Bessie was the world’s first African American woman pilot, and the first African American to earn an international pilot’s license. Born in January of 1892, she entered our world with an innate yearning to “amount to something,” no matter the odds stacked against her. And those odds stood substantially against her, both as an African/Native American and a female of the South before the era of Civil Rights in America.

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! 

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...

Many women today may never know war or discrimination in the way the Spitfire Sisters did during World War Two in Britain. By order of the King, women were not allowed to be involved in combat, much less be members of the Royal AirForce transporting aircraft to troops fighting in the war. This documentary tells their important story and reminds us of our role in contributing to collective identity that is empowering and history making.

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.

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.

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.