Rockhampton Aero Club is on the verge of entering a new and exciting era with Aerobatic Flying Training and Aerobatic Joy Flights to be introduced at the aero club sometime in November 2016.
Rockhampton Aero Club is currently in the process of purchasing Victa Airtourer 115 VH-BQW, a locally owned and hangared aircraft for the past 13 years. When the present owner of the small two-seat aeroplane decided to sell his much loved and immaculately maintained pride-n-joy, RAC saw an opportunity to expand the club's flying training curriculum, and so began negotiations to acquire the plane.
At the time of publishing, it is anticipated acquisition of VH-BQW will be complete sometime within the next couple of weeks, and once online with the aero club, aerobatic flying training and aerobatic joy flights will be introduced shortly afterwards.
Manufactured in 1964, VH-BQW began life as a flying training aircraft with the Royal Queensland Aero Club (RQAC), and reportedly clocked-up 2000 hrs flying time in the first 12 months. Of interest, VH-BQW's current total airframe hours is 4400 hrs, meaning 45% of the aircraft's flying time was flown in the first year, and remaining 55% gradually clocked-up over the past 50 years ... quite remarkable !
The Victa Airtourer is an all-metal, low-wing, fixed-tricycle gear, two-seat utility aircraft developed in Australia during the late 1950's and 1960's, and manufactured in both Australia and New Zealand during the 1960's and early 1970's. A total of 168 Airtourer's were built in Australia (Victa), and 80 (Aero Engine Services Ltd) in New Zealand.
Although a number of different engines were installed in Victa Airtourer's depending on model and year of manufacture, VH-BQW is powered by a 115hp, Lycoming O-235, air-cooled, flat-four piston engine, enabling the aircraft to cruise at approximately 105 knots.
To learn more about Aerobatic Flying Training or Aerobatic Joy Flights at Rockhampton Aero Club, feel free to contact administration on (07) 4922 4596, or Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) Jan Rebello on 0419 957 796.
Additionally, information about general flying training, charter flights and scenic tours by Rockhampton Aero Club can be found by visiting thier website at :
