took 3 flights with Luke Westerhuis to sign him out in the IS-28.

But that wasn’t the end of the day:

Welcome Sight #3:

Lindsay Mitchell and Bert Persson utilised the muscle left over from the day’s flying and reunioning to manoeuvre GYK into position for the Form 2 which will soon see it back in the air.

Can you see the glint in their eyes?

It was definitely a day worth toasting, and Kevin Roden had a little more than the rest of us to toast with:

His German beer prize from the Backwards Fox email competition.

Neil Muspratt’s bottle is in the fridge – to be claimed by him alone!