BACK in the 1960s, three groups of gliding enthusiasts came together to form the Bathurst Soaring Club.
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Come next month, the club will mark its 50th anniversary at a dinner at its headquarters at Piper’s Airfield.
The club was formed in 1968 after the amalgamation of the Bathurst Soaring Group, the Blue Mountains Gliding Club and the Sydney Technical College Gliding Club.
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Current club president Charles Durham said the club has had some significant moments in its history.
“The club was originally based out at the Bathurst Airport before we moved into Piper’s Airfield in 1975,” he said.
“The club eventually went on to purchase the field in 1977.”
The construction of the clubhouse started a year later and it was opened in 1980 by the Bathurst mayor.
There are currently 130 members, with roughly one-third of them from Bathurst and the rest mainly from Sydney.
As well as the clubhouse and hangar, there are more than 20 privately owned hangars at Piper’s Airfield.
The club officially turned 50 back in April, but will mark the milestone on Saturday, November 10 with an official celebration and dinner at the airfield, located at 167 Freemantle Road.
