Chinchilla student Sophie Scutchings aims to break instructor Cameron ‘Sparrow’ Obst's 145-landing flight record

A 17-year-old Chinchilla student who has been flying for just eight months is looking to break the Australian record for most takeoffs and landings in one day while being coached by the current record holder.

Chinchilla State High School year 12 student Sophie Scutchings with Kangawallafox Flight School founder Cameron Obst. Photo: Contributed.

Eight months ago, Sophie Scutchings had no idea how to pilot a plane but in October she will attempt to break an Australian flight record, one held by her own instructor.

In March last year Chinchilla pilot Cameron ‘Sparrow’ Obst broke the Australian record for most takeoffs and landings in one day, completing 145 and raising $20,000 for the Royal Flying Doctors service.

Mr Obst then launched the Kangawallafox Flight School in October, naming it in honour of his one-of-a-kind home built Kangawallafox 19-1678 plane which he used to break the record

After the launch of his school, Mr Obst created a scholarship program providing 20 hours of free flight training to one student from Chinchilla State High School and one from Chinchilla Christian College.

Ms Scutchings was one of these students.

Sophie Scutchings has been flying for eight months and will take on an Australian record.

“My mum saw it on Facebook at the start of 2024 when he first launched the school and she said to me you’ve always been interested in aviation and here it is on a silver platter,” Ms Scutchings said.

“I text and called Cam, waited until he got in contact with the schools and got involved.

“Balancing school and flying has been getting stressful especially now I’m trying to do the record, but school work has to come before flying so I smash out all my work so I can go flying.”

Ms Scutchings, who is in year 12 at Chinchilla State High School, said she has been training hard to break the record.

“I will be spending most of the day doing circuits, I just have to get all three wheels of the plane on the ground, someone will take a photo and then I can take back off,” she said.

“You have to work out how many circuits you can do in a time frame, because it has to be done in the daylight hours, I will do some practice runs of half an hour and work out how many minutes for each circuit and extrapolate that, Cam said he did three minute circuits so I’ll aim for that.

“You have to do 150 perfect circuits, you need to make sure you’re going the right speed, pulling the flaps up at the right time, making sure you’re staying at 500ft so you don't waste too much time in the air and account for the wind, don't get slow and nail it.

“I am going to try to do 150 of those to beat Cam’s 145.”

Sophie Scutchings is raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Ms Scutchings said having the current record holder in her corner ahead of the challenge would go a long way.

“Cam has been awesome, he said this is what I did, this is what you will need to do, we’ve been practising and it has made it so much easier,” she said.

“He told me I’d really love one of his students to break his record and I’m super competitive, from the moment he said that I was like no matter when this is going to happen for me.

“It’s awesome, I feel a bit crazy doing it with year 12 going on as well but I just thought how cool would it be and its for a good cause, I can’t believe Cam let me do it because I’m so new but it’s a cool opportunity and I’m so glad to be doing it.

“If I complete this I will also be the youngest person to do it, the idea is I do it before I turn 18, how cool would it be for a child, a new pilot and a girl and complete it.

“He told me he would love nothing more than if one of his students beat his record and I just think that’s so nice because I wouldn't want anyone to beat my record.”

Sophie Scutchings has only been flying eight months.

Like her mentor, Ms Scutchings will also be raising money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, a cause close to her heart.

“They do a lot for rural communities and It’s close to my heart, my cousin was out camping in the middle of nowhere and stepped on hot coals and they helped her,” she said.

“The Royal Flying Doctors were there when she needed them so I want to give back.”

Ms Scutchings will attempt the record on Sunday, October 12.