Graeme had us all on edge for a few minutes during our session on Tuesday 6 August - he had arrived at a point in his story when he was celebrating the first flight of his hand built aeroplane --- BUT - Eleven years before the great day, Graeme had purchased a vintage bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne [cost half a week's wages] to suitably impress a young lady.
Alas, the Lass proved to be on a different plane, so the bottle was carefully cellared awaiting another great moment - and that, it transpired, was the aeroplane’s 'first flight'.
Graeme and his Father had, over the years, built several boats. It seems, on launching boats, tradition requires a bottle of champagne to be smashed over the bow for good luck.
OH NO! - Was he going to launch the aircraft as he would a boat!!?? – and - with a Vintage champagne!!??
Now Graeme is an Aviator and an Engineer and a man of good common sense - so there was absolutely no chance of any smashing happening - the bottle was carefully opened - and consumed. Graeme claims it was the best champagne he has ever tasted
We all relaxed - [sailor or aviator, champagne is for drinking.]
Sadly, after several years and flying around Australia [at one stage landing on the grassed edge between Perth CBD and the Swan River] he decided to sell his hand built pride and joy.
SIGH!
Graeme commenced his working life as an Aircraft Engineer with the Gliding Club in Benalla. Except for a short time when he was rebuilding and restoring historic aircraft at the wonderful engineering facility in Wangaratta, Graeme has been the Maintenance Engineer at the Gliding Club, so he is totally qualified to build an aeroplane.
Can you imagine the patience needed - the precision required - the persistence and the persistence and the persistence etc.etc. that must be a constant - and the workmanship standard, with zero compromise, maintained throughout the build over the years of construction??
We enjoyed a fascinating talk with accompanying photos, which, I felt, left us with a new appreciation of just how complex aircraft can be [no matter their size] and how dedicated Aircraft Engineers are, with our eternal gratitude, to keeping our skies safe.
Andrew McFarlane
Alas, the Lass proved to be on a different plane, so the bottle was carefully cellared awaiting another great moment - and that, it transpired, was the aeroplane’s 'first flight'.
Graeme and his Father had, over the years, built several boats. It seems, on launching boats, tradition requires a bottle of champagne to be smashed over the bow for good luck.
OH NO! - Was he going to launch the aircraft as he would a boat!!?? – and - with a Vintage champagne!!??
Now Graeme is an Aviator and an Engineer and a man of good common sense - so there was absolutely no chance of any smashing happening - the bottle was carefully opened - and consumed. Graeme claims it was the best champagne he has ever tasted
We all relaxed - [sailor or aviator, champagne is for drinking.]
Sadly, after several years and flying around Australia [at one stage landing on the grassed edge between Perth CBD and the Swan River] he decided to sell his hand built pride and joy.
SIGH!
Graeme commenced his working life as an Aircraft Engineer with the Gliding Club in Benalla. Except for a short time when he was rebuilding and restoring historic aircraft at the wonderful engineering facility in Wangaratta, Graeme has been the Maintenance Engineer at the Gliding Club, so he is totally qualified to build an aeroplane.
Can you imagine the patience needed - the precision required - the persistence and the persistence and the persistence etc.etc. that must be a constant - and the workmanship standard, with zero compromise, maintained throughout the build over the years of construction??
We enjoyed a fascinating talk with accompanying photos, which, I felt, left us with a new appreciation of just how complex aircraft can be [no matter their size] and how dedicated Aircraft Engineers are, with our eternal gratitude, to keeping our skies safe.
Andrew McFarlane
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