where people who believe in your flying dreams come together since 1958
Incorporating Port Macquarie Recreational Aviation and
Port Macquarie Flying School
Operates 7 days a week, since 1958
History of Hastings District Flying Club (HDFC)
2010s
2010
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 Ford
RAAus Wings - Peter Ford, Mathew Baker
Foxbat 24-7395 was acquired. Eurofox 24-5054 was listed for sale.
2011
GA Club Champion - Bruce Dunlop
RAAus Champion - Rod Davison
Harry Bellott Trophy for Pilot of The Year - Bruce Dunlop
Club Persons of the Year - Marite Jansons & David Mitchell
Steve O’Connor Shield Navigation Trial - Bruce Dunlop
Vern Polley Forced Landing Trophy - Rod Davison
RAAus Student Pilot of the Year - Adam Hancey
RA and GA competitions were enhanced with Bruce Dunlop being check pilot for GA and Ray Lind checking pilots on RA.
George Northey organised a fly-away to Lake Eyre in the Foxbat accompanied by a Piper Cherokee 6.
Grass strip 10/28 was to close at the end of 2011.
Rod Davison, Ray Lind and David Mitchell flew VH-FPT to Longreach.
2012
GA Club Champion - Bruce Dunlop
RAAus Champion - Rod Davison
Harry Bellott Trophy for Pilot of the Year - Peter Ford
Club Person of the Year - Lyndal Coote
Steve O’Connor Shield Navigation Trial -
Vern Polley Forced Landing Trophy - Rod Davison
RAAus Student Pilot of the Year - Jordan Seward
RAAus Wings - Ed Godschalk, Leeton Mason, Ben Hansen, Toby Stutsel, Steve Smith
PPL - Peter Ford
CPL - Michael Toohey, Trent Merchant
Roy Cousins started to learn to fly with Bob Needham at the age of 90.
VH-FPT was used by David Massey for PPL training and GA conversions from RAAus.
On 23 Nov 2012, John Hayler flew his home-built RV6.
2013
Club Captain - Ray LindRAAus CFI - George NortheyGA Club Champion - Bruce DunlopRAAus Champion - Rod DavisonHarry Bellott Trophy for Pilot of the Year - Alex Pursehouse
Steve O’Connor Shield Navigation Trial - Ed GodschalkVern Polley Forced Landing Trophy - Rod DavisonRAAus Student Pilot of the Year - Dylan Williams
Pilot of the Year - Alex Pursehouse
John Hayler and Christian Corse were awarded for ferry flight in a Beechcraft Baron from USA to Australia
On 5 May 2013, David Jacka was the first quadriplegic to fly solo around Australia. He dropped in at the club house.
With the sale of VH-FPT, it was decided to purchase a new CTLS, 24-6669, a light sport category aircraft. The Eurofox had major maintenance work done prior to its sale.
2014
Runway extension and widening was completed - now capable of handling a B737.
CTLS arrived - much interests were shown by club members in this advance machine with a constant speed propeller and a very impressive performance.
We say goodbye to Bill and Lyndal Coote who moved to Lake Macquarie to be closer with their famiy, after many years of passionate service to HDFC as President and Treasurer respectively.
The 2014 HDFC Flying Scholarships have been awarded to Caleb Butterfield and Jack Kalchbauer.
HDFC retained Tri Club Flying Competition Trophy in Kempsey.
Bob Needham and Ian Moss met with Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Heritage representatives to discuss the possibility of a heritage listing of the clubhouse as the original PMQ airport terminal is now the office and briefing room of our clubhouse.
