pudestcon Posted May 1, 2012 Posted May 1, 2012 Gavin Thobaven our WA rep on RAAUS is organising a WA state fly-in event. I haven't asked Gavin's permission to post his email here but he does ask for it to be forwarded to members he cannot contact. So here it is... Dear members I would like to bring you all up to date with the progress of a WA State Fly In for RA-Aus. Only after putting out the notice for the proposed event did I realise that on the same weekend I suggested, White Gum Farm had planned to run an event. I would not want to stand in the way of the White Gum event but I did want to see a state event started during my current term on the board of RA-Aus. To this end I have met with Gordon and Gary at White Gum Farm. The result of the meeting was that we have agreed to hold the inaugural WA State Fly In at White Gum Farm. For anyone who isn’t familiar with White Gum Farm they are 8.5NM east of York (bearing 83 degrees) 7.5 NM on a bearing of 110 degrees from Brooklands airfield. To resolve the issue that some may have with the White Gum Farm runways, which can be difficult in some conditions, it has been arranged to utilise a 700 meter gravel strip (09-27) in the paddock to the north of White Gum Farm. This strip is in excellent condition and will easily accommodate all Light Sport Aircraft and many GA aircraft. It has been arranged to lay out the area to enable aircraft to taxi from runway 09-27 up to the boundary fence of White Gum Farm leaving only a short walk through to the buildings at White Gum. White Gum Farm has a licensed Caravan Park area and underwing camping is allowed, even encouraged. If you are quick there are a few accommodation units that can be booked through Gary and Gordon at White Gum Farm. We are in the process of booking live entertainment for one night, a large screen is also in place for any football fans who might like to have a look at the footy and for general viewing. This venue has fantastic facilities and we will be augmenting facilities to cater for numbers as we are advised. Aviation related businesses will be invited to set up displays at no cost, to hopefully attract a few of our WA and national suppliers to display their wares. If there is sufficient interest an aviation swap meet can also be incorporated. The plan is to run the event over the long weekend 29 September to 1 October 2012. As this is our first effort at having our own state fly in we would love it to be a success to justify future state events. There is a lot to plan for this event but to effectively do this we need an indication of likely numbers for catering purposes. I have had a few responses to the earlier suggestion but not a huge number. If you are interested in attending this event please email a response to me, if you have already responded can you please confirm that you still intend attending at the altered venue? I am not able to receive a full list of contact email addresses for all of our WA members due to privacy provisions. If you have contact details for any other members or flyers of any code can you please forward this email to them for their response? We will welcome all aircraft and aviators of any type. Those unable to fly in are welcome to drive in. Also if you know of any aviation related organisation who might like to display at this event could you please provide their details or have them contact me? I hope we are able to get together a great fun event for everyone. Please send your responses as soon as you can. Kind regards Gavin Thobaven WA Representative – Board Member Recreational Aviation Australia So if you are interested in attending, please contact Gavin Pud 1
Louis Moore Posted May 2, 2012 Posted May 2, 2012 Have you guys thought about moving your state closer to the east coast so I can attend! 2
pudestcon Posted May 2, 2012 Author Posted May 2, 2012 Have you guys thought about moving your state closer to the east coast so I can attend! Well, when I see all the events on the East Coast you guys are spoilt with, I wish we were a bit closer. But then we live in the best state so I can't complain:smile: Come on over, you might like it here in the West Louis! Pud
Neil_S Posted May 2, 2012 Posted May 2, 2012 Good luck, guys - sounds like it should be a heap of fun! Cheers Neil
Riley Posted May 2, 2012 Posted May 2, 2012 Promises to be a great event as Gordon & Gary at White Gum Farm have developed some degree of fame for both the facilities and their hospitality on their previous annual fly-ins. WA flyers will be doing themselves a dis-service if they don't participate in this first (for a long time) RAA sponsored/supported event. 1
pudestcon Posted May 2, 2012 Author Posted May 2, 2012 Promises to be a great event as Gordon & Gary at White Gum Farm have developed some degree of fame for both the facilities and their hospitality on their previous annual fly-ins. WA flyers will be doing themselves a dis-service if they don't participate in this first (for a long time) RAA sponsored/supported event. Gordon and Gary certainly have done well with their annual flyin Riley. I have only been to one, and was very impressed with how it was run, and the facilities. Pud
pudestcon Posted June 19, 2012 Author Posted June 19, 2012 This is the latest from Gavin on Westfly. I have also posted this in the "Events" calendar. Dear members, This is just a quick note to put you all in the picture. WESTFLY – WA’s own state RA-AUS fly in is now confirmed to be on for the long weekend 29 Sep to 1 Oct 2012. Whitegum Farm has kindly offered their facilities for the event and a website has been created at www.westfly.com.au it will shortly also be on the RA-AUS website as well. The webpage is only in its infancy today but will expand as we get closer to the event. If any of you know of any organisation that would wish to display at our event could you please refer them to me? We are not charging for any displays onfield for the weekend. We will be also able to offer an opportunity for aviation oriented businesses, unable to be onfield, to have their advertising displayed both on field and on the website for a nominal fee. The important part of the event though is to have as many recreational aviators attend during the event. Onfield camping is encouraged and there is heaps of parking for aircraft, cars and caravans etc. You will see from the website that the available runways are very capable of accepting any aircraft flown by recreational aviators of all codes, so if you have mates who fly anything at all then they are all very welcome to attend. This is intended to be a coming together of all flyers. It would be great to see everything that flies all together for this. We would even welcome those crazy people who leap out of perfectly good aeroplanes. As this is an inaugural event we would happily accept any suggestions for activities during the weekend. We have a band booked for one night. Food and drinks will also be available on field. More details will be added to the website for this and all other matters as time progresses. I hope that I get to see as many of our flyers as possible during the weekend. Kind regards Gavin Thobaven WA Representative – Board Member Recreational Aviation Australia
pudestcon Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 An update from our RAAus rep Gavin.... Dear members I am pleased to announce that the Westfly 2012 website is now up and operating at www.westfly.com.au This site should give you plenty of information about our event and hopefully we can see you all there. I would be very grateful if your clubs could include the website link on your club newsletters for the information of your members as well. If you know of anyone who would like to either have a display at the event or advertise at the event they can contact me through the email link on the site or by reply to this email. Displays on-field are free of charge and a site can be arranged by an email to me. Advertising can be on the website at a nominal rate of $100 and it will remain on the site for 12 months, or advertising can be displayed on the field for a similar fee. If you have any queries about the event or any other RA-Aus related matter please contact me. Kind regards Gavin Thobaven WA Representative – Board Member Recreational Aviation Australia Looking forward to the event and meeting like minded people, especially fellow forumites. Pud
naremman Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Have you guys thought about moving your state closer to the east coast so I can attend! Could well have some benefits all round, but might present some problems for Oz if the iron ore, gold and gas remain firmly in their current locations and don't come along for the ride! With over 20 Nullabor crossing I am familiar with the backside bending process, but have also had experienced some incredible sights, met some great characters, and fortunately never encountered difficulties between Kal and Ceduna. Be careful for what you wish for Louis. The the range detemined by the fuel tankage of the Auster Arrow means we could end up with a country the size of Belgium!! It would be great to see you and some of our Eastern States cousins over here. You might have to round up Tomo and that C206 to experience our hospitality.
BrettR44 Posted September 23, 2012 Posted September 23, 2012 Ladies, gents, I'm digging this up as the event draws closer. I'll be out there in an R-44 doing joy flights but I really want to meet up with people and say g'day. Who's looking at getting along so far?
pudestcon Posted September 23, 2012 Author Posted September 23, 2012 Ladies, gents, I'm digging this up as the event draws closer. I'll be out there in an R-44 doing joy flights but I really want to meet up with people and say g'day.Who's looking at getting along so far? I'll be there Brett, as I mentioned in your other post. I'm looking forward to catching up with as many people as possible, especially forumites from here. Cheers, Pud
pudestcon Posted September 26, 2012 Author Posted September 26, 2012 So, who will be at Westfly this weekend? Pud
pudestcon Posted September 26, 2012 Author Posted September 26, 2012 Weather is looking good for the weekend. Pud
rankamateur Posted September 26, 2012 Posted September 26, 2012 It is a shame Pud and Brett are the only ones going, sounds nearly as good as Ausfly, a shame Monto is so much closer.
Riley Posted September 26, 2012 Posted September 26, 2012 It is a shame Pud and Brett are the only ones going, sounds nearly as good as Ausfly, a shame Monto is so much closer. Was at White Gum today helping to get set up Westfly and Gary (Head Sherang) commented that 100 persons had booked for the Sat dinner so far. Guess Matt Hall & family make up part of that number. So it looks like Pud & Brett won't have a chance to share a candle-light dinner for two. cheers
pudestcon Posted September 28, 2012 Author Posted September 28, 2012 Well all should be ready for tomorrow seeing as how Riley has been getting things sorted:smile:. Sounds like it should be a good event with plenty of enthusiasts around to meet up and talk with. I'm looking forward to it and meeting some forumites. I'll be wearing an old cap with 'Cape' written across the front - come and say g'day Pud
BrettR44 Posted September 28, 2012 Posted September 28, 2012 Well the R-44 is packed and ready to go. Myself and my 2 crew are booked in for the Saturday dinner. Swag's set up for a -2 degree night..... Going to be so much fun!!! 1
pudestcon Posted September 30, 2012 Author Posted September 30, 2012 I certainly had fun at the 1st day of Westfly at Whitegum Farm. Met up with a few guys from the forum - spoke with Riley, Brett (doing helicopter flights in the R44), Friarpuk and son Sean, and Bevan who was busy on the AVplan stand. Here's a few photos taken qhite early in the day before it got busy. A nice kit built Wasp. Start of the line up early on day 1. Friarpuk and son Sean from Katanning Pioneer - it's for sale too. A foxy Foxbat. Savannah, possibly the most represented aircraft on day 1. Bantam powered by a Jabiru engine. This one is for sale too. An interesting fuel gauge with sight mirror mounted on the strut. Wire braced Drifter. Not an RA aircraft, but what the heck. Pud 2
Guernsey Posted September 30, 2012 Posted September 30, 2012 Great photos Pud, thanks for posting. Alan.
alf jessup Posted September 30, 2012 Posted September 30, 2012 Well, when I see all the events on the East Coast you guys are spoilt with, I wish we were a bit closer. But then we live in the best state so I can't complain:smile:Come on over, you might like it here in the West Louis! Pud Pud Pud Pud,How can you say it is the best state W.A actually means West Auckland, it's full of them lol Alf
naremman Posted September 30, 2012 Posted September 30, 2012 G'day Pud. It would seem that our paths are not destined to cross!! We had our Lions District Governor in town yesterday which wiped out Saturday, and I had to provide ambulance cover for this morning which meant it was was Sunday pm before I hit Whitegum, and things were winding down. Still there were enough people to still have a chat to. That aircraft with the Mercedes engine forward of the firewall was pretty impessive. For a unit like that to be pumping out the same power as a Cont 0-200 at a fraction of the weight was notable. My comment of: "you may well have a Mercedes engine, but I have a Rolls Royce engine in mine" was at least met with good humour. The pilotless surveilance aircraft certainly were fascinating. Just goes to show how far technology has progressed. Initially met the wife of the builder of the pictured Wasp. Like me she is a St John Vollie AO. She was also not slow in commenting that aircraft nearly had a DIVORCE as one of its outcomes. Still she is proud of Mark to accomplish a remarkably high standard aircraft. In meeting Mark, I wished him well in equaling in airborne hours in the time that it had taken it to build. He admitted that was probably going to be a considerable challenge. Looking at the Wasp I was reminded of the Saab Safari outline. Well done to the organizers of Westfly. Fly ins have really dropped off over recent years in WA, and it is great to see an event like this where we have the opportunity to meet like minded avaitors, and see the developments of the past few years. I remain committed to providing something with a historical component!!
BrettR44 Posted October 2, 2012 Posted October 2, 2012 Well it was a fantastic weekend and from the first 5 minutes that I arrived I was extremely impressed with the area, the facilities and the people and their aircraft! This is going to be a huge event here in WA for years to come! I finally, after many years, got to meet Pud which was great! I just wish I had more time to mingle and have a good chat about his aircraft! The static displays were brilliant and the organisers were on the ball all through the weekend with everything that was going on. I can see that this will be a huge event, we're going to talk with the organisers and get more involved with next year, get the word out as much as possible and get some more displays and aircraft out there! All you fellas in the east should come over! We'd love to get you over here and meet you all at the next event! So there's heaps of time to plan to get over and there's lots of parking for your aircraft or caravans! So watch this space for news on the next event, Westfly was fantastic this year and we can't wait to make this a regular event here in WA!! Now I'm pretty much up to my knees in follow ups and work so here's some photos from the weekend that I managed to get in between flying! Fly safe! Setting up the HLS on RW07 The view of the hangers from where we had the HLS on the first day The tide gets pretty high in these areas VH-RTQ ready to go Taking a break between flights Had to send this to the wife 5 Star accomodation Loved spending the weekend Hanging out for next year!! 4
mAgNeToDrOp Posted October 2, 2012 Posted October 2, 2012 Very nice, kicking myself that I didn't go, my goal is to fly in next year..
BrettR44 Posted October 2, 2012 Posted October 2, 2012 Mate we'd love to have you here!! I can't wait to meet a whole lot more forumites as well! Who else is keen?
winsor68 Posted October 2, 2012 Posted October 2, 2012 Love the photos Pud particularly seeing the famous "Friar Puk" and offspring in front of his flying machine... and the Super Chipmunk(?) WoW!!! Good write up Brett... It sounds like WA has a great event on its hands with a bright future.
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