It was April 2021, and the world was in the grips of a pandemic. International lockdowns had spread almost as fast as the virus. State curfews, hospitalisations and total global uncertainty abounded as new variants were discovered at an alarming rate. Across the country governments were closing borders if someone so much as sneezed. State premieres and chief medical officers fronted the cameras for daily briefings telling the public the latest Covid numbers infecting the state. Nobody knew if this was going to get better or worse.
In the midst of this uncertainty, a group of committed volunteers were in the middle of planning a multi-state air race to support the vital work of the Royal Flying Doctors (RFD). They had already begun the building blocks for the race in 2019. Slowly, as news of a new virus affecting the world began to gain traction, it became more of a focal point at committee meetings in early 2020 as they tried to plan for an event where the goal posts changed almost daily. As the world grappled with the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, organisers of the Outback Air Race (OAR) faced unique challenges in bringing together aviation enthusiasts from across the country for this iconic event.
Unprecedented Global Challenges
In a conversation with Stuart Payne, the race manager on the OAR organising committee, we delve into the complexities behind orchestrating such a monumental event during a time of unprecedented global challenges.glimpse into the formation of the committee, a crucial first step in the journey toward the race. "The committee typically consists of individuals who participated in the previous air race," he explains. Following each event, surveys are distributed to assess interest in organising the subsequent race, with those expressing enthusiasm being approached for involvement. Despite broad willingness among the community to volunteer, Payne notes, "Certain roles, especially those requiring specific expertise like public relations or communications, present more of a challenge to fill."
