Operation Tulla Bucket

Lilydale Flying Club has pulled off a coup! On Saturday, the Wedgetails formation team landed on runway 34 at Melbourne International Airport and was escorted to a parking place in front of the terminal building for a photo shoot. Although historians are yet to confirm, it is believed that this is the first time a formation flight has operated out of ML. The daring team was:

#1 Warrior MGV Graham Bunn and Glenda Smith

#2 Warrior CWW Steve Hitchen

#3 CT-4 PTM “Mango” Murray and Kerry Gerraty

#4 Airtourer FVV Tony Self and Angela Stevenson

#5 Decathlon KAR Jock Folan

This could not have been done without the enthusiastic co-operation from Melbourne Airport Corporation, Airservices Australia, the surface movement guys at Tulla, the tower controllers and photographer Victor Pody.

All of this was to recognise all those aviators out there suffering because of COVID-19 restrictions. We know what you’re going through and we are all in this together.

Special applause for leader Bunny for getting us in and out, Angela and Tony for putting it all together and Air Bosses Murray and Jock for keeping the formation straight and making sure it was all safe.

Have a look at the video below.