Burgess will be joined by an event photographer as well as a staff member from TV station SBS who will be providing coverage of the race. Burgess will fly a Robinson 22 Helicopter along the route of the event with his employer AIRCAIR who are an aerial application company from Moree providing the chopper for the cycling classic. 

For Burgess that particular flying machine is one he is quite familiar with.

“The majority of my hours have been in that certain helicopter I’ve probably completed around 210 hours in it,” he said.

Burgess told The Examiner his love of flying came about as a direct result of his interest in cycling.

“Cycling started it all really, I was out cycling past the airport one day and saw a sign that said ‘learn to fly’ and it went from there really.”

Burgess has been flying planes since 2012 and helicopters since 2013 and just this week got his qualifications to fly a plane at night, an experience he enjoyed immensely after beginning his night qualifications in a simulator.

“It was good it was very disorientating but it was good,” he said.

“You start in a simulator only with instruments and you build up hours then you can jump in the aeroplane.”

The young pilot is happy in either a plane or helicopter and said his choice of air travel comes down to what is required.

“It depends on what you’re doing if you’re flying long distance you fly a plane but if its local a helicopter is more practical but flying wise I probably prefer helicopters.”

Burgess has not met with the SBS staffer yet but said he has already flown the route the cycling classic takes to get his bearings.

“Someone from SBS and the event photographer will be on board with me on the day, I will meet him on the day and we will talk through what he wants and what I can give him.”

“I did fly the route for timing and altitudes and things like that.”

Blake ensures race runs smoothly

Gill’s brother Blake Burgess will play a key behind the scenes role in the Grafton to Inverell Cycling Classic on Saturday.

 Burgess will act as a logistics coordinator for the race for the second straight year and said his role is to help organise everything for the race and make sure it runs smoothly, adding that on the day he will roam between the three grades.

“We will sort of roll around all the grades just to make sure it’s all running to plan,” he said.

Burgess said plans are going well for the race with an expected line up of 247 cyclists across the three grades with Glen Innes acting as the key re-fuelling stage for the riders.

“The race should hit Glen Innes at midday at Wilson Park were we have a feed zone set up, where the riders will get a feedbag from their handler,” he said.

“It contains little things like honey lollies and sports bars, high sugar items really.”

Burgess told The Examiner the time spent helping to organise the race is happily given due to his interest in the sport.

“I started cycling a few years ago so I’ve got an interest in the sport and the event itself.”