Australian Air League
.png) |
|
 |
|
| Abbreviation | AAL |
|---|---|
| Founded | 16 June 1934 |
| Type | Youth Organisation |
| 66 585 094 960 | |
| Origins | Air Mindedness Development League |
|
Area served
|
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory |
|
Key people
|
Chief Commissioner Ian Rickards |
| Slogan | A Vinculo Terrae |
| Website | Official Website |
The Australian Air League (AAL) is a not-for-profit, civilian operated aviation youth organisation in Australia. Its objective is to encourage the spirit of aviation and air-mindedness in the youth of Australia. The Australian Air League receives no money or assistance of any government department and is entirely self-funded. Its Latin motto is A Vinculo Terrae (Free From the Bonds of The Earth). The official patron of the Australian Air League is aviation journalist Jeff Watson.
Mr. George Robey was an Australian soldier who distinguished himself as an original ANZAC. He won a Distinguished Conduct Medal on 25 April 1915 at the Gallipoli landing. Mr. Robey was still a soldier, in the Citizen Military Forces when in 1927 he went to Canberra to assist in the Ceremonial Opening of Parliament House.
He brought back a toy wooden aeroplane for his son Keith that sparked an interest in aviation that inspired his son and that inspiration has lasted until the present day.
Keith Robey through his career has been a senior executive of one of Australia's largest general aviation companies. Keith has also been known as a well-respected aviation feature writer for Aircraft magazine, specialising in flight testing of aircraft.
The gift of the toy wooden aeroplane also sparked off the Australian Air League when five years later Keith complained of the lack of a youth organisation specialising in aviation.
His father George Robey and other concerned adults formed the Air Mindedness Development League and on 18 July 1934 Keith became enrolled as the first Cadet member. Not long after that the name was changed to the Australian Air League.
The first training Squadron opened at Manly, New South Wales on 17 January 1935 with 30 Cadets aged between 14 and 23 years. The first girls Squadron opened in 1944. The Correspondence Wing commenced in 1941. By 1942, 26,000 boys had been trained in aviation and 125 Squadrons operated in three states.
...
Wikipedia