MAY 2010

NEWSLETTER

Contents

President’s Report

CFI’s Report

Club Captain’s Report

Events Calendar

Admin Antics

Waipukurau Dawn Visit

by Tim Whittaker and Shane Davies

Microlight News

Flying for Fun is Affordable . . . .

Contact List

New Members

AirborneAirborneAirborneAirborne

The Newsletter of the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club Inc

Hastings Aerodrome Bridge Pa, P O Box 2199 Hastings, New Zealand Telephone 06 879 8466

Fax 06 879 9805 Email: info@aerohb.co.nz

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

We received more than 70mm of rain in one day last week and more since so I guess the drought is over. Suddenly the field is green again. It always amazes me how well our field copes with these deluges. Our grass runways may be hard as concrete in summer but they are an all year round strip. I recall turning up at Kaipara Flats airfield once to find not only was flying out of the question but logs were floating down the runway in a half metre of water. Six inches of mud made for some very short landings that winter. The Stearman has decided winter has arrived. The radial engine likes it warm. After all they were designed to fly in the American south and midwest. So each year once the temperatures get down to less than 10 deg C she coughs and wheezes a bit on startup until spring. She let out the first cough of the year two weeks ago. So it is time to get the long johns out for winter open cockpit flying. Mind you having said that there was a significant temperature inversion the day of the Waipukurau dawn fly-in and after freezing behind the Stearman’s big fan on the ground as we passed through 100ft on climb out it warmed up considerably and became virtually Hawaiian shirt weather. The runway markings are about to be repainted. It is six years since it was last done. Weather permitting that should be completed mid June so stay alert for any activity on the runway and check with the office about runway status – it may be closed for a short period while the paint dries! The next Club committee meeting is on 1st June and we will be working on the preparation of a draft strategic plan for the Aero Club to bring to members for consultation. With three months of the financial year behind us I can report the Club and Air HB Ltd remain on track to achieve budgeted profit this year. There is a long way to go yet but so far so good. The FRASCA Mentor G1000 simulator that the Club has purchased is almost ready for shipment ex USA so it should be arriving on site late June. So expect to see some activity around the office as that is installed and signed off. JMR will be receiving some new antennae. Part of a contract for its use in GPS tracking/aerial field studies of Kiwi. So if you notice some unobtrusive new aerials you will know why. The Board of Air HB Ltd will be holding their Annual General Meeting in July. This is held each year during a Club committee meeting and sees the Board reporting to the shareholder about the year past and the strategy and plans going forward. Also any new Directors are appointed. The Club committee represents the Club as 100% shareholder. A minimum of four Directors are required with two year terms and usually two Directors retiring by rotation each year. If anyone feels they have or know someone with skills or experience that would contribute to the Board and would like to put their name forward for consideration – give me a call – ph 8798860. Next up for the winter dawn raids/breakfasts is Dannevirke on Sunday 20th June. Can we better the huge armada that we put into the skies for the Waipukurau event on May 16th? I think we had 23 aircraft depart for that fly-in. Great work by our Club Captain Chris to stir up that effort. See you airborne on the 20th . . . . .

Bruce Govenlock

Photo courtesy David Walker

Photo courtesy Warren Buckland

CFI’S REPORT

Hello all. DAWN VISIT An excellent turn out of Club Members for the annual dawn visit to Waipukurau (not allowed to call it what it really is any more). Our entire training fleet attended except for one Tomahawk, which was used for a couple of trial flights. There are reports and pictures elsewhere in this newsletter. BP SCHOLARSHIP The scholarship is complete for another year, and congratulations to all of the winners. As usual the marks were very close, and after recounts etc. the six prize winners were decided. The winners were: $1000 prizes: Shane Davies, James Schofield, Karen Pallesen, Glenn Riddell, Bruce Sutherland. $500 prize: Andrew Herbert. Some winners have started flying training. I hope you all get lots of enjoyment from flying, and being a part of the club. The club flying has taken a downturn, possibly through weather and winter, but there are many days where there is little wind and cloud. Although it is better to book ahead, we can normally provide members with an aircraft at short notice. Ring the club and check. A CLUB TRIP TO THE BEACH A club trip to the beach is in the process of being organised in conjunction with CHB aero club, and yes we will be flying in. The actual beach, and the dates are yet to be finalised, but no doubt the club captain will have more information for you in the next club newsletter. I am in the process of putting together a briefing, and I am hopeful that as many pilots a possible get to try their hand at beach landings and take offs. Safe and enjoyable flying. Max Dixon CFI

CLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORTCLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORTCLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORTCLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Hello club members. Well first of all, thank you for electing me to this position of Club Captain. I will endeavour to do my best in this role, but must look for help from you the members to complete any tasks that arise. My first task was to assemble as many aircraft as possible to visit with Waipukurau for the were the hosts for the first dawn visit of the season. It was remarkable effort of club pilots with also the private owners getting together and assembling a massive total of 24 aircraft descending into Waipuk. As you will see from photos supplied by the courtesy of Tim Whittaker, we were the greatest assembly on the airfield. It was also a record for Waipuk in that there was a total of 57 aircraft and a great amount of huge sausages on the BBQ. Cheers Waipuk for a great event. Oh, by the way, we were successful in defending the Frogley Cup. Well done team HB&EC. June 20th will see us amassing again to go to Dannevirke for their dawn visit. I encourage all members and there partners and friends to join us for this event. Can we get more than 24 aircraft to Dannevirke? The challenge is there, so get talking now because it will soon be here. A notice will be posted shortly for the how’s, what, where’s and do's. Club day this month saw members paint the new fence that was erected between the hangars on the entrance, a hangar swept out, BBQ totally water blasted clean, thanks Chris Soper. I actually think he had fun doing it. The upstairs kitchen totally cleaned and re-organised including the oven and the whole up stairs cleaned from top to bottom. Thanks to all those that were available for this working bee. I hope to do one of these quarterly through the year. Oh yeah, the barbecue was awesome yet again. Lots of things being organised for the year so will keep you all posted. Remember that he or she that puts in the efforts will get the reward. So I ask you the members to help where you can. Thanks. Club Captain Chris

Events Calendar

Jun-10

Friday 4th - Sunday 6th NZAWA 50th anniversary Rally - Tauranga All welcome

www.nzawa.org.nz

Monday 14th - RNZAF Wise Owl Camp begins - Napier

Saturday 19th RNZAF Wise Owl Open Day - Napier

Sunday 20th Dannevirke Dawn Visit

Sunday 27th Club day - Microlight Day on Field 1pm

bbq - 4pm

Jul-10

Friday 2nd RNZAC Conference - Wellington

Saturday 10th Mid Winter Christmas Party

Sunday 18th HB&EC Aeroclub Dawn Raid Sunday 25th Club Day - Cross Country Wairoa fly away

ADMIN ADMIN ADMIN ADMIN ANTICSANTICSANTICSANTICS

Hi everyone! Well, I didn’t get around to doing an article last month, so some of my news might be a bit old. For example, Anzac Day. Biff, Helen and I went to the service at the hospital and I’d just like to say how fabulous the formation looked, and how moving it was. They went over just as we were standing to sing the “Anzac Hymn”. I was wearing my Club shirt and I felt very proud to be associated with the Club at that moment. I’m normally proud of it anyway, but the formation on Anzac Day was extra special. A big thank you to all you guys who put in the time and effort to train up. Everyone looks for the aircraft going over and it has been embarrassing in the past when they haven’t turned up. So well done, all of you! You may have heard that I am now acting as the Club Secretary. This is not a voting position and I will be going along to the meetings to take the minutes, and type them up afterwards. I will also be dealing with inwards correspondence, and sending out group emails. I last went to a Committee Meeting back in 1997, so it will be interesting to see if they have changed much. The EIT Year 1’s are in the South Island at the moment, on their Air Safari. I think the weather has hindered them quite considerably but they did get as far as Queenstown. Hopefully, one of them will write an article on their trip for the Newsletter so we can read all about it and see the photos. I’ve heard that the Dawn Visit in Waipukurau was a great success with about 56 aircraft in total. What a great turn-out! I’m really looking forward to our one. Nothing like a big cooked breakfast and seeing an array of visiting aircraft and their pilots here. We’ve also had the Scholarship Presentation evening which was held on 11 May. I wasn’t able to attend, but I’d like to give my congratulations to the winners, and welcome all the entrants to the Club. One idea that Mike Fleming and I had for a Club trip is to fly down to Paraparaumu for the day and visit the Southward Car Museum. Would anyone else be interested? If so, please let me know, and we can get a list of names together. I’ve been twice before but the last time was over 15 years ago so I am sure there are plenty more exhibits to look at. I’ve heard they have a great café as well! House-sitting is full-on, as usual, but you’ll be pleased to hear I haven’t killed any animals for a while. Must be losing my touch! I have started back into my studies as well with the History paper on “Plagues”. My exam in at the end of October so hopefully by then, I’ll be well-versed on the subject. Funnily enough, the suspected origin of syphilis has stuck in my brain – something to do with bored shepherds! Well, on that note, I’ll sign off here, Happy Flying!

Justine Fisher

Colin Woollard sent in this very good video link. It is worth looking at. http://www.ziln.co.nz/program_detail.php?program_id=475&channel_id=83

An oops! moment . . . .

WAIPUKURAU DAWN VISIT

From Tim Whittaker . . . . ZK-FQQ is all booked and it looks like a good weather forecast for the Central Hawke’s Bay Aero Club’s Dawn Raid. Due to one of my passengers dragging the chain complaining of the early start (namely my three year son Luca) we delayed our takeout from Hastings until well after the sun was up (0715 ). Midway down to CHB we hear a radio call, in fact several, of pilots calling “going round”, so I’m thinking I’d better be careful, as there must be some sleepy pilots not clearing the runway or such like. Closer to the drome we hear mentions of fog - a lot of fog!

Overhead we start our downwind leg and looking back into the sun the fog looks thick with no sign of the runway at all, none the less we continue the circuit to get a closer look and with the sun behind us a lovely hole opens up for a gentle landing (I would say that). Cliff landing directly behind us confirmed the choice we made, although several others behind made several attempts for settling down. As usual the CHB aero club turned on a fantastic breakfast and stoked a huge brazier to keep the punters warm outside. From what I heard, around 55 planes turned out with a contingent of 22 from HB&ECAC – well done everyone! Just proves the recession IS over, must be, I mean we each paid $100+ for a sausage and cup of tea! (and spaghetti and soup and toast etc). Either that or the spirit of flying is still in good shape! PS: The wee boy is my son Luca (3) who came along for a sausage!!

Photos courtesy Tim Whittaker—more next page

Jan White

Mike Fleming

Malcolm Belcher

WAIPUKURAU DAWN VISIT continued From Shane Davies (aged 14) . . . . On Sunday the 16th May I was invited by the Hawkes’ Bay Aero Club to fly down to the Central Hawke’s Bay Aero Club for breakfast. I had to be out at the aero club by 6 am that morning. When I arrived John and I moved a couple of planes out of the way so we could get to the new Cessna 172 G1000 glass cockpit Skyhawk. Once we got it out of the hangar we were able to start the preflight checks. When these were completed, John, Terry and myself were able to taxi onto the runway and were all clear for takeoff. There was fog forming on the runway so we took off and made our way to Waipukurau. I am not sure, but I think it took around nine minutes to get there so we just flew around for a while and did a low pass and wingover. We were the first plane on the ground. We went inside to get some soup then went outside and watched the other planes come in and land. A few planes were unable to land because of heavy fog on the airstrip. For breakfast we had sausages and eggs on toast. I got to mingle with the other pilots and talk about things that I understood. Later in the day they organised a spot landing competition with Hawke’s Bay Aero Club versus Dannevirke and Waipukurau and a couple of other club. We won the trophy. On the way home I flew in a Piper Tomahawk with an Air New Zealand domestic pilot. It was a cool experience. Thanks for the opportunity and the great day out.

Some pics from

Waipukurau from

Rob Wallace . . . .

Microlight News Another new aircraft hit the club scene with the arrival of Trevor Doig’s new Tecnam Echo Classic. This is an aircraft that can fly under Microlight rules and as Trev says “You can’t see anything in the clouds anyway”. And the best part is, he can maintain it himself. Currently Gerry is getting him sorted out flying-wise and it is hard to imagine him being in better hands. I don’t think it will be long before he is taking to the skies solo, like he was in the Tomahawks. TRD, as it is called, has already had a showing at one club outing, the first of many he says. This outing to Waipukurau was under the watchful eye of Ken McKee who helped him in the early stages. So watch out for TRD. The guess is that it will be amongst the most used aircraft in the privately owned recreational fleet. At under 10 litres of pump fuel per hour, it’s not hard to see why these light aircraft are becoming popular. There is another new one being built by a club member and another being talked about in the bar. So it’s all good news in the Microflight fleet.

FLYING FOR FUN IS AFFORDABLE . . .

IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND AND SAVING

SKILLS TO IT by Brendon Vanstone from Canterbury

I’ve always had a fascination for flying, both heli and fixed wing, since as long as I can remember, right back to when my family used to have deer traps on the South Island's west coast back in the 1980's. We would call up the local heli pilot after receiving a signal from the trap that we had a wild one and after bringing the deer to our farm on the flats, he would often take us kids to school if the timing was right, as it was on his way home and it was great excitement for us and our fellow 15 school mates. I’ve always known I would get in the sky one way or another, and sure enough, back in the late 1990's I got my recreational licence at Timaru, which, was to me, amazing. I could go land anywhere that I could fly out of and I could take friends for flights wherever I chose, and the cost was minimal. Since then I’ve clocked up over 90 hours in the Bantam B22 and numerous LSA aircraft, including 15hrs or so in a luxurious Sportscruiser.

Since then I’ve done my GA licence at Christchurch in Tomohawks, Cherokees and Archers, where, even though this was quite a lot more procedural and 'strict' flying, I think what I learnt was invaluable.

more . . . . .

Following this I’ve done ratings in different aircraft at different aerodromes around the country, and the world. Float plane experience in Canada, tail dragger training over Stonehenge in the UK, and gliding in Switzerland, now Paragliding training here! See, the way I keep interested in anything, is through variation, like a lot of others I’m sure. So in relation to flying, I fly what I can when I can, and learn lots of different things between different aircraft, instructors and aerodromes. Yes,

sometimes i do find myself looking for the fuel selector in a Cessna 150 or the flap angle indicator to my top left in a Tomahawk, but I’ve never had any safety compromises through confusion. I believe knowing lots of different ways and different aircraft in the long run, is very beneficial. About 3 years back, after a lot of saving, I got my Helicopter licence, in an R22 then a rating in the R44 and just recently, since arriving in the Hawke’s Bay, a rating in a Hughes 269. Learning to fly a Helicopter was something very different (and very expensive) for me. This is where the motor sensors really come into play, one action requires at least two simultaneous reactions to keep balanced, S&L etc, so it was an amazing 56 hours but once again, I learn a lot more to do with flying, including revision of what I had learnt previously, which I feel is very important when flying only recreationally. The main issue that deters a lot of prospective recreational pilots is, yes, the cost. Because its something I’ve been passionate about for so long, and it had been my dream to fly planes and helicopters since I could walk, I put flying as priority for my 'fun fund'. I’ve saved for years, from a mowing and baling contracting business when I was still at high school, using my dad’s equipment, to avoiding nights out on the town, so I could spend the money on flying for an hour the following day instead. I definitely don’t have a lot of money, but if you enjoy flying as much as I do, you would find a way to save money, I did. Here at Hastings I am wanting to do my Cessna 172 rating soon, which will bring my total ratings up to 10, being current in seven of these. I have found Hawke’s Bay Aero Club to be a very pro-active club to belong to, and the hire rates the best I have seen anywhere in NZ!! Good on you for keeping flight affordable for us private flyers, especially in such a beautiful and more often than not sunny part of the country. The only issue I see here in Hawkes Bay, after coming from the large paddocked wide open Canterbury Plains (where an engine failure is nothing to stress over) is where can i put the plane down without it coming out purple and the landing gear tangled in vines??!! I’m heading back down to the wet and snow laden south next month, but when I’m back up these ways, I will be sure to drop in and do a local flight or two. Let’s hope there’s a chance for a Light Sports Aircraft in the future for members to use. I’d be racking up some flight time in it, that’s for sure . . . . .

500ft over Stonehenge

DANNEVIRKE DAWN FLY IN

Sunday 20th June

Usual breakfast will be supplied

Spot landing on arrival

email gmmmore@xtra.co.nz

for more information

or

telephone 06 3744180 on the day

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERSWELCOME TO NEW MEMBERSWELCOME TO NEW MEMBERSWELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

CHAO JIANG JOSHUA NYSSE

GAVIN THOM SHANE DAVIES

JAMES SCHOFIELD KAREN PALLESEN GLENN RIDDELL

BRUCE SUTHERLAND ANDREW HERBERT

Contact List

PATRON Cyril Whitaker PRESIDENT Bruce Govenlock 06 879 8860 VICE PRESIDENT Neil Lawrence 06 845 1933 SECRETARY Justine Fisher 06 879 8466 TREASURER Steve Shepherd 06 845 3002 CLUB CAPTAIN Chris Rawlings 06 870 0110 VICE CLUB CAPTAIN Stephanie Eilers 06 879 8860 COMMITTEE Steve Algar 06 843 4052 Bruce Chambers 06 874 9894 Phillip Gray 06 871 0081 Gavin Grimmer 06 879 4950 Clem Powell 06 842 2212 Jan White 06 879 9493 John Clare 06 877 3990 Marty Lloyd 027 443 6094 RNZAC CONTACT Kevin Lloyd (Cook Strait Rep) Max Dixon (Instructor Council) CHIEF FLYING INSTRUCTOR Max Dixon 06 879 6461

Another oops! moment . . . .

Can anyone think a suitable caption for the above photo . . . . ?

Where is this airfield . . . . ?