Commemorative 2015 Baton's available for Sale- All funds go to AWPA Lady Casey Scholarship

 

In addition to raising funds for Cancer Council, we are selling commemorative batons, with all proceeds donated to the AWPA Lady Casey Scholarship. This scholarship is to assist an AWPA member to obtain an Instructor Rating or a Command Instrument Rating, either fixed wing or rotary, to further a career in aviation.

For $25 (including postage), you can have your own commemorative baton. To purchase one, just email us ( womenpilotsrelay@gmail.com ) with your name and where you would like it sent. We can accept payment via by bank transfer. There are a variety of colours available but stock is limited.(blue, black, red, orange, silver, gold, burgundy and green).

Update for 17th March - Happy St Patricks Day!

Today the Baton has left the east coast of Australia, heading to Darwin!

Rosanna Vittorio from Cobham will take the Baton on the 7:10pm flight to Darwin.

Look Out NT - Get ready to Pass the Baton!!

West Wing Aviation takes the Baton to Torres Straits, Yorke, Darnely & Murray Islands- the most Northern Islands of Australia!

West Wing Aviation's pilots Christy Denham and Jill Stacey flew the Baton on their West Wing Aviation flights in the Torres Straits today. Christy Denham received the baton yesterday from Q-Link in Cairns for its journey through the most northern parts of the Torres Straits before handing it over to colleague Jill Stacey who flew with it through the Yorke, Darnley and Murray Islands, the most eastern islands of Australia. Jill Stacey will then hand it back over this afternoon to QLINK for its onward journey.

Thank you to the Qantas team in North Queensland for flying the Baton over the last few days. Two Captains and three First Officers pictured below are Bek Klukowski, Alana Curtin, Regional Flying Manager Captain Helene Young, Shelley Groves and Captain Soph Lazarou

Update for relay flight tomorrow 11th March - Mackay to Townsville QLD

Well the Baton will certainly be getting about in sunny Queensland this week!
A big thanks to the generosity of all pilots involved and Qantas for supporting the relay, we have the Baton being flown around QLD this week by various Qantas teams as well as AWPA member and RA-AUS pilot Mary-anne who is based in Townsville at ATA Flight School.

AWPA member and RA-AUS pilot at ATA flight School - Mary-anne O'Donnell

Qantas pilot Kristie Casey will fly the baton from Mackay to Townsville on her leg of the relay.  Mary-anne O'Donnell will then collect the Baton from Kristie in the afternoon and fly it to Woodstock and around her local area for a scenic flight, then deliver it back to Townsville airport to Qantas pilot Bek Klukowski who will then look after the Baton overnight and take it with her early the next morning to Cairns

 

QLINK Aircraft similar to the one the Baton will fly aboard this week.

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The Baton will then be flying around with the Qantas girls through northern Queensland until the 17th March.

 

One of the foxy Ladies team - QLD pilot Nathalie Gochel

8th March Update - Happy International Womens Day!

Day 7  8th March 2015

Today the baton travelled further north. It was picked up in Caboolture then flown to Bundaberg by the Foxbat Ladies. The Bundaberg Aero Club had a lovely welcoming committee for the ladies and baton.
The girls then took it further north via the scenic route into Mackay. Another beautiful part of Australia.
Tomorrow is a lay over in Mackay. As the relay has had exceptional weather we had prepared for bad weather and a few rest days were anticipated in case the baton needed to catch up. Therefore tomorrow the baton will remain in Mackay, enjoying the local hospitality before it continues its journey on the 10th to Townsville. Its first commercial flight.

As a note, Danielle has flown the longest leg of the Relay so far. Her flight from Bundaberg to Mackay in a C182 was 2.3 hours! Well done Danielle......

http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/pilots-give-cause-wings/2567249/

Day Five Recap - Port Macquarie to Grafton

We have been very fortunate to be on track with no delays so far.  The relay Baton continued north from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour with Sydney NSW Pilot Cathy Hobson and local Port Macquarie Pilot Judy Johnson in a Cessna 182 enjoying near perfect flying conditions.  Leonie Mason a pilot based in the Hunter Valley, Tammy Augostin and Margie Sullivan also left Port Macquarie to position for their leg from Coffs Harbour to Grafton. They flew in Leonie's C172.  Local Coffs Harbour pilot Judy Riddel, a representative from the Cancer Council and other members of the Coffs Harbour Aero Club welcomed the girls with a beautiful morning tea in their Club House. Leonie Mason and team then flew to the South Grafton airport where the Grafton Aero Club members had prepared lunch, and Sara Biddles was waiting to collect the Baton.

Sara Biddles Cessna in front of Grafton Aero Club

Cathy Hobson handing over the Baton to Leonie Mason at Coffs Harbour

Leonie Mason handing over the Baton to Sarah Biddles at South Grafton

The President of the Grafton Aero Club with the Pilots

Tammy Augostin having morning tea with Jennifer Lock from the Cancer Council at Coffs Harbour

Relay photos taken by the Defence Force Media

Here is the link to the photos taken by the Defence Force Media on Tuesday 3rd March at HMAS Albatross and Wednesday 4th March at Bankstown Helicopters

http://images.defence.gov.au/fotoweb/grid.fwx?ArchiveID=5003&Search=S20150543

Day 5 begins.
Today at 9:00 am Cathy Hobson will fly the baton from Port Macquarie on the NSW Central Coast to Coffs Harbour.
From there Tammy Augostin, Margie Sullivan and Leonie Mason will take it further north to Grafton.
Hoping its another sensational day of flying for the ladies.

Day Four Recap - Cessnock - Port Macquarie

Strong winds were predicted today, but mother nature was very kind to us and our flights all went ahead as planned.

 

Early this morning the Baton was taken aloft with Female World Champion Balloon pilot Nicola Scaife.  Nicola extended an invitation to fellow AWPA members to join her on this beautiful flight across the stunning Hunter Valley.

 

 

Nicola hands the Baton to AWPA member Kerry Nolan, assisting with the hand over is AWPA member Michelle Patten.

 





An amazing view enroute from Cessnock to Camden Haven, where Kerry lands on a beautiful private airstrip running alongside the banks of the gorgeous Camden Haven River. 

 

Kerry hands the Baton over to AWPA member Judy Johnson, who flew in from Port Macquarie and landed on the Camden Haven River next to the airstrip.

 

The Baton will overnight in Port Macquarie tonight and tomorrow AWPA member Cathy Hobson will fly it north to Coffs Harbour.

Flying High - with Balloons Aloft pilot Nicola Scaife

The Baton has hit the skies this morning with balloon pilot Nicola Scaife, more photos to follow later today as it makes its way towards Port Macquarie.

 

Team Navy gets behind Women of Aviation Week and the Relay Around Australia!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-03/flying-relay-reaches-hmas-albatross/6278058

Tuesday 3rd March & Wednesday 4th March

Our Victorian pilots passed the Baton over to NSW member Kreisha in Malacoota.

We have had some pilots joining us on our flights with the Baton.  Local NSW pilot Raymond Toms has put together this great short video of the baton handover at Mallacoota - Merimbula.
https://vimeo.com/121112701

ACT AWPA member Jan Goodhew collected the baton from AWPA member Belinda Baulch (Blue Top) who was a custodian of the Baton overnight in Merimbula.

Jan then flew to the beautiful coastal town of Moruya where she handed over to AWPA NSW members Shelly Ross and Catherine Fitzsimons.  

Shelly found a great use for the Baton during her pre flight checks as a 'throttle extension'.......

 

The girls then headed up to the Nowra Navy base to AWPA members

Natalie Johnston and Sally Malone where they were warmly welcomed by a large number of Navy personnel and fellow AWPA members.  The girls enjoyed Navy hospitality and an afternoon at the Navy base.

At 08:30 on the 4th March, the Baton departed Nowra Navy base in a Squirrel helicopter, with AWPA member and Navy pilot Sally Malone at the controls.

Escorting Sally on her relay flight in the MRH90 was Navy pilot Tammielee Moffat and fellow AWPA member, Navy Pilot Natalie Johnson, with a large number of female crew on board.
Heading northbound along the stunning coastline of NSW and traveling the Victor 1 VFR route, the Baton was delivered to Bankstown via the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour where it arrived at 09:15 into the safe hands of three civilian helicopter pilot's Sandy Taylor, Joanna Murphy, Lisa Wilkin from Bankstown Helicopters who then hosted a delicious morning tea. 
Bankstown Helicopters was totally over run with a larger than normal number of female pilots and Navy crews, this appeared somewhat overwhelming for the young new pilot at the desk on his first day at work!

The Bankstown Helicopter girls then boarded their R44 helicopter  which was very generously provided by Bankstown Helicopters and flown to Cessnock in the amazing hunter valley, where it was handed to female World Champion balloon pilot Nicola Scaife from Balloon's Aloft who will take to the skies tomorrow at dawn with the Baton. 

Over All an amazing week so far!  Looking forward to sharing with you all the next part of our journey.

We have liftoff! Day 1

Thank you to Peta, amy, Frankie, Kris and Kreisha who carried the baton from Avalon to Leongatha to Bairnsdale to Orbost to Mallacoota and finally to Merimbula today. It was a fantastic day for flying and the photos look sensational. Stand by for reports back from our fabulous fliers as they come in!

From tomorrow (March 3), look out for the baton as it heads up the NSW coastline:

ACT member Jan Goodhew will collect the baton on the 3rd March and fly  to Moruya then hand over to Shelly Ross and Catherine Fitzsimons who then fly the baton to Natalie Johnston and Sally Malone at the Nowra Navy Base.

An invitation is open to any AWPA member to attend the afternoon tea at the base on the 3rd March . 

On the 4th March the Baton will be traveling to Bankstown  and arriving between 09:00 and 09:30 to hand over to civilian pilot Sandy Taylor at Bankstown Helicopters for a morning tea. Local and national media will be in attendance.

The Navy have contributed not one but  up to three helicopters to promote this relay and also to support AWPA and female aviators. Therefore we would love to see as many AWPA members in attendance to promote our organisation and meet the Navy girls, in the spirit of flying fun and friendship and in memory of our founding members.

Sandy Taylor will then fly the baton in an R44 helicopter very generously provided by Bankstown Helicopters to Cessnock where hopefully on the early morning of the 5th March (due Weather) it will be carried aloft by our local female World Champion balloon pilot Nicola Scaife, who will then pass the baton to ex NSW President Kerry Nolan who will then fly the baton to Camden Haven, a beautiful private strip located on the banks of the Camden Haven river. 

The baton will then be collected by float plane pilot Judy Johnson, from Port Macquarie Sea Planes, who will then fly it to Port Macquarie, where it will be staying overnight.  On the 6th March, the Baton will travel to Coffs Harbour, with NSW member Cathy Hobson, then hand over to NSW member Leonie Mason who is supporting her mother with her current cancer treatments.  (Margie Sullivan and I will be a backup for her on this leg if needed.)  The baton will then travel to South Grafton, where Sarah Biddles will take collection and all members have been extended an invitation for lunch at the  South Grafton aero club.

Sarah was originally planned from South Grafton to Ballina, however she has since been approached by Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome who have invited Sarah and all AWPA members for a Cancer Council fund raiser morning tea, so  upon this generous invitation, we have included Evans head as a stop for the baton.  Again all local members are encouraged to attend if you can, this will be the 7th March.

On the 7th March, Sarah will then continue on to Ballina, where she will hand the baton to Yvette Gulliver, who will then fly the baton up to our girls in the sunshine coast in QLD who are also holding a Women in Aviation week celebration on Saturday the 7th March.

Due to the enthusiasm of so many women pilots to participate in this relay, you will see that many of the legs are quite short, in order to give as many girls the opportunity to participate in the relay, we have a buffer of days in place, this also allows for plenty of catch up time for weather or maintenance delays if needed. As aviators we can appreciate this requirement.

If you are interested in raising more awareness of women in aviation and also want to assist to raise  funds for the relay, please share the below links to donate to the cause.

Please also share this relay information with family and friends and help us find a cure.

http://nsw.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/teamPage.aspx?TeamID=85203