SAFA Skysailor Magazine

26 SKY SAILOR May | June 2021 The Sunshine Coast is a picture-perfect location for sports aviation and one discipline has been on the rise in recent years – weight-shift microlights (trikes). Microlight enthusiast and member of Sunshine Coast Sports Aviators club (SCSA), Paul Reilly says there are many contributing factors to the increase of participation in the sport, including a strong microlight community and new, improved facilities. The SCSA club has more than 250 members from all disciplines, with an increasing number of club pilots flying microlights. Paul also gives credit to Chief Flying Instructor, Dave Cookman, for helping to create and support such an enthu- siastic community of microlight pilots, having initially been instructed by Dave like many others in the region. “I think one of the main reasons we have seen growth in the triking community is down to an enthusiastic CFI and the advent of the club hangar,” Paul said. “SCSA has benefited from securing a lease on the Teewah Airfield through the Noosa Shire Council and some four years ago, completed the build of a hangar/club house,” he added. “The hangar had been in planning for a lot longer than that and through good management, a variety of funding contributed by the Club members and many hours of volunteer work, the building was completed.” The implementation of the new hangar and club house has made the microlight experience in the area much more enjoyable and accessible, as it is easier for pilots to hangar their aircraft, rather than setting up and packing down every time they want to fly. The SCSA club has seen an increasing number of aircraft using the hangar in the last year and the storage fees associated with this have been of benefit to the club. The hangar is also used for hosting important events like AGMs and educational programs such as the Rotax Engine Maintenance courses, providing more training opportunities for local pilots. Microlight flying is a family occasion for Paul, with his partner and children getting the chance to experience all that the Sunshine Coast has to offer from the sky. “The Sunshine Coast is a beautiful place with fantastic scenery and a great climate – what’s not to love? Whale watch- ing is fantastic and when your passenger sees the whales from above for the first time, it’s a great feeling,” Paul shared. To learn more about weight-shift microlights at the SCSA visit www.sunshinecoastsportsaviators.com.au. Sunshine Coast triking community continues to grow Clockwise from top: Gympie airfield; Double Island Point; Laguna Bay Photos: Paul Reilly

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