About Us

Overview

First established in 1934, The Australian Air League has a long and proud history of encouraging and developing the spirit of aviation in the youth of Australia. Whether you would like to be a fighter pilot, and aircraft engineer or an air traffic controller, Australian Air League can help you take those first steps to realising your dream. And for those who just have an interest in aviation as a hobby, it's a great way to meet and make friends with others who share your interest.

Lilydale Squadron, founded in 1971, provides the opportunity for young people in the Lilydale and Yarra Valley region to take part in this organisation. Situated on Lilydale Airfield in the Yarra Valley, our squadron is in a prime location to further your interest in aviation. And with Lake Eildon, Lake Mountain, Cathedral Ranges, King Lake and Murrundindi all within 100km, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to camps and hiking trips!

So what, exactly, will you be able to do if you join the Australian Air League? Well, lets take a look!

Education

We offer a wide variety of education courses, each grouped into 3 stages. As you progress through each stage, you receive a badge which you can wear proudly on your uniform to let others know of your achievment! Some of the courses you can take include:

• General Proficiency - The basics of aircraft and aviation.
• Astronomy - Ever wonder what that bright star was?
• Aero-Engines - Pure, unrefined power!
• Model Making - Learn how to build models like the pros!
• Semaphore - Signaling using flags.
• Gliding and Soaring - What?!?! No engine?
• Administration - If you get this badge I'll let you do my paperwork for me.
• Navigation - No use flying if you can't read a map!
• Meteorology - What do those squigilly lines on the weather map mean?

...and that is just the tip of the iceberg!

Drill

Have you ever wanted to learn how to march like they do in the movies? Well, we've got that covered too! Marching, or as we call it - drill, is a great challenge for anyone to take up. Sure, it may sound easy, but wait until you try marching in a flight with 16 other people. Then try doing it in front of a crowd of hundreds at our annual Victoria Group Review when squadrons compete directly against each other for the honor of capturing that drill trophy. And if you work hard enough, you can take the big stage in our Bi-Annual Air League Review - competing against every other squadron in the country! Whichever way you look at it, drill is a great way to learn discipline and maintain a competitive edge.

Band

If you have ever seen a marching band perform, then you will know how impressive it is. Through the Australian Air League, you can learn how to be a part of the band. You don't even need any musical experience! The Air League can teach you all you need to know to become a valued member of the band. And just like the drill, you can compete at our reviews against bands from other squadrons. And if you are very dedicated, you can even be in charge of the band (a person we call the "Drum Major")!

Flying

Well, we couldn't call ourselves the Air League and not go flying, could we? Every year Victoria Group holds a series of flying days, where you can experience the thrill of flying for yourself. You can even earn your pilots license through the league, and save a lot of money in the process, since we have some very dedicated member flight instructors who donate their time at no charge to teach our members to fly, meaning you only have to pay for the aircraft hire. This will effectively half the cost of obtaining your GFPT.

Camping, Hiking and More!

As well as covering all the areas above, we also hold camps and other activities for our member. Some camps are for training purposes, whilst others are just for fun! Here's a brief list of some of the things Lilydale Squadron did in 2004:

• Indoor Rock Climbing
• Movie Night
• Astronomy Night
• Hiking Trip at Lake Eildon
• Snow Trip to Lake Mountain
• Ten-Pin Bowling Night

This year we are planning even more activities, so why not come on down and check us out?

How do I join?

To join the Australian Air League, you must be at least 8 years of age. If you are, you can come down and trial our squadron at no cost for 4 weeks. If you like what you see, you can then become a fully-uniformed member and take part in all our activities. Our squadron meets on Tuesday nights from 1900 - 2100 hours (7:00pm - 9:00pm), except during school holidays.

For more information on joining please contact us on the means provided below;

• Email info@airleague.com.au
  
or

• Freecall 1800 502 175