Peninsula Aero Club Email News

From the Social
Committee
Friday Evenings
A time to drop in for a catch-up,
a drink perhaps, some finger
food and a chance at the meat
raffle. Afterwards there is the
members draw, your chance to
take home a cash prize.
FunFlight is set for Sunday 4
Nov. The club will be liaising
with FunFlight to host around
100 guests. Arrivals should
commence from 9am. Pilots
wishing to perform some flights
must be registered on the appropriate
forms. Details from
the Office.
Thanksgiving Dinner
We’re holding a special dinner
on Sunday evening 18 November.
Call the Office to book.
Not a time to miss the Turkey
and Pecan Pie!
Christmas Party
We will celebrate Friday evening
14 December with a Christmas
Party
Christmas Dinner
To wrap up activities for 2012,
we will hold a Christmas Dinner
on Sunday 16 December
Questions regarding any of
these activities, call the Office
or email
Edith Ralston at
edithralston@bigpond.com
Skydivers at Tyabb
The Commandos will be doing
tandem jumps on Sunday 27 Jan
2013. Gift certificates for Xmas
presents and bookings will be
available at the PAC office from
November.
Peninsula Aero Club Email News
Issue 002 Pg 1 November 2012
This newsletter has not replaced Airep. Your next Airep will be sent to you around
1 January 2013. The Email News is being sent during the in-between months.
Guest Speaker
The Club’s next Members Information night will be Thursday 22 November. Our guest speaker
will be Roy Travis. Roy’s theme will be “What can aviation do for you?” Roy is an honorary lifetime
member of the Club, a past Secretary, past Air Show Director and the holder of ten world
speed aviation records for long distance travel in his Beechcraft Bonanza. Imagine - Australia
to London and return in a Beechcraft Bonanza. Don’t miss this one!
The Foxbat now on line A new Foxbat is on-line at a charge-out rate of $135ph to members. It’s a chance for
members to hire a new generation brand new aircraft. Regis is Ra-Aus and dual rate is $223 per hour. By the
amount of usage it’s getting, the Foxbat is proving very popular.
The Club’s Skycatchers In addition to the Foxbat, there are the Club’s two recently purchased C-162 Skycatchers,
one RAA and the other VH registered. The Skycatchers are delightful aircraft to fly and should be high on the
list of training/touring aircraft for Club members to hire. Solo hire rate is $157 per hour.
Avalon Air Show A coach has been organized for Sat 2 March 2013. It will depart PAC at 7:30am and depart
Avalon 4:30pm. Cost is $30pp and bookings/payments can be made to Flight Ops anytime now.
VCAT Hearing Again, members funds had to be expended for defending our right to operate. A member of the
local ratepayer’s assn. objected to some minor changes to our planning permit and the club had to appear at VCAT
in support of the local Council. And once again, common sense carried the day and the changes were allowed. In
addition to PAC funds, one wonders how much of the Shire’s money has been wasted on these frivolous arguments.
The Hasting Business Awards Club President, Peter Bernardi and Committee member Peter Fitton attended
this event on behalf of the Club in early October. No, we didn’t win an award, though we participated in this important
event.
HMAS Cerberus Flying Students President Peter Bernardi and Secretary Jack Vevers succeeded in attracting a
number of new flying students from HMAS Cerberus following a recent visit. These students will undergo training in
a similar way to the club’s successful schools program.
New Club Hangars Committee is ready to submit a permit application to Council for the construction of new
hangars. It has been a long process and Committee is relieved that we are at this stage of the process.
Embracing the Tourism Industry The Club has joined Western Port Tourism and will soon join the overseeing
body, Mornington Peninsula Tourism. The intention is to lift our profile and try to attract tourists to take Scenic
Flights to view our fabulous Peninsula. We’re tucked away, yet Tyabb is the only airport on the Peninsula.
Peninsula Red Cross visits Mornington Peninsula
Airport
Ladies from the Peninsula Red Cross, who are part of
the Mornington Peninsula Emergency response team,
visited our airport during October. Peter Bernardi
gave them an opening address and welcome, followed
by Jack Vevers who gave them an overview of the airport’s
capabilities and plans to support the community
needs in case of an emergency. The regional Coordinator
from the Red Cross, Debbie Quinn, agreed the
airport would play a vital roll in the advent of an emergency
and has offered the Red Cross's support in our
application to seek State Government funding to undertake
facility upgrades at the airport. Following the
presentation and discussions, Judy Pay gave the ladies a
personal tour of her hangars, something they all
seemed impressed by and grateful to receive.
Peninsula Emergency Response Group
PAC is now a member of this group following on from our Club’s participation in the exercise ‘Operation Sea
Dragon’, a major exercise coordinated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra to control an oil spill
on Western Port Bay. Backed by resources, both Federal and State, the AMSA chose PAC as their base for this
exercise.
The Club Strategy Plan
Jack Vevers has been working up a Stategy Plan to take the Club forward during the next 3 to 5 years. It is a plan aimed at identifying issues, then putting
in place the means to deal with them. It also enables the Club to test the results. The strategy plan features four aspects; Financial, Marketing,
Business and Structure. A position statement has been established in which safety, learning, history, commerce and emergency services, both for now
and the future, have been defined. Underpinning these issues, we will uphold the values of CASA and strive to exceed health, safety and environmental
standards.
Awards bestowed at the AGM Thursday 18 October
This year two members were honored with Lifetime Honorary Membership. They were Ray Taylor and Rob Wettenhall. Both Ray and Rob were past
Presidents and both worked tirelessly on all the air show committees since they were restarted in 2003.
Peter Fitton was awarded the Hilton Wright Memorial Award, the citation being for ‘Outstanding Service to the Club’.
Peninsula Aero Club, Stuart Rd, TYABB Ph: 03 5977 4406 Web: www.pac.asn.au All electronic correspondence to: pac@pac.asn.au

Peninsula Aero Club Email News
Issue 002 Pg 2 November 2012
Vale: Robert Alan Attwater
With the passing of Bob Attwater on 1 October 2012 the Club lost a great mate, a man of intellect and a tireless advocate for the defense of PAC.
Robert Attwater had joined the Club in the 1970s. It was a turbulent period for the Club. The airfield was to be sold and a group of members decided
that PAC would have to either buy the land or move. The Club raised a considerable sum, but there was still a
shortfall of about 30% of the asking price so Western Port Airfield Pty Ltd was set up, with shares offered to PAC members
as a means of raising the funds. Bob was one of the early subscribers. Bob Attwater was a Club pioneer, past
President of PAC and long serving Secretary of Western Port Airfield Pty Ltd. He was a dynamic leader and staunch
supporter of the Club. A professional engineer, he was responsible for the design and construction of the Green Hangar,
which was one of the first at Tyabb. He was also involved with the development of airfield infrastructure, such as
the original runway lighting. Bob owned an Auster and Cessna 337 and in partnership with his close friend, Peter Bernardi,
a Ryan PT22 and Yak 52. An accomplished pilot, he gained an instrument rating and enjoyed formation flying and
aerobatics. Bob was a participant in and organizer of many of our airshows and those elsewhere involving the Antique
Aeroplane Association of which he was a member. Prior to his death, Bob established a memorial scholarship for
trainee pilots at PAC. His enthusiasm
was infectious, his council wise and he
was always fun to be with. He will long
Bob flying ‘A Damn Fine Red’, the Yak 52 he owned with Peter Bernardi
be remembered with great affection by
his friends at PAC.
Peter is grateful to Rob Wettenhall for this
fine tribute
Following a private family service for
Bob, his wife Helen and members of
Bob’s family attended a memorial service
at the Club on Tuesday 9 October.
No fewer than nine friends spoke about
their memories of Bob and his impact
upon their lives. It was a bitter sweet
occasion and there was standing room
only. A number of friends had made a
journey from interstate to attend this
gathering. Helen’s photo presentation
was particularly moving.
This unforgettable picture of Bob flying the Ryan PT-22 which he also owned with Peter Bernardi
Peninsula Aero Club, Stuart Rd, TYABB Ph: 03 5977 4406 Web: www.pac.asn.au All electronic correspondence to: pac@pac.asn.au