Where The Rivers Meet
2014 Airtourer Association Convention & 36th
Annual General Meeting Wentworth, NSW
Friday 21st March To Monday 24th March 2014
Wentworth lies at the confluence of Australia's two most important rivers, the Darling and the Murray. In the 1890s there were 92 paddle steamers working the Darling, and between 1890 and 1900 Wentworth became the largest river port in Australia with over 400 craft using it in a year. Wentworth was declared a town in 1860, and on New Years' Day in 1861 the first race meeting was held. The course was the town's main street, the finishing post a hotel flagpole and the balcony of the same hotel became the grandstand. Today Wentworth is somewhat less active but still retains many historic features and buildings of interest. Wentworth is also an aviation friendly town deserving of our support.
Sunraysia Sport Aircraft Club will be our airport hosts for the weekend and will be making their club facilities available to us. Please show your appreciation.
The Wentworth Grande Resort is our base for the weekend. The resort offers a large range of rooms to meet every budget and taste. A group discount is available to us and a continental breakfast is included in the room rate.
Using the resort to the full extent all our meetings will also be conveniently held at the resort. The weekend will begin with a poolside welcome dinner at Wentworth Grande Resort on Friday evening.
“The Great Big Competition about Everything” will be on this weekend. Originally prepared for Cootamundra it never made it due to weather, so it’s coming out for Wentworth. I hope the weather plays its part this year. Please ignore all references to Gundaroo on the form.
We have a totally outstanding prize for this competition, unique to the Airtourer brethren and never to be repeated-truly a once only prize worth trying for.
Make sure you collect a copy of “The Great Big Competition about Everything” and return it to Gerry before the AGM Dinner.
On Saturday CASA will be presenting the Ageing Aircraft Seminar in the SSAC Club rooms, which is part of our commitment to provide an educational element to Association activities. This year we are fortunate to have Pieter van Dijk presenting a session on Ageing Aircraft. Pieter is an aeronautical engineer and heads up CASA's Ageing Aircraft Management Plan to which the Co-Op has made a submission in consultation with other Owner groups and AOPA. The presentation will help owners make decisions about appropriate ongoing maintenance of their aircraft to ensure they are not only airworthy today, but also educate them on how to reduce long term maintenance costs by incorporating preventative inspections and maintenance work.
This seminar is of vital interest to all owners and operators, not just Airtourers.
Odd as it may seem not everyone will be interested in the CASA seminar so a bus tour to points of interest in Wentworth with a coffee break will be provided as an alternative, after which the bus will go to the airport where we can all meet up for a Traditional Aero Club Bar-B-Que lunch and afternoon at the airport for flying and other aviation activities.
For the AGM Dinner we have an outstanding venue just a short walk from the Grand Resort. Meet for pre-dinner drinks at the Artback Australia Gallery
followed by dinner.
“Artback gives people the opportunity to indulge fully in the art side of their character or to simply enjoy the ambience the art brings to the café."
The 1882 building houses a creative and adaptable space for exhibitions and functions. The café terrace overlooks the Darling River and a wide front veranda surrounds the building. – with most of the products made from locally scouted produce, including fresh vegetables from the Wentworth school's 'Stephanie Alexander' garden. The café also uses locally made fresh bread and local country-made preserves.
On Sunday after the usual meetings we will join participating members of the Sunrasia Sport Aircraft Club for a short flight to Mungo Lodge for lunch.
This is what private flying is about.
Use your aircraft to visit comfortably what in terrestrial terms is a remote location for a relaxed Sunday lunch in the good company of your fellow flyers.
We end the weekend back in Wentworth with drinks in the Fergie Tractor Bar followed by dinner at the Crown Hotel.
See the Airtourer Website for program, accommodation details and most importantly registration.
You can also register online.
Victorian Winter Gathering
Sunday 15 June 2014
A return to John and Monique Pels' very popular Hangar House at Riddells Creek Airfield in the foot of the Macedon Ranges. Arrive late morning for a catered buffet lunch. Airfield details are in ERSA. Please call John 0418 174199 or Monique 0431 298679 for strip conditions and prior permission.
The location is by road 57 Stokes Lane Riddells Creek.
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