Fifty years in the making! Australian Flying September-October 2013 is a special collector’s edition that celebrates a half-century since our very first issue. In this 100-page edition, we backtrack aviation in Australia since 1963 and beyond give you a memento of your favourite general aviation magazine. The cover may be one of the best we’ve done: a striking shot of a Cessna Caravan EX as it chased John Absolon’s lens around the Blue Mountains. You certainly won’t be able to miss it!
And don’t forget, Australian Flying is available in digital format for iPads. Get your issue in hard copy or via iTunes, or both! The app is free and issues of the magazine are delivered via subscription. If you are already subscribed to the print issue, the digital versions are free!
Here’s what we’ve put inside.
*Flying Through the Years – As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary, editor Steve Hitchen steps us through the evolution of Australian Flying and some of the memorable moments since 1963.
*How Time Flew – During the life of Australian Flying, aviation in Australia has been through a number of changes and upheavals. We examine ten events that had the greatest impact on general aviation in the past 50 years.
*Paving the Way – Australian women pilots have certainly not had it as easy as their male colleagues over the years. Carol Kitching recounts the role of women in aviation and pays tribute to the pioneers.
*Geoff’s Journey – Geoff Goodall was one of the early writers for Australian Flying, and was on the doorsteps of history as it was made. Here he talks with James Kightly and reflects on aviation in Australia over the past 50 years.
*Where Will We Be in 50 Years – Who would have thought in 1963 we’d be navigating by reference to satellites? Steve Hitchen has a crack at predicting what pilots will have in 2063 that we aren’t thinking about now.
*Destinations – Master of the outback safari, Shelley Ross, shows how a damp start to a weekend can turn sunny as she and her mates tackle Lightning Ridge and its quirky characters.
*See You at the Club – Long thought to be extinct or heading that way, Australia’s aero clubs are actually defying general opinion and flourishing. Paul Reynolds checks out the role they play in Australian aviation and presents a comprehensive guide.
*Flight Test: Cessna Grand Caravan EX – With a boost in horsepower for the Caravan EX, Cessna has taken an out-right winner and made it even better! John Absolon and his camera took the US demonstrator for a fly around Sydney, and found it a hard aircraft to fault.
*Masterclass: Checklists – Jim Davis attempts to unravel the mysteries of efficient checklists and finds that there are no easy answers as to which one is the most appropriate for all aircraft types.
*Reach for the Sky: Night Circuits – Night circuits are done in an environment of dimished visual reference, meaning pilots must do more interpretation of the few cues they do have. Steve Hitchen reports.