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

 Poker Run:   More photos, this is Hargreaves Ag strip at Paparoa right beside the main road to Dargaville.   Needless to say it is definitely a one way strip.

Hargreaves Strip Paparoa (Keith Morris photo).   At more than 400m its longer than it looks 

and performs like a much longer strip due to the slope.  On this approach the plane descended

to level with the bottom of the strip to make a flat approach with plenty of power to

reduce the rounding out transition.  Once down power is required to climb the strip. 

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Northland Aviation Club 'Poker Run'.    Was held on Sat 2nd Feb, with the aircraft meeting at Paul Hopper's hangar house by North Shore airport.   After a briefing, scones and coffee, aircraft were off to West Auckland NZPI, Kaipara Flats NZKF, Omaha Flats NZOF, Hargreaves ag strip at Paparoa,  Mata Strip,  Ruawai NZRU and into Dargaville NZDA for their usual Saturday lunch.  This always draws a crowd of aviators and is a popular event to be working into flights.    At each stop the aircraft picked up a playing card sealed in an envelope, and these were compared at Dargaville with the best hand winning.

Omaha Flats NZOF is a one-way strip, with all approaches onto runway 22 over the harbour, and all departures on 04,  due to the trees.    This picture was taken from the Dynaero ZK-WIK, on late final for 22, with both pilots agreed that we had to be low and slow right on the threshold or would go around and try again.  Once its feet are on the deck you're committed to land, which is more of a psychological challenge than anything else, the strip is quite long and slopes uphill for an easy stop.   

Omaha Flats NZOF, late final 22 (Keith Morris photo).    Omaha Flats is definitely a one way strip. 

Dargaville NZDA,  Saturday fly-in lunch 2feb19 (Keith Morris photo)

Dargaville NZDA,  Saturday fly-in lunch 2feb19 (Keith Morris photo)

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Coming Events:

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13th to 16th February, National Flying Championships at North Shore NZNE:   Extra care will be required for those visiting, or flying near to North Shore.  If visiting by air, check the Notams carefully for instructions.

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23rd February, Mata Annual Flyin:   At Leo John's Mata airstrip just to the south of Whangarei.  Always well attended from near and far.   Click here for airfield details.

Mata airfield 

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

WHANGAREI NZWR: 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.

MATAMATA NZMA:   Last Sunday of every month from 12 noon. BBQ flyin.  BYO meat for BBQ + gold coin.  Click here for airfield details.

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Tower and Engineering