Five pilots – trained under Rutherford flying instructor Phil Unicomb –- scooped the pool at the recent Australian National Aerobatics Championships,

at Parkes Aerodrome, with two men taking out the top

honours in their sections.

“This year’s championships were probably the biggest we have seen in about 20 years so the boys have done really, really well,” Mr Unicomb, chief flying instructor with Air Actions at Rutherford, said.

“The boys also competed against a large contingent of pilots from Western Australia and they really held their own.”

Michael Wallis, of Toowoomba, was the first to enjoy success at the championships after winning the graduate division of the competition.

His team-mate Keiren Fitzgibbon, of Telarah, came a close second.

“One of the guys, Terry Perkins (of Wallsend) narrowly missed out on winning the sportsman section of the championships by two points and ended up coming second overall, but this was a huge achievement because he was up against 17 other pilots . . . it was a massive section,” Mr Unicomb said.

Paul Bennet, of Fern Bay, won the championship’s advanced section with fellow pilot Glen Graham, of Rutherford, in second place.

“All in all it was a great competition and we’re all feeling very proud at the moment,” Mr Unicomb said.