Currency, learning and supreme aeronautical coolness!

I went flying today in order to re-attain day currency on the Cessna 172. It was a bit of a weird situation really which goes back to NZ's Civil Aviation Rules [CAR], in particular CAR Part 61.37 (b) & (c).

Basically, CAR Part 61.37 (b) provides the currency requirements to be able to take passengers by day, and CAR Part 61.37 (c) does the same for night flight. Boiled down this means 3 take off and landings in the type of aircraft by day [or night as appropriate] by myself.

As it turns out, at the beginning of the day I could quite legally have taken passengers for a flight at night, but I was unable to do so during the day!

Nuts perhaps, since night flight is harder than day flight, but they are the rules. No great problem I suppose and since there was a crosswind, so I got a series of crosswind takeoffs and landings, with flapless and 'normal' approaches and a practice go-around with full flap... all good practice.

In other news, we had one of Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12/45's, ZK-PLS, in the hanger today, as some of their pilots underwent a type rating ground course. Here are a couple of photos.

Pilatus PC12/45, ZK-PLS, operated by Sounds Air

Pilatus PC12/45, ZK-PLS, operated by Sounds Air

I'll be getting my first ride in one of these fine looking aircraft later this month on the regular Taupo to Wellington route - it should be fun!

Last up is a picture of a Gulkstream GVI, ZK-KFB. While operated by ExecuJet New Zealand, this is Peter Jackson's private jet. Very nice ;-)

Gulfstream GVI, ZK-KFB, operated by ExecuJet New Zealand