< PreviousKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 57 40 Autogyros contributed by Tony Unwin The popularity of autogyros has increased dramatically in recent years and there’s no question they are very capable cross-country machines. That said, most owners wouldn’t consider hopping into one at Auckland or Tauranga with the intention of heading to Wanaka and back. Tony Unwin and David Wright did just that, covering 1500 miles for their return trip to Warbirds Over Wanaka over Easter weekend. As you would hope, their trip which spanned two days each way (David from Mercer and Tony from Tauranga) was uneventful. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great adventure and one for other pilots to also enjoy experiencing through Tony’s words: 1500 mile Gyro Adventurers Warbirds Over Wanaka may not seem like the place for a microlight, never mind a gyroplane but I found that provided I could fit armaments, it would be possible to be accepted for the anniversary event! The crowd always warm to machines that they can relate to and voted the previous event’s Light Sport item their second most popular of the whole show. Something to live up to!! The local flyers of light aircraft at Wanaka had agreed on a plan with Warbirds management and the CAA to have a display item shooting down balloons with paintball machine guns - a novel idea that would surely prove interesting. Rising to the challenge, the local SAA / RAANZ teams at Tauranga soon had a suitable mount fabricated and a machine gun, operated by compressed air, was mounted on the starboard gear leg of my Niki Rotors Kallithea Tony Unwin and his very well travelled Niki Rotors Kallithea gyro. gyro. The air cylinder fitted neatly on the tail boom below the engine and oil cooler. A modification application and flight test followed and wow - I now had a gyro with a fixed gun mount!! At this time of year it can be challenging to fly VFR from Tauranga and choosing the right days either side of Easter weekend would be crucial. I had arranged with a friend from Mercer that we would fly our gyros in a loose formation to offer some support and flight following for each other. An early departure was required with a rendezvous arranged for Taupo. Just before my take-off the phone rang to report a flat nose wheel tyre on the Mercer runway. Full credit to David Wright who promptly achieved a puncture repair, with him and his now serviceable Cavalon gyro landing at Taupo by midday. We refuelled men and machines and headed for Feilding, our delayed schedule making the night-stop location uncertain. More fuel at Feilding and then we donned immersion suits for the sea crossing to Omaka. On a warm afternoon in a cockpit made largely of clear plastic the visibility is fantastic, but the greenhouse rapidly becomes a sauna in an immersion suit. Airborne now, we tried to obtain a clearance from Ohakea but got instructed to use the low level transit lane – a little disappointing but no problem. Coasting out we contacted Wellington radar and requested a radar service and climb to 4000 ft. The monitoring service was forthcoming but we had to fly beneath the Wellington arrivals before we could be cleared to climb. It was a beautiful 41 2018 #2 Tony Unwin gyfly@aol.com +64 ( 0 ) 21 038 0760 Gyrate International Ltd. Operating Worldwide Dance the Skies Personal Gyro Selection and Instruction Any type Anywhere Gyro Sales - Niki Rotors Kallithea Propeller Sales - E-Props Helices David Wright and Tony Unwin on the way to Wanaka. afternoon and we could see the length of the Marlborough Sounds. Approaching Omaka I realised we had sufficient fuel to make Kaikoura, so with a change in clearance we headed south into a pretty stiff wind. On landfall we descended to try to achieve a better ground speed. It was 1700 hrs by the time we made the pretty little strip at Kaikoura so we rapidly refuelled and headed for Christchurch - having cut out stopping at Omaka we could now look forward to making the flying club at Rangiora. The evening was classic flying; calm and quiet as the light slowly lost the brightness of the day. On touchdown we could see the hangar at the Canterbury Recreational Aero Club was still open and ‘Iceman’, the instructor on duty, made us welcome. The gyros went in the hangar and we were shown the fantastic facilities for transient pilots; club room with large Sky TV, bunk room and showers, a kitchen with microwaves and food for dinner and breakfast. Thanks guys. So Very Good!! The next day a steady start took us over the plains down to Timaru with a strengthening westerly. The drift angle at 2000 ft was dramatic; holding a heading through the front screen and checking the track through the side window became the norm! A mountain transit was looming so I phoned Omarama to check conditions and they assured me that all was fine and there were no issues anticipated. With a strong westerly likely to funnel down the Waitaki River valley I decided to top up fuel at Oamaru before heading for the hills. In fact as we flew up the river conditions were surprisingly calm and we maintained a ground speed over 70 kts. Approaching the final lakes before Omarama we hit a rain squall and were very pleased to be in stable gyroplanes with good weather capability. We slipped quietly into a deserted rain swept airfield to a warm if somewhat damp welcome by the glider guys. Within 30 minutes the squall had passed, the sky was blue and we were on our way towards the Lindis Pass. Now the hills had grown into serious mountains and the westerly was getting strong. Some basic gliding principles came back to me as I sought a course that would minimise turbulence and offer lift rather than sink. Our decisions can’t have been too off the mark because we crossed the Lindis and found ourselves with height to spare. Crossing over the final valley I picked out the strip at Geordie Hills where we were scheduled to practice live-firing at balloons. Leaving David at altitude, clear of the turbulence, I descended to check out the strip and noted the red and white cherry pickers to be used to hold the targets. Moving on I called Wanaka and was asked to remain clear for display aircraft practising. I figured with the strong wind we could continue on track towards the field and so it turned out as our ground speed over the last ten miles was just 35 kts! Wanaka was a beehive of activity with the stars of the show flying in while the support structures were still in construction. Because we were ahead of our schedule we had no accommodation so it was with great relief and appreciation that Peter Clulow and his wife Rosie took us under their wing. A comfortable bed and great food soon had us feeling like visiting royalty. Peter had put a huge amount of effort into arranging the Light Sport Aircraft display item and then continued doing so throughout the show. His concern with detail was evident when he held a pilot brief each morning 1.5 hours before main briefing. The CAA had insisted that there should be no display flying below 100 ft so two ‘cherry pickers’ had been hired to suspend the target balloons at sufficient height. Two practice days had been organised for Geordie Hills Strip so we positioned there Wednesday and Thursday to hone our balloon attack skills. Friday was practise day David’s Cavalon gyro at Omaka.KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 57 42 Autogyros For Magni Gyro Sales & Support call Leo Levine 021 0284 2049 FLY l with Style & Passion l for fun on Windy Days l the Original l Magni Gyro Produzione e Design Italiano Visit us at Parakai or online www.magnigyro.co.nz Magni Gyro Italy now celebrating 1000 gyros produced ! at Wanaka and following two early briefings we were on as second act to the show opener - an F-16 coming in from Christchurch with a fast run simulating a sound barrier break with a pyrotechnic explosion. No pressure then!! That Friday practice did all go as planned. Now for the full-on 30th Anniversary Warbirds Over Wanaka air display! We had the normal two briefings and a small change to the opening event as the F-16 was stuck in Christchurch. The implications of two Yak-3s starting the show was not fully recognised at briefing time, but this would soon become headline news. The Light Sport Aircraft and their ground support team were lined up as per the day before, when the second Yak chose to land on the grass adjacent to the sealed runway and collided with one of our cherry pickers waiting to be deployed. It happened directly in front of my position and I was mightily relieved that there were only aircraft parts flying through the air. We of course had no show to do that day and so taxied back to a very subdued de-briefing. On Sunday we put together a display of short take-offs and landings. Needless to say a gyroplane in still air is not going to win that competition but we all enjoyed being back flying. The weather was now becoming a threatening factor for our return. If we did not make the Cook Strait crossing by early Tuesday we could be stuck for a week or more! With hindsight we should have left on Sunday afternoon but we now had wives and accommodation to handle and the show crowds made moving around town very challenging. It was not going to happen so we attended the gala dinner instead. Monday morning was clear but the forecast was 35 kts at 2000 ft and mare’s tails were forming in the upper sky. With full fuel and well-loaded machines David and I took a clearance from the controllers to depart for the eastern hills. The easterly wind strength was obvious but we climbed quickly in cool air and crossed the hills above 4000 ft directly into the Lindis Pass. Turbulence was expected and we soon found it, continuing to climb using pockets of lift and speeding through areas of high sink. We passed just south of Omarama between five and six thousand feet and headed east over lakes and down the river valley. At this height Timaru was almost visible so we left the river and cut over some smaller ranges on a direct track. Now we were downwind of the major mountains and finding areas of significant rotor making the going very uncomfortable. Not for Gyro weaponry locked and loaded. Coasting south on a lovely day. Some serious rock and sky to traverse.Professional GyroCopter Instruction Trial Flights Tauranga P: 0800 FLY A GYRO E: fly@gyrate.nz www.gyrate.nz 2017 Limited this can be you the first time on this journey was I pleased to be in an aircraft capable of handling turbulence better than most. We worked hard to find the smoothest air and also to get out of the strongest wind as it had swung to the north-west. We were soon speaking to the Hughes 300 operating at Timaru before landing on the grass abeam the clubrooms. I was looking for a quick turnaround but we were met by a friend intent on providing sandwiches and drinks. Probably we needed the break so thank you Tony. Timaru to Rangiora was the next leg and now we were facing more into the strong NW wind. We stayed relatively low and had to accept a reduced ground speed but the turbulence was less. On an overcast bleak public holiday almost nobody else was flying, I don’t recall hearing or seeing another aircraft on that sector. We departed having seen just one movement on the field then routed as quickly as we could to refuel at Kaikoura and then on to Omaka. The wind and turbulence did not abate and with the light failing as we taxied in, we were two very tired pilots on shutdown. Now this is amazing: within two minutes I saw a car pull up that I recognised, a distinctive red and white sporty Skoda belonging to Grahame Fletcher. Grahame bought a red Cavalon which I had delivered to him some six months earlier. He lives on the approach path to Omaka and on hearing two gyros fly over had to investigate. His immediate and unapproved offer of accommodation was very gratefully received - his wife must be used to his generous nature. Next morning we moved fairly promptly considering the sky was mainly clear but some cumulous was building and moving rapidly on a westerly wind forecast to be 30 kts at 2000 ft. I phoned Paraparaumu to get an actual and was assured the weather was fine and there was nothing below 1600 ft in the forecast. We donned our safety suits and life jackets and with full fuel headed out over a choppy sea. Wellington gave us a clearance to 4000 ft but to remain VFR we stopped the climb at 3000. It was a fine morning but the North Island was obscured by a bank of cloud. As we got closer the cloud base dropped and we dropped with it. Judgement over water with reduced visibility is notoriously challenging and I was particularly pleased to be able to call field in sight, joining downwind for runway 34. We arrived just an hour after the last Air New Zealand scheduled flight departed and the builders were already removing all remnants of their operation. Airfield infrastructure and security had been raised to a high standard to handle those schedules. We wondered who paid the bill and what the future holds. Fuelled and coffeed up, we headed for Feilding, but not without another challenge. The wind was 270 at 25 kts and we were using 34 with a cloud base around 800 ft. I chose a cross- runway takeoff and was quickly airborne and heading up the coast below solid cloud at a slow groundspeed. Eventually we made Foxpine and conditions improved as we again used the low level transit lane, this time heading north. Feilding was very quiet and the 20 kt wind straight down the runway. A quick refuel and off to Taupo, having been advised by a southbound Cessna that the Desert Road was clear. We were held low by cloud but as we got closer to the mountains the weather cleared. I was confidently cruising along at 4500 ft when the wind hit me with a bang. Obviously the westerly was being funnelled around Ruapehu and I had just hit the funnel. Wow! It was gone as quickly as it arrived and we headed for Taupo uneventfully. At Taupo David and I headed in our separate directions to each complete what felt like mammoth achievement for microlights. Thank goodness we were in gyroplanes! Tony Unwin Target balloons suspended at Wanaka on air show practice day. At the Geordie Hills strip with other recreational aircraft for ‘target practice’. 43 2018 #2 F KThe New Zealand Gliding fraternity got a bit of a shake up at the Nationals this year. Two young people, Allie Thompson (15) and Campbell McIver (22), YouthGlide members from different parts of the country, teamed up to fly the Nationals – and won! How good is that! Jill McCaw tells the story: KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 57 44 YouthGlide is working I think we can say YouthGlide is working. Flying glider competitions is good fun, but it’s also really hard work. Flying at Nationals level really isn’t for the faint of heart. The competition runs for two weeks with up to ten days flying, depending on the weather. Competition flights can be anything from 150 to 800 plus kilometre flights, again weather dependant. It’s not just about flying that far in a non-powered aircraft, it’s about flying that far, faster than anyone else. The Nationals is a truly punishing event. For the last seven or eight years we’ve Campbell McIvor and Allie Thompson. watched as Nick Oakley and Alex McCaw blasted their way through the trophies on offer at the South Island Regionals and the Nationals while also flying their hearts out at the Australian Joey Glide contests, two Junior Worlds and a full ‘grown up’ Worlds. They proved that our young people can do it, but Nick and Alex, along with their cohort of original YouthGliders were ‘gliding brats’. They were kids of glider pilots and had grown up in the sport. In a way they had a secret ingredient for success. They’d grown up evaluating weather conditions, had absorbed cross-country tactics and contest skills before they’d even actually learned to fly. Their successes didn’t come easily but the question, that Allie and Campbell have answered is: could young people, coming into gliding with no previous background in the sport, also fly at the highest level? The answer is a resounding ‘Yes’. YouthGlide wasn’t entirely set up with the goal of reversing the greying trend New Zealand Soaring contributed by Jill McCaw Proud Nationals winners. of gliding, but it was definitely in the back of our minds. Primarily, those of us involved with young pilots, our own kids and their friends, saw that learning to fly and everything that went with it was 45 2018 #2 enormously beneficial to these kids. They took on responsibility and gained a tremendous feeling of self-worth. We saw them apply themselves to their school work, grow in maturity and learn to interact well with adults. YouthGlide was a great thing for kids and it was obvious to those of us involved that it should be something made available to more kids. But at the same time we knew, gliding in New Zealand desperately needed young blood coming through or it was going to die. The concept of YouthGlide was a hard one to sell at first. Many people saw it as putting a lot of resources into young people who were then going to bugger off as they got into university/jobs/ having families/other interests with no reward for the efforts put into them. YouthGlide hasn’t been around quite long enough to counter that argument, but I’d like to point out that quite a few of the original ‘gliding brats’, people I learnt to fly with at Auckland in the ’80s, are now private owners, contest pilots and very active in their clubs. People who love gliding come back. Allie who is still only 15, but one of the most exciting young pilots I have seen and Campbell, a brilliant cross-country glider pilot, met at a YouthGlide camp. Allie is from Waipukurau, Campbell from Auckland. Campbell says, “I was very keen to fly Auckland’s Duo Discus and needed a teammate. My good friend Allie Thompson was showing great potential as a pilot and had shown herself ready for the challenging aspects that cross country and competition flying offer. With a lot of planning and discussion throughout 2017, we were very keen to give the Nationals a solid crack.” They did more than give it a crack. Allie says, “As a female in a male dominated sport (and a young female at that), it can sometimes be extremely challenging to be recognised and for people to realise that we females can fly just as well as males. Being so young, I felt the pressure on my shoulders to not only do well but show the world that I was worthy of participating in this competition. The first three days were very much a learning experience, figuring out what we had to do, getting into a rhythm and figuring out who we had to compete against. Campbell and I swapped from back seat to front each day and I had soon proven my knowledge and skills to Campbell in this new type of flying. As two very eager but young pilots, we were very thankful that everyone was so friendly, giving us advice and feeding us well. And of course my parents were there, helping us get ready for each day and making sure that we had enough sleep. All of these things helped boost our confidence. Through this experience, I have gained an immense respect for those pilots who have been flying cross-country and competitive cross-country for more years than most of them probably want to admit to. The physical challenge, not to mention the mental and strategic energy that goes into flying each day is immense and exhausting. Yet I had a ball and am completely hooked, knowing I have years of learning ahead of me and hope that one day I can be as generous with my time and knowledge as those were that surrounded me in Matamata.” It is fabulous to see a new cohort of competition pilots shaking up the usual suspects and I would say Allie and Campbell are worth every subsidised dollar that has gone into their training. If you know a young person who may be interested in learning to fly gliders through YouthGlide, please see the Youth Glide website and Facebook page. There are mini-camps around the country throughout the year. Adults can also learn to fly gliders. See the Gliding NZ website for club locations near you. Jill McCaw F K We can help you turn your flying dreams into reality by being Approachable and Informal, yet still providing Professional Flight Training. Do you want to do your Cirrus SR22 type rating? (or just come and enjoy flying one) email: fly@aerohire.co.nz Whakatane hangar ph: 07 308 4222 www.aerohire.co.nz Patented Kiwi Made Spray Nozzles Improved Chemical Delivery Better Spray Drift Control Less Ground Time Tried and Proven Two Patterns Contact Glenn . 027 473 1403 . GlennKeane@xtra.co.nzKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 57 4647 2018 #2 How many pilots have looked at a patch of local parkland and thought ‘it would be fun to land here’. Owner of Foxbat ZK-CKL, Steve Williams wondered just that question one day – and then made it happen along with a big group of his friends. Steve explains: Flying-in to Mangawhai Domain It was about two years ago, when in a bid to get the grandkids out of granny’s hair and from under her feet, I took them to the Mangawhai Domain which has a great jungle gym on site. As pilots do, I began to contemplate matters of an aviation nature. I looked from corner to corner of the domain and thought to myself; ‘I’m sure I could land a plane here. It looks long enough and the trees at the one end will make a great incentive to get it right the first time.’ I then mulled over the idea for the next 12 months until once again at the domain with the grandkids, I met Mark Gash, the domain’s voluntary groundsman. I asked Mark, “What do you When Mangawhai Domain became Mangawhai Airfield. Improvised AIP plate shown inset. think the reaction would be if I landed my plane here?” To my surprise Mark thought it would be a great idea and suggested I talk to the Domain Committee. My request was met with great interest and I was asked to meet the committee. In June last year I was invited me to present my proposal at a committee meeting. I had a great plan. I could envisage this day with aircraft flying in, all parking up and enjoying a coffee and scones, then flying out. The committee welcomed the idea – in fact I was overwhelmed by their support. However this now started to become a bit scary as I’ve actually only been flying for five years and consider myself rather a novice in respect to fellow aviators I tend to rub shoulders with. The next job was to muster support Event Report contributed by Steve Williams 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 For all your engine overhauls Lycoming, Continental, Gipsy, Rotax... Part 145 approved Call Bill O’Neill or Graeme Daniell 03 489 6870 or 027 307 5850 Taieri Airport, Mosgiel. www.southair.co.nzKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 57 48 Mangawhai Domain Fly-in Come and see us for affordable accessible recreational aviation services NZ wide l Microlight introductory flights l Simple entry process - NZTA Class 1 medical, FPP l Microlight flight training l Online examination service l Microlight pilot certification l Microlight type ratings for Part 61 pilots (RPL, PPL) l Annual inspections l BFR, medical, membership, inspection reminders Simple, low cost aviation support by pilots, for pilots, in a club-based environment. All for just $70 a year! Affiliated clubs throughout NZ Contact us to get into serious fun! RAANZ (Inc), PO Box 15016, Dinsdale, Hamilton P: 07 825 2800 or 021 076 3483 E: office@raanz.org.nz www.raanz.org.nz CAA approved Part 149 organisation 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 from those fellow aviators. I base my microlight, an Aeroprakt Foxbat A22LS at Dargaville and my first target was Rusty Russell. Rusty is well known for his ability to make his gyro do what churns ones stomach and is game for any sort of adventure. “I’m in” was his response. That gave me a confidence boost. I thought if only Rusty and I pitch up on the day, it would still be a success. The plan was mentioned to others. However, the response tended to be rather lukewarm. I needed help with this. Controlling ground operations and also flying in at the same time nearly needed divine intervention. So I spoke to Brian Millett from the Northern Microlight Club who has an active role in respect to local fly-ins. At the time, he wasn’t too sure… Things went quiet for a while and I thought that maybe everyone had just forgotten about it. Then Carol from the Domain Committee contacted me and asked when it was going to happen. This got me going - the rabbit needed to be pulled from the hat. I spoke to some local aviators who were not too interested, then again contacted the very supportive Brian Millett and we both jumped into action. Brian proved a great resource and after an on-site meeting, a plan was formulated. Sunday 18th February was to be the day. Committed now - me and my great ideas! I paced out the domain with a GPS and it measured 340 metres corner to corner diagonally. I studied the approaches and escape routes and envisaged the touch down point and rolling distance. It all seemed very doable. The next step was to draw diagrams of approaches and ground operations. I spoke to some experienced pilots and drew up scenarios for possible wind conditions. The strip would be a one way south to north, 34/16. A prevailing cross wind component would be something to contend with. I put a lot of hours into considering all options as I just had to get it right. Pilots would need to make smooth landings and not too-fast ‘floaters’ as the strip was short and terminated by a row of trees. At the Dargaville Aero Club I marked out 340 metres and set myself some targets. The Foxbat I fly is more than capable of landing within 100 metres in the right hands. I felt I needed to make sure I could do it in a maximum of 180. So I practiced until I felt confident. During one of our meetings, Brian started to expand the idea and soon it became a ‘Wings and Wheels’ event. The Wellsford Vintage Car Club was invited to come along to exhibit at the domain as well. We even had a RC flying Witch piloted by Ross McDonnell which added some light entertainment on the day. Once posted on Facebook, a lot of interest was raised from the general Mangawhai public. All we now needed was the weather to cooperate. Reviewing that on Thursday night confirmed we were all go. The forecast was for a light NE breeze - handy on the day if it eventuated. It did. On Friday I met with Mark Gash and his tractor. We cut a runway leaving longer grass as demarking lines. We set a touchdown target and a go-around point. The final approach presented a small hill with some silage bales but by using a makeshift angle indicator I sighted those and determined a clear glide path over the hill with ample clearance. Mark did a great job of the mowing and hopefully this would present well to the approaching pilots. The idea was to provide an obvious ground plan for unfamiliar pilots, which in fact was everyone. Brian would peg some plastic bags on both sides of the touchdown line and the go around line on Tail Wheel Ratings Aerobatic Ratings PPL - CPL - BFRs Friendly atmosphere Regular club activities Competitive Rates Very experienced B-Cat MEIR Commercial Pilot-Instructor Wanganui Aero Club 06 345 0914 WanganuiAeroClub.co.nz or look us up on Facebook49 2018 #2 Not only fixed wings. A gyro joined the gathering too. F K Saturday morning. On Saturday, I flew over from Dargaville and did a dummy run. Piece of cake I thought after the approach and at 500 feet I pulled out and departed back to Dargaville. All set now; let’s do it. The alarm went at 5am on Sunday morning. I was hoping to land on the domain by 0800. At 0715 it was still a bit overcast and foggy for my planned 30 minute flight. Biding my time until 0745 was agonising until Brian (at the domain) gave me the thumbs up to depart. I was off. Cloud was low and at times I was at minimum altitude. It cleared nicely as I approached the domain and flew over to check everything was in place. Brian did a sterling job with the touchdown markers and placement of the windsock. A right hand turn, a bit of meandering and soon I was on finals for 34. Throttling back I slipped over the bales of silage and lined up for the touchdown point. I was a tad fast but the touchdown was good and history was made. The first aeroplane known to have landed on the Mangawhai Domain was piloted by me! Well, I was here and there was promise of one or two others. I expected a modest affair if that. No sooner had I landed and set up a radio and speaker system that I heard the call of Wally Pendray in his Pelican MAL from Whitianga setting up on finals. Then they started to roll in. Rusty Russell soon joined the circuit and landed. We had about 16 aircraft arrive from microlights to gyros and trikes. I was speechless. Then the cars arrived and soon we had a pretty good display of aircraft and wheels. Later, Brian Taylor couldn’t resist the temptation of landing en route from Stratford to his home base near Whangarei. Martha, my long suffering wife and flying partner, was up early baking her famous scones. The coffee vendors arrived and one of the local sports clubs set up a BBQ for fundraising. The crowds came and we had about 350 in total there during the day. The only complaint was, “why didn’t we know about this”. We did advertise but apparently not well enough. Other comments were mainly, “I hope this happens again next year.” So the pressure is on. There is always a great team behind a successful event. Thanks to Brian Millet for his advice and support, Mark Gash for cutting the runway for us and helping to marshal people on the day, Carol and Lynn from the Domain Committee for their assistance and finally the pilots and vintage car owners for making the effort to fly and drive in. What is most rewarding is that the community of Mangawhai appreciated the event and wanted more. How great that we could share our passion with them. The sight of the so many budding young aviators, jostling to get up close with our aircraft, made it all especially worthwhile. Next year? By all accounts this will be repeated. Keep your diary open. Steve WilliamsNext >