Ingham Wings and Wheels

[Guest Truebeliever]

Christian, what ever happened to Donnington Airpark? Is it still used by anyone?

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

Donnington Airpark is still owned by my parents and there is still activity there but nothing on the scale of years gone by. Not certain how many but there are a few aircraft hangared and the occasional drop-in visitor. The property is very overgrown now compared to the way it was for the airshows, which is a shame. Unfortunately Dad and I don't see eye-to-eye so I had to walk away from it and him, much to my regret as I believe it has great potential but you can't bash your head against a brick wall for ever and that's how it is with him. He's now 80 and the maintenance is a struggle. If only he would allow people to help him he would be a lot further advanced with the concept than he is.

 

 

[Guest townsvilleglidingclub]

Looking forward to the airshow Christian- well done!

 

Re the airpark- it will come to be, I am sure of it. Such a great resource will eventually be used in the manor it should be.

 

As to learning to fly- come learn with us and you'll have all the skills you need to enjoy a great time flying. After my gliding career, I went solo in a 172 after 2 1/2 hours- the minimum required.

 

Cheers

 

TGC CFI

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

G'day folks, I've been a bit remiss in not updating the thread lately! We now have the Grumman Avenger on the programme, formation aerobatics with two Pitts Specials, aerobatic joy-flights in a Pitts Special, a rare Maserati GT (1 of 30 world-wide), the prospect of several Ferraris, Porsches and maybe even a Lamborghini for the vehicle displays, restored machinery display, Yak-18, Grumman Ag-Cat, Glasair TD and a GA8TC Turbo Airvan. I've been told of an Aeronca Chief which should be coming from Mackay; the 80% scale replica Supermarine Spitfire, Me-109 and FW-190 have all indicated they will be here and who knows what else will "pop out of the woodwork" for the weekend?! ;-)

 

The Hinchinbrook Shire Council has commenced the face-lift of the airport and has already cleaned up the grassed area between the highway and the hangars. The runway from 05 to the taxiway has been re-sealed and is looking good. The levelling and tidying of the grassed area between the hangars and the windsock will be started late this week or early next week (that'll be the food court area and public viewing area) and other general maintenance also done to get the venue to presentation condition. If you haven't been there for a while, you almost won't recognise it - looking great and the clean-up expands the usable public area quite considerably - it also should increase the parking space available for some light aircraft during the event.

 

It's all "detail" from here onwards as we rush to get the logistics in place, Air Display application to CASA, insurances organised, volunteers in place (more are still required!), promotional activity and advertising campaigns up and running - I need 6 heads and 12 pairs of hands at present! ;-) It is shaping as a great weekend and let's hope the waether plays the game for us, prior to and during the event! I'll update again soon - in the interim happy to answer any queries you may have.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Christian, I flew into Ingham last weekend and couldn't help but notice the airport upgrades !. Especially the roller in operation on the runway. No dramas as he promptly vacated after an overfly, so I could land, and again for takeoff. I plan to be on site with my Lightwing and I would be prepared to assist in some traffic or airshow controlling role as you may require. The boys at Montpelier with the trikes have also expressed some interest in attending in a static display role..................................Cheers Ross Millard.

 

 

 

[farri]

Ross, What`s the problem, still only a static display?

 

I did a flying display in the Drifter, years ago, at an airshow ( yes an airshow,not a fly in ) at Ingham!!!

 

Frank.

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Well Frank I'd be happy to show off the Lightwing if it fitted into the organizers' plans, otherwise I'll be happy to enjoy the show, get as many rides as I can in some warbirds, and drink beer ! (not necessarily in that order).....................................................................Maj...

 

:rilla:

 

 

[farri]

Ross,Not doubting you`d jump at it!

 

Must be all the liability issues,these days!!!

 

I`ve got an excellent promotional poster for the Ingham airshow but it`s 730kb, to large to download here and I can`t make it smaller.

 

Frank.

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

I might just jump in here and say that I am open to all types of aircraft being involved in the Air Display as long as the pilots are suitably qualified and experienced - it's not restricted to high-end professionals or certain types of aircraft and my aim is to showcase the aviation spectrum. I can send a Display Pilot Details form if it's required but responses need to be quick as the application to CASA needs to be in within the next fortnight and there's a lot of work in it. When they all went out a few weeks ago I did send a form to Peter Holmes of BRATS (trikes) but haven't heard back from him.

 

Volunteers (particularly airside) are very welcome - again, I can send a registration form to anyone interested in offering their services (for insurance, I do need to have volunteers registered).

 

You should have been able to download the forms from the web-site but some MORON of a hacker has hijacked the entire site today - waiting for the site provider to get it fixed. :-(

 

 

[Guest Steven Runciman]

Hello Christian,

 

Hope all is well. I am Steve Runciman and I live in Townsville. I am the North Queensland members representative for Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-Aus). I have the Ingham Airshow in my diary; attended a couple of years ago and had a ball. I will soon be starting to plan the NOR-RAAUS, which is the RA-Aus North Queensland fly-in which is held every other year in Jun (well the first one was in 2010 and we plan to hold it every two years). Last year it was held in Monto but will confirm location for the next one soon. I would be more than happy to help you in the planning of the Ingham event, just give me a call (0405640698). It would also be good to have RA-Aus representation at the event if you would be in agreement? I have to say that I am looking forward to it and, as I said, more than happy to help in any way I can.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

G'day Steve, good to hear from you. I had sent you an e-mail quite some time back when I learned that Lee Ungerman had moved on (and even rang the RA-Aus office to check details), but never got a response. Anyway, glad to hear that you are attending! :-) This is the inaugural Wings and Wheels so I'm not certain what the previous event was - maybe a local fly-in up there (I live in Townsville)?

 

I had issued an invitation to RA-Aus via Lee but obviously that hasn't been passed on so I'll re-iterate - all types of aircraft (under 5700 KG) are welcome and I am more than happy for RA-Aus to be represented. My site plan allows for a dedicated recreational aviation static display area, as long as Council can do some remedial work to make the area safe to taxi aircraft in - happy to show you the proposed layout.

 

As I stated above, I want to showcase the full spectrum of aviation activities as much as possible and that covers anything from R/C models to gliders, hang-gliders, trikes, gyros, RA-Aus, homebuilts, helicopters, sport, commercial, Warbirds, vintage and even Defence if they can get approval to attend.

 

I'm hoping to establish this as a biennial event for Ingham, with a similar but differently-themed airshow in Charters Towers in the alternate years - would that be of interest as a potential tie-in for NOR-RAAUS? I have Council permission to use the CT airport and they have agreed to waive charges and landing fees for the weekend - the Chamber of Commerce has also thrown its weight behind a future event and any funding applications. The feedback from local aviators was also very positive and encouraging. I'd be happy to discuss options.

 

I'll give you a ring tomorrow if that's OK and arrange to catch up for a chat.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Christian, Recieved your Email with display application attached today..I haven't been able to open the attachment yet, but I'll work on it tomorrow. I'd be happy to work on some thing to highlight the flight qualities of the Lightwing, with of course safety ultimatley in mind. I'll be in touch and of course I'd be happy to work with Steve Runciman if he also wishes to co-ordinate something highlighting RAA type aircraft under the RAA banner..............Cheers Ross

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

G'day Ross, you should only need Adbobe Reader to open the pdf file - if you haven't got it, you can download free from any number of web-sites.

 

 

[Guest Steven Runciman]

G'day Steve, good to hear from you. I had sent you an e-mail quite some time back when I learned that Lee Ungerman had moved on (and even rang the RA-Aus office to check details), but never got a response. Anyway, glad to hear that you are attending! :-) This is the inaugural Wings and Wheels so I'm not certain what the previous event was - maybe a local fly-in up there (I live in Townsville)?I had issued an invitation to RA-Aus via Lee but obviously that hasn't been passed on so I'll re-iterate - all types of aircraft (under 5700 KG) are welcome and I am more than happy for RA-Aus to be represented. My site plan allows for a dedicated recreational aviation static display area, as long as Council can do some remedial work to make the area safe to taxi aircraft in - happy to show you the proposed layout.

 

As I stated above, I want to showcase the full spectrum of aviation activities as much as possible and that covers anything from R/C models to gliders, hang-gliders, trikes, gyros, RA-Aus, homebuilts, helicopters, sport, commercial, Warbirds, vintage and even Defence if they can get approval to attend.

 

I'm hoping to establish this as a biennial event for Ingham, with a similar but differently-themed airshow in Charters Towers in the alternate years - would that be of interest as a potential tie-in for NOR-RAAUS? I have Council permission to use the CT airport and they have agreed to waive charges and landing fees for the weekend - the Chamber of Commerce has also thrown its weight behind a future event and any funding applications. The feedback from local aviators was also very positive and encouraging. I'd be happy to discuss options.

 

I'll give you a ring tomorrow if that's OK and arrange to catch up for a chat.

Christian,

 

Firstly let me apologise. I cannot remember the e-mail and I have checked my inbox to see if I missed one but could not find it. I do like to ensure I answer all e-mails I get. However, as an exampl, Ross Millard sent me one to the RA-Aus e-mail address as well as my personal e-mail address and the one to my personal one got through but not the RA-Aus one, I have asked the office to check it out for me. Anyway, look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[docjell]

Hi Steve

 

Jules and I are booked in for the weekend - I'll be flying the Sportstar up - happy to include it in some sort of display, static or otherwise.

 

Cheers

 

Chris J

 

 

[docjell]

Christian - any plans for a parachute display? Lots of skydiving at Ayr - always looks good

 

Cheers

 

Chris Jelliffe

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

G'day Chris J, all aircraft welcome. If you want to be included in the Air Display (flying programme), you'll need to get a Display Pilot Details Details form back to me pronto (within the next few days!). It can be downloaded from the web-site www.inghamwingsandwheels.com.au or I can e-mail it to you. My details are in the sig below and also on the web-site.

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

I have met with Alan Moss of Skydive Townsville and hopefully we will have a flag-drop for the opening and several canopy descents. Thinking about a celebrity tandem but don't know who we could "throw out" at this stage! :-)

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

I've been in Ingham again today and was told that Council will be starting the clean-up of the public viewing area (between the last hangar and the windsock) very soon. They also plan to laser-plane the overfly strips outside the gable markers so that we have smooth taxiing and aircraft parking areas (it's pretty rough at the moment!). This is all great news and means we can confidently invite fly-in visitors in numbers! :-)

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

I was advised today that Council has started slashing in the public viewing area (for those that know the airport at Ingham, this is the former cow paddock between the last hangar and the windsock). This work is a prelude to the levelling of the area and removal of regrowth and rubbish vegetation so that grandstands, food court, entertainment stage and public viewing areas can be set up. The old airport won't know itself with all this sprucing up! :-)

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

Also got confirmation today that Terry Kronk intends to be there with his 80% scale replica Focke-Wulf FW-190 and that a Dodge Viper owner from Sydney will be driving up to show his car as well.

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

Folks, Air Display applications (download "Display Pilot Details" from the web-site) not received by this Friday (15/07) will not be considered. We are on a tight schedule to get the programme together and submit it to CASA - ther's still a huge amount of work to complete and so a cut-off will be enforced. If you have any queries you are welcome to e-mail or call - my details are below.

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

Border Protection Control and Customs hope to have a Reims (Cessna 406) on display for most of the weekend and will in any event have a trade display even if the aircraft can't make it.

 

The public viewing area has been slashed and Council workers are currently removing introduced trees and other vegetation prior to the area being laser-planed. This will not only give us a large open area to work with at the airshow, but also improve drainage from the strip as a long-term benefit.

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

Council is going gang-busters on levelling the aircraft parking area - unfortunately it means we lose the grass cover for this year but it had to be done to get the area level and safe. Water-trucks will be employed to keep dust to a minimum over the airshow weekend. The beauty of having this area available now means that most visiting aircraft should be able to be parked there, avoiding the need for aircraft to be parked on the side of the strip. When the grass returns, this area also will be a great amenity for other activities throughout the year.

 

 

[Guest DonningtonSmythe]

The Air Display application has gone to CASA (and I got a bill today!) so hopefully the process will be straightforward from here. There's a 3-hour flying programme each day with some in reserve - and of course the Twilight Display will be an additional highlight for those attending on Saturday. The Sporting Shooters have agreed to take on the bar for the weekend (it was almost a dry argument - couldn't find a club to do it!) and we've got an interesting range of food vendors. Entertainment will be provided by the Townsville/Thuringowa Pipes & Drums (Saturday lunch), Double Dice with Carlo Prete and Andy Barra (Saturday night) and the Thuringowa Brass Band (Sunday lunch). The range of exotic vehicles is growing, with the European Car Club and Porsche Club of Cairns bringing down several Ferraris, Maseratis, Alfa-Romeos and Porsches. We should also have a Nissan GT-R from Cairns and there is a late-model Dodge Viper coming from Sydney. Keep an eye out for the Warbird Pinup girls - a first for an Australian airshow!