April 15, 2013
A group of enthusiastic aviators is breathing new life into Murgon’s 80-year-old Angelfield airstrip.
On Saturday the Burnett Flyers held their first fly-in at the little-known airfield which is located at the end of Macalister Street on land owned by the Angel family.
Between 30 and 40 fliers came from as far afield as Brisbane and the coast over the course of the day, despite less-than-ideal flying conditions.
And the inaugural event was so well-received the club now hope to make fly-ins a regular monthly event; one that will also help bring some extra dollars into nearby Murgon’s economy.
The Burnett Flyers was formed by president Ralph Percy a few years ago when he found there wasn’t a flying club in the South Burnett specifically tailored for light aircraft of 600kg or less.
Members range in age from 16 to 87 and come from all walks of life, but the one thing they share in common is their love of flying light aircraft.
The club originally began operating at Wondai Airport, but relocated to Murgon when the Angel family suggested their Angelfield airstrip might be better suited to their needs.
“Peter Angel and his family have been incredibly supportive of our club and I really can’t speak highly enough of them,” Ralph said.
“They have a light plane themselves, so they understand what we’re all about.”
Since the Burnett Flyers set up base camp at Angelfield, members have carried out several major improvements to the 680m strip, including marking out the runway, to allow for safer take-offs and landings.
This has allowed other people – such as visiting medical specialists – to make more use of the airfield, too.
The club has also established an operations centre at the airfield along with an informal barbecue area and kitchenette so that visiting flyers can enjoy a friendly breakfast or lunch in the company of fellow enthusiasts.
The Burnett Flyers are affiliated with Recreational Aviation Australia Inc, a 13,500 member national group which promotes light aircraft building and flying for sport and recreation.
“We don’t have toilet facilities at the airstrip at the moment, and many other things like insurance and so forth are covered by RAA membership,” Ralph explained,
“This means that our fly-ins are only open to RAA members at the moment, not to the general public.
“But one day we hope that may change and then we’ll be able to invite the public out here, too.”
The RAA was once known as the Australian Ultralight Federation and its members still include ultralight fliers. But most Burnett Flyers members take to the skies in “kit planes” where at least 51 per cent of the components are pre-built in factories.
This makes them bigger and more rugged than ultralights but still smaller than aircraft such as Cessnas.
The planes – which range in price from $20,000 upwards – are usually two-seaters which can be piloted after 25 to 35 hours of training time.
They’re often the first step for flyers seeking a career as a commercial pilot, and Ralph says he knows several commercial pilots who’ve never stopped flying them because of the unique aviation experience they provide.
“Thanks to GPS systems and other pieces of modern technology, these planes are now statistically safer to drive than cars,” he says.
And he should know.
Ralph first began flying in 1962. And while he’s taken a few breaks in between, this year marks the 51st anniversary of a hands-on love affair with flying he’s had for most of his life.
It’s a love affair that shows no signs of ending any time soon.
You can find out more about the Burnett Flyers on their website: www.burnettflyers.org.
