... and help Wairarapa Flying Tigers to restore Harvard 33!
How to enter? Super simple, just click here for the Trademe auction!
Easy as, and supporting the Wairarapa Flying Tigers to get an awesome historic aircraft back in the air is a good thing to do!
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| North American AT-6C Harvard, Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
Saturday was another day to head to Masterton airfield and continue my flight training on the Piper J3C-50, ZK-AHD, with Wairarapa Flying Tigers.
Today's flight was more upper air work - stalls, steep turns, slow flight, slips and an overhead rejoin. I was also seated in the rear seat, which was an interesting experience with limited visibility, but one I'll get used to since this aircraft is flown solo from the back seat. Next lesson will likely be lots of circuits. That'll be a lot of fun!
Not only that, but I am also learning some of the ground stuff, like starting the engines of the J3 and the de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moths. These aircraft don't have starter motors [it seems to be just additional dead weight to carry around 😁], so they start using the Armstrong method, or swinging the propellers by hand. Fun times, and at the end of the day, all fingers are accounted for.
Only two photos from today, of two of Wairarapa Flying Tiger-operated de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moths, ZK-ANL and ZK-BLK. Once up to speed on the J3, this will be the next bit of fun.
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| de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth, ZK-BLK, operated by Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
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| de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth, ZK-ANL, operated by Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
J3.
A fairly cryptic title I suppose, but very relevant to this post, as I had my first flight in a Piper J3C-50 Cub, ZK-AHD last weekend! What a fantastic experience!
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| Piper J3C-50 Cub, ZK-AHD, operated by Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
This aircraft is operated by the Wairarapa Flying Tigers, alongside their Tiger Moths, and DHC Chipmunk [although this is awaiting servicing at the moment]. It is powered by a Continental A50, developing a massive 50hp* and has a max all up weight of 498 kgs. Definitely the lightest aircraft I have every flown and very definitely the lowest powered, by a long shot. Climb is a sprightly 60-65mph [no, not knots] and stall is about 35mph.
The panel is appropriately vintage as well
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| Piper J3C-50 Cub, ZK-AHD, operated by Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
What a fantastic and fun machine it was to fly!
For this first lesson, it was turns, basic stalls, slow flight, an overhead rejoin and some circuits including 3 pointer landings and a wheeler landing. We actually tried two wheeler landings, but one was so bad, I went around. Fun times!!
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| Piper J3C-50 Cub, ZK-AHD, operated by Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
The aircraft was flown with the door open [as I suppose a Cub should be flown...😁]. The speeds are quite sedate which provides more time to think about this, but with just under an hour in the seat today, there is certainly still more work to be done before I'm competent to take it up myself.
Fun times, and I'm definitely going back for more!
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| Piper J3C-50 Cub, ZK-AHD, operated by Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
My understanding is that after a Cub rating, there may be an opportunity to do a Tiger Moth rating. That would be fun also!
* 50hp would be a similar number of horses as I have years... low power, young years? 😁
Yesterday I went on a trip to Masterton. I flew the Nanchang CJ6A, ZK-MAO, over there and back. In between times, I had a nice meal at the Kittyhawke cafe.
I also got to see these two de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moths, ZK-ANL and ZK-BEW, starting up for a flight. One day 👍
It is great to see these awesome aircraft still being used regularly. There's even a chance I may end up flying them one day. Stay tuned.
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| de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth, ZK-ANL, ZK-BEW, operated by Wairarapa Flying Tigers |
They are also available for joy rides if you are interested. Wairarapa Flying Tigers is the place to go to find out more.
If you're a pilot and are interested in flying these wonderful aircraft, you can use the same website to make contact with Wairarapa Flying Tigers.
For the first time in many years, Wairarapa and Wellington Aero Clubs held an inter-club competition last Saturday. These used to happen regularly, but haven't for a few years now. There is even a rather large and impressive cup, the Liverton Cup, on offer.
The competitions
The day consisted of three competitions taken from the excellent [I may be biased!] set of competitions run by Flying NZ for their regional and national competition events. We also used the relevant safety standards promulgated by Flying NZ, especially for the landing grid set-up and operations.
The three competitions were:
To give different people a fair go, there were three categories, Junior [student pilots], Senior [licenced pilots] and Special [CPL, instructors and other "special" people 😆]. It was a friendly get-together, with an emphasis on having fun and learning something and serving as an introduction to pilots from both clubs who had not experienced competitions before.
I had planned to spend most of my day running the landing grid... but I found out partway through the day that someone had entered me into the precision circuits and forced landing competitions. They also decided that I would also use the Nanchang CJ6A, ZK-MAO. Funny people.
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| Nanchang CJ6A, ZK-MAO, operated by Wellington Aero Club |
That might be the last time anyone enters me in a competition without asking first 😁.
Kiwi Coffee and Kai Catering
Kiwi Coffee and Kai Catering provided delicious food in the afternoon and evening. Yum! Apparently they cater all over the place, and I'm sure Wairarapa Aero Club will be happy to have them back another day. The owners of the food truck came along for a ride in Wellington's Cessna 172N, ZK-EKE - a nice little 20 minute trip. Check out their FB page for some photos and video of the flight.
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| Cessna 172N, ZK-EKE, operated by Wellington Aero Club |
Flying Tigers
The Wairarapa Flying Tigers were out in force, providing rides in their two DH82A Tiger Moths. Very impressive machines, and I know everyone enjoyed their rides.
I signed up as a member of Flying Tigers a while ago, but being busy, yet again I managed to fail miserably at going for a ride. Sad. Another day.
The end result?
Everyone had fun and I'm sure most people learnt something [I learnt that I should be more careful about applying sunscreen everywhere exposed... Grrrr!].
I actually had fun gliding the Nanchang onto the ground - that last 500' is always the fun bit. I also flew the Nanchang to/ from Wellington - again, good fun.
Congrats to Wairarapa Aero Club who took out the Liverton Cup this year. We'll be back next year to take it back!
