25-05-2025
Pilot Emma McDonald performs daredevil stunts at Old Station Air Show
Pilot Emma McDonald fires up the engine to her stunt plane, getting ready to take off from a narrow grass runway at a tiny country air show in Central Queensland.
It might not look like a high-end airport, but her performance is something only high-flying pilots can manage.
Her flips, rolls and dives are performed at a top speed of 350 kilometres an hour and at 400 degrees a second in her Extra EA-300 monoplane.
"I love the freedom and it's a 3D space that you can experience in all angles, more so in the aerobatic space," Ms McDonald said.
Flying at The Old Station Air Show in Raglan near Rockhampton is a personal moment for Ms McDonald, now 35, who grew up in a family of pilots.
After getting her pilot's licence in 2016, she flew to The Old Station Air Show with her dad and some friends.
There she saw an aerobatic display by Matt Hall Racing, one of Australia's most well-known high-performance companies, run by a former world champion.
"I wanted to do what he was doing, doing displays and air racing.
"I went and had a chat with Matt to ask him how he got into that type of flying and he gave me a list as long as my arm on how to do that sort of thing."
The term aerobatic pilot comes from aeroplane and acrobatics.
The skill-set involves manoeuvring an aircraft in precise and controlled ways such as loops, rolls, spins, dives and climbs, performed with calculated movements and g-forces (aviation acceleration and deceleration).
Ms McDonald has made a name for herself in the aviation industry, working her way up from ground crew to aerobatic displays.
In the past year, she has turned her to attention to air racing and represented Australia in the Japanese-based Air Race X, competing against seven male pilots and placing fifth.
"I've certainly ticked off those items that I first asked about all those years back in 2016 and I'm still continuing to tick them off and follow those dreams that I've had," she said.
The Old Station at Raglan is not a typical location for an air show.
It is the only such event in Australia held on private property and takes place on a family cattle station.
Cattle have been seconded to paddocks further afield to clear a grass area for a runway.
The property has been in the Creed family since 1869.
The late George Creed and his wife Leonie were plane enthusiasts, and aircraft became a regular fixture at the property.
Pilots visiting the region and friends would fly in for smoko. It became a regular tradition.
The Old Station Flying Club was formed and the first "air show" held in 1989 was more of a barbecue under the trees.
All proceeds from the event go back into the local community.
Half a million dollars has been raised since it began.
