A Gathering Storm

Melbourne-based flight training organisations fear they are being neglected in the Victorian government’s efforts to stifle the spread of coronavirus. Captured by the Stage 4 lockdown zone, they have been denied the ability to keep operating, unlike schools in regional Victoria or the rest of Australia that have not had their wings clipped by government measures.

It is creating what they say is an unlevel playing field, tilted in the direction of the non-Melbourne schools.

With recreational flying and flight training outlawed for weeks, FTOs have