Australian Light Aircraft Championships

Australian Light Aircraft Championships
NicknameALACs
StatusActive
GenreAviation competition
FrequencyAnnual
VenueVarious host aero clubs
CountryAustralia
Inaugurated1957 (1957)
Organised byRoyal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia
WebsiteOfficial site

The Australian Light Aircraft Championships (ALACs) are an annual Australian flying competition for non-professional pilots, organised by the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia in conjunction with a host aero club.[1][2] The championships have been held since 1957 and include events such as forced landing, spot landing, streamer cutting, formation flying and aerobatics.[3][4] Winners of the championships have also gone on to represent Australia in "Wings International", a trans-Tasman competition held with Flying New Zealand (formerly the Royal New Zealand Aero Club).[3][5]

History

The Australian Light Aircraft Championships were inaugurated in 1957 and have since been conducted annually by the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia.[1][6] Newspaper coverage from the 1960s shows that the championships were already a national inter-club event, with the event drawing large crowds and attracting teams from across Australia as well as participants from New Zealand.[7][8]

By 1969, the championships were reported to be under the control of the Department of Civil Aviation and organised by RFACA, with 30 clubs attending.[9] Coverage from later decades shows the championships continuing as a national competition hosted by aero clubs around Australia, including most recently by Latrobe Valley Aero Club at Traralgon in 2026.[2]

No championships were held between 2020 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Format

Under the RFACA rules, the championships are open to amateur pilots holding a pilot's licence, including commercial, air transport and military licence holders provided they have not been professionally employed and remunerated in that capacity in the preceding 12 months.[1] Competitors may represent only one organisation, may enter each event only once in a championship, and must be certified as qualified and competent for their events.

The championships consist of five events: aerobatics, forced landing, formation flying, spot landing and streamer cutting. They are contested simultaneously as individual championships, an overall championship and an RFACA team championship.[1] Each RFACA member club or association may enter one or more teams, with team scores determined by the combined points of three nominated events.

The championships are often held as part of a broader week of aero club activities including practice days, conferences, receptions and, in alternating years the Wings International competition.[10][11][5]

Events

The championships test flying skill, accuracy and airmanship across five core disciplines[8]: forced landing, spot landing, streamer cutting, formation flying and aerobatics. Public reporting has described the competition as being aimed at developing the skills that make better and safer light-aircraft pilots.[12]

In the forced landing event, pilots simulate an engine failure from 2,500 feet and glide to a marked touchdown area while carrying out prescribed checks and drills.[4] In the spot landing event, pilots fly a low-level circuit and attempt to land in a designated scoring box on the runway.[13]

Streamer cutting requires a pilot to cut a falling streamer multiple times before it drops below a nominated height.[14] In the formation flying event, teams of three aircraft are judged on their positioning, manoeuvres and overall precision from engine start to shutdown.[15] Aerobatics are also contested, with pilots assessed on the accuracy and smoothness of their manoeuvres.[16]

Wings International

The Australian Light Aircraft Championships are closely linked to Wings International, a trans-Tasman flying competition between Australia and New Zealand.[3][5] The event is held in conjunction with Flying New Zealand (formerly the Royal New Zealand Aero Club) and alternates between the two countries, with teams selected from the winners of their national flying competitions.[17][18]

Wings International has often been held alongside the championships or as part of the same week of events.[10][19] In 2001 at Taree, the Wings competition preceded the Australian championships and featured Australian and New Zealand teams competing in formation flying, aerobatics, forced landing and spot landing.[20][21] In 2005, the Wings Trophy was contested in Hobart, Tasmania as part of the associated championships week[19], and in 2023 it was again held alongside the championships at Echuca.[4] The most recent edition of Wings International was hosted by the South Canterbury Aero Club at Timaru in 2026, while the most recent edition of Wings hosted in Australia was in 2025 at Taree Airport by the Manning River Aero Club.[22][3]

Hosts and recent championships

The championships have been hosted by aero clubs across multiple Australian states and territories, reflecting their national scope.

Year Host Club Airport Location
2026 Latrobe Valley Aero Club Latrobe Regional Airport, YLTV Victoria
2025 Manning River Aero Club Taree Airport, YTRE New South Wales
2024 Schofields Flying Club Cessnock Airport, YCNK New South Wales
2023 Echuca Moama Aero Club Echuca Airport, YECH Victoria
2022 No competitions were held between 2020 and 2022 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
2020
2019 Royal Aero Club of Western Australia Serpentine Airfield, YSEN Western Australia
2018 Royal Newcastle Aero Club Maitland Airport, YMND New South Wales
2017 Latrobe Valley Aero Club Latrobe Regional Airport, YLTV Victoria
2016 Darling Downs Aero Club Toowoomba City Airport, YTWB Queensland
2015 Echuca Moama Aero Club Echuca Airport, YECH Victoria
2014 Royal Victorian Aero Club Tooradin Airfield, YTDN Victoria
2013 Latrobe Valley Aero Club Latrobe Regional Airport, YLTV Victoria
2012 Schofields Flying Club Maitland Airport, YMND New South Wales
2011 Royal Newcastle Aero Club Maitland Airport, YMND New South Wales
2010 Echuca Moama Aero Club Echuca Airport, YECH Victoria
2009 Royal Aero Club of Western Australia Murrayfield Airport, YMUL Western Australia
2008 Manning River Aero Club Taree Airport, YTRE New South Wales
2007 Bundaberg Aero Club Bundaberg Airport, YBUD Queensland
2006 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
2005 Aero Club of Southern Tasmania Cambridge Aerodrome, YCBG Tasmania
2004 Royal Newcastle Aero Club Maitland Airport, YMND New South Wales
2003 Royal Victorian Aero Club Moorabbin Airport, YMMB Victoria
2002 Rockhampton Aero Club Rockhampton Airport, YBRK Queensland
2001 Manning River Aero Club Taree Airport, YTRE New South Wales
2000 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1999 Royal Aero Club of Western Australia Jandakot Airport, YPJT Western Australia
1998 Latrobe Valley Aero Club Latrobe Regional Airport, YLTV Victoria
1997 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989 Royal Aero Club of Western Australia Jandakot Airport, YPJT Western Australia
1988 Latrobe Valley Aero Club Latrobe Regional Airport, YLTV Victoria
1987 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1986 Bathurst Aero Club Bathurst Airport, YBTH New South Wales
1985 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1984 Maroochy Aero Club* Maroochydore Airport, YBSU Queensland
1983 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1982
1980
1979
1978 Latrobe Valley Aero Club Latrobe Regional Airport, YLTV Victoria
1977 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
1970
1969 Goulburn Aero Club Goulburn Airport, YGLB New South Wales
1968 Griffith Aero Club Griffith Airport, YGTH New South Wales
1967 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1966
1965
1964 Griffith Aero Club Griffith Airport, YGTH New South Wales
1963 Unknown / Not Yet Sourced
1962
1961
1960
1959
1958
1957

*Maroochy Aero Club is now known as the Sunshine Coast Aero Club

See also

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Australian Light Aircraft Championships - RULES AND REGULATIONS" (PDF). Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia. 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  2. 1 2 "Australian Light Aircraft Championships 2026". Latrobe Valley Aero Club. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "ALACs 2025". Scenic Flights Manning Valley. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  4. 1 2 3 Verma, Ashok (2023-03-15). "Pilots have the wind beneath their wings". Riverine Herald (Echuca, Victoria). p. 1.
  5. 1 2 3 "Flight of the air benders". Latrobe Valley Express (Australia). 2017-03-17. p. 1.
  6. ↑ Manusu, Helen (2009-03-19). "Team is flying west". Manning River Times (Taree, Australia). p. 1.
  7. ↑ "Placings for aero club". The Canberra Times. 1968-11-18. p. 15. Retrieved 2026-04-20 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. 1 2 "IN BRIEF: Light Aircraft Championships". The Canberra Times. 1988-03-23. p. 38. Retrieved 2026-04-20 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "Canberra flyers in big race". The Canberra Times. 1969-10-04. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-04-20 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. 1 2 "Skies full of action this week". Manning River Times (Taree, Australia). 2001-03-19. p. 1.
  11. ↑ Warren, Ken (2008-05-05). "Aero clubs confer". Manning River Times (Taree, Australia). p. 1.
  12. ↑ Martain, Tim (2005-03-13). "Ginger earns its star wings". The Sunday Tasmanian. p. 8.
  13. ↑ Tonkin, Shannon (2007-06-06). "Michael's landings are plane sailing". Hawkesbury Gazette (Windsor, Australia). p. 1.
  14. ↑ Hardie, Alan (2015-04-13). "Sharp-eyed Phil judges precision flying at titles". Maitland Mercury (Australia). Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  15. ↑ Young, Kane (2006-02-13). "Tassie's top-gun pilots". The Mercury (Hobart). p. 10.
  16. ↑ Rose, Anton (2016-04-14). "High-flyers to make textbook landing". The Toowoomba Chronicle. p. 42.
  17. ↑ "New Zealand General Aviation Claims Victory Down Under | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 2025-05-06. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  18. ↑ "Flying high in Valley". Latrobe Valley Express. 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
  19. 1 2 "Kiwis can fly after all". The Mercury (Hobart). 2005-03-10. p. 23.
  20. ↑ Edwards, Lauren (2001-03-22). "Look up, and enjoy the view". Manning River Times (Taree, Australia). p. 1.
  21. ↑ "Aero club reaches new heights". Manning River Times (Taree, Australia). 2001-03-27. p. 1.
  22. ↑ Srinivasa, Yashas (2026-01-19). "South Canterbury Aero Club to host Flying New Zealand national competition". www.thepress.co.nz. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
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