Overhead rejoin at Foxpine aerodrome

As per my last post, last ANZAC day afternoon, two friends and I headed off for a flight up north.

Not being able to get past Whanganui due to the weather, after refueling, we turned back and flew into Foxpine and Paraparaumu aerodromes.

This video shows the overhead rejoin I carried out at Foxpine. The aircraft is Wellington Aero Club's Cessna 172N, ZK-EKE.

Whanganui, Foxpine and Paraparaumu

Three of us Wellington Aero Club members went on a trip today. Originally, we were looking at visiting Mounts Ruapehu, Ngaruahoe and Tongariro, followed by a flight around Mount Taranaki.

This was not to be, with the weather a little less favourable than expected, the plan changed during out stop in Whanganui, to return to Wellington via Foxpine [NZFP] and Paraparaumu [NZPP], with a bit of sightseeing on the way.

The flight was a lot of fun, and we fit in a bit under 3 hours in total, with me doing 2 hours, and Rhys just under an hour. Our aircraft was the club's Cessna 172N, ZK-EKE.

Here are a few of the photos from the flight. Some are mine, with a couple from Matt, our passenger. I hope to have some video up from the Whanganui to Foxpine and Paraparaumu sectors in the next week or two.

Wellington airport and surrounding suburbs

Cessna 172N, ZK-EKE, operated by Wellington Aero Club

NZFP - Foxpine aerodrome

NZPP - Paraparaumu aerodrome

The sun is getting lower after departure from Paraparaumu

The southern end of Kapiti Island, looking south

Cessna 150/152 type rating flight

Last Sunday I undertook a type rating with Wanganui Aero Club in their Cessna 150H, ZK-CTF. It was a fun flight and after an hour or so of dual flight I did some solo circuits.

Only some of the flight was recorded [unfortunately the Go Pro Session 5 battery is rubbish, so not everything was recorded] and of that, I've found a few bits that might be interesting. Obviously, with a 6-minute video, most of the flight is not included...!

Enjoy the video and let me know what you think...

A new type rating today!

I wasn't intending to fly today, but while visiting family in Whanganui, I popped in to see the friendly people at Wanganui Aero Club. I might be needing an aircraft next weekend. As my normal type of a Cessna 172 will have a new engine around then, I underwent a type rating in their C150 instead.

What a fun time! I had 1 hour of dual with Leroy, followed by 0.4 hours to get three circuits in. It has been a while since I'd had to fit in all the manoeuvres in on one flight, but in that one hour we managed the following:

Medium turns, steep turns, slow flight [including turns with and without flap], basic and wingdrop stalls, FLWOP, rejoin the circuit, flapless approach, glide approach, EFATO and precision approach and landing.

Just to make it more fun, all the circuits had a crosswind component.

Following this, I did the three solo circuits including finishing with the precision approach and landing. The C150 doesn't need much room to land, even though I wasn't trying hard for a short landing roll. Fun times!

Cessna 150H, ZK-CTF, operated by Wanganui Aero Club

Wellington Airport's Runway 34 City Departure

Is there a more scenic departure from any international airport? It would certainly be hard to beat the runway 34 City Departure at Wellington airport!

On a nice day, this departure shows off the harbour, then the city, the wind farm and finally Cook Strait. all in seven or eight minutes of flying.

This video is 2 x normal speed, so it's under 4 minutes to see much of Wellington. Well worth the watch! I was a passenger on this flight and the aircraft is Wellington Aero Club's Cessna 172N, ZK-EKE.