The first day we met Dianne Pierpoint (now McNamara) we were waiting for trike lessons at Point Cook with John Oliver. It was probably sometime in 1998.
Dianne rocked up on a motorbike and our first impression proved to be correct – likeable, self confident, exuberant.
She had at that time arranged to complete her trike training with John Oliver, and our paths have continued to cross ever since. Dianne obtained her Cross Country and Stan and I went on to complete our training at Benalla. Looking back I think that was the only time we saw her on the motorbike. For many years she traveled in a van which towed her trike, carried all her flying gear with also enough room for a comfortable bed, so she was always fully self-sufficient.
Never in a million years would I have imagined how large an impact Dianne would have in our lives and that she’d become a wonderful friend.
Dianne’s enthusiasm involved us with many enjoyable flying weekends away.
Stan and I will never forget one weekend flying our trike from Tyabb north to Coldstream where Dianne’s trike was kept at the time. We’d arranged to stay the night and fly back the following day. She forgot to tell us her van was not available, so it was a case of Stan on the back of the motorbike behind Dianne, and myself in the sidecar with Mac the poodle, Dianne’s long-time companion, sitting on my knee. It was just on dusk, and out along the highway police directed us into a drink-driving breath test station. It’s a wonder we weren’t fined for too much laughter!
We all became members of the Southern Microlight Club, (SMC). "CLICK HERE" (Scroll through and read many interesting flying articles including the Newsletter section.)

Both Dianne and I over the years served as Newsletter Editors and Club Secretaries and whether on or off the committee Stan, Dianne and myself rarely missed a meeting.
We have regrettably resigned from the club due to Dianne moving to Yarrawonga and technicalities with the club constitution requiring members to be registered with the HGFA (Hang Gliding Federation of Australia) as we are now members of the RA-Aus (Recreational Aviation Australia).
We thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship of the SMC through which we met so many qualified and student pilots. We organised speakers for our monthly meetings met found interesting people whose lives were either directly or indirectly involved in the aviation industry. Sometimes we just had someone along who was just plain interesting.
Dianne started up her own successful business sewing covers for trikes and aircraft and making accessories for pilots – Punkin Head Air Sports - "CLICK HERE".
She roped her mother, Bev Jeffrey, in to help sew when she became too busy to keep up with demand.
She also roped Bev into helping fully renovate her home in Lilydale – and I do mean renovate! Earlier renovations had already created a lovely home, but with ever increasing business, they required increased space for more sewing machines and cutting out patterns. (Wing cover patterns for aircraft can require a lot of room). The house was built on the side of a steep hill with the back on tall stumps, so nothing like building several rooms under the existing home. Big rooms, together with full bathroom facilities and an internal staircase from above. They laboured for many weeks on the end of shovels and picks securing the foundations before the flooring and walls were started.
And the end result wasn’t just an ordinary renovation, it was really, really good.
But time moved on and Peter and Anne McLean (from the Lore of Flight) bought airport land and built hangars at Yarrawonga Aerodrome. More airport land was on the market and Dianne purchased one block and Stan and I were among several others who also purchased land. All the blocks had direct taxiway access to the runways.
Around about that time Dianne met Gary McNamara, and the shortly after the pair married. Their daughter Ellie arrived the following year, and prior to her birth they moved into their new home next to Dianne’s new workrooms and hangar at Yarrawonga Aerodrome.
October 2008 and Gary obtained his full Trike licence, so now they also have to take turns flying their trike. Dianne’s father Ern Jeffrey’s aircraft is among a few others in the McNamara hangar.
I came across the following link takes you to an article in Pacific Flyer and written by Mez Craig. Pacific Flyer and Dianne have given permission to attach it here.

http://www.pacificflyer.com.au/articles/2005-10.htm

For other information visit the Pacific Flyer site

http://www.pacificflyer.com.au/

and among other information, make sure you scroll through and look at the section “Articles”.