Industry Influencers: Gil Layt

Once again Aero Circus takes a light-hearted look at some Australians who have helped shape aviation into what it is today. Join us as we strap into the orange DeLorean, fire up the brown flux capacitor, set the destination for 1974 and accelerate down the runway to 88 knots

In the 1960s and ’70s the private aviation sector was booming. It seemed that every other person wanted to learn how to fly. With cheap fuel and a large country, private aviation was the obvious way for many to get around. 

As the demand for flight training grew, so did the demand for flying instructors. The surplus WWII pilots, by now in their 50s, were the logical people to teach the new aviation hopefuls. They had been trained by the Air Force, and many had honed their skills in battle.