KiwiFlyer Issue 26

December. They will undergo all training in New Zealand over 17 months before returning to Hong Kong for type ratings. CTC currently has 190 cadets in training in New Zealand from 15 countries around the world, training in association with 16 international partner airlines and expects their partnership with Dragonair will see a stream of pilots from Hong Kong being trained by CTC in the future. The company also recently provided start up support for Africa’s newest airline, Fastjet, which commenced operations in November with CTC pilots at the controls. Airways to consult on pricing in February In February, Airways New Zealand will ask the public for feedback on its proposed prices for 2013 to 2016. Airways will release a formal consultation document on 1st February and begin a public roadshow that will clarify the company’s pricing proposal. The consultation document will be available in print and online. Information about the times, dates and venues of the public roadshow will be advertised in the print media and online from January. Airways’ proposed prices for 2013 to 2016 will reflect the company’s new Service and Pricing Frameworks. The Frameworks, adopted in July 2012, set out how Airways will continue to deliver high-quality, safe, reliable services at a fair, transparent price. Keep an eye on the Airways website (www.airways.co.nz) for more information about the consultation process or contact Airways with any questions by email: pricingfeedback@airways.co.nz New appointments at Airways Airways last month announced the final two appointments in its significant organisation redesign. Over 1000 people from around the world applied to work for the restructured organisation, where 18 new roles have been created. The final two roles to be filled are based in Christchurch and have been taken by: Pauline Lamb, appointed General Manager System Operator – Pauline comes from the UK’s air traffic controller NATS where she is Operations Director. Pauline has been at NATS for 29 years, starting as an air traffic controller in 1983. She has been in management roles for 12 years including operational supervisor, running Glasgow Airport Air traffic operations and then was appointed as GM Prestwick Centre when it opened in January 2010. Susan D’Ath Weston, appointed Head of Safety and Standards - Susan was most recently Head of Safety for Qantas and has extensive aviation experience. Susan’s wide range of flight crew experience includes Chief Pilot in Helicopters Operations, airline pilot on Boeings as well as time on corporate jets. She managed safety issues at Qantas such as the A380 fleet grounding (2010) and the volcanic ash hazard (2011). Airways chief executive Ed Sims says that Airways attracted some exceptionally high calibre candidates for the new roles. “People from around the world applied to work in New Zealand for Airways. I’m very pleased that the new roles were filled by a combination of exceptional current Airways employees and new external candidates. We’ve set ourselves some very challenging safety, operations, revenue and profitability targets over the next 10 years. I’m now more confident than ever that we have the capacity to deliver on those targets.” Hawker Pacific NZ becomes Rockwell Collins BRS Dealer Late last year, Rockwell Collins appointed Hawker Pacific NZ Ltd. as a Business and Regional Systems Dealer within its worldwide network. As an authorised dealer, Hawker Pacific NZ is now able to provide Rockwell Collins avionics sales and support solutions to the local industry for existing and newly developed products, whether in or out of warranty. Overhaul and repair services are able to be easily obtained, with rental and exchange services also available. For more information contact Harry Van Der Hoeven on 09 295 1638 or email: Harry.VanDerHoeven@hawkerpacific.com Airfield Café at Whitianga Whitianga now boasts a licensed café on the Airfield where flyers and drivers can drop in for a bite to eat. Over the past few months, members of the Club have been busy undertaking a number of upgrades to facilities at the field. A large concrete apron has been laid and the main hangar has been resurrected to accommodate aircraft. The avgas facility has also been upgraded and now has new aprons to give access to both sides of the pumps. The Clubrooms have been refurbished and a new licensed café set up where patrons can enjoy a glass of wine or a beer to go with a light meal as they watch the activity airside. The café is being run by Cathy who plans to open for business most days. Call ahead on 0800 944 660. Whitianga is a great place to visit with a range of accommodation, sightseeing and adventure activities all close by the Airfield. New luxury air charter business takes to the skies Golden Wings Private Air Charter took to the skies recently with their maiden commercial flight. The newly certified operator provided a group of astronomers and enthusiasts with a once in a lifetime experience to view a solar eclipse from a unique vantage point high in the sky! Angela Hunter of Golden Wings believes the eclipse flight was the perfect way to announce the company’s arrival in the private charter market. “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the versatility of our Beechcraft King Air 350i aircraft and just how well it is suited to the luxury tourism market, as well as executive, corporate and VIP travel.” The Beechcraft King Air 350i is the first aircraft of its type in New Zealand, with an ability to seat 9 passengers, 522kg of baggage allowance, and a maximum cruise speed of 585 km/h. Golden Wings Private Air Charter is centrally located in Nelson which the company says is ideal for servicing all regions of New Zealand, providing excellent operational flexibility. “The ability to create your own travel schedule, flying directly from point to point as you wish without having to change planes and avoiding long check-in lines, delays and unwanted overnight stopovers is what makes private charter such an appealing, efficient and refreshing way to travel” says Will Morrison, Golden Wings’ CEO. “We offer a truly international standard passenger experience.” Golden Wings is also in the process of establishing their Nelson base as an FBO (fixed-base operator) that will provide facilities such as concealed embarking and disembarking for private aircraft, MPI and customs clearance and general aviation support services. For more information phone 03 545 9924 or email: charter@goldenwings.co.nz Chariots of Fire Fighter Collection A major highlight of Classic Fighters 2013 at Easter will be the launch of the Chariots of Fire Fighter Collection’s two significant WWII fighters, the Focke-Wulf Fw190 and the Spitfire Mk.XIVe. The menacing German Focke-Wulf Fw190 has yet to fly at a major airshow. This was intended for the 2011 event, however damage to the propeller saw it grounded for the show. That aircraft has now been fully repaired and refined ready to make its flying debut at the Easter airshow. The partner to this aggressive Luftwaffe fighter will be CFFC’s Spitfire Mk.XIVe, NH799. This former Indian Air Force aircraft suffered extensive damage in an accident in 1996 which seriously injured NZ warbird pioneer Sir Tim Wallis. The aircraft has required extensive reconstruction and is now on target to fly in time for Classic Fighters. In addition, organisers are hoping to bring together the Spitfire, its last pilot, Sir Tim Wallis, owner Murray Miers, and restorer Warren Denholm in a very fitting assembly to celebrate the return to flight of this example of Britain’s best known fighter. A third aircraft associated with the collection, the Le Rhone rotary powered WW-I Sopwith Pup replica, will also be seen at CF’13 and other interesting aircraft are planned to follow. Visit www.classicfighters.co.nz for more info. Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse arrives in NZ THERE has been a trend developing among many of New Zealand’s flight training schools to either adopt new LSA category aircraft for flight training or to simply keep older aircraft airborne. CTC and Massey University School of Aviation are two of the obvious exceptions, both operating large fleets (19 and 14 respectively) of Diamond aircraft. Joining them in the Diamond camp is Eagle Flight Training at Ardmore who have just taken delivery of a new Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse equipped with Garmin G500 avionics. This is the first DA20 for New Zealand with the G500 cockpit which Hawker Pacific’s Diamond Sales Executive Stephen Pembro says provides an ideal platform for seamless transitioning to a full glass cockpit, particularly if stepping up through the Diamond family to a DA40 (G1000 and IFR) and then DA42 (twin). Proven and Popular Stephen describes the DA20 as being loved by students, instructors and engineers. He says that after a fairly slow acceptance by the engineering fraternity, many of whom had to become familiar with composites maintenance, he often hears that the same people who expressed reservations now have no desire to go back to older technologies. The Diamond airframe has no defined life and rather than being built to a weight, has been built to a purpose, that being of training. Stephen says that the aircraft is more than capable of withstanding ab-initio training all day every day. First released 10 years ago and now counting more than 1000 customers, the DA20 is very well proven, particularly in New Zealand with one of CTC’s DA20s now up to 7,500 hours. The highest time DA20 in the world has 15,000 KiwiFlyer Feature 6 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz hours logged. As Stephen says, CTC for example have been flying Diamond aircraft for a long time now, and they keep buying more. The US Air Force uses a fleet of 48 Diamond DA20s for their 25 hour initial flight screening of up to 1700 pilot candidates yearly. Diamond aircraft are also very popular in Australia and last year (March to March) they out sold all their competitors combined. There were 11 brand new Diamond registrations compared to 3 each for Cessna, Piper and Cirrus. Handling and Performance Equipped with a Continental IO-240 of 125hp and a 69” Sensenich prop., the DA20 offers a useful load of 600lbs and is known for its lack of vices, being a very friendly and stable aircraft to fly. With fuel injection as standard, there is obviously no need for carb heat management, a plus for safety as well as performance. All Diamonds are noted for flying very well fast and slow. The DA20 has an approach speed of 55kts, stalls at 45kts and cruises at 138kts with outstanding fuel economy due to a very efficient (and thanks to the composite fuselage) slippery design. Stephen says that in the training environment, when properly leaned (a clear EGT gauge is fitted), operators can expect to fly on just 18-20 litres per hour. These characteristics also make the DA20 a great private aircraft. It can be configured with a cruise prop. with which at 2500rpm, staying below 120kts will likely be difficult. It glides at 11:1 and climbs at 1000fpm with very good hot and high performance. It also has a demonstrated 20kt crosswind landing ability. The aircraft will comfortably carry 2 adults and full fuel of 83 litres. The DA20 is non-aerobatic but it is spin certified, offering a big plus compared to many other training aircraft. Stalls are gentle and After releasing a latch on each side, the canopy easily lifts on struts to provide excellent access. KiwiFlyer Would you like to see something different in KiwiFlyer or perhaps contribute yourself ? Email: editor@kiwiflyer.co.nz with your ideas. 7 forgiving, unless you are in fact determined to spin the aeroplane, from which recovery is traditional and straight forward. Safety Enhancements Diamond Aircraft identify a number of safety enhancements in their designs and back up their record by referring potential customers to NTSB statistics that show fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours in Diamond aircraft as being but a tiny fraction of the GA average. Stephen explains that the aircraft has a lot of passive safety features, much of which have been derived from the motor industry. These include a ‘safety cell’ cabin with unobstructed headstrike zones and rollover protection, plus protected fuel systems that include TSO stainless steel braided lines. Fixed seats offer protection to 26G and are designed to prevent occupants sliding under lap belts. The company also uses instrumented crash test dummies in full scale impact testing of the aircraft. Critical structures and joints, including control surface hinges, are designed such that the complete failure of a single element will still allow safe flight. The larger DA40 and DA42 models feature dual redundant spars in the wings and tail surfaces, and dual connections for all critical joints. First Impressions The design and level of finish on the DA20 is first class. Everything looks robust, well engineered, and as though someone took a lot of time and care to make it just right. KiwiFlyer spoke with Eagle Flight Training CFI David Woodington shortly after their acceptance flight of the new aircraft. Needless to say, he was very pleased with Eagle’s new acquisition and expects that it will “captivate their students”. David says that as expected, the DA20 was very stable throughout the full flight envelope including stalling. “It was the same with application of flap, for which there was no marked pitch change such that finger-touch control is all that is required (helped also by control systems being by push-pull tubes rather than cables). We approached 03 in a crosswind on idle and full flap at 55kts felt very comfortable – we had no hesitation to land rather than extend.” The 45” wide cabin provides ample comfort and David says that the canopy design affords a great view and ability to A parcel shelf provides space for headsets, jackets or other small items. Tail bump protection is provided by a skid with replaceable wear strip. High intensity lights are incorporated on the port side wing. Optional external power connection, useful for ground training on the Garmin 500 avionics. Fueling is straight forward with easy access. The single tank is in the aft fuselage. ZK-DAB out over its new home patch of the Hauraki Gulf east of Ardmore. Stephen Pembro, Hawker Pacific Diamond Aircraft Sales Executive (right) and Fernando Villalon, a pilot from Hawker Pacific Flight Operations, delivered the aircraft to Eagle Flight Training. Top: A well thought out panel including Garmin G500 MFD. Bottom: Sheepskin seats (fixed) are standard fitment. Pedals adjust easily. KiwiFlyer Feature www.kiwiflyer.co.nz KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 8 About Eagle Flight Training EAGLE Flight Training was established at Ardmore in 2004. In 2010, new management took over and have been developing the school since, achieving good brand awareness outside of New Zealand and becoming very popular with overseas students. The company now counts more than 26 nationalities amongst its alumni and is on to its third intake of ATC cadets from Hong Kong. Eagle Flight Training graduates are flying for several major airlines around the world, including Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand. Currently training more than 30 students (most full-time), CEO Alexander Zapisetskiy is proud to say that their growth has been achieved independently, being funded by operations rather than grants or any other external assistance. Eagle’s new Diamond DA20-C1 Eclipse joins a fleet of Piper Warriors, two Cessna 172s, a Partenavia and a Duchess. The company can now cover all aspects of glass cockpit training, offering a logical progression from the Garmin 500 in the Diamond, through to Garmin 1000 on a Redbird simulator, and then onto an Aspen suite in the twin, used for single pilot multi engine training and ratings. Training accreditations NZQA accredited and Part 141 certified, Eagle Flight Training can deliver the NZ Diploma in Aviation, provide BFR renewals, and offer GPS endorsements including GPS ground classes run by Flight Examiners. There are three A-cat instructors on staff (Michael Foster, Murray Pope and David Woodington). Headquartered at Ardmore with modern lecture and briefing rooms, the company also maintains a base at Palmerston North. New Zealand students are welcome and several self-funded students can be found training with Eagle at any time. Those considering obtaining C-cat instruction ratings should be interested to know that Alexander says he has a policy of endeavouring to ‘look after’ such students with a first job and 100+ hours of instruction until their supervision period is finished. Fast track PPL study Eagle also offers niche courses for busy professional people who want to achieve their PPL in the shortest time practical. Specially designed courses can allow the achievement of a PPL in just 8-10 weeks providing the student is committed to fly and study intensively during that time. It is fair to say that there is a good deal of excitement and anticipation for the Diamond’s arrival at Eagle Flight Training. CFI David Woodington says that it’s not just the students looking forward to flying the new aircraft either, the instructors are forming a queue as well. For more information Contact Ritika Singh at Eagle Flight Training on 09 296 1839, email: ritika.singh@aviationschool.co.nz or visit www.aviationschool.co.nz look out of the aircraft, adding that access and exit is very easy and much better than for most light trainers. “Ventilation is also very good with adjustable left and right ports which will make a huge difference to comfort on a hot day.” He also said that the aircraft is very quiet inside, with excellent voice clarity on the intercom and radio when using traditional headsets. David also mentioned how well placed the instrumentation was, with the ASI and altimeter being very visibly located above the G500 rather than tucked away in a corner as is often the case with glass cockpit designs, making them much easier to work with in training especially for occasions when the the G500 won’t be in use. David says that the DA20 is going to be a delight to fly and a great stepping stone to larger, more advanced aircraft. For more information Contact Stephen Pembro at Hawker Pacific Australia on +61 418 212 124, email: stephen.pembro@hawkerpacific.com or contact Martyn Griffiths at Hawker Pacific NZ on 09 295 1408, email: martyn.griffiths@hawkerpacific.com The Diamond Aircraft website is at www.diamondaircraft.com Engine TCM IO-240-B3B Horsepower 125 hp Propellor Sensenich 2 blade fixed pitch Category Utility, spin certified Length 23’ 6” Height 7’ 2” Wingspan 35’ 8” Max takeoff weight 1,764 lbs Useful load 600 lbs Usable fuel capacity 89 litres Takeoff distance 1,280 feet Landing distance 661 feet Rate of climb 1,000 fpm Max operating altitude 13,120 feet Cruise speed at 75% 138 kts at 5.5 gph Stall speed, full flaps 45 kts Max demonstrated x wind 20 kts Range, 30min reserve 547 nm DA20-C1 Eclipse Specifications KiwiFlyer A division of Boston Marks Group Limited P: 09 298 8206 or 0800 322 206 F: 09 298 8218 E: insure@avsure.co.nz www.avsure.co.nz Contact us for a free no obligation quotation on any aviation insurance requirement you have AIRCRAFT AVIATION LIABILITY PROPERTY PERSONAL l Pleasure & Business Aircraft l Charter l Aircraft Sales l Flying Schools l Aero Clubs l Agricultural l Helicopters l Premises l Airports l Products l Chemical l Hangarkeepers l Hangars and Contents l Pilot Personal Accident l Passengers l Pilots term life Avsure provides the most competitive insurance programmes available in the Aviation Industry. When considering your aircraft insurance, you definitely need the best ADVICE, EXPERIENCE and RESOURCES. At Avsure, WE DELIVER. Avsure - where aviation insurance isn’t just a sideline, it’s all we do! Aircraft Liability Insurance Insurance policies cover much more than just damage to your own aircraft. Bill Beard from Avsure explains the issues. IT IS IMPORTANT for every aircraft owner and pilot to have a basic understanding of the principles of liability and the way it relates to their aviation insurance policy. The most common form of aviation policies are divided into three main sections as follows. SECTION 1: Loss of or accidental damage to the aircraft hull. SECTION 2: Legal Liability to third party property and bodily injury or death other than for passengers. SECTION 3: Legal Liability to passengers when entering, on board or alighting from the aircraft. In general terms however all incidents resulting in death or injury to persons in New Zealand are covered under the ACC Legislation and as such there is no provision in NZ for anyone including aircraft passengers to issue proceedings in New Zealand courts seeking compensation for death or personal injury. The Law however does not prevent claims for mental shock, distress or trauma so you still need passenger liability cover. The main liability risk for New Zealand aircraft owners therefore are claims for accidental damage to third party property and the associated legal fees. The main events likely to result in a third party property claim are as follows. • Taxiing into another aircraft (biggest risk in the vicinity of fuel pumps or in tight manoeuvring areas). • Damage to other peoples property as a result of a forced landing. • Loss of direction on take-off or landing and running into other aircraft, fences, hangars or whatever. There was a close call at Ardmore not long ago when a landing aircraft lost directional control and crossed the adjacent taxiway at high speed just missing a highly valued brand new aircraft backtracking on the taxiway (it could have been a corporate jet!). • Simple ground handling incidents such as pushing your aircraft into another aircraft or worse – a helicopter. • The worst scenario – a mid-air collision where you may be found at fault. If you damage another aircraft resulting in the owner of that aircraft having to KiwiFlyer Avsure Insurance Feature contributed by Bill Beard Type: Innovator Mosquito XE IXE Location: Okuku River POB: 1 Operation: Private Other Injuries: Nil Date: 3 January 2013 Report: A spark plug in the helicopter’s engine blew out. An autorotation was conducted at the Okuku River, during which the tail boom struck the bank, destroying the helicopter. Type: Pipistrel Sinus GIM Location: Te Horo POB: 2 Operation: Private Other Injuries: Nil Date: 9 December 2012 Report: When the motor was started on the motorised glider, severe vibration was experienced necessitating it to be shut down immediately. The pilot decided to make an out-landing. During the out- landing, the glider flipped. Accident and Incident Reports are provided courtesy of Please note: These weekly accident reports are sourced from www.caa.govt.nz and contain information as reported to the CAA recently. As such, the accuracy of the information supplied cannot be guaranteed. Refer to www.caa.govt.nz for other details which may be added as more information is received by the Authority. Type: Schleicher ASW 27-18E GRT Location: Tapapa POB: 1 Operation: Private Other Injuries: Nil Date: 27 November 2012 Report: Glider’s sustainer motor failed to start, requiring an out-landing. Approximately 35m into the landing roll the glider struck a fence, damaging the canopy and wing. Type: Hughes 369D HSD Location: Hanmer Springs POB: 2 Operation: Training Dual Injuries: Nil Date: 11 December 2012 Report: Tail rotor touched ground during training in a paddock. Tail rotor drive shaft broken and blade went through h/stab. Type: Fly Synthesis Storch S JES Location: Dargaville POB: 1 Operation: Private Other Injuries: Minor Date: 13 December 2012 Report: Aircraft landed heavily, bounced and overturned. The pilot received minor injuries. make an insurance claim, it is the third party insurance company which will look around to see who was responsible for the damage and they’ll be on your case in a flash to recover their repair costs. You need to ensure the aircraft liability coverage or limit of liability is adequate to cover you for any negligent acts. Half a million dollars is not nearly enough in today’s world. The absolute minimum industry standard would be NZ$1M but with the price of aircraft and associated equipment on today’s market, most operators are insuring for at least $2M to $5M. In aviation circles the amounts awarded can be quite large, therefore it’s important to carefully consider purchasing higher limits in order to have an adequate limit of liability to cover all possibilities. All policies should include the “Pilot Indemnity Clause” which extends the policy to cover the pilot as if they were the insured. This gives the same protection to the pilot as to the policy holder but does not increase the liability of the insurers beyond the declared indemnity. To discuss this topic or any other questions relating to aviation insurance or to seek quotations, contact Bill Beard at Avsure on 0800 322 206. This page is sponsored by Avsure. To enquire about other sponsorship opportunities in KiwiFlyer, contact Michael on 0800 535 937. 11 In 20 years of service, the P92 worldwide fleet now stands at nearly 2000 aeroplanes in both ULM/LSA and VLA categories. Fly TECNAM and join thousands of other satisfied aircraft owners. Tecnam pedigree, warranty, and after sales service are second to none. Contact us today: 09 298 9144 021 832 626 info@tecnam.co.nz www.tecnam.co.nz TECNAM Fly away in a Tecnam P92 CLASSIC LIGHT NZ$ 76900 from as low as + GST Celebrating 20 years since the first Echo Classic flew, and 15 years of aircraft distribution and support in New Zealand, Tecnam are proud to now re-launch a basic, entry-level aircraft with superb flying qualities at an exceptional price. * * based on exchange rates at time of print Our targeted free circulation to all aircraft owners and the aviation industry ensures that advertising in KiwiFlyer Gets Results. 13 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 12 contributed by Gavin Conroy KiwiFlyer Flight Experience KiwiFlyer Flying in the Wooden Wonder WHEN I was a young lad back in the early ’80s I remember my father telling me stories about an aircraft called a de Havilland Mosquito. He used to work at RNZAF Base Woodbourne near Blenheim and recalled the type operating from there. He told of seeing four of them flying at low level down one of Blenheim’s main roads and his stories saw me head to the local library to learn more. I found a large book on the Mosquito and read it from cover to cover many times. In fact that book was probably issued to me more times than anyone else. When the book was due back I would return it after school, wait for the librarian to put it back on the shelf, and then it could be mine again. Eventually I got told off for doing this! What struck me the most was how beautiful the aeroplane is. It had nice clean lines, two big Merlin’s, several big guns - and it stopped me in my tracks when I learnt it was made of wood! The MOTAT museum in Auckland has a former RNZAF Mosquito there and I remember seeing it in the 1990s whilst on a course with Air Cadets. I thought the chances of me seeing one Mosquito fly were pretty much nil and that was reinforced following the tragic crash of RR299 in 1996. I didn’t give much thought to the aircraft over the next ten years until 2006 when I flew to Auckland to photograph the Mk V Spitfire air to air, that had been restored by Avspecs. The Spitfire was a beautiful restoration but I could not help but be drawn to the back corner of the hangar where a Mosquito, affectionately known as the Wooden Wonder, was being worked on. Like a lot of other people, I thought could this really be possible? It was pretty much just the wooden structure with a little of the interior equipment installed but was of great interest. Over the next few years I returned to Ardmore several times to photograph the WWII fighters that were being restored there and midway through 2009 I remember thinking to myself ‘This is really going to happen. That Mossie is going to fly.’ It wasn’t like I had thought it never would, but the team was doing something considered to be impossible by many people due to the technical design of the aeroplane. Yet here were these guys carrying on like their work was just business as usual - even though they were rebuilding a legend, an over-used term but one that does indeed apply to this aeroplane. I spoke to Managing Director of Avspecs, Warren Denholm at the end of 2011 and learnt it was going to fly during 2012. As I live in the South Island it is a couple of airliner flights each time to get to Ardmore however during 2012 I flew to Auckland 14 times to check on progress and to attend the airshow where the Mosquito was the star. Even though I’ve seen the Mosquito fly at other events since then, nothing has been as good as that first display at Ardmore on September 29. It was such a special time especially with owner Jerry Yagen there to see it too. A couple of weeks after the show I flew alongside the Mosquito to take some air to air photos thanks to Warren and Jerry Yagen. Flying with the Mosquito was like a dream. I was now seeing exactly what I had seen in that book all those years ago, a pure thoroughbred fighter bomber that was loved and admired by all who flew it. It was also a stark reminder that it was a weapon of war and a lot of crews never returned from some of the dangerous missions they were often sent on. The Mosquito appeared a few months later at an open day at Ardmore airfield where again it was the star but for me this day would be one I won’t ever forget. I would be flying in the Mosquito alongside Keith Skilling as pilot. A dream comes true Keith taxied in following a display and I climbed the crew ladder and got in. It is a bit awkward, as your head ends up in the pilots lap before you get a chance to swivel around and sit down. The seat is very comfortable and the staggered sitting arrangement works well, allowing the observer to enjoy their ride without fear of bumping the pilot with an elbow whilst he does important things! This layout also allows the second person to operate some systems if necessary. I had sat in this cockpit dozens of times over the years as the restoration progressed and following a safety brief Keith started the engines. My excitement level jumped up a peg or two as we taxied out to the runway. After running up both of the Merlin 25s rated at 1625hp it was time to fly. Keith lined the aeroplane up on the runway and slowly started to push the throttles forward in stages just like in most of the other powerful WWII fighters. The Mosquito is known for swinging on take-off, and sometimes violently as both props turn in the same direction. That combined with such a lot of torque from the big V12s means that advancing the throttles slowly is a must. Having flown in fighters like the Spitfire, Yak 3, P-40, and Mustang this felt very different for some obvious reasons. Firstly you expect to see a Merlin on the front of a WW2 fighter and along with that comes poor vision over the nose but sitting between two of these power plants is very exciting and the view is amazing. Those big engines thunder away right there next to you and you also get a better idea as to how big the props really are and how close the tips are to the fuselage. Having no visual cues out the front is different to say the least. Keith said afterwards that the lack of visual cues over the nose in the take-off and landing phase were no problem, and “in a lot of ways the view over the nose is similar to the 777 I fly.” The tail comes up at around 70 mph and soon after we are airborne at 125 mph. The gear is on its way up as we accelerate to 190 mph which ensures the aeroplane will be able to be controlled in straight and level flight on one engine should we lose the other. The sound is out of this world, even after Keith has just 2400 rpm set on the engines in cruise power. We head out to the Hauraki Gulf area and looking down on the wing gives a reminder as to how big the aeroplane really is. It is a bit of a bumpy day but the aircraft makes light work of that. We complete some S turns where above 220 mph the ailerons start to get a bit heavy so it’s easier with two hands on the stick as we weave around the country side. I can see why the aircraft excelled as a low level attack aircraft. Keith explained a few things as we flew around and although we had headsets on and big engines close by we could still easily speak together with only slightly raised voices. We headed back to Ardmore and things started to get busy for Keith. The gear came down, flaps down, prop pitch adjusted, aircraft trimmed etc. and lining up on finals with power on sounded great. At the time there was no other traffic so that was one less thing to worry about. In the landing configuration at slow speed the aircraft still flies very smoothly. With those big flaps down speed over the fence was 125 mph. The undercarriage and big tyres absorb the couple of light bumps as we land - no fancy three pointers here, mains on first and then the tail settles down. The brakes are good and needed several applications rather than just ‘standing’ on them, something you don’t do in a tail dragger. The throttles are pulled right back and the engines crackle. The backfires sound great. As we shut down and everything goes quiet, I held my hand out and said to Keith “look at that, shaking like a leaf ”. Keith said, “look at mine” and his was rock steady, cool as a cucumber is Keith. Thanks to Warren Denholm and Keith, and thanks Jerry. What an experience. Mosquito KA114 was the star attraction at the recent Wings Over Wairarapa airshow in Masterton. Upon arriving back at Ardmore there was one final and memorable ‘test’ flight before disassembly of the aircraft began ready for sea freighting to the United States for owner Jerry Yagen. KA114 will no doubt be the star of his airshow held in Virginia in May. On any fine day. Front to back: Mosquito, Spitfire, Mustang, Kittyhawk. How lucky we are at Ardmore. The Hauraki Gulf from inside the Mosquito cockpit. Keith Skilling is at the controls. Keith Skilling, Mosquito Pilot. Gavin Conroy Gavin Conroy Would you like to see a profile on your business in KiwiFlyer? Call us on 0800 535 937 to discuss options. 15 KiwiFlyer AIRCARETM compliance simplified with Air Maestro DEVELOPED by the aviation industry for the benefit of the aviation industry, AIRCARE™ is an Accreditation Program being widely adopted by operators to improve flight safety and quality, and to reduce environmental effects. There are a growing number of organisations who utilise aerial services that now require AIRCARE™ or a similar management programme to ensure they are meeting their environmental and flight safety obligations. To be accredited, operators must have sound risk management procedures to assure that they are performing at a level compliant with regulations and codes of practice. The HeliA1 experience HeliA1 is one operator that has recently achieved AIRCARE™ accreditation. A commercial and agricultural helicopter operator, HeliA1 recognises how important AIRCARE™ accreditation is for their business and understands it to be more than just another regulation to meet. Managing Director and Chief Pilot with over 18 years experience in the aviation industry, Davin Mudford sought AIRCARE™ Accreditation because he believed this latest standard would further raise the professionalism of his industry. He says that “Even though we are Part 135 certified, having AIRCARE™ Accreditation is a worthwhile extra measure. It encompasses the practical aspects of running a professional operation by incorporating such things as regular spreadmark testing and noise abatement. With AIRCARE™ we’re recognising a shared responsibility and accountability for the impact aerial operations have, showing that as an industry we are endeavouring to minimise negative environmental effects by adopting best practices and standard operating procedures”. Most operators seeking to become AIRCARE™ compliant will find the process to be significantly simplified (especially from an ongoing system maintenance viewpoint) if they implement a software solution to manage the various control and reporting requirements that are involved. HeliA1 considered this to be an important aspect of their own AIRCARE™ compliance process and after reviewing available packages, selected the safety and operational management system Air Maestro. The Air Maestro System An SMS and FRMS solution in one, Air Maestro is a fully-integrated web-based safety and operational management tool that supports organisational safety, efficiency and compliance via four core features: Safety Management, Resource Planning, Operational Control and Reporting. This structure suited HeliA1 well, with Davin saying that “Air Maestro makes it easy for smaller companies such as ourselves to create a Safety Management System for AIRCARE™ or the proposed CAA Rule, by giving us all the tools to deal with the major parts such as Fatigue Management, Incident Reporting and Risk Identification/ Management”. Features of Air Maestro Aleks Banas from Air Maestro explains that the system has a variety of features which can help with AIRCARE™ requirements. These include: 1. Document Library Ensuring documented procedures such as Site SOP’s are readily available to staff is a major requirement of AIRCARE™. The Document Library module of Air Maestro allows operators to store all operational documentation in a secure library which enables controlled distribution to personnel, including the ability to monitor the receipt and opening of documents. HeliA1’s AS350 on a spray job at Otorohanga. 14 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz Products and Services 2. FAID/Work Practice Management A critical requirement of AIRCARE™ is to ensure that there is a Fatigue Management System in place for all company pilots, especially for example in fire fighting roles. Air Maestro assists to monitor personnel fatigue in the Rostering and Timesheet modules and allows operators to implement controls relating to shift and duty hours, rest periods and work patterns and apply these to the required departments to monitor compliance. 3. Flight Records Management AIRCARE™ requires detailed operational records that record weather data for treatment area and times, total areas treated, and amount of products applied in addition to flight and duty times. By seamlessly integrating flight records with the reporting module, Air Maestro eliminates duplication and ensures information is instantly available to all relevant departments. Flight Records are important for driving accurate operational planning, maintenance schedules and invoicing. 4. Recency/Currency Management Another important requirement of AIRCARE™ is to ensure all pilot ratings and approvals are being communicated and managed satisfactorily. The Recency Management module of Air Maestro enables operators to track all recency/currency requirements for crew, aircraft and company with reminders of approaching expiries. 5. Audit Management AIRCARE™ compliance requires the operator to demonstrate that an internal audit system has been implemented. The Audit Management module of Air Maestro helps to plan, schedule and manage all audits in a centralised system, including the assignment and tracking of corrective actions. 6. Hazard/Risk Register The Risk Register module in Air Maestro helps with AIRCARE™ requirements because it identifies and analyses hazards in an organisation using a customisable risk assessment matrix, and manages the associated risks and controls. Implementing Air Maestro Davin Mudford says that Air Maestro has been an excellent addition to their operations at HeliA1; “There are many features such as enabling us to enter flight and duty information anytime and have up-to-date information on how far away pilots are from flight and duty time limits, as set by our company and the standard CAA requirements. Recency is another benefit of the Air Maestro system as it makes it really easy for us to keep everything current – all we have to do is enter in the item and an expiry date, and the system will warn us with enough time to complete the refresher training or the recurrent training.” Davin says his personal favourite is the FAID module; “It keeps up-to-date tabs of employees fatigue based on their individual work hours and gives them different colours according to their fatigue level. This feature has been used fully in our procedures manual as it is a good way to actively measure crew fatigue.” Davin believes the Air Maestro system is user friendly and says it has been easily adapted to meet HeliA1’s operational requirements. Air Maestro has been incorporated into their Procedures and Health & Safety Manuals, with reports generated by the system discussed at monthly staff meetings. He says “because the system is interactive and accessible to all staff, it is easy to keep current – you have the ability to set the system up to send alerts by email or text to the respective managers which means they do not need to continually log on to get updates”. Air Maestro is based in the cloud, meaning that operators have access to vital operational data anywhere, at any time of the day. Davin comments that “having Air Maestro on an independent server means you can log on from any computer. Updates to the system are done as and when needed, and the staff at Air Maestro appear to be perfectionists in that they want us to get what we need out of the system [by] adapting it to our needs and not theirs.” From HeliA1’s point of view, Davin says that adopting a SMS and FRMS integrated system such as Air Maestro has been a relatively effortless way to help achieve AIRCARE™ accreditation and to manage the ongoing compliance process. For more information For more information about Air Maestro, visit www.airmaestro.co.nz. To find out more about HeliA1, contact Davin Mudford on 07 873 6695 or email: davin@helia1.co.nz We enhance and protect your asset. Authorised CorrosionX Applicator Specialist Cleaning and Valet Services for all sizes of Fixed and Rotary Wing Aircraft including Leather Care and Anti Corrosion Treatment. AGlaze Superior Protection - Exclusive Aviation Partner in New Zealand Contact Chris 021 262 2272 www.adnz.co.nz Share your business achievements with the NZ aviation community in KiwiFlyer. Contact Michael on 0800 535 937 to find out more. 17 KiwiFlyer contributed by Frank Parker NZ Warbirds SOME 12 months ago Tom Williams, President of the Sport and Vintage Aviation Society, the force behind the Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow, raised the idea of a Jet Formation for the event. The thought was well founded with there now being four Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros aircraft in the country. The challenges were to identify suitably qualified pilots, encourage the owners of these aircraft to make them available, to get the aircraft and pilots together and of course to finance the venture. It was not too difficult to engage pilots, an initial approach to the owners brought cautious agreement and the promoter undertook to budget the venture. My involvement was to initially co-ordinate and as it transpired to fly as #3 in the ‘Team’. The other pilots were identified as Pete Vause with his own aircraft based in New Plymouth, John Lanham and one other possibility with the forth aircraft. By mid October it was time to get cracking. With the owner of the L-39 I would fly, we flew to New Plymouth for a day with Pete Vause to see what we could ‘achieve’. With Brett Emeny coaching we achieved a successful first flight completing advanced formation manoeuvres including chandelles, loops and even a barrel roll. On a second sortie Brett joined in with his Vampire to assess compatibility of the two different types. Again the results were encouraging. With this success the potential team was formulated; John Lanham to lead, Pete as #2, and myself as #3. The forth L-39 had become unavailable so consideration was given to putting the Strikemaster in as #4. The next step was to get these four aircraft together. On the day this was planned the Strikemaster was unserviceable, however the team of John Lanham, Pete Vause and myself assembled at New Plymouth on 11th of December. Again we were joined by Brett Emeny in his Vampire. Over two flights we were able to confirm the potential of the 3 Albatross team, the compatibility of the Vampire and develop a basic display routine. The missing link was the Strikemaster. Would its performance suit the other aircraft? Back at Ardmore on 7th January, just two weeks out from the Show, Dave Brown and myself finally had the opportunity to fly these two aircraft together. The L-39 and Strikemaster are of similar weight and power so as expected were very compatible in speeds and manoeuvrability. The stage was set. After some discussion within the potential group it was decided we could put up a formation of six aircraft, being three L-39s, the Strikemaster and two Vampires piloted by Brett Emeny and Paul (Huggy) Hughan. With the aircraft involved scattered from Auckland to New Plymouth, Nelson and Christchurch the challenge would now be to achieve a combined practice. This was tentatively planned for Thursday before the Show, however, the weather and pilot availability prevented this. So on Friday 18th January we got together at Masterton for a full practice. The display was finalised: Six aircraft would start the show with a loop and flypast, the Strikemaster would break from the formation to provide solo manoeuvres between formation passes which included several formation changes, and the Vampires would detach to provide 3x L-39 and Vampire pair manoeuvres. Seemed simple!! The first flight was preceded by a thorough briefing and ‘walk through’ by the pilots so all knew the routine and individual responsibilities. The initial practice was once again encouraging. Following the Jets in Formation flight and a thorough debrief, including critique from a number of observers, a few minor changes were made to improve the flow of the display and then it was on live for the first display on Friday evening. This was followed by displays on Saturday and Sunday of the Airshow. Flying a jet in a formation display was a new experience for me. I have many years of Harvard and ‘Fighter’ plus some basic jet formation experience as back up so it was not totally daunting. The Jet, with no propeller has no torque effects so flying in formation is a little easier. This is countered by a slower engine response so it is easy to get ‘dragged’ (left behind), or with less drag (no propeller disc) gain excessive overtake on the leader. The higher speeds add to the aircraft stability and larger manoeuvres actually allow more time to analyse and correct minor errors in formation position (though that gets a little scrambled at the top of a loop). Equally, minor diversions develop into major ones quickly, which can affect the whole formation. This display could not have been achieved without a lot of co-operation and input from a number of people. Firstly, the promotion of the concept and underwriting of the cost by Wings over Wairarapa. Secondly, the generosity of the aircraft owners to make their aircraft available to the group. Finally the individual pilots whose experience, capability and dedication enabled it to happen. Accordingly I wish to make my thanks to the owners concerned. As a part ‘facilitator’ and participant in the Jet Team it was indeed an exciting experience. Feedback to date suggests it was well appreciated by our audience, so maybe again one day. Frankly @ xtra.co.nz A first for New Zealand: Six privately owned jets in formation at the Wings Over Wairarapa airshow. They were flown by Lead (blue L-39) John Lanham, #2 (green L-39) Peter Vause, #3 (blue camo L-39) Frank Parker, #6 (Strikemaster) Dave Brown, #4 (silver Vampire) Brett Emeny, #5 (grey Vampire) Paul Hughan. Chris Gee www.kiwiflyer.co.nz KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 18 If you know someone you would like to see on the Kiwi Flyer Interview page then let us know about them and we’ll try to arrange it. 19 contributed by Jill McCaw Interesting People in Aviation: The Kiwi Flyer Interview KiwiFlyer An Interview with Michael Oakley Balloon Pilot and Director of Ballooning Canterbury MICHAEL and Kate Oakley of Canterbury are New Zealand’s newest commercial balloon operators. It has taken them considerable time and effort to get Ballooning Canterbury off the ground. Operating out of Darfield, Ballooning Canterbury launched on 7th October 2012 with a large 16 place and smaller 4 place balloon. Jill McCaw asks Michael how it all came about. What is your aviation background and what got you into ballooning? I’ve been a glider pilot for a long time. I first started gliding in 1985 and ballooning in 1997. I find gliding a challenge between me and nature. Ballooning is similar but different in that it’s in a microclimate. With gliding you are using a large part of the sky while in a balloon you explore the air currents in a local area. You’ve flown at quite a few balloon meets and contests. How did you do? I flew at the Christchurch fiesta 2001and came 1st. I went to twelve Wairarapa fiestas and won five times and came second three. I’ve won both the Hamilton fiestas I went to. I also represented New Zealand at the World Balloon Champs in Mildura, Australia in 2004. I’m currently president of the Canterbury balloon club. Why did you decide to start a commercial operation? It’s something that’s always been in the back of my mind. I’m a farmer and I was looking at something I could do as a job that would fit in with that. I grew seed potatoes with around 60% of my income based around potatoes. It would take a lot of investment to go forward with the potato business and I have no faith in the industry at the moment. Not to mention, since I lease land, I’m in direct competition with the dairy industry which is booming in Canterbury at the moment. I decided to invest in ballooning instead. When did you seriously start pursuing the option? In about June 2010 we decided we would go ahead with the idea and ordered the balloon in July from the Cameron Balloon Factory in Bristol, UK. It was made and on the water when we had the September earthquake which gave us a hiding. We had a lot of damage to our Hororata farm and our equipment. We even got a photo op with the Prime Minister when he came to investigate the damage. The balloon arrived in January 2011 and then in February the Christchurch earthquake killed tourism in Canterbury. We couldn’t give up. We had too much invested. At the time we were sitting our driver’s license endorsements so we could drive the bus we had already bought. Even the class 2, P, D licensing was expensive. What other major investments did you have to make? Being so far out of Christchurch we had issues with getting LPG for the balloons. We had to invest in a four tonne bulk LPG tank and filling station and with that came the licenses and qualifications for LPG handling and regulations surrounding the site. We also had to build a purpose built trailer to take the large balloon which weighs 900 kg empty. Then CAA announced that anyone in adventure aviation needed a Part 115 certificate by 1 May 2012. Yes. Part 115 caused several established balloon operators to close down and there are now only five in the country. Three are in the South Island, two here in Canterbury and one in Queenstown. We were much helped by Aviation Safety Management Systems Ltd who we employed to write our Part 115 for the ballooning business. Andrew Shelley and Heather Andrews have been in the aviation industry for years. They approached us at Warbirds over Wanaka. They were already doing the Part 115 for the Strikemaster and were so knowledgeable about what we needed to do. We did a couple of flights before 1 May 2012 but then had to sit and wait. It took CAA over 100 days to give us our accreditation which we finally got on 28th September. We flew our first passengers under Part 115 on the 7th October. Did the wait cause any difficulties? It could have done, but luckily tourist numbers were low over this time. When we did start the low numbers also meant we could ease into the operation and we’ve been slowly building since. Our passenger numbers have doubled every month since we’ve started. We should mention you’ve got two balloons. Why? And what are they? We operate all year round and having a large and a small balloon means that we have no minimum numbers required for a flight. A lot of our customers are tourists from Christchurch, and of course as tourist numbers grow we hope we’ll be using the large balloon more often than not. The smaller balloon is a Cameron V90, ZK-WRU. That’s the smaller balloon and takes two to three people plus the pilot. The larger balloon which takes up to 16 people is a Cameron Z275, ZK-OAK. OAK is the largest commercial balloon currently flying in the country. As part of up-skilling for the business I went to the Cameron factory, Bristol in November 2011 for a week long engineering course. I spent the following week gaining more skills working with the staff at the factory, mostly on the sewing machines which I really enjoyed. Your business is very family orientated. That’s right. My wife Kate is a big part of this. She’s helped with all stages of development and has her bus license too. She does everything except fly the balloons and she’s much better at the bookwork side of it than I ever will be. Our son Nicholas is a balloon pilot as well. Eventually it would be nice if he could get a commercial licence too, but at nineteen he’s not really ready for that step yet. Our daughter Hannah is also very supportive of the business. So the Oakley family is in the balloon business for the long term? I would like to keep the balloon business personal and give customers a very special adventure. With my knowledge of farming and the Canterbury plains and drawing from my experience in gliding and weather they get the whole package. We want to grow but not get too big and lose that personal touch that our family business offers. As Christchurch grows and recovers, so will we. People are paying me to do something I love to do. What could be better than that? www.ballooningcanterbury.co.nz Michael Oakley (centre) with a basket full of happy passengers. Makes me want to try it. Phone Michael on 0508 422 556 or visit www.ballooningcanterbury.co.nz for more information. All models in stock. Phone today! Jeff Van West of Aviation Consumer wrote “New Zulu is in our opinion, the most comfortable over the ear headset ever worn.” Available from Phil Jones, NZ’s Lightspeed Dealer since 1997 Ph: 0800 116 741 specialfx.co.nz SIERRA The Best mid priced ANR headset Light and Comfortable Superb Stereo Sound Bluetooth Compatible Cellphone Interface Top of the Range ANR New Speaker Design Microport Vent Technology Light and comfortable with unparallelled voice clarity and superb stereo sound Bluetooth & Cellphone Interface Now including FlightLink in flight cockpit recording for iPad and iPhone C ontaCt owen walker P hone 09 295 1407 F ax 09 296 1728 M obile 021 987 397 eMail : owen . walker @ aPaero .Co . nz John McCaw John McCaw SALES - SERVICE - INSTALLATION SOUTH PACIFIC AVIONICS | Ph: 09 298 1373 | sales@avionics.co.nz NEW INTRODUCING THE S1ANR www.avionics.co.nz ACTIVE NOISE REDUCTION For crystal clear comms BLUETOOTH With full iPod, iPad, or iPhone control MUSIC INPUT via Bluetooth or Cable ADJUSTABLE TENSION 3 comfort settings NEW DESIGN EARSEALS With Memory Foam to reduce contact pressure If you have a new product and want to tell everyone in the NZ aviation community - Contact KiwiFlyer today on 0800 KFLYER. 21 20 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz www.kiwiflyer.co.nz KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 20 KiwiFlyer Event Guide KiwiFlyer AirVenture Oshkosh is the must see event (at least once) for every aviation enthusiast. Because the event is so big it pays to travel with someone who has been there before and who knows how to plan the best value for the time available. It also means that accommodation, transport and other logistics are all sorted out for you, so you can concentrate on enjoying the show. The New Zealand expert in this regard (having operated 26 previous tours and with many repeat customers) is Gaye Pardy Travel. Gaye’s 27th AirVenture tour to Oshkosh departs on 27th July 2013. Typically about 2500 show aircraft participate at EAA AirVenture, including home-builts, antiques, classics, warbirds, ultralights, rotorcraft and amphibians. Over 800 exhibitors participate and the exhibition buildings contain just about everything available in aviation; instruments, avionics, aircraft parts, manuals, clothing, memorabilia, and more. The list goes on and on. Conoco Square, AirVenture’s main display ramp, will have a wide array of both military and civilian aircraft on display. Throughout the week more than 500 forums and hands-on workshops are conducted by aviation leaders, designers, and other experts in their field. One of the daily highlights is the spectacular afternoon airshow, which varies for each day of the event. It starts with a showcase of many unique aircraft, from Package Tours to EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh Gaye Pardy Travel’s 27 th tour to this must see event departs on 27 July early racers to historical airplanes and newly developed aircraft. The airshow also features many of the world’s outstanding aerobatic performers. A special highlight is the magnificent Saturday night airshow. There’s plenty of aviation entertainment and seminars in the evenings too, when it’s time for the Theatre in the Woods. Each night over 4,000 people enjoy superb aviation programmes and entertainment. Typical programmes may feature NASA astronauts, top test pilots and world-famous aviation personalities. And Gaye’s tours always have interesting options for travelling partners who might not be so keen on non-stop aviation for a whole week. After Oshkosh, the tour also continues on to Seattle to visit the Boeing factory, as well as the Museum of flight, and we might even see the Blue Angels at home. We will also visit Evergreen near Portland where the Spruce Goose is now housed along with many other aircraft. Then we have a couple of days in Vancouver and for those still on the go we will cruise up to Alaska. Oshkosh travellers can book a Gaye Pardy Tour with confidence. Gaye is a TAANZ bonded member, and an IATA accredited agent with Travel Managers Group Ltd. Gaye can be contacted on 07 574 1950, 0274 939 073, E: travel@gaye-pardy.co.nz or visit www.gaye-pardy.co.nz It’s big. A typical ‘Oshkosh’ includes more than 2500 aircraft, 800 exhibitors, and 500 forums. A three hour airshow is staged every afternoon. Gaye’s 26th Oshkosh Tour group photo in 2012. Book now to ensure a place on this year’s trip. Tanker to Aircraft Refuelling at Ardmore Tanker to Aircraft Refuelling at Ardmore Avgas and Jet A1 Call George Hoskins Phone 021 369 600 or VHF 133.1 MHz Ardmore Sky Station Ph/Fax: (09) 297 7188 Email: skystation@xtra.co.nz KiwiFlyer Event Guide February 8th-10th SAA Great Plains Fly-in At Ashburton. Annual event at this welcoming grass airfield with flying competitions, annual dinner and AGM. Contact Adrienne Fillery P: 09 405 0553 e: admin@saa.org.nz www.saa.org.nz February 21st--23rd Flying NZ National Championships At Morueka. Spectators and enthusiasts welcome to attend. Contact Karen Groome on 0800 422 635 E: rnzac@xtra.co.nz www.flyingnz.co.nz February 26th--March 3rd Australian International Airshow At Avalon Airport, Geelong, Victoria. Trade expo 26 Feb to 1 Mar. Public airshow 1st to 3rd March. www.airshow.com.au March 2nd-3rd Tiger Moth Club AGM fly-in At Opotiki. ANnual rally with competitions, dinner, AGM, and more. Graeme Wood on 09 418 3044 or email: woodsy@clear.net.nz March 19th-29th NZ Air Safari 2013 Starting in Masterton and finishing in Motueka, timed for the Omaka Airshow, this event includes 10 days of flying that covers all of NZ. www.flyingnz.co.nz March 29th-31st Classic Fighters Airshow Omaka, Blenheim. Friday practice day and twilight show 5pm. Saturday/Sunday Airshow 10am–3.30pm. 70+ aircraft participating plus ground theatre and pyrotechnics. www.classicfighters.co.nz June 17th-21st Aviation Industry Conference Week The annual AIA conference week and trade expo will be held in Dunedin this year. Significant earlybird booking discounts. More details www.aia.org.nz Based in Alexandra and covering all the Southern Lakes area. Seats and carpets for all aviation applications including Microlights, GA, Helicopters and Commercial. All approved materials. KiwiFlyer Wings Over Wairarapa 22 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 Share your business achievements with the NZ aviation community in KiwiFlyer. Contact Michael on 0800 535 937 to find out more. 23 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz Wings Over Wairarapa 2013 THE BIENNIAL Wings over Wairarapa Airshow was extremely successful this year. Held at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, from 18th to 20th of January, the theme for this event was ‘Honouring the past, celebrating the future’. Over 25,000 people attended during the weekend to witness some very rare sights. Among the highlights of the show was the last ever display of the magnificent de Havilland Mosquito in New Zealand, and an unforgettable formation fly-past of the Mosquito in the company of two Kittyhawks, two Spitfires, a Mustang and a Corsair. Six of New Zealand’s civilian classic jet population performed a first ever formation loop and we also enjoyed the welcome return of a Venom to NZ skies. The amount of aircraft manufactured by the famous de Havilland Aircraft Company that were in air at this event was staggering... Alongside the Mosquito were Gypsy Moths, Tiger Moths, Fox Moths and Dragons, as well as the Vampire and Venom jets. The RNZAF were also out in force, however the Red Checkers were unable to perform on this occasion. The weather was mostly excellent, although strong winds required event organisers to shuffle around some displays on the Saturday and Sunday morning. A late twilight display on the Friday night offered a beautiful light in which to view the aircraft, an excellent idea being picked up by more airshows. Whilst aviation enthusiasts here in New Zealand are well spoilt by the eclectic array of flyable warbirds and classic aircraft that form our unique airshow scene, there were so many rare and vintage aircraft at Hood aerodrome this weekend that many were heard to declare this eighth Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow to be the best yet. Chris Gee attended Wings Over Wairarapa on behalf of KiwiFlyer this year and has assembled this report for readers who were unable to get there themselves. It was obviously a great few days of aviation. The photos are also by Chris unless otherwise marked. Visit his website at www.stereoimage.co.nz to see more. contributed by Chris Gee Yak 52s (above and right) There are many Yak-52’s in New Zealand, and there were no less than eight performing together at WOW 2013. They flew an incredibly tight formation aerobatics display; something this civilian team should feel very proud of. The final break towards the audience was nothing less than spectacular. They also performed an ‘Air Race’ around the airfield, bringing just a little bit of ‘Reno’ to the Wairarapa this weekend. The Jets No less than six classic jets flew in formation together at Wings Over Wairarapa 2013, and in what must have been a world first, performed a loop together above the audience. The formation included three Aero Vodochody L39s, two de Havilland Vampires and a BAE Strikemaster. The de Havilland Venom was also present, performing in other formations and also in an excellent solo display. (Images top: L-39 Albatros, centre: Strikemaster, bottom: Vampire and Venom.) Harvards (below) Led by Frank Parker, the Roaring Forties Harvard Display Team can always be relied upon for a crowd pleasing display of formation and solo routines. The Ardmore based team is a standard fixture at almost every major event on NZ’s airshow calendar. Steve Engle CG Steve Engle Steve Engle Steve Engle Steve Engle 24 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 Would you like to see a profile on your business in KiwiFlyer? Call us on 0800 535 937 to discuss options. 25 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz Wings Over Wairarapa KiwiFlyer WWII Fighters: Any airshow worth its salt in New Zealand will have WWII fighters performing, and Wings Over Wairarapa really outdid itself in this regard. As well as two Spitfires, Brendan Deere’s Mk IX.c and Doug Brooker’s TR9, there were the two P40 Kittyhawks, the P51D Mustang and the FG-1D Corsair. Keith Skilling’s display in the FG-1D Corsair is for many their favourite part of any New Zealand airshow, and here the Corsair flew in formation with the P40 Kittyhawk in a tribute to the pilots of the Pacific theatre of WWII. All these classic fighters flew displays during the airshow and drew much attention on the static display line. (Left to right above; Spitfires, Kittyhawk, Corsair, Mosquito, Mustang) de Havilland Mosquito KA114 The star of this year’s Wings over Wairarapa airshow was the superbly restored De Havilland Mosquito, the only example flying in the world. This was also the final opportunity to see this machine in the air here in New Zealand. A few days after leaving the event the aircraft was due to be stripped down and disassembled ready for shipping to its owner, Jerry Yagen, in the USA. There are however another two, at least, being built by the team at Avspecs, one of which is destined to remain here in New Zealand. ‘Ahh de Havilland’: The famous de Havilland Aircraft Company was well represented at the airshow, with a plethora of de Havilland aircraft displaying and flying together in formation. These are sights that are unavailable anywhere else in the world, and help to make New Zealand a premium destination for vintage aviation enthusiasts worldwide. The Tiger Moth, Gypsy Moth, Fox Moth, Dragon, Mosquito, Vampire’s and the Venom were all in attendance, providing the opportunity for some unique formations to take place. (Above: THe Mosquito leads a formation of two Vampires and the Venom). WWII Formation: The greatest moment of the airshow was the final formation fly-past of the Mosquito, flanked by two Spitfires, two Kittyhawks, the Mustang and the Corsair. The sound as this majestic formation arced overhead was unforgettable, and is an experience that will not be replicated anywhere in world. There was also a ‘Merlin-only’ formation of Mosquito, two Spitfires and the Mustang. A very rare opportunity to hear five Merlin engines at once. WWII P40 Kittyhawk: Those familiar with NZ warbirds will have noticed the shark’s teeth now adorning Frank Parker and Liz Needham’s Kittyhawk which is based at Ardmore. The new nose artwork is intended to help attract paying passengers, Frank and Liz having recently attained Part 115 certification for their company, Warbird Adventure Rides. See www.warbird.co.nz for more information. Avro Anson: The story behind the restoration of the world’s only flyable Avro Anson by Bill and Robyn Reid is just as amazing as that of the Mosquito. Sean Perrett flew this beautiful and gracious aircraft in a surprisingly lively display at the airshow, showing off every aspect of this vintage plane to an admiring public. CAA Part 115 certified LIVE YOUR DREAM FLY IN A WARBIRD WARBIRD ADVENTURE RIDES IS PLEASED TO OFFER FLIGHTS IN HARVARD l P-40 KITTYHAWK l SPITFIRE WWW.WARBIRD.CO.NZ GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE ARDMORE HANGARAGE Full Service Hangarage available now at Ardmore Airport 20m x 5.5m Power Doors Large Apron Sealed Taxiway Long Term or Short Term Corporate Jet Services Limited P: (09) 298 6249 Post to: New Zealand Warbirds Association Limited. Ardmore Airfield. PDC 14 Papakura 2244 Phone: (09) 298 9207 Email: NZWarbirds@paradise.net.nz www.nzwarbirds.org.nz NEW ZEALAND WARBIRDS Join New Zealand’s most colourful aviation fraternity Membership includes free access to the Visitor Centre and weekly email ‘Ops Orders’ newsletter. Associate Membership $90. Full Membership $145. Name Address Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GEAR FOR AVIATORS: Locally owned, Great service and the Best Deal. Located at Classic Flyers, 9 Jean Batten Drive, Tauranga Airport. P: 07 572 4000 E: info@nzpilotshop.co.nz www.nzpilotshop.co.nz Ask for a quote today. Free postage on all orders over $179. Bose l ICOM l Zaon l ASA l Kannad l Jeppesen l Flightcom l BeyerDynamic l David Clark l Aircraft Spruce l Lightspeed l Spidertracks l Aviation Gifts l Steve Engle Gavin Conroy Steve Engle Steve Engle Images of a six jet formation display at Wings Over Wairarapa 2013 by photographers Gavin Conroy, Chris Gee and Steve Engle. Pilots: Lead (blue L-39) John Lanham, #2 (green L-39) Peter Vause, #3 (blue camo L-39) Frank Parker, #6 (Strikemaster) Dave Brown, #4 (silver Vampire) Brett Emeny, #5 (grey Vampire) Paul Hughan. KiwiFlyer GC GC CG CG SE 28 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advertisement in KiwiFlyer. 29 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz Wings Over Wairarapa KiwiFlyer Kaman SH-2G Seasprite (left) The RNZ Navy’s workhorse helicopter, the SH-2G Seasprite gave an excellent display. This highly modernised 1950s design is deployed on the ANZAC Frigates and the HMNZS Canterbury. Boeing B757-200 The RNZAF’s highly modified Boeing B757-200 is always a great crowd pleaser, performing close manoeuvres unexpected of an airliner. Lockheed P-3K Orion A design dating from the 1950s, the P-3 Orion is considered to be the world’s leading maritime patrol aircraft. The RNZAF’s final ‘legacy’ Orion was the display aircraft, having not yet undergone the extensive modernisation the rest of the fleet have, bringing them up to P-3K2 standard. Lockheed C-130H (LEP) Hercules The mighty C-130 Hercules always makes an impression when it lands, reversing into its position in the NZDF’s static display area. This was a modernised LEP version, with a glass cockpit and advanced avionics. NHI NH90 (above and left) The new NHI NH90 is the RNZAF’s highly capable replacement for the venerable UH-1H Iroquois. It proved very popular in the static display, being constantly surrounded by a crowd, and made quite an impact when it arrived on the Saturday morning. RNZAF on display AgustaWestland A109LUH (above & right) Now the primary rotary wing trainer for the Air Force, the A109LUH will also perform many light operational roles. UH-1H Iroquois The Iroquois still has a few years of operation with the RNZAF before it is replaced by the NH90, and the classic ‘whop-whop-whop’ will be sorely missed when it goes. It performed all its usual tricks at the airshow, including ‘running landings’ and spiral tactical manoeuvres. KiwiFlyer is a magazine for the New Zealand aviation industry and community written by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts. Subscriptions cost just $25 for 6 issues. Visit our website for secure credit card payment, or post a cheque to: Kiwi Flyer Ltd., PO Box 72-841, Papakura 2244. Thanks ! www.kiwiflyer.co.nz Subscribe to KiwiFlyer today for just $25 and don’t miss out on another issue ! Gavin Conroy 30 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz Wings Over Wairarapa Finale Battle The finale simulated battle and air attack on the airfield has become a standard at many airshows in New Zealand, but the organisers of Wings Over Wairarapa really pulled this one out of the hat. Along with the re-enactors on the ground battling it out there were pyrotechnics simulating flak and no less than six WWII fighters chasing five ‘enemy’ Harvards around the airfield, a very memorable sight. WWI Battle (left) Although high winds curtailed a display by many of the WW1 aircraft that were in attendance, there was still the opportunity for the Nieuport XI, Sopwith Triplane and Pfalz D.III to get airborne for a good brawl on the Saturday. RC Aircraft The sudden take off of a F4 Phantom in the morning surprised and confused many who were early enough to see it. The ‘pilot’ showed great skill when his model ‘flamed out’ and he performed a graceful emergency landing on the other side of the airfield. The damage was repaired quickly and it flew again the next day. The RC Aircraft static displays drew a big crowd and hopefully a new generation of hobbyists was inspired to join the scene. Working Aircraft It is easy to forget during an airshow that aircraft have a real and vital job to perform within our economy. There were some excellent displays from a Pacific Aerospace Cresco and Hughes 369E performing water drops, and an eye-opening display from the highly manoeuvrable Air Tractor (left). The last operational agricultural DHC2 Beaver (right) in the world also flew, though I am sure this immaculate aircraft is no longer used to drop fertilizer at low level! Training for the Expected, Educating for the Unexpected Your ability to survive an emergency aircraft situation comes down to the effectiveness and type of training you receive beforehand. Blue Water Survival Ltd. specialises in emergency training including Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET); Emergency Breathing Systems (EBS) training; Aircraft ditching drills for fixed wing operators; Sea survival training for flight crews; and Environmental survival training. We pride ourselves on being a highly professional company dedicated to providing realistic training programmes in order to save lives. We combine research, innovative technology and specifically trained and experienced instructors to prepare aircraft personnel to manage and survive emergency situations. Our custom-built underwater escape training simulator (pictured) is the only one of its kind in New Zealand. Complete with flight controls, front and rear adjustable seating including stretcher options for those involved in Search and Rescue, we have the ability to configure our simulator to imitate a range of helicopters, making for the most realistic training available. For more information or to enquire about one of our training programmes, please contact Brad Cassidy. Phone: 027 2583 426 Email: brad@bluewatersurvival.co.nz TRAINING SPECIALISTS www.bluewatersurvival.co.nz “Having recently completed Blue Water Survival’s HUET course I can thoroughly recommend it. The course was conducted in a highly professional manner, with an informative ground course in the morning followed by a really thorough practical training session in Blue Water’s excellent pool facility. The simulator is top class and the configuration can be rearranged to match your aircraft. Because the course is run efficiently there is ample time to go through plenty of different scenarios and situations – we certainly got a lot more dunkings than in previous HUET courses. Our entire team of pilots, crew, paramedics and flight nurses felt that they had gained a lot of knowledge and awareness from the training.” Harry Stevenson (Pilot) Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Wellington “Blue Water Survival conducted a considerable amount of consultation with the Helicopter industry (including HELiPRO) to ensure they designed a HUET course that would meet the industry’s needs. This consultation was evident with their first course conducted for HELiPRO pilots and crew not only meeting, but exceeding our requirements and expectations. All crew gained valuable experience during the numerous pool exercises tailored to their roles (some of whom have carried out HUET training with other providers). HELiPRO will now be using Blue Water Survival as their preferred HUET provider.” Ned Lee (Ops Manager/Pilot) HELiPRO, Palmerston North Heavy Duty Workstations Suitable for any garage or a great addition to an aeromotive workshop Contact Paul Dixon at Dixon Machinery & Dieseltech Ph: 03 302 8946 A/h: 03 302 8767 Email: paul@dixonmachinery.co.nz www.dixonmachinery.co.nz l Seven drawers all on roller bearings. l Four lockable cupboard units. l Huge storage area. l Parts trolley (stores under workbench). l 2680mm x 1800mm x 540mm deep. l Stands 1900mm tall. l Left or right hand orientation. All for $3900 plus GST. If your aircraft needs some care, we can help breathe new life into it. www.pacificaerocoatings.com Paint Stripping l Corrosion Removal Paint Refinishing l Interior Refurbishment Award Winning Fabric Covering and Finish System USA We use and supply Superflite FAA approved Aircraft Paint Systems for fabric, metal and composite aircraft. All to a better than new standard that you will be proud of for years to come. l Fabric, Metal and Composite l Fixed Wing and Helicopters l Tiger Moths to Corporate Jets Classic Aircraft Specialists All Fabric services and restoration work undertaken Material suppliers for all fabric requirements Aerobatics (right) As well as bringing his unique Spitfire TR9 to the airshow, Doug Brooker also stunned the audience with his aerobatics display in the MX2, a very light and manoeuvrable aircraft built especially for the task. Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advertisement in KiwiFlyer. 31 KiwiFlyer Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advertisement in KiwiFlyer. 33 KiwiFlyer Aviation Event Report of the new facility in China ensures control of aircraft grade materials, components and production quality of the aircraft, with several of the original Czech staff moving to China to further ensure that a high standard of workmanship is maintained. The new factory is situated in South China, just a short trip from Hong Kong airport. Arriving in China Having arrived in Hong Kong and caught a ferry to Jiuzhou in South China, we were met by our hosts the American designer, Chip Irwin, and the factory owner Tom Hsueh, who drove us through the hustle and bustle of the downtown port of Jiuzhou to our nearby accommodation. After a hotel breakfast of spicy bamboo sprouts, lotus roots, rice and noodles, our hosts picked us up at Starbucks for a van ride to the factory. The main roads were generally modern and the variety of road users was amazing; pedestrians, taxis, coaches, cars, bicycles, scooters, trikes, trucks, tractors, etc., all going at different speeds and directions. Never though, did we witness any road rage or anger. The factory and aircraft The new SportCruiser SC3D factory is large, currently occupying 3500m2 of a 10,000m2 building which is one of the first in a huge industrial block that is planned to include an airfield and sea plane base, with a security moat around the perimeter. Anton Meier of Aerosport Aviation, distributor for SportCruiser aircraft in the Pacific region, was in China at the end of 2012 for the opening of a brand new state-of-the-art, dedicated factory for production of the new SportCruiser SC3D. During the opening ceremony attended by numerous dignitaries and significant political guests, Anton placed an order for 10 of the new aircraft, most of which have been pre-sold throughout Australasia. The trip also coincided with the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition. Noel Bailey attended both events with Anton and contributed this report to KiwiFlyer on what was a fascinating trip. MOST readers will know of the SportCruiser by Czech Aircraft Works (CZAW) which is an attractive, comfortable, solid performing light aircraft. Many will also recall that Piper Aircraft USA selected the SportCruiser as their choice of LSA aircraft, but differing business philosophies brought that relationship to an early end. Slow supply of the SportCruiser out of the Czech Republic has led to a shortage of aircraft for the Australasian market and for some time there have been rumours of a new SportCruiser being manufactured in China. The American designers have indeed now built a new factory in China which is completely independent of the Czech Sport Aircraft (CSA) operation and the PS28 version of the aircraft that this company produces. American ownership 32 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz contributed by Noel Bailey Equipment already installed when we arrived included precision manufacturing machinery, CNC punch presses, lathes and mills, welding plant, numerous sub assembly jigs, painting facilities and then assembly lines where the larger pre- built modules come together. Dedicated 3D aviation design and manufacturing applications control many of the machines and processes as well as tracking and recording all componentry for traceability and quality control. We met many of the staff and learned of their training and the procedures that they are operating under. Their enthusiasm for their work was obvious and my clear impression was that the factory is well set up with resources and machinery to produce a high quality product. There are more than 50 upgrades in the new aircraft, the most significant being the installation of the new Rotax 912 iS fuel injected engine as standard (with 20% less fuel burn giving an 8 hour range). The nosewheel is now steerable with individual brakes remaining and Dynon D1000 SkyView Twin 10” screens with synthetic vision are standard. There are new ailerons and alterations to the elevator to achieve harmony between all flying surfaces and with a major redesign of structural strength in some areas of the aircraft, the new SportCruiser SC3D is assured of being a very reliable flight trainer. At the airshow Our second day was spent at the Trade Day of the 9th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition. We took a coach trip to the show and endured chaos to get through the gates due to many local vendors with all manners of street stalls selling food, souvenirs and more. We then passed through a long row of security x-ray machines, checking our bags and ourselves for unknown contraband. The Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition is jointly sponsored by about a dozen different Chinese organisations with very official sounding names and includes trade negotiations, academic conferences and displays, and the airshow itself. It has become one of the major aviation and aerospace exhibitions in the world. The exhibition halls were impressive, representing the aviation disciplines of civil, commercial, defence, search and rescue, border patrol and in particular the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation. Boeing, Airbus, Rolls- Royce, Sukhoi and other well-known manufacturers were there, as well as Bombardier, Rotax, Dynon, and many more. There wasn’t a lot of recreational stuff, as this end of the industry is only just getting underway in China, as airspace gets ‘opened up’ in the very near future. This was the venue for the first exhibition of the new business venture A trip to the new SportCruiser SC3D factory and China Airshow between, Triton Aero Marine Industries (China) and Aerosport Aviation of NZ. It was a proud occasion to be situated in the Exhibition Hall among well known aviation manufacturers of the world. Between the exhibition halls and flight line were static displays of all manner of aircraft, ranging from Russian military, through all sizes of commercial and private jets to small recreational autogyros, and electric powered LSAs, many never seen in the southern hemisphere. Of course the new SportCruiser SC3D was there too. Communication was tricky for us, but it was easy to see the locals were very interested and impressed with the SportCruiser SC3D. Signing the deal for 10 SportCruisers Day 3 at the show was the highlight of the trip, being the signing ceremony for Aerosport Aviation’s purchase of 10 new SportCruiser SC3D aircraft. This was witnessed by several aviation manufacturing dignitaries and press with speeches and many flashing cameras. One of the things I wanted to see was the J-10 Vigorous Dragon F-10 Vanguard multi role fighter. I wasn’t disappointed - it looked great and put on a grand flying display. Also flying at the airshow was the ‘Warrior’ Aerobatics Team of the Russian Air Force with their five Su-27 Flanker air superiority fighters who put on a great formation and exciting manoeuvres such as the Cobra, Blooming Tulip, Kulbit, etc. The Breitling Jet Team was also there with their L-39 Albatros’. It was a great show. Days 4 and 5 were consumed with other local events, then it was onto the A380 for a relaxing flight home. What a week! For more information Contact Anton on 07 829 5940 or 021 289 5999, email: anton@aerosport.co.nz or visit www.aerosport.co.nz Anton Meier (2nd from left) and team with the new SportCruiser SC3D at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition. The assembly line in the new SportCruiser SC3D factory in South China. Much of this new aircraft is produced on automated CNC machinery. Anton Meier signs an order for 10 new SportCruiser SC3D aircraft at the factory opening ceremony. Scale Quality Technology Efficiency Speed 75 Ingram Road, Hamilton Airport P: 07 843 0392 F: 07 843 7059 E: info@aviationpaintingservices.co.nz www.aviationpaintingservices.co.nz ! NEW ! Fly in and fly out ‘cut & polish’ service with paint match and touch ups, all from $250+GST for small aircraft. Aircraft and Component Painting Services Part 145 certified Experienced, professional tradespeople use only aviation grade materials and processes to ensure a superior result for all jobs, large or small. Ensure your business is promoted in the next issue of KiwiFlyer. Email your requirements to editor@kiwiflyer.co.nz 35 34 KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 26 www.kiwiflyer.co.nz 6 Mark Tantrum Sharing our Passion for Aviation at the Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School DESPITE some quite challenging weather, another Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School has been successfully completed. Almost all of the Ab-Initio students achieved their first solo flight and the Returned students (those who have been in previous years) flew their target hours and expanded their knowledge and skill. But all of this success could not have been achieved without the widespread support of individuals, local businesses and aviation industry organisations and corporations. The two main corporate supporters of the Walsh are Air New Zealand and Airways Corporation. Air New Zealand’s support is facilitated by Captain David Morgan (Chief Flight Operations & Safety Officer) and includes a range of prizes, financial and supply assistance, and helping with the availability of flying instructors. Bringing together an instructing team of very experienced aviators is a vitally important aspect of being able to run the school efficiently and safely. Instructors and most other staff offer their time, experience and skill on a voluntary basis. Captain Chris Fraser, Captain Mal Morters, Captain Wayne Coupland, Second Officer Simon Nicholson (Flight Commander), Second Officer Simon Davies and myself are from the Air New Zealand jet fleet. Captain Rod Milne (747 Retired) also attended. Captain Steve Scott (Deputy CFI), Captain Roy West, Captain Gary Parata (Flight Commander) and First Officer Nick Rowe (Flight Commander) are from Air Nelson. Captain Aaron Silcock and First Officer Nicola Evans are from Eagle Airways (well Nicola is nearly with Eagle - she starts in a few weeks!). Other instructors come from all over the world. Jeff Walton comes from his day job as an Air Traffic Controller in Ennis, Ireland and Jack Holworthy (Flight Commander) comes from Hong Kong where he is an avionics engineer with Northrop Grumman. Carlton Campbell is the Training Standards Development Officer with NZCAA (and what fun we have debating the finer points of flying!). Dean Beverley and Glen Sycamore are Airbus Captains with Cathay Pacific. Penny Mackay and Sue Mealing are recently (semi) retired and enthusiastically continue to make a very valuable contribution to flight training. And from aero clubs, flying schools and elsewhere come Glenn Drower, Amanda Meates, Murray Miskelly, Janelle Rouse, Andrew and Michael Sims, Charlotte Day and Rob Weavers. Airways Corporation’s support is facilitated by Andrew Crawford (Regional Manager - Standards and Safety) and includes the mobile control tower and a team of controllers, many of whom live on site for the duration of the school. The Airways team at the Walsh is led by James Pengelly from Tauranga and Phil Craig from Wellington. This year the controllers were Melissa Robinson and Megan Thomas from Hamilton, Jason Robson from Ohakea, Robert Shanks from Palmerston North and Kate Lindsey from Dunedin. Jason and Rob are both Walshies who became interested in controlling while students at the school. Without the contribution of air traffic control we simply would not be able to safely operate the school at our current level. We enjoy a very close working relationship and for that I am particularly grateful. The students, instructors and staff enjoy working closely with the air trafficers, often visiting the tower to observe them weave their magic. MetService also makes a very valuable contribution by rostering Event Report KiwiFlyer contributed by Mark Woodhouse three aviation meteorologists to support the Walsh. This year they were Brooke Lockhart, Arno Dyason and Frances Russell. Having direct and immediate access to the latest reports and forecasts allows me to manage the programme to maximise the use of the available flying weather. The RNZAF have been strong supporters of the Walsh since the first schools back in the ‘60s. They task three Fire Officers and a crash fire vehicle to attend the school. This year the team was led by Corporal Mike Shepherd and included Leading Aircraftsman Damien Ettema and Aircraftsman Ben Ryan. This year, for the first time, Massey University’s School of Aviation provided a Diamond DA40, their Garman 1000 desktop trainer and three instructors for a week. Their team was led by Paul Kearney and included Bernie McGuire (Walshie) and Kiran Parbhu. All of the returned students and many instructors were introduced to glass cockpit technology, and as the DA40 is a four seater many Ab-initio students were able to ride along too. Chris Fraser’s role is organising the provision of sixteen two seat (usually C152 and PA38) and one four seat (C172) aircraft for the school. These aircraft come from training organisations such as BayFlight, Ardmore Flying School, Auckland Aeroclub, Whenuapai Aviation Sports Club, Nelson Aviation College, Nico Matsis and other private owners. The local authority, Matamata Piako District Council, own and manage Matamata airfield at Waharoa, and have been stalwart in their support of the school since the beginning. Without exception both vectors of the airfield and the associated facilities are prepared in pristine condition for our arrival - if only they could control the crosswinds! The local users at Matamata are very understanding of our invasion of their ‘patch’ and as much as we try to respect their home and be good guests, with up to 1200 movements on busy days, we tend to be less than discrete! One of the aspects of Matamata which makes the airfield such a suitable base for our school are the facilities available. We are very fortunate to be able to use the Soaring Centre, Gliding Club bunkrooms and the Matamata aero club to support our operations and recreation. Other local and national companies and organisations that contribute to the Walsh include the Civil Aviation Authority, Aviation Services Limited, Flight Test NZ, and various Rotary clubs. There simply isn’t enough space in this article to name them all. However they are important and should know that their contribution to the growth of so many fine young New Zealanders is appreciated. Finally, the de Havilland Mosquito’s appearance for the Wings Parade on the last day was a memorable, humbling privilege. Its pilot, Keith Skilling (the Wings Presenter) had organised for the Mosquito to join us. I would like to close by thanking the Mosquito’s owner Mr Jerry Yagen of the United States. Jerry, you allowed an enormous amount of awe, inspiration and appreciation to be experienced by many, many kiwis over the last few months, and for that we thank you most sincerely. What a way to end another great Walsh! Second Officer Mark Woodhouse CFI, Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School (Mark of course neglected to mention his own considerable contribution to the school over 16 years as CFI which was also cited in his international award from the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators ‘for contributions to flight instruction’ in 2011. Ed.) The 2013 Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School group photo. Now in its 47th year and held annually at Matamata in January, the Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School offers ab-initio flight training to Scouts, Guides, and other young people. The School has achieved in excess of 1350 first solos since its inception in 1967. The outstanding success and longevity of the School is due in large part to a small army of volunteers, supporters and sponsors who combine their resources and talents with a common love for aviation and a desire to share that with new generations of would-be pilots. Typical of those who contribute to causes such as this, these people don’t seek public recognition of the