Otaki Airstrip today!

Wellington Aero Club held their much anticipated club trip to Otaki airstrip [ICAO: NZOT] today. The day dawned with awesome weather and everyone arrived at the aero club at about the appointed time.

Knowing how club trips can take time [sometimes a LOT of time :-)] to get going, I made a point of arriving early and pre-flighting the club's Cessna 172N, ZK-FLT, which would be my aircraft for the day.

After a good briefing, mine was the first aircraft to get going and depart [did I mention I don't like wasting time if I don't need to?] with three of us onboard and heading to Otaki. A gentle 45 minute flight time [including runups] and we arrived first.

It took just over an hour or so [did I mention that it sometimes take a LOT of time? Ha ha ha], the remaining aircraft had arrived.

Weather at Otaki was hot hot hot and when I arrived, still air. By the time we left mid afternoon the winds were about 15 knots straight across the runway. A bit lumpy but fun none-the-less. The flight home went via Paraparaumu to refuel.

Anyway, on to the pictures. These pictures cover off the aircraft [including privately owned ones] that came up from Wellington. The next post will have a few special extras from the airfield. Top to bottom we have:

Cessna 172N, ZK-FLT

Piper PA28-161, ZK-MBG

Piper PA38-112, ZK-WAC

Piper PA38-112, ZK-JFE

Cessna 172S, ZK-CEO

Giles G200, ZK-LGT

Picture of all of the aircraft