Two aircraft Formation.
Last evening, observers saw a very tight, two aircraft formation over Lake Mulwala. The briefing was for only three manoeuvres to be performed. The three manoeuvres were Left and Right Echelon, and Line Astern. After each sequence there would be a change of Leader.
Each aircraft had a pilot passenger, who is interested in becoming formation endorsed. David had Christian as PAX and Peter had Branco as his PAX and photographer. The flight was a simple one, and the formation components were executed with precision.
David completed his formation sequence, and then the lead was changed. Peter put David through his paces and the his sequence ended with a formation landing.
February Special….
After a long, hot day working on the farm, Casey arrived for a well deserved flight. After pre-flighting his aircraft and checking the weather, it was time to take to the air. The thermals were starting to die, and Yarrawonga had no storms on the horizon, unlike yesterday. So Casey climbed into his aircraft, and started up the engine. It wasn’t long before Casey’s new XT-912 SST was flying high around the lake. 
Casey asked me if it would be a good afternoon to go flying. I told it would be, and the rest is history. Casey had only been up for nearly .5 of an hour when I heard him returning to the aerodrome. I got on the radio and told him to keep flying and that I would see him up there soon. Within an few minutes I was in the air and flying a loose formation with Casey. We flew around the Lake and down to the Ovens River and then back to Yarrawonga and as the sun set we made our approach and landed. Casey now had more experience, and another 1.5 hours in his aircraft. By the way he also had someone to talk to during the flight…. me, on our company frequency.
Mike Rudd sent this photo to me to prove that the Foxbat is a mighty strong aircraft.
Yes it’s on again… The YFT Australia Day BBQ. Wheels down from 1100 hours and food should be cooked by 1200 hours.
It was another great day in paradise… Yarrawonga Aerodrome. The phone rang and Michael from Albury asked if Anne and I would be in this afternoon. The answer was, ” Of course.” “That’s good!” was the reply because Michael and Chris were looking to go for a fly, and what better place than YFT, where the coffee is always free and the other drinks are always cold. 
Saturday morning saw beautiful crisp air and light winds, just perfect for a formation flight to Wangaratta. With pilots David, Kel, Willem, and Peter, and Jennifer who flew as crew with Kel, we set off in a Diamond Formation flight to Wangaratta. After warming up and taxiing to the holding point, the formation aircraft entered the runway and commenced a stream take-off. 
Ian from Townsville had been learning to fly in a Gazelle, and then he had a flight in a Trike…. That did it, Ian was hooked on the “motorbike of the sky”. Ian rang YFT about six months ago to set up a time to do his flight training. This was decided upon, however January is one of the busiest times of the year in Yarrawonga. Our Christmas period sees the population go from 9000 to 48000 people, and if you want accommodation…. Well you should have booked a year in advance.
self contained unit inside. He is happy to rent it out to our students on a daily or weekly basis. Unfortunately Ian had to deal with two weeks of very windy weather. Some days we had gusts up to 50 knots. The YFT XT-912 SST aircraft handle most of the conditions that this area can throw at them. There was only one day that we didn’t fly at all, and when we were not flying we were busy doing theory. Ian now knows all about DAP’s ARFOR’s and TAF’s, and we even completed a paper Nav around Ian’s home flying area in Townsville. Ian completed 10 hours of flying during his stay including a Nav to Corowa. Well done Ian.
Casey hand a full-on day yesterday. After an early flying lesson, he had a full day of theory. He passed Air Legislation, BAK, and Flight Radio. Today Casey had his flight test… This worked out to be a 1.5 hour workout. The wind wasn’t at all kind, with Casey having to battle a 25 to 30kt SW wind, while off in the distance was an approaching storm. After completing circuits, engine failures, out field landings, short field approaches, short field take-offs, glide approaches, departures and arrivals, he was allowed to make a normal landing just before the storm rolled in. After squaring away his aircraft he was signed off and issued his wings. Well done Casey.
No matter what the year 2011 brought to each of the eleven participants in our “first flight of the year”, January the first 2012 heralded a clean page to write the next year of our life on, for it is “the first day in the rest of our life”! To get off on a good footing in a New Year, we legally fly to Albury and back, before the tower opens at 0900 hours, creating controlled airspace, which at present is a “no-no” for recreational aircraft. Another incentive to fly to Albury was that members of Albury Aeroclub might be there to welcomed us with an early morning coffee when we landed!