History
Founded by pioneer aviators in 1914 at Point Cook, the club is one of Australia's oldest flying training organisations.
The Australian Aero Club was formed on 28 October 1914 (and formally established on 9 April 1915) and was subsequently affiliated with the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain. The original hand-written minutes of this historic meeting establishing the club are preserved today.
Renamed the Victorian Aero Club in October 1934, on 13 March 1935 approval to use the “Royal” prefix was granted and since that date the institution has been known as the Royal Victorian Aero Club.
While originally formed at Point Cook, in 1919 the Club transferred operations to what was then the Commonwealth Aerodrome (or sometimes referred to as St Johns Field) on Bulla Road in Essendon. Club operations were some of the first from St John's Field, as the aerodrome was not officially opened until 1922.
The Civil Aviation Department provided support to the Australian Aero Club, by providing an establishment gift of six DeHavilland Gypsy Moth aircraft two of which were allocated to the Victorian Chapter. The two Victorian Gypsy Moths, (G-AUAL and G-UAUG) arrived in July 1926 by ship and within a month they were taking part in a major aerial display at Essendon to celebrate the arrival of solo flyer A. J. Cobham of from England. The Flying Section of the Club was officially opened by Lieutenant Governor Sir William Irvine on 21 August 1926.
In 1934 club member 28 year-old Freda Thompson flew her DH Moth Major solo from England to Australia in 19 days - the first Australian women fly the route (also notable for her record 51⁄2 hr flight from Koepang to Darwin). Freda Thompson was Club President in 1948.
Operations were somewhat limited during the Second World War, and Essendon Airport subsequently became the primary commercial airport for Melbourne, the increased airliner traffic limiting private operations. Thus, in December 1949 the Club transferred to and became the first operator on what were once market-gardens on Centre Dandenong Road, at the newly established Moorabbin Airport, southeast of the city. A massive growth in the number of flying hours took place in the 1950s and 1960s, aided in part by a Commonwealth Government edict providing some subsidies for private flying training.
Read more about this topic: Royal Victorian Aero Club
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