Members of the Victa Airtourer Association, Moira Shire Council and the Yarrawonga Aerodrome join together in front of a Victa Airtourer as part of the formation camp that was held in Yarrawonga recently.
Aviation enthusiasts were treated for three days over the Remembrance Day weekend with the Victa Aerotourer Association hosting a formation camp at the Yarrawonga Aerodrome.
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The inaugural camp, had visiting pilots from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania come together to train and hone their skills in formation flying with all the pilots having a different range of experience.
Seven aircrafts and 10 pilots were in the region with locals being treated to a special formation flyover of the Remembrance Day service at ClubMulwala on the Saturday.
Yarrawonga was chosen for the inaugural camp as the aerodrome is close to town, has wide, sealed runways and its historical connection.
Angela Stevenson, semi local and writer at Flight Safety Magazine, Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) said that formation flying is very intensive with the camp used to improve skills. This type of flying also requires a lot of concentration and trust.
“We are hoping to hold the camp at least annually and hope to come back to Yarrawonga,” Angela said.
Angela and Tony Stevenson who live part time in Yarrawonga are vivid Victa Airtourer lovers and can both complete formation flying.
“It is such a great location for flying, being close enough to the capital cities and also having a maintenance shop in Yarrawonga. We hope we do not need to use but it is always handy having them nearby.
“We had a lot of interest in pilots hoping to or already qualified in formation flying to come and join us. Unfortunately for differing reasons, we didn’t have as many here as we were hoping but it was a great few days together.
“We have been going out in pairs then trying a group of three before we performed a three x three for the Remembrance Day service.
“Airtourer’s are beautiful planes and to see a gathering of airtourer lovers together is just great.
“Victa Airtourer’s are our biggest love and were an important Australian light aircraft, designed in the late 1950s and manufactured in Australia during the 1960s.
Moira Shire Administrator Graeme Emonson enjoyed testing out the Airtourer.
“They are a small two seat training, touring and semi-aerobatic aircraft with a wooden prototype being constructed by a small group of enthusiasts in Williamstown during the late 1950s.
“The aircraft initially had a 65 hp Continental engine but was later re-engined with a 95 hp Continental to serve as an aerodynamic prototype for the production all-metal aircraft.
“Interest was shown in the design by the Chairman of Victa Ltd, which at that time was best known for making lawn mowers and light two-stroke engines.
“The first all metal Airtourer was flown on December 12, 1961 and the rest is history!”
Moira Shire Administrator Chair John Tanner was in attendance to a small gathering and was fascinated with the association and the striking planes.
The CT-4 has been used as an ab-initio trainer by the airforces of Australia, New Zealand and Thailand.
“Welcome visitors to Yarrawonga. It is tremendous to see the aerodrome used for such an important camp and this really helps us to recognise the great opportunity of the aerodrome here,” Mr Tanner said.
“The history of the Victa Airtourer is a great one and to see them on our home soil here and flying in the skies above has been fantastic.”
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