WITH the first few days of The Lottery Office Outback Air Race for 2022 under way, a team of Swan Hill and Bendigo pilots are having a blast keeping up with the competition.

The Hopeful Hildas, made up of Sam Cottingham, Linda Beilharz and Rob Rigato, completed their first day of the air race, flying from Darwin to Cooinda earlier in the week.

“A blood orange sun slipped between the horizon a...