Flying NZ Cook Strait regional flying competition

Last weekend I was up in Whanganui for the Flying NZ Cook Strait region competitions.Unlike the previous four years, I wasn't the Competition Director [Thanks Leroy for doing that this year. Well done!], but I was given the role of Chief Ground Judge [so LOTS of time out on the landing grid], as well as competing in the Wigram Cup Basic Panel Instrument Flying competition.

A fun day and one that was well organised by Flying NZ and the Wanganui Aero Club.

For me, the weekend started with a flight to Whanganui in Wellington Aero Club's Cessna 172N, ZK-EKE on Friday. My competition was done in a Piper PA38-112 Tomahawk, ZK-TAW on Saturday and the flight home on Sunday was again in EKE.

I didn't get any pictures during the competitions - I was too busy with managing safety on the grid and ensuring the judging was up to standard, but I did get some on Saturday evening and on the flight home.

First up is the de Havilland DH112 Venom, ZK-VNM. This was pulled out of its hanger and turned some Jet A1 into noise and kinetic energy. Nice!

de Havilland DH112 Venom, ZK-VNM, operated by Wanganui Sea and Air Charters

This Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire Mk 26 Replica, ZK-SPT, was pushed out of it's hanger to make room for the competition presentation dinner. What an awesome machine!

Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire Mk26 Replica, ZK-SPT

It looked great in the dark also!

Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire Mk26 Replica, ZK-SPT

I am always impressed at the quality of photos on my new iPad Mini 6. here are a couple as we passed over Paraparaumu airport and a cockpit photo of EKE.

NZPP - Paraparaumu airport

NZPP - Paraparaumu airport

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

Oh yeah... competition results. I managed a First Equal in my competition. I'm quite stocked with that! I guess the practice helped. Well done to Mads from HBECAC who was also first equal - a great guy and friendly rivalry [rumour has it, I might has tried to convince Mads that I was so bad, that he would win even if he didn't compete... 😁😁😁 ... didn't work!].

De Havilland DH112 Venom

I'm just going through my photos from the past few weeks when I pulled out these photos of the De Havilland DH112 Venom, ZK-VNM. I think you'll agree that these are well worth showing!

The first is on takeoff, the others later on. It's helpful to have a decent zoom lens on the camera!

De Havilland DH112 Venom, ZK-VNM

De Havilland DH112 Venom, ZK-VNM

De Havilland DH112 Venom, ZK-VNM

Whanganui Airport Open Day - Warbirds

Aside from the DC3, which is a genuine warbird in its own right, there were two other interesting warbird aircraft that visited.

First up was the de Havilland DH112 Venom Mk 1, ZK-VNM, which is operated by Wanganui Sea and Air Charters.

de Havilland DH112 Venom Mk1, ZK-VNM, operated by Wanganui Sea and Air Charters

de Havilland DH112 Venom Mk1, ZK-VNM, operated by Wanganui Sea and Air Charters

Second up was the Consolidated-Vultee PBY-5A Catalina, ZK-PBY, operated by The Catalina Company of a Papakura address. Unfortunately I missed getting photos of the fly past... you'll just need to trust me when I say it looked awesome!

Consolidated-Vultee PBY-5A Catalina, ZK-PBY, operated by The Catalina Company

de Havilland Venom at Wanganui

Further to my last post, here is quick video of one pass of the de Havilland DH112 Venom, ZK-VNM at Wanganui. It was only recorded on a handheld recorder, so go to the 1 minute 10 second mark to see the approach and overshoot.

Enjoy!

Up to Vegas - Wanga-Vegas that is

Today started off really nice - well, hot with low winds and so early afternoon Kai and I took the Club's Cessna 172N, ZK-FLT for a trip to up Wanganui. After leaving Wellington, we stopped off at Paraparaumu to drop off a Club instructor before continuing to Wanganui.

To say the visibility was great, would understate things somewhat! Around Foxton, we could clearly see Mt Ruapehu and Mt Taranaki - unusual to say the least.

Anyway, Kai landed us at Wanganui where we hopped out for 30 minutes or so to stretch the legs. After pre-flighting the aircraft for the return flight, we got the extra thrill of a de Havilland DH112 Venom Mk1, which I believe was ZK-VNM based at Ohakea Airbase, performing a flypast. Nice! After watching a couple of passes down the runway [I'll see if I can get some video at some stage], plus approach and overshoots, we jumped in the Cessna to head back.

This was my turn to fly and it was all fine, until getting back into the Wellington Control Zone where a bit of low cloud and the increasing and gusty winds made for a bit of fun. As I sit at home writing this, I'm glad we made it back when we did, as it's now back to being somewhat foggy...

Anyway, I only have two photos - the first is the panel from the C172's panel as Kai flew us north [note: wings level, neither climbing or descending, even the ball is in the middle - all at the same time! :-)], and the second is a Jabiru J230 UL, ZK-STA and registered to a New Plymouth address.