3 July 2025
Blue skies welcomed 500 enthusiastic aviation fans to the RAAF Museum to witness the loops and rolls of the first full Roulettes display over RAAF Base Point Cook in six years.
The Point Cook display was also an opportunity for three new Roulette pilots to showcase their skills for their first public display of the new Roulettes season, with Flight Lieutenant Alex Christison (Roulette 2), Flight Lieutenant Rich Taylor (Roulette 4) and Flight Lieutenant Lucas Grote (Roulette 7) joining the team.
Officer in Charge RAAF Museum, Wing Commander Michelle McPhail, was thrilled that hundreds of excited fans turned out for the display and stayed to hear from the Roulettes after landing for a special meet and greet for the RAAF Museum interactive flying display.
“The interactive flying display is where our RAAF Museum visitors get to not only see some incredibly skilled flying from talented and highly trained military pilots, but they also have the opportunity to get ‘up close and personal’ with the pilots and crew before and after flying displays,” Wing Commander McPhail said.
'To hear them coming and then see them fly directly over our heads, was magic.'
“There were lots and lots of ‘wows’ from the large crowd gathered to see the Roulettes’ return to the RAAF Museum – yes, it’s been six years – and standing there with hundreds of people, all looking to the skies in anticipation, to hear them coming and then see them fly directly over our heads, was magic.”
For Flight Lieutenant Christison, who grew up in Gippsland near the Roulettes East Sale base, it was a full circle moment, growing up watching the Roulettes practise displays and now becoming the new Roulette 2.
“I’ve always had a passion for flying and growing up seeing the Roulettes flying near my home definitely gave me inspiration to join the ADF, flying Black Hawks for the Army before transferring to RAAF as a flying instructor,” he said.
'Being at the spiritual home of the Air Force it has been a really special way to start my time with the team.'
“I’ve spent weeks learning the Roulette 2 position, practising near where my family home is, and with my first display being at the spiritual home of the Air Force it has been a really special way to start my time with the team.”
For Roulette 4, Flight Lieutenant Taylor, joining the Roulettes had been a journey that started in the UK as a pilot in the RAF.
“I flew Tornadoes in the RAF (Royal Air Force) before I became a flying instructor on Tucanos and always loved watching the Red Arrows, the RAF aerobatic team perform,” he said.
“When I relocated to Australia to become an instructor at the RAAF Central Flying School, I was keen to try out for the Roulettes and develop my skills as a display pilot.
“There was plenty of nervous excitement going into our first public display, but it really clicked for me when we took to the sky and I performed the corkscrew, which is Roulette 4’s signature move.”
The RAAF Museum at RAAF Base Point Cook regularly hosts Interactive Flying Displays, conducted by the Air Force’s heritage flying squadron, 100 Squadron.
For more details go to www.airforce.gov.au/community/visit-and-learn/raaf-museum.
