Hey day

GA in Australia after World War 2

The two new Piper PA-23-250 Aztec Bs, VH-AVR and -AVW, are registered to Avis Rent A Plane, with a Piper Cherokee and V-tail Beech Bonanza in the background. eric allen

There was a dramatic expansion and change in Australian general aviation activity after the end of World War II. Not only in numbers but in the country of origin of aircraft types. In the immediate post war years access to surplus military aircraft and existing alliances to the British aircraft industry was Australia’s main source of light aircraft. A major initial obstacle to obtain aircraft from the US, the major centre of GA production, was the tight control on US dollars which hampered their importation coupled with the lack of local dealer representation. There were stringent exchange controls in place to the extent that even Australian airlines had to queue for approval to obtain scarce US dollars. Access to the sterling area did not suffer these constraints and this was reflected in aircraft types in the early post war years.