Just like Gaffa tape is used to fix anything that needs mending the Gaffa challenge is to fix up the lack of aerophilately exhibits in Australia.  GAFFA also stands for Great after Forty Five Aero Challenge.

This challenge to come to a climax in early 2012 at an Australian National Exhibition is to collect and exhibit aerophilately after the end of World War II in 1945.  I believe that this is an area that has been neglected all over the world and we should rise to this challenge and increase the number of aerophilately exhibits.  Aerophilately is divided into three time periods and though I have seen exhibits from the first period (the Pioneer Period to 1918), and the second period (the Development Period 1918-1945), but it is time to look seriously at the third period (the Modern Period after 1945).

If you already collect this material then you need to nominate a country or time period after 1945 that you wish to take in the challenge.  Remember of course that it does not have to be limited to one country as it can be a group of countries, a route, and airline, an aircraft manufacturer, or a service (army, navy etc.)

Originally I thought that I would limit the country, area and time period to one person per topic. This will mean of course competition, for the required material, but on the upside you will have someone to communicate with to exchange information.  I would like the challenge to be diverse as possible with a large number of areas shown, so please think about your options before nominating an area, country or topic.  The challenge is open to anyone in Australia, United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand. The challenge though will be held in Australia and we do have "accords" with United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand that will be sending a judge/commissioner to Australia for a National Exhibition in 2012 and should be able to bring your exhibit.  You can either exhibit.  One Frame or three or more frames but it must be entered in aerophilately and as such written up in that manner.

To be judged as aerophilately the covers must be organized to show the development of airmail services.  In other words, there must be a recognized aerophilatelic theme.  Essays and stamps may be included in the exhibit, but covers should not be arranged to show usages of the stamps, just the route taken and what was the rate for that route taken by the cover.  If there are errors or varieties on the stamps, this adds little to the development of the airmail services and will fail to gain any extra points in aerophilately.

Countries, areas and/or time periods already taken up in the challenge are as follows:

• Australia during the 2/3d Airmail Rate
• Australia 1945-1955
• Aden 1945-1965
• Coronation Flights
• Gold Coast
• Polar Flights
• Israel 1945-1955
• Canada
• Space Shuttle Flights
• Czechoslovakia 1945-1960
• British Guiana
• South Pacific Airmails
• France
• Australia Flying Boat Airmail to from and in Australia 1945-1992
• Sierra Leone
• Return of Schipol and KLM
• Jamaica
• Fiji

Should you like to participate in the GAFFA Challenge and wish to register a country, area and/or time period then please contact me by email or by writing by airmail to Ross Wood P.O Box 38, Mirrabooka, WA, 6941.