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

Workshop for Vintage Planes

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

PHOTOS | HELEANA GENAUS

Some people own a garage where they can collect cars to restore and love. Others own a hanger where they collect vintage planes to work on/restore... easy (enter sarcasm emoticon).

I don't really know why, but I always had this idea that airports (and pilots) were severely controlled, heavily regulated, prestigious and elite environments to enter into. But so far, my limited experience through the Petrolettes I've met, it has been the opposite. Granted I haven't yet met any commercial pilots working for major airlines. That said, I've been so surprised by the instructors, students and aerobatics champions I have met and how easy, relaxed and yet strong and reliable the pilots are.

Cass and Peter from the Australian Aerobatics Academy share a hanger with some mystery owner (mystery because I didn't meet him/her rather and thus could be a billionaire vigilante) who also collects and restores small aircraft. The hanger was a workshop of tigermoths and vintage cessnas all at various levels of restoration. I didn't know where to look first! 

I'm used to cars and motorcycles being wrenched on as most people have access to be able to work on or store/park such vehicles. If we all had space for our own hangers, more people would fly too. It's expensive to be be a pilot of any type, but then passion is passion and will always drive our priorities to the things we love. These planes are very lucky to have someone look after them, importantly for the history of these planes. 

 

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

HANGING OUT IN A HANGAR: Basair Sydney

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 hanger, I forgot to breathe as I was hit with the possibility of this expansive airport.

Petrolettes, Life + Style, Aviation, PilotsHeleana Genausairports, basair, flying schoolComment
HANGING OUT IN A HANGAR: Basair 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
Cars, Community, Petrolettes, Life + Style, HistoryHeleana GenausMercedes-Benz, 190SL, restorationComment

Seeing Stars

Every time I visit John the Mercedes Man (that's how he answers the phone) he has something from the M-B past in different states of restoration. Seeing this 190SL sitting on the lift waiting its full restoration... I kinda nearly fell over.  As he tells me what other models are arriving for him to bring back to life for a collector, it made me consider leaving my life behind and trying on the trophy-wife-strategy on whoever this rich collector was (male/female... who cares?).

Cars, Community, Petrolettes, Life + Style, HistoryHeleana GenausMercedes-Benz, 190SL, restorationComment
Seeing Stars