November 27th 2024
Welcome to our November newsletter. In this letter we have laid out the events program for 2025 and included details of a couple of aircraft coming onto the market. These will also be listed in the “for sale” section of the website with a more detailed description.
For those who are unaware our “US/AUS Tribe member at large” John Van Bladeren came out for a visit only returning home early this week. John spent time with Tony & Angela Read, John & Jan Macknight, Roger and Linda Lenne and Jim Barry during his stay out here. It was great to catch up with John and get a further insight into the US election results!
The Deniliquin Aero Club held a fly-away to Mildura in early November with 3 ICS members attending, John Macknight, Chris Wright and Nigel & Marg Wettenhall. The Saturday afternoon was filled with a paddle steamer cruise on the Murray and followed up with a group dinner “al fresco” at the Grand Hotel. We had 18 people on the trip from Yarrawonga, Tocumwal and Deniliquin.
Australasian Tribe 2025 Events Program
We are pleased to confirm the dates and locations of our major events for 2025 as follows:
Date Location Details
Feb 14-17 Longdown TAS Autumn Fly-in
Feb 28-Mar 2 Deniliquin NSW PPP Recurrency
July 4 – 6. Maryborough QLD PPP Flight Operations
Sept 12-15. Emerald QLD Spring Fly-In
Oct 25 Narromine NSW AGM
Please add these dates to your diaries ( if you subscribe to the calendar on our website this will happen automagically). Full details of each event will be published in the specific event invitations when issued but here is a snapshot of what has been arranged.
Autumn Fly-in to Tasmania
Fly-in on Friday February 14 to our hosts George and Maree Mills’ airfield at Longdown in northern Tasmania. (Launceston Airport is nearby for those wanting an airfield with landing charges.)
Highlight of this fly-in will be a bus trip on Saturday to view the Wall in the Wilderness at Derwent Bridge (https://thewalltasmania.com.au). This is one of Australia’s most unique attractions. Using Huon Pine, the wall sculpture is over 3 metres high and over 100 metres in length and required over a decade to carve.
We are currently looking for volunteers to co-ordinate overnight stays at Flinders Island (southbound) and King Island (northbound) for those interested.
Stay tuned for full details in the next newsletter.
Spring Fly-In to Central Qld
From Friday 12 until Monday 15 September you are invited to “Go Mining” in Central Queenland. Our hosts, Jim Mullett and Clint Veivers, have dug deep to create a unique fly-in based one of central Queensland’s major industries.
Land at Springsure on the 12 th by midday for lunch. Then after lunch, fly on to Emerald to check-in to our accommodation, followed by dinner at the Hotel next door.
On Saturday we are off to Blackwater to visit the mining museum and mine tour. Our hosts are currently negotiating permission for us to land at Blackwater and to have a private tour of the mine, both of which are very special events. Lunch at Blackwater then back to Emerald for dinner.
Sunday starts with a short flight around the unique terrain and spectacular hills near Capella (where Clint lives). After that it is onto the bus to the Gem Fields, Rubyvale and Sapphire for lunch (and perhaps some fossicking). Then back to Emerald for dinner.
Head home on Monday or take in some of the major events happening in outback Queensland in September – the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, the Cunnamulla Fella Festival or the Winton Outback festival. You might even like to attend the Birdsville Races the weekend before the fly-in.
2025 Pilot Proficiency Program
In 2025 we have scheduled two conducts of the PPP Course.
- The first is in Deniliquin from Friday afternoon February 28 until Sunday March 2. This will focus on specific recurrency items and critical systems.
- The second will be in Maryborough QLD from Friday afternoon July 4 until Sunday July 6. This is a follow-on from the initial PPP held at Maryborough in 2024 and will focus on Flight Operations.
As proposed at the 2024 AGM, partners are welcome to attend and a local programme of activities will be arranged for them.
2025 Annual General Meeting
Our AGM will be held at Narromine Aeroclub on the afternoon of Saturday October 25. As in 2024, it will be followed by dinner at the Airfield for those wishing to stay overnight. The meeting will also be live streamed for those who cannot make it to Narromine.
Aircraft for Sale:
Bill Smith is reluctantly offering MAC for sale and anyone interested is encouraged to give him a call to discuss. MAC is a PA 30C and has been an ICS aeroplane for over 30 years.
Jim Mullett is also offering JMQ for sale, another PA 30C. Again, if interested give Jim a call to get all the details.
I encourage everyone to use the website and this newsletter to impart information of interest to all our members. These are good ways to get information on fly-away venues, parts for sale or wanted, and operational tips. We have a fantastic resource in our collective membership so let’s use it!
Wishing everyone the very best for Christmas and the New Year
Nigel Wettenhall
ICS Australasia