West Auckland Airport Parakai is available for General Aviation, drop-in visitors welcome. Radio 123.5 in MBZ.  Due to frequent skydiving, please join downwind, base or final (not overhead).  Visitor parking by the hangars down taxiway

Richard Scott being congratulated on his first solo by Instructor Kevin Healey... well done guys :)

Karamea Airport, NZKM:    On a recent flying safari in the Dynaero ZK-WIK, an overnight stop was made at Karamea at the NW end of the South Island near the end of the Heaphy Track.   Highly fit people like to ride the track on mountain bikes from Takaka over the mountains (they have different days for bikes and hikers), and down to Karamea.  But most don't want to turn around and ride back...   and its a nine hour drive by road, a very long way round.    Problem solved by a short hop using the Cessna ZK-MIT, seen here with the bikes attached under the wings.     Not sure if they have a bomb release.     While there is a lot of drag, this plane has a big motor and can handle that, and apparently there is very little loss of lift, the congestion under the wings sending more air over the top where most of the lift is generated anyway.

Cessna ZK-MIT (note bikes under the wings)

Southern Alps with cloud:    On the planned flight from Hokitika NZHK to Hanmer Springs, the cloud started to thicken and in this photo some of the mountain tops can be seen poking through at around 7000ft...  which would have been alright with the broken cloud below as we were following a clear lane...  but note another layer of cloud above which was lowering slightly as we went further in.   This started to develop a feel of a trap ready to spring, so we turned back, descended though one of the holes and went by a different route to Lake Station NZLE for the night.  "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots."

Dynaero ZK-WIK over broken cloud with hard centres.

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Coming Events:

Saturday 17th November:   RAANZ AGM 2018  at Feilding NZFI.    Feilding Flying Club clubrooms Feilding Airfield
For more details, papers, information, remits, etc check the RAANZ website which will be updated as preparations continue.

18th Nov, Sunday.  Warbirds Armistice Day Open Day, Ardmore. 10am to 4pm

30 November to 02 December: Taildraggers Fly-in.   Bridge Pa aerodrome, Hastings. Contact club instructor Cassandra Jeffries Ph: 06 879 8466 E: cassj@hbeca.co.nz

8th December, Saturday.  NAC Christmas Flyin at Kaipara Flats – Organized by Tim Harrison/Keith Morris.

30th December, NAC Whananaki Flyin –  Northland Aviation Club fly-in organized by Martin Farrand.

1st January 2019, New Year's Day.  'First In The World Fly In' (FITWFI) at Waipukurau NZYF.   Always the first aviation event of the year (anywhere) because of NZ's summer time being 13h ahead of UTC.    Aircraft fly in from all round the lower half of the North Island, with usually some from Auckland, and the South Island.  A good chance to see some different aircraft.   Moves around the local airfields in the lower North Island. 

19th January, NAC Breakfast Flyin at Kaipara Flats:  Tim Harrison/Brian Millet

26th to 28th Jan 2019, Weekend.  Autogyro Assn fly-in at Dannevirke.  Annual get together for gyros, with fixed wing also welcome.   Flyout to Athbey Farm, socialising, AGM, lunches and more.   For details see www.autogyro.org.nz

COROMANDEL: Lunch 2nd Sunday of each month from 12:30. Clubhouse Ph 07 866 2055. Click here for airfield details.

WHANGAREI: Last Saturday of each month at hangar 10, the Western end of the row of hangars.  Whangarei Flying Club meeting at 10:30 with lunch to follow.  Clubhouse phone 09 436 4053.  Click here for airfield details.

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