Noosa’s aerial micro magic: Up in the air proves a total buzz

Hanging out with the clouds thousands of metres above Noosa North Shore is one of the Sunshine Coast’s fastest growing adventure sports.

Paul Reilly says there is no better feeling than using his weight shifts to steer his microlight aircraft.

Hanging out with the clouds thousands of metres above Noosa North Shore is one of the Sunshine Coast’s fastest growing adventure sports.

Membership of the Sunshine Coast Sports Aviators Club has climbed to more than 250 since opening its purpose-built storage hangars at Teewah Airstrip.

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Club safety officer Paul Reilly said the buzz from flying a microlight was addictive.

Mr Reilly has 35 years of hang gliding experience but has been flying a two-seat engine-driven microlight for six years.

“Once you get your feet off the ground and you do it once, you’re hooked, you’re constantly looking up at the clouds wishing you were up there” Mr Reilly said.

“On a calm day you can see the whales down deep and you can see them come right up and breaching – one day there about 30 whales between Noosa and Double Island Point.”

The view of Double Island Point from Paul Reilly’s microlight.

Mr Reilly has been delighted with the club’s growth since his Sports Aviation Federation of Australia accredited club leased a grass landing strip from Noosa Council and built new facilities including a new clubhouse.

“It’s virtually a non impact sport, we don’t leave a footprint anywhere we go, but we’re still controlled by Civil Aviation Safety Authority regulations,” he said.

Mr Reilly said the safety authority set a height ceiling above Noosa of 457m, which soared over at Teewah to 1066m, before jumping again to almost 2000m at Gympie.

He said learning to fly microlights cost a few thousand dollars while an entry-level second hand microlight could be bought for between $8000 and $10,000.

“On the new ones you can spend $80,000 to $90,000 on them,” he said.

“Since I’ve been in them I’ve stepped my way up and I’m on to my third machine.

“The one I’ve got now is a good four stroke and it’s got a great long range and reliability.”

Mr Reilly said the club’s extra storage space, all built with volunteer labour, had made the microlight experience much more enjoyable as the pilots no longer had to set up and pack down every time they wanted to fly.

Mr Reilly credited the club’s chief flying instructor Dave Cookman for helping build such a strong following.