Tabla de contenidos para March-April 2026 en Australian Flying

Cirrus has introduced the next evolution of its jet product line with the new Generation 3 (G3) Vision Jet. Cirrus has launched its new Generation 3 (G3) Vision Jet, unveiling a range of interior, avionics and systems upgrades aimed at improving comfort, safety and operational capability. The G3 Vision Jet features a redesigned cabin with premium materials, expanded seating options and more than 30 refinements, including the addition of ATC datalink. The aircraft remains the world’s first single-engine personal jet and continues to be the best-selling jet in its category. Known for its distinctive V-tail design, quiet cabin and Perspective Touch+ avionics suite, the Vision Jet has been developed with both pilots and passengers in mind. “The G3 Vision Jet is a testament to our relentless innovation, continued investment in…

In Robert Pirsig’s 1968 classic book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, two motorcycle riders take very different attitudes to maintaining their bikes. One, with an older bike, learns to do it himself. The other, with a more modern bike, continuously refers it to a mechanic, and is oblivious to the motorcycle’s inner workings. In some ways, that reflects an attitude towards maintaining aircraft registered with Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus): you can do it yourself, or take it to a Level 2 Maintainer or a LAME. But if you choose to do it yourself, there is a path to wisdom that you will need to tread to get to the Level 1 Maintainer (L1) qualification. What you can’t do, is just zen it. An L1 qualification authorises a pilot to…

Still finishing high school, Rose is balancing study, flight planning and fundraising as she prepares to depart Essendon on a journey that will take her thousands of kilometres around the country. But for Rose, the trip is about far more than building hours or chasing adventure. “As a high school student, it’s easy to feel isolated from the broader community, especially toward the end of your school years,” she says. “For me, the most exciting part is that through this project I can make a positive impact, not only for the children and families supported by Little Wings, but also for other young people who might be inspired to pursue their passions.” Her goal is simple: to show what is possible when young people step outside their comfort zones. “If…

When CEOs are asked about Key Performance Indicators (KPI), most of them will launch into an numbers-based answer peppered with percentages, projections and quarterly results. When Australian Flying asked Recreational Aviation Australia CEO Maxine Milera about the KPIs for Fly’n for Fun this year, the answer was devoid of mathematics. “We want to bring back the community; we want bring back the atmosphere of going to a fly-in and enjoying catching up with friends and going to the forums. That’s what we want,” she said plainly. Fun is a concept that is marbled through all the answers Milera gives about Fly’n for Fun, RAAus’ national GA fly-in that is back at Parkes for the third time in late March this year. The last show, held in 2024, attracted around 800…

Captain Trevor Thom (13 September 1941 to 4 December 2025) has been remembered as a highly respected airline captain, aviation educator and mentor whose influence reached well beyond the flight deck. Thom learned to fly at the Royal Victorian Aero Club in the early 1960s before travelling overseas. On his return to Australia, he began his professional flying career at Tyabb Airport with Peninsula Aero Club and Vowell Air Services, working as both a flying instructor and charter pilot. In 1970, Thom joined Ansett Airlines, later moving to Lufthansa/Condor following the airline dispute of 1989. Across his airline career, he served as captain on a wide range of aircraft types including the Boeing 727, 757 and 767, Airbus A320, and Douglas DC-9. Thom was also a long-time representative and advocate…

I first noticed the problem soon after I took off. Smoke started to appear in the windscreen and the left engine indicators all sagged at the same time. Just fly the plane, I thought. Get the aircraft under control first, then worry about what to do next. The city I was leaving from lay at the end of the runway and it had a worryingly large number of high rise buildings. The city itself was in the middle of a deep valley between steep sided mountains. Even with two engines going full blast, I couldn't climb steeply enough to clear them. With one good engine and one dodgy one, the only way out was to the north or the south. In the skies to the south, there was a heavy snowstorm.…

Dee Bond crossed the Tasman Sea with only five hours time-on-type, then flew over 100 hours around Australia VFR in a single-engined turbo-prop that wasn’t fitted with an autopilot. It sounds like something from the annals of lunacy, until someone tells you the aeroplane in question was an NZAero SuperPac 750XL-II, an aircraft with a historical reputation for outstanding performance, docile handling and the versatility of a Hilux ute. If you’re not familiar, the SuperPac is the latest aircraft in a enduring dynasty of utility aircraft that began with the piston-powered Fletcher FU-24 and includes the turbine Cresco and PAC 750XL. Thought of mainly as a top-dresser, from the Cresco onward the design has excelled as a jump plane and general transport. Any airframe that stars on the short, undulating…

Airbus has secured the first order for its H160 helicopter in Australia, with Australia’s privately-owned logistics and supply chain enterprise, Linfox, placing the purchase. The new aircraft, which will be used for passenger transportation missions across Australia, marks Linfox’s first purchase with Airbus. The order follows a four-week demonstration tour in Australia, during which the H160 performed over 60 flights and flew more than 2,000 kilometres across the country. This successful demo tour and subsequent order underscore the aircraft’s suitability for diverse Australian operational environments and the growing demand for the next generation of rotary-wing aircraft in the region. “We’re excited to take delivery of the Airbus H160. It is our first aircraft with Airbus and we look forward to a long relationship with such a trusted company that has…

Thinking ahead to your arrival should be part of pre-flight preparation. This is something we are focusing on as part of the flight planning theme in our pilot safety campaign. New content we’re covering for flight planning includes night and overwater flying, fuel management, decision-making models as well as the importance of weight and balance. From April, we’ll take a fresh look at operating in controlled airspace and aerodromes. We’ll be covering runway incursions, holding outside controlled airspace, abnormal engine indications, unauthorised take-off in military-controlled airspace and visual approach clearances. This is timely as it comes as more sport and recreational aviators are close to operating in Class C and D airspace after the necessary regulatory changes came into effect earlier this year. Once Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) has its…

Scheduled extinguishing agents are regulated under Australia’s federal ozone protection laws due to their environmental impact and the need for strict controls on their use, handling and disposal. These agents include ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and synthetic greenhouse gases (SGGs), most notably halon. While halon has been phased out in many sectors, it remains approved for essential aviation use because no practical alternative yet matches its performance in confined, safety-critical environments. These agents are commonly found in systems protecting engines, auxiliary power units, cargo and baggage compartments, electronic bays, wheel wells and bleed air ducts. Because such systems are vital to flight safety, their responsible management is essential. Australia’s regulatory framework aims to balance aviation safety with environmental protection. The use and handling of scheduled agents is authorised through the fire…

In a move that is being seen to impact general aviation world-wide, the US Federal Aviation Administration published a draft plan last week to phase-out 100LL avgas in most of the USA over the next five years. Steve Hitchen reports. If adopted as written, the main fuel used in GA, 100LL avgas, would become unavailable in the US by 2030, with Alaska having a deadline of 2023. However, Australia’s sole manufacturer of avgas, Viva Energy, believes the phase-out will have little impact on 100LL supplies in Australia. Driving the phase out is the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, which directs the FAA to work with the aviation community and stakeholders in the USA to eliminate the use of leaded fuels by the end of 2030. “As of Fall [Autumn] 2025, 100-octane…

In WWII, my father, Clive, one of the Greatest Generation, trained as a bomber pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. His initial training, about which he had many stories, was on the DH.82 Tiger Moth at Harewood, now Christchurch International. In November 1943, it was a large grass field, so the Tigers, which are not fond of crosswinds, could always land into wind. Dad’s bomber training was on the Avro Anson in Claresholm, Canada, and then he was posted to serve on Bougainville in the Pacific, where in 1945 he decoded the message to say the war was over. Dad’s first Tiger story was of a “chop flight” with Flying Officer, later Squadron Leader, Ken Fenwick (1917–2010), who corrected something Dad was doing wrong, and he never looked…

Approaching the main roundabout at Jandakot Airport in WA, there is a nondescript black hangar with a simple “Revesco” sign. The quiet street frontage gives little away. Behind it sits one of Western Australia’s most capable aviation businesses, offering high-end jet charter, advanced flight training and some seriously impressive simulator assets. Australian Flying was invited to visit Revesco’s operations at Jandakot and Perth Airport, meet the team, fly the simulators, and conduct an IFR training flight with a senior instructor in one of the company’s Diamond DA42NG aircraft. Founded in 1996 with a commitment to elevated excellence, Revesco has grown into a preferred operator for international brokerage houses, supporting VIP travel for artists, performers and business leaders, as well as prime ministers, heads of state and other high-net-worth clients. Its…

The latest example (the ATSB investigation of the fatal Gippsland accident) is an RAAUS/RPC pilot who completed the “easy” conversion to an RPL and, in doing so, skipped the (too hard, but that’s another argument) RPLA exam. In late 2025 he stalled and spun into the ground, killing himself and two passengers.¹ The report suggests, among other things, that this was not a surprise: The pilot had a reported history of conducting steep turns at low heights, and on occasions at low speeds, and had low flying hours in the aircraft and no transition training. Therefore, it was likely that the pilot was not aware of the stall characteristics of the aircraft and that it might depart controlled flight in an abrupt and unexpected manner. The pilot’s history also included…