Tuesday, 7 March 2023

 Paul MERCURIO (Hastings) (13:11): Back in 2007 two friends came up with an idea to fly a small group of five to 10 kids with a disability around Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne. It was a great idea, so great that within six weeks it grew into a miniature air show at Tyabb airport, and a total of 130 kids and family members went flying that day. Thus FunFlight was born. From that first event at Tyabb airport it has grown into a national event, with airports all around Australia participating in FunFlight, taking local kids with various disabilities and health issues, including kids from Make-A-Wish Foundation, up in an aeroplane. On Saturday 11 February I had the great pleasure to attend the 15th anniversary of FunFlight at Tyabb airport, and it was a great day. Of course there was great coffee and a sausage sizzle serving great local snags in bread with the onion on the top. The CFA were there letting the kids and a fair few adults sit in the truck and activate the sirens and lights, and there were clowns, bubble machines, motorcycle rides and lots of planes and pilots. Over the course of the day the FunFlight pilots took over 70 kids for the flight of their life in perfect weather. However, the highlight of the day was when Lloyd went for his flight, because he was the 15,000th kid to go up in an aeroplane. That is right, 15,000 kids in 15 years – absolutely remarkable. I congratulate the Peninsula Aero Club, the pilots, the volunteers and FunFlight on the amazing and important work they do.