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Sport Aircraft Builders Club (SABC) |
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History | SABC Today | People who use Serpentine | Photos of Yesteryear
HISTORY OF THE SPORT AIRCAFT BUILDERS CLUB OF WA (INC.) (SABC).
The SABC was started in 1973 by a small group of enthusiasts. They obtained the land in Yangedi Road, Serpentine for a Peppercorn Rent from the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale. The land was covered in bushes and low scrub, and the club members and their families started the work of clearing some of the land to establish a runway and Clubhouse. They built toilets and a small shower block and in 1992 another shower and toilet block was built with the aid of a $9000.00 grant from the Lotteries Commission. A 20,000 gallon water tank was also installed with this Grant. Club members provided the labour.
Over the following years more taxiways were added and members built their own hangars to house their aircraft. These aircraft were mostly built or restored by their owners under very strict rules of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Over time, the Constitution has been altered to allow limited numbers of Commercially Built and Ultra light Aircraft. Although some increase in membership is encouraged, the SABC is always mindful of its obligations to its neighbours who live around the airfield.
There are at present 180 members on the register, 67 hangars, 90 aircraft on the Airfield and a total of 3 kms of sealed runways and taxiways. The airfield also boasts a grass runway that is more suitable for the Vintage aircraft such as the Gypsy Moth, Tiger Moth etc. The grass runway is very labour intensive and the work of watering and mowing is carried out by the members - all on a voluntary basis.
The airfield contains a significant area of native bush that has been carefully conserved and nurtured by the club in order to retain the pleasant natural aspect of the environment, and in respect of this the club has been actively co-operating with the Bush Plan and remnant vegetation groups. The club members have planted many Banksia trees over the last 20 years.
The day to day tasks of managing the Club and Airfield are many and varied; and range from mowing lawns, watering the grass runway, planting trees, repairing existing sealed taxiways, general maintenance of the club equipment and buildings. Members are rostered to spend nights on the Airfield for security reasons and also in summer for the fire risk. Two Sundays per month members are rostered to run the 'Hangar Café' for the member's convenience. The Café is also a means of fund raising.
In 2001 Alcoa Ltd donated a Rapid Response vehicle to the SABC. The members have been trained in its use and will respond to fires in the neighbourhood in conjunction with the Local Volunteer Fore Fighters.
The philosophy of the SABC has always been to acquire equipment (tractors, rollers, graders etc) as cheaply as possible then the airfield upgrades and repairs are carried out by the members. The members come from all walks of life - dentists, technicians, electricians, carpenters, retired airline staff, engineers and farmers to name but a few - and from this fine base the skills required to carry out the maintenance, can be drawn. Where necessary, contractors have been used but the members do as much work as they can to reduce costs.
The SABC is often approached by local communities for Flying Displays at various activities such as the Rockingham Centenary Fair, Mundijong Fair, Serpentine Fair and these are always gladly performed by member pilots in their own aircraft.
The SABC actively encourages other interest groups to visit the airfield to foster interest and education of the wider community in Aviation.
PEOPLE WHO USE THE SERPENTINE AIRFIELD
Members of the wider community are invited for a day of flying and fun. Our Club is a regular part of Camp Quality activities and every year we entertain a large group of Campers and their carers. When the campers arrive and are given drinks while they wait their turn for a flight then they are treated to lunch. In past years the members have provided the lunch but for the past two years Qantas Catering Department has generously donated the lunch.
Teachers from time to time choose 'Flight' as a theme for their classes. Each child in the class is introduced to a Pilot and the student then writes to the pilot asking questions about his/her aircraft. The pilot invites the student to the airfield for a flight and the student is then expected to do a project about the aircraft. This has proven very popular with students and pilots alike and has lead to a few children deciding to become pilots later in life.
Residents from Retirement Villages also come to Serpentine for the day, and these are particularly rewarding days for all involved.
Other Clubs, schools, and other interest groups use SABC facilities for camps.
See our Photos from Yesteryear for a pictorial history snippet.