The Darling Downs Aero Club (DDAC) History

In 1911 the first aircraft to land at Toowoomba landed on the site of the present Toowoomba Airport at Wilsonton. It had flown up from Warwick. There was little further aerial activity until after world War I. That War had produced many pilots and many cheap and available aircraft. In Toowoomba they congregated at the Wilsonton Airport site. By 1928 the site was well established as an airport. The Toowoomba Aero Club had been formed and Qantas was operating a scheduled service from Brisbane/Archerfield to Toowoomba airport and on to Roma, Charleville and Longreach.

In 1936 Toowoomba became the first port of call on Australia's first scheduled airline flights to London. Qantas DH86 4 engine bi-planes, the 4 engine international heavy of the day, took off from Archerfield and stopped at Toowoomba on their way to Singapore. We would like to see Qantas' current 4 engine heavy try that now, but only once.

Shortly after the start of World War II the Toowoomba Aero Club disbanded itself as a patriotic gesture and it was not until 1946, under the presidency of Dr Mervyn Hall that an aero club was re-established in Toowoomba. It was then called the Darling Downs Aero Club, with a view to being the Aero Club for the entire Darling Downs region and south western Queensland. They set up a tent in Bridge Street near the corner of Greenwattle Street. The Royal Queensland Aero Club sent up Tiger Moths every weekend for flying training. Not long after that the first hanger was built in Bridge Street and this became the home for the Aero Club for a number of years until it burnt down. By 1952 they progressed to the extent where they engaged a full time instructor and purchased the first aeroplane, a Tiger Moth.

In those halcyon days flying training was subsidised by Federal Government who thought it was advisable, for the defense of the Country, to have a pool of qualified pilots available to serve in the military. There was a Department of Civil Aviation who believed its function was not only to regulate aviation but also to promote it. It owned the Oakey airport which had been a major RAAF Base during the War. Sir Donald Anderson ran the Department and on a visit to Toowoomba the then President Jack Kelly pointed out to him that the Club needed a hangar on the southern side of the runway and there were plenty of hangars at Oakey. In the mid sixties, Sir Donald arranged for the sale to the Club, for the price of 1 peppercorn, of one of the Bellman hangars at Oakey on condition that the Club pay for the removal and reconstruction. Jack Kelly was, and still is a builder, and arranged just that. The Club constructed its Bellman hangar on the southern side of the airport in the new Mutze Street off Greenwattle Street. Not long after that they found the money to build a small brick building for its Club rooms on the eastern side of the hangar, they having already constructed a lean to on the western side which contained office space and instructor's rooms.

A hangar which had been built next door became available in the mid-1960's and it was purchased by the Club then. It became the central point for operations of the Aero Club and still is today. The Club peaked in 1964, the last year of the subsidy scheme. In that year they flew over 6000 hours in Tiger Moths, Chipmunks, Austers and Cessna 172's as well as a Victa Air Tourer.

Early 2000, the Aero Club completed construction of extensions to the Club's office building which provides more facilities for briefing of students, a better office administration area and updated facilities generally.

The Club now has a dedicated team of five Flying Instructors. Our CFI Manager Graeme Geraghty is one of Australia's most experienced instructors. He has over 13 000 hours of instruction time and has been awarded the Master Instructor Certificate by the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia. He is one of five members of the Technical Advisory Committee of RFACA. He has approval to train and test for private pilot licence, commercial pilot licence, instructor rating and night VFR rating.

Our own Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (LAME) Allan Pickard maintains the Club's aircraft in-house, in our own workshop. The Club's fleet comprises:

• 3 PA38 Tomahawk basic trainers
• 2 PA28-161 Piper Cherokee Warriors
• 2 Cessna 172
• 1 Cessna 182 RG

The principal object of the Club is the promotion of aviation in Australia and in southern Queensland, in particular. We support aviation in all its forms, but we emphasise safe, affordable, enjoyable flight. Anyone with an interest in aviation is welcome at the Club. If you have never flown in a powered aircraft and would like to try, at no cost, come along on the last Sunday of the month. We hold a flying competition every month, on the last Sunday starting at 2pm and the back seats are always available for passengers. We would love to see you.

Historical Articles

Presentation to Wings to Downs Pilots: 1949 [A4 PDF Download: 448kb]

Prototype Aircraft: 1961 [A1 PDF Download: 2.51MB]
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Foundation Members: 1987 [A4 PDF Download: 424kb]

Vale Frank Campbell: 2007 [A4 PDF Download: 1.68MB]