St. Louis Area Pilot Begins Historic Flight Around Mainland Australia

By Carmelo Turdo

An historic, multi-plane flight around mainland Australia has begun, and it is taking on an international significance with the inclusion of St. Louis area pilot Cathy Babis crewing one of the aircraft. It Takes 100 Years, a project in the making since last summer, commemorates the first flight of its kind employing seaplanes back in 1924, and since then Babis will be the first recorded female pilot to also make the flight in a seaplane. 

Cathy Babis will be flying with Australian native David Geers in his Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey, the same type of aircraft in which Babis received her commercial seaplane rating in 2020 using the Missouri River as her runway. They will be flying in a four-aircraft "gaggle" (3 seaplanes and a Piper Comanche) that will follow the clockwise path, while renowned pilot Michael Smith will fly the anti-clockwise path in his twin-engine SeaBear. It is not a race or a formation flight, but a show of support to commemorate the 100 years that have elapsed since the first seaplane circumnavigation of the continent.  

The flight will also have another, higher purpose as well. Geers and Babis are partnering with Roses in the Ocean, Australia's lived experience of suicide organization, to raise awareness of this resource available to individuals, businesses and community organizations to support those in crisis, their families and all affected by the potential or actual effects of this modern epidemic. The Roses in the Ocean emblem is prominently displayed in the forward portion of the aircraft's hull.

The flight is projected to take over fifty days of flying one or two legs per day, with a range of accommodations varying from host housing to hangars to possibly camping under the wings. Flights will launch and recover either from the water or land, taking advantage of the SeaRey's amphibious capability to operate like a boat or use conventional landing gear at an airfield. The aircraft is relatively easy to maintain in the field, fun to fly with a cruising speed of 90mph, and, in this case, well equipped with Garmin avionics. The downside of using a small seaplane is of course space and weight, much of which will be taken by fuel. Only 13lbs. of baggage is allotted per person, so packing for the trip should be a breeze, right?

The flights are funded by the participants, and Cathy Babis could still use your generous support for her historic flight. She has a GoFundMe account that is a convenient way to donate to her expenses. There is also a "ride-along" program wherein each donor can have their name or company logo on the aircraft as it makes the flight around mainland Australia. The 100 Years main website has more details on how to join the Cathy Babis and David Geers crew on their colorful SeaRey. 

Cathy Babis brings a wealth of aviation industry experience to this flight. She gained her initial flight training in the Civil Air Patrol and became a flight instructor. After learning about GI Bill flight training and educational opportunities, she joined the U.S. Army hoping to become a helicopter pilot. When there were no helicopter training openings for her, she then became an air traffic controller. Babis now had another valuable aviation industry vocation as a civilian controller in the busy Los Angeles area. She also had the benefits to obtain a degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Babis added airport weather spotter, chief flight instructor and a second career at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to her lengthy resume. In her "retirement," she is a sought-after instructor at local St. Louis area STEM programs and continues to seek additional pilot ratings and flying experiences.  

Cathy Babis and David Geers are on their way to make history, and you can be part of the team. Support the cost of the flight through the GoFundMe account and plane sponsor program mentioned above. Track the flight on the official Explore page and check the It Takes 100 Years Facebook page frequently for updates. 

In Her Own Words

The Aero Experience met with Cathy Babis shortly before her departure for Australia. In the video below, she describes the flight and her background. We are sure that you will find her story as inspiring as we did! 

The Aero Experience will provide updates throughout the It Takes 100 Years flight here and on The Aero Experience Facebook page. We thank Cathy Babis for providing the photos used in this story.