Petrolettes, Life + Style, Aviation, PilotsHeleana Genausairports, basair, flying schoolComment

HANGING OUT IN A HANGAR: Basair Sydney

Petrolettes, Life + Style, Aviation, PilotsHeleana Genausairports, basair, flying schoolComment
HANGING OUT IN A HANGAR: Basair Sydney

PHOTOS | HELEANA GENAUS

Early on a dewy Saturday morning I got the chance to roam Bankstown Airport in Sydney's west, with Petrolette Claire Ferguson. Basair is a base for many starting their journey into aviation, whether they have their sights on recreational flying through to commercial and aerobatic aspirations. From the outside, the sleepy airport (being 8am on a weekend) was really unassuming, but stepping past the gate and into the hangar, I forgot to breathe as I was hit with the possibility of this expansive airport.

As we took a little tour while I got to know Claire, and over the course of the two hours I was there the airport slowly started waking up. As we walked and talked, helicopters from the Federal Police would hover past on the runway before getting clearance to ascend. Petrol tanks buzzed around the runways refuelling planes as they came in. Small recreational planes started, some struggled to fire up, even a sea plane (possibly the only one in Sydney) was having sea water siphoned out by its pilot (old skool!).

There are several aviation schools based at this airport including Sydney Aviatiors, Basair and The University of New South Wales (UNSW) and its location is close to some pretty spectacular training zones near the hills and coast. The humble facade doesn't make a fuss of itself which, in-turn frames the prospect of flying an aircraft in a way that seems feels really approachable.

Heleana is a force of nature. The founder of In Venus Veritas and The Petrolette, and a co-founder of Rising Sun Workshop. Heleana shares her love of vintage cars, riding motorcycles, and (not-so-secretly) dreams of flying planes and piloting a riva aquariva (a la Sophia Loren) very fast through the canals of Venice. Supportive and connected, community is her lifeblood, and she is as real as they come.

Pilots, The PetrolettesHeleana Genauswomen who fly, aerobatics, pilot, petrolette1 Comment

JODIE: By the Seat of Her Pants

While studying a multi-media degree in Adelaide, Jodie would head to a nearby airport to unwind, finding inspiration away from her daily life by watching the small planes come and go.  However, it wasn’t until the airport's owner encouraged her to get her license that she realised this is something she could actually do. 

Pilots, The PetrolettesHeleana Genauswomen who fly, aerobatics, pilot, petrolette1 Comment
JODIE: By the Seat of Her Pants
Pilots, The PetrolettesHeleana GenausBASAIR, Sydney Aviators, pilot, women who fly, instructor licence1 Comment

CLAIRE: The Journey

About eighteen months ago, Claire did what most of us take a lifetime to do. She abandoned the comfort and security of her well-paid, comfortable existence, to pursue her life’s passion… flying planes as a commercial pilot. In that time Claire has delved head first into full-time study and training, is probably poorer than ever and has never been happier.

Pilots, The PetrolettesHeleana GenausBASAIR, Sydney Aviators, pilot, women who fly, instructor licence1 Comment
CLAIRE: The Journey
Community, Petrolettes, Life + Style, Events, MotorcyclesHeleana Genausevents, builds, custom culture, custom motorcycles, meow art, bondiComment

DEUS BIKE BUILD OFF: Sydney

Seeing people descend on Bondi Pavilion to see the love poured into the builds that were entered, made the 5:30am wake up call (on a Sunday) well worth it. It was a rainy day by the beach, everyone was in good spirits, very chilled out and happy to be in good company. This year, the Sydney crew at Deus invited some emerging forces within the local moto scene including Stories of Bike, Sydney Cafe Racers who were promoting Throttle Roll, The Throttle Dolls and Rising Sun Workshop.

Community, Petrolettes, Life + Style, Events, MotorcyclesHeleana Genausevents, builds, custom culture, custom motorcycles, meow art, bondiComment
DEUS BIKE BUILD OFF: Sydney
Petrolettes, Life + Style, Aviation, PilotsHeleana GenausAerobatics, pilots, flight, australiaComment

An Afternoon at the Australian Aerobatic Academy

Spending an afternoon with upcoming Petrolette Cass Moeller, I was so lucky to be able to gain an insight into what it takes to run a an aerobatics school... and what it's like to have a fly. Cass gave me warning that she was going to take me up when we scheduled our time together. Needless to say I was pretty excited... but full of questions worried about what my bodily functions would do when subjected to positive and negative G-forces...

Petrolettes, Life + Style, Aviation, PilotsHeleana GenausAerobatics, pilots, flight, australiaComment
An Afternoon at the Australian Aerobatic Academy
Community, Petrolettes, Life + Style, Aviation, PilotsHeleana Genaushanger, airports, basair, australian aerobatics academy, tigermoth, pilots, restoration2 Comments

Workshop for Vintage Planes

I don't really know why, but I always had this idea that airports (and pilots) were impenetrable environments for the elite only. So I was pinching myself while hanging out with Cass and Peter from the Australian Aerobatics Academy who share a hanger with some mystery owner who also collects and restores small aircraft. I didn't know where to look first! 

Community, Petrolettes, Life + Style, Aviation, PilotsHeleana Genaushanger, airports, basair, australian aerobatics academy, tigermoth, pilots, restoration2 Comments
Workshop for Vintage Planes