When I first arrived, I went up straight through the roundabout to the Nelson Helicopters area. There I saw this Saab:
It is now unpainted, and is probably nearing readiness for its final departure. We'll miss you NLN!
After I snapped a few of this Saab, a white van rolled up and parked in the carpark next to my bike. "Another one for the chop eh?" he said. His name was Milburn, an aircraft enthusiast. He was probably in his late 40s. He told me about his brother, wayne, who works in Bristbane with a warbird company. His Brother flies the warbirds. His favourite is the Hawker Sea Fury. He told me of the propellor, and how it is 10 feet long! Thats amazing. This guy I was talking to started flight training at Nelson Aeroclub in a Tomahawk, to get over his fear of light aircraft. After 5 hours he quit because he had no need to go any further.
He told me about all the aircraft he saw, including a particularly amazing German Machine. It could take off in only a few metres (20?). In one air show, it took off, flew above the runway at a few 10s of feet, and did an amazing U-turn while still above the runway! He also told me about the Sea Fury that his brother flies. During takeoff, to keep it on the runway you need to have full right aileron and rudder!!!!!! That's how powerful it is. He also told me about a guy down on the west coast who owns a historic italian aircraft collection, though I forgot the name. If anyone could help me out...? I think it starts with S.
He also told me about how there are no young pilots buying warbirds these days... I'm not surprised when a P-51 Mustand can cost up to 4 Million!!!!!
At that stage, I spied a strange turboprop leaving the Nelson Apron. It was bigger than a dash, but it had the Pacific wave on its fuselage. An ATR 72!!!! Holy moly, I thought, what was an ATR doing here? I rushed out from behind the unpainted saab and snapped 2 pics:
ZK-MCX rotates
MCX climbs away, folding its gear up.
He also told me a story about him and his brother, building an aeroplane for an Italian man of few words called Gimli or something. Anyway, they built this light aircraft for him, and on the first test flight, the little italian man said, "you fly it, I do the undercarriage". So anyway they flew the circuit quite happily, and they came in to land. SSSSSCREEEEECHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
"Sorry, I forgot to put down the undercarriage", he said in a soft, low voice. I turned on my scanner at this point to hear "cleared to land, ETU". I looked down the runway to see ETU, the first aircraft I trained in, trundling down the runway. I snapped a pic:
After this we parted ways, east a little way so I could get to the terminal. On the way I took these:
Wilga PZN, this crazy european aircraft has been sitting on the GA parking for many weeks.
Tango Golf India, a 172. Hopefully someone could make a repaint out of this? Jon? Hinch? It wouldnt be that hard to do.
I arrived at the terminal building, and immediately spied the airport staff parking area, perfect for this shot:
2 Dash 8-Q300s on the ground outside the Passenger terminal.
I then sifted over to the fence across from the big Air Nelson Hangar:
Fletcher DZC, parked near the Air Nelson Hangar.
A Dash, NEO, parked up in the hangar for maintenance.
After I took these photos I got the feeling I wasn't s'posed to be in the staff parking (an air nelson hostess was giving me mean looks
), so I headed southeast to get onto the perimeter path, which would give me great closeups.I got there and a big blue sign said: NO CYCLISTS
What a bitching rule, I thought. But not wanting to anger any more Airport staff, I instead crossed a small stream to find another shooting location. I found a small clearing not too far from the threshold, good for spotting:
A Saab 340B crossing the threshold for landing
The saab touching down.
I then moved around further, to a small residential peninsular called Monaco. The aircraft approach right over here. I found a small reserve with picnic table to get set up on. A saab was performing a VOR/DME approach, so I captured it on video, which I will post later. I then headed back to the airport for some GA shots:
A close-up of ETU, right outside the Aeroclub Hangar.
An Origin J-31 parked outside Horizon Air Support.
The Club C206, SKT
A Vincent Aviation Light Twin.
Hope you enjoyed the shots, I enjoyed my day!
B) B) B)
Brock
! Some would consider this spot on someones property, so if someone comes out and asks yout to leave, you'd probably better do it 
. He invited the two brothers over to his aeroplane, much like a small 172, where he revealed his bed and a a portable gas cooker in the back! 
