I wonder why it is that so many old British built aeroplanes seem to have migrated to New Zealand over the past half century. Maybe one day I’ll go there and see for myself one day!

It always seems to be the other way from here in Australia, aircraft seem to be going somewhere else.

I think in reality credit is often due to a small number of far sighted individuals who laid the ground work back in the mid 1970’s.

Where I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia the vintage aeroplane group (QVAG) was founded to arrest the departure of aircraft from the East Coast of Australia to Southern Australia (Victoria) and more importantly going overseas. One individual in particular stands out, Graham Orphan (Now publisher and editor of “Classic Wings Downunder”). Graham, was in his late teens in the mid 1970’s however had the foresight at that tender age to ge instrumental in the formation of QVAG. That in turn put the few rebuilders in the area in regualr contact with each other and gave them a focus and encouragement that was needed. People in that early group included Nick and Greg Chalinor, John Sinclair, Noel Branch, Mathew Denning, Pat Harrington and Ernie Clarke all of whom went on to complete restoration projects, in some cases many restoration projects.

QVAG still exists and has grown in size and influence. The East Coast of Australia has grown from a backwater of the vintage aircraft scene to what is arguably the major area of activity (and the great climate helped).

The threats to the future of vintage aviation in the area are the lack of affordable rebuild projects. This in turn has meant that young people have limited opportunity to become involved. The projects that are available now are ones similar to my Percival Proctor – complex, expensive and requiring a high degree of skill both in project management and technical areas such as wood working.

What is the future? Graham Orphan told me years ago when we were discussing this question, that he saw replicas of WW1 aircraft as being the answer. I don’t have any answers, maybe the answer lies in the new generation of ultralight aircraft and that these will all eventually age and require rebuilding (but they just don’t seem to have that same charisma as aircraft from the early days of aviation).

What do others see as the ways of attracting young people to the restoration/rebuilding side of vintage aviation?

cheers