Wings and Wheels Open Day

Sunday 20 June 2021

 

After the cancellation of last years event we are pleased to announce the 2021 Wings and Wheels will go ahead this June. Information regarding the event will be posted here as time progresses. Please email graftonaeoclub@gmail.com or phone 0429 344 158 for any information you may require.

Wings and Wheels Open Day 2020 originally planned for 14 June 2020 has been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. The 2021 event will be held in June 2021

Wings and Wheels Open Day

Sunday 23 June 2019

This years Wings and Wheels was a great success with perfect timing given the weather the following day. It was a beautiful warm and sunny Winters day.  Thank you to all members who gave their time to make the event the success it was. We raised over $1400.00 for the Oncology Unit at Grafton Base Hospital, all of the food we had was sold and there were many positive comments from participants and the public alike.

There were numerous vintage, sports, classic and touring cars as well as motor cycles, racing cars, stationary engines and model aircraft on display.

Some 22 aircraft flew in to add to the 15 of our own aircraft on display. There were plenty of Jabirus, several Savannahs, a Piper Sport, a Bush cat, a Thorpe, a Foxbat, 2 x Cessna 172s, a FK9, 3 x Mooneys, 2 x Tiger Moths, a Mustang, a Whitman Tailwind, a Typhoon, a Piper 140, a Piper Tomahawk, a Spitfire replica, a Morgan Sierra, a Chipmunk, The Gliding Clubs Glider, a Helicycle, a couple I can’t remember and the Winjeel. A great variety of aircraft to wet the appetite of any budding Aviator.

The SES also had a display and they provided the escort transport for a lady in her late 80s who went up for a flight. The Gliding Club ran a raffle for a glider flight which was won by an 8 year old boy who described his flight as “awesome”.

All in all it was a fantastic day so if you missed it, well there is always next year.

Some photos follow.

 Wings and Wheels Open Day

Sunday 12 August 2018

This years event was again very windy and cold. Only a few aircraft flew in including the new Cirrus SR22 Australis. The Winjeel was out of action so did not make it but we had motorcycles and car clubs and an intrepid bunch of vintage tractor enthusiasts who made the trip up from Corindi to take part. Attendance was down and the wind destroyed our large gazebo and made barbecuing extremely difficult. Still we did raise $900.00 for the Oncology Unit at Grafton Base Hospital.

 Wings and Wheels Open Day

Sunday 20 August 2017

 The week before this years event began by being fine but with strengthening winds. The aerodrome had been slashed and over 200 large round bales of hay were taken off. It was looking a picture. On the setup day on Saturday the wind was howling at 25 to 35 knots so we were unable to put up gazebos etc. On Sunday although the wind had dissipated somewhat it was gale force on the coast. Three gyros came west from Tamworth and only one other aircraft flew in. Paul Jennings arrived in his RV6 much to our amazement. He said it was one of the roughest flights he’d had and got thrown all over the sky.

The conditions though did not bother the car clubs and they arrived en mass so the “Wheels” part of the event was very successful even though it was windy and cool despite being a sunny day. We also managed to raise almost $1,300.00 for the Oncology Ward at Grafton base Hospital from donations received. Some photos follow.

Wings and Wheels Open Day

14 August 2016

The weather was perfect this year much to our relief as it had been overcast with showers in 2015. This year we had a number of vehicles from the Coffs Harbour Veteran and Vintage Car club to add to those from Grafton and the Coffs CEX club. Exhibitors began to arrive shortly after 8:00am and the first aircraft arrived before 9:00am. Pretty soon the whole aerodrome was buzzing with the sounds of aircraft in the circuit, aircraft taxiing in and cars, motor bikes, stationary engines and people everywhere.

The number of exhibitors was similar to 2015 with Vintage, Veteran, Classic, Touring, Sports and Racing Cars, Hot Rods, classic and vintage motorcycles, Stationary Engines General Aviation and Recreational Aviation aircraft plus model aircraft.

Mark Awad arrived in the Winjeel and began providing Warbird Adventure Flights. Coffs Harbour Aero Club Flight Training provided TIF flights as well.

Morning Tea in the clubhouse proved very popular again and the BBQs were going from around 9:00am. This year we provided Hot Ham Rolls and Mann River Burgers which proved very popular along with the standard sausage sandwich.

Over 40 aircraft flew in from around the state and southern Queensland and everyone seemed very happy and enjoyed the casual atmosphere, especially being able view the exhibits and aircraft up close. Club members were run off their feet to ensure the event ran smoothly. Even with a number of members unable to assist due to Winter ills and other commitments, there was not a single issue throughout the day and we managed to raise over $1,200.00 for the Childrens Ward of Grafton Base Hospital, $500.00 more than last year. While visitor numbers are difficult to determine with people coming and going all the time we estimate around 2500 people attended throughout the day, many of these were families with children.

Some photos follow

Wings and Wheels 16 August 2015

Wings and Wheels 2015 was bigger and better than the highly successful 2014 event. As well as Vintage, Classic and Touring Cars, Stationery engines, Model aircraft, Sports and Recreational aircraft there were Classic & Vintage Motorcycles, Vintage Aircraft, Wooden Boats, Go-Karts, Vintage caravans, and a demonstration of their craft from the Artist Blacksmiths.

Troy Smith from Caboolture with his Beech T34 Mentor provided Warbird Adventure rides and Joy rides were provided by Aussie Air from Ballina.

While the weather was threatening leading up to the even and there were showers, this did not damped the enthusiasm of the exhibitors or the large crowd of visitors estimated to be around 2000 who attended. The weather did prevent a number of aircraft attending but more than 20 did make it. The morning tea with cakes and savouries was very popular as were the barbecues providing sausage sandwiches, steaks sandwiches and hot ham rolls. All in all it was a great day with around $700.00 raised for the Childrens Ward at Grafton Base Hospital. The club added additional funding from food sales and a cheque for $1000.00 was presented to the Hospital.

Some photos of the event follow.

Wings and Wheels 31 August 2014

What a day it was. Morning Tea was served to Car Club members & flyers from 10:00 am.

We’d planned to start the barbecues at around 11:00 am but there were hungry people there at 10:00 am. Steak & sausage sandwiches, hot ham rolls and cold drinks were in high demand for the next 3 hours.

Club member Andy Ski put on an aerobatic display in his Skybolt at lunch time and aircraft kept coming and going.

Around 1000 people attended the event and there was something for everyone.

For the record there were 36 Aircraft, 4 Gyrocopters, 24 Vintage Cars, 28 Sports Touring and Classic Cars, 11 Motorcycles, 6 Stationary Engines, 5 Race Cars and one each Vintage boat, caravan and tractor.