Hastings District Flying Club

History

HDFC
PO Box 115
Port Macquarie NSW 2444

This history has been cobbled together from a number of different sources. If you read something that is wrong or inaccurate or you want to add to the information, please email me with your corrections or additions. Lyndal Coote

1953 Alex Oliver cleared a 500 yard landing strip, following earlier clearing,on the present airport site using an Austin A40 and a log
1955 Port Macquarie Airport opened
1958

Hastings District Flying Club formed, inaugural President and CFI was Joe Lee who finished his aviation career with QANTAS training CLIPS-commercial intake pilots on DC3s.

Foundation members included Barry Cunning, Greta Yabsley, Joe Lee, Frederick Higgins, George Hartley, Mervyn McCudden, John Kirby, Dal O’Grady, Col Bailey, Peter Taylor

1960 – 1983 CFI – Barrie Abbott
Scenic Flights!
1968 -1969 In 1968 the Club sponsored a pageant of national significance in conjunction with the Port Macquarie sesqui-centenary celebrations, Ray Potts being the driving force behind it
1972 A second east-west runway was first used,
Club Captain – Bob Armstrong
1977 Pilot of the Year – Col Harvey
1978 Pilot of the Year – Barry Cunning, Club Captain – Barry Cunning
1979 Pilot of the year – Win Partridge
1980 Club Captain – Barry Cunning, Pilot of the Year – Col Harvey
1982 Club Captain – Graeme Light,
1983 Club Captain – Peter Kerville
1984 Club Captain – Harry Bellott, the Ultra Light Flying Club was formed and affiliated with the HDFC
Building the club house in the 1960s
1985 Club Captain – Harry Bellott, club extensions
1986 First Port Macquarie Airshow
1988 Club Captain – Neil Files, Club Instructor – Bob Needham, Pilot of the Year – Rod Davison
1989

Bob Needham takes Neil Files for a check flight and lands with no rear wheels

Neil Files and Bob Needham survey the damage!
2000 Club Captain - Ray Lind
2001 Club Captain - Ray Lind
2002 Club Captain - Ray Lind
2003 Club Captain - Ray Lind, Pilot of the Year - Rod Farley
2004 Club Captain - Ray Lind
2005 Club Captain - Ray Lind
2006 Club Captain - Ray Lind, Recreational Aviation CFI - Bob Needham
2007 Club Captain - Ray Lind, Pilots of the Year - Bill Coote & Jimi Ludriks, Recreational Aviation CFI - Bob Needham
2008 Club Captain - Ray Lind
Recreational Aviation CFI - Adam Booker
Club Champion - Bruce Dunlop
RAAus Champion - Jimi Ludriks
Harry Bellott Trophy for Pilot of the Year - David Massey
Club Person of the Year - Tanya McKenzie

Steve O'Connor Navigation Trial Trophy - Jack Terp
Vern Polley Forced Landing Trophy - Rod Davison

Student Pilot of the Year - Doug Ross
RAAus Wings
- Bonny Stutsel, Dog Jones, Liz Drinkwater, Glenn Cleary, Doug Ross, Lucy Johnston

2009 Club Captain - Ray Lind
RAAus CFI - George Northey
Club Champion - Ray Lind,
RAAus Champion - Jimi Ludriks
Harry Bellott Trophy for Pilot of the Year - Adam Booker
Club Person of the Year - Richard Bentley
Vern Polley Forced Landing Trophy – Ray Lind
Steve Connors Navigation Trial Trophy - Rod Davison
2010

Club Captain - Ray Lind
RAAus CFI - George Northey
Club Champion - Bruce Dunlop
Harry Bellott Trophy for Pilot of the Year - Bob Barnett
Club Person of the Year - Damien Buchtmann

Steve O’Connor Shield Navigation Trial - Rod Davison, Vern Polley Forced Landing Trophy - Rod Davison, Ray Lind & Bruce Dunlop

Student Pilot of the Year - Peter Forde
RAAus Wings - Peter Forde, Mathew Baker

 

Club Presidents

1958-59

Joe Lee
1959-63
Charlie Collins
1963-68
Harry Hutchinson
1968-70
Ray Potts
1970-71
Bob Richmond
1971-72
Don Pitkin
1972-74
Terry Threlfall
1974-76
Bob Armstrong
1976-77
Col Harvey
1977-78
Vince Williams
1978-80
Norm Drummond/Vince Williams
1980-81
Vince Williams
1981-84
Rob Hollins
1984-90
Vern Polley
1990-93
Rod Davison
1993-94
Doug Radford
1994-97
Rod Davison
1997-98
Rod Hall
1998-99
Graham Bell
1999-01
Rod Hall
2001-02 Michael Coulter
2002-09 Rod Davison
2009-10 Bill Coote
2010-11 Bill Coote

Life Members

Col Bailey
Harry Bellott
Col Harve
Cedric Stephens
Vince Williams

Bob Needham

Club Aircraft

1958

Tiger Moth DH-82A

VH-BAP
1960
Cessna 150
VH-EST
1962
Victa Airtourer
VH-PMA
1962
Piper Cherokee 150
VH-PMB
1965
Victa Airtourer
VH-PMC
1966
Mooney Super 21
VH-PMQ
1966
Cessna 172
VH-PMD
1969
Piper Cherokee 140
VH-PXN
1973
Piper PA28 180 Challenger
VH-PMJ
1974
Piper Warrior
VH-PMW
1976
Piper Archer II
VH-SXC
1978
Piper PH38 Tomahawk
VH-TLA
1985
Jodel D11
VH-DRJ
1991
Maxair Drifter XP503
55-0189
1991
Drifter A582
25-0448
1995
Drifter SB582
25-0980
2002
Cessna 172 VH-FPT
2006
Foxbat A22 (co-owned)
24-4422
2008 Eurofox 24-5054