Any VAF'er in New Zealand?

I'll be doing a 3 week driving tour in April and would love to spend a couple hour chatting about airplanes.

Kent

Kent

If you get to Tauranga Give me a call (NZ) 07 5448100.
We have quite few RVs on the field and we would be glad to meet up

Regards

Bruce

Kent

I am based just south of Auckland and work close to Ardmore, one of NZ's busier GA airports. I can be contacted on my cell, 027 4779637.

If you have time and are in the area his place might be worth a visit if you are interested in WW1 aircraft restorations http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/ . Haven't been there myself yet but definately on my 'to-do' list.

Clive Whittfield
RV6 - eight years in and getting close.

VAF N.Z.

Welcome.
The South Island has a vintage WW1 replica type museum at Blenheim where you would get on/ off the ferry from the N.Island.
Christchurch has Airforce museum. Further South Wanaka Fighter Pilots Museum.
Mandeville - DH types.- All flying and airstrip/food.
There are many Homebuilt/Vans type projects along the road.
N.Z. "Sport Aviation' magazine has local chapter contacts for each area and I can send you a copy of the magazine.
You will enjoy N.Z.- the traffic is less dense in the South. We drive on the L.H.Side, have gravel secondary country roads, and drivers on the road at 15!
Neil Robertson
027 3200903.
Invercargill (Home of the" Worlds Fastest Indian" film)
Slow build RV-3 #11465

Hi Kent,

If you are passing through Wellington, feel free to drop in.. I am building an RV-8 down here. I can't offer you a ride in an RV, but I can take you for a spin in a CJ-6.. Almost as fun!

Cheers

Hugh

(NZ) 021 901 099

Thanks.

My wife thinks that we are vacationing in NZ to see the beautiful country. I didn't tell her that I wanted to see airplanes and pilots.

We are looking at a 20+ day driving vacation covering both islands. Looks like we will arrive in Auckland and depart Christchurch. Also included will be a ferry crossing, so I will be looking to checkout the airports/museums mentioned in your above posts.
When we get a schedule for our trip, I'll post to see if the timing will work for meeting up with all that I can.

Kent

I have my schedule

Here is the list of dates and location where we spend the night.

I hope that we can visit with some of you.
Some days we are in one location two nights, but in general we will be driving during the day and may have time in the afternoon or evening.

Looking forward to meeting whoever has the time.

Kent

Thursday 4th April - Auckland City
Friday 5th April - Paihia, Bay of Islands
Saturday 6th April - Paihia, Bay of Islands
Sunday 7th April - Auckland City
Monday 8th April - Whitianga
Tuesday 9th April - Hahei and Cathedral Cove
Wednesday 10th April - Rotorua
Thursday 11th April - Rotorua
Friday 12th April - Taihape
Saturday 13th April - Wellington
Sunday 14th April - Blenheim
Monday 15th April - Kaikoura
Tuesday 16th April - Christchurch
Wednesday 17th April - Mt. Cook National Park
Thursday 18th April - Dunedin
Friday 19th April - Dunedin
Saturday 20th April - Te Anau
Sunday 21st April - Milford Sound
Monday 22nd April - Queenstown
Tuesday 23rd April - Queenstown
Wednesday 24th April - Franz Josef Glacier
Thursday 25th April - Franz Josef Glacier
Friday 26th April - Christchurch
Saturday 27th April - Head home

Hi Kent

If you want to some "RV time" I could suggest having a night in Tauranga between Whitianga or Hahei and Rotorua. We have a very active GA community in Tauranga with half a dozen RVs, as Bruce Black mentioned in a previous post. We would be pleased to take you (and your wife) for local flights, weather permitting. You could visit Cathedral Cove on the way south from Whitianga and not stay in Hahei, or perhaps have only one night in Rotorua. Another option may be to go from Rotorua to Wellington in a day (about 6-7 hours driving) and miss Taihape.

Hope you can call in to Tauranga

Jim Talbot
RV7A

As you drive from Dunedin to Te Anau, you will drive through a town call Gore. In the next village (Manderville) you will drive straight past the hanger of Croydon Aircraft company.

If you are interested in old aircraft from De Haviland then this is a good place to stop for a visit. They used to do joy rides in the Tiger Moth.

They restore the aircraft back to better than new standards and you can probably trade a cake for a tour !

Oh and the cafe next door used to be really good (but i was last there 10 years ago)


https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Croy...near=Waimea+Hwy,+Mandeville,+New+Zealand&z=17

The annual fly in at Mandeville was held there a month ago and is well worth a look if you're in the area, and they do still do joyrides in Tiger Moths! Likewise "The Moth" restaurant at the airfield was still going strong, a good place to stop for lunch on your travels.
Hope you enjoy New Zealand!

We have a distributor in Auckland.

Aviation and Performance Co.
P O Box 302 505
North Harbour
AUCKLAND
NEW ZEALAND

If your close, and your there tell Leann Hi for us

Hi Kent

Check your PMs
I've sent contact details for us in Tauranga

Jim Talbot
RV7A