I really should get Dave Homewood to join so HE can post these bits of news, rather than me!
Another copy and paste job from his Wings Over Cambridge site, I'm afraid:Occurring between 1800 - 2030 at Centennial Park, Taupo, on 2nd Feb (Sat) - the main theme is music but there are classic cars, big band, and flying displays with musical backing - Yak formation, me in Tiger Moth, some Harvards, and old classic a/c inc a couple of WW! types etc etc. All taking place at the Taupo Gliding club - Gavin Trethewey is organising it. (this was from Dave Phillips, Tiger and Hunter pilot par excellence)
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And a cool wee article from the Hawke's Bay Today paper:
Enthusiast flies Jackson planes to vintage air display
29.01.2008
By VANESSA WRAIGHT
TWO of movie director Peter Jackson's vintage aircraft landed at Bridge Pa yesterday to refuel en route to Taupo. The director was not on board his planes; these days he is too busy with movie business to take a hands-on role in his vintage aircraft business.
But the planes were in good hands with Porirua pilot Martin Burdan flying an Avro 504 World War I training plane while another pilot flew a Pfalz DIII Scout, a 1916 plane.
Both pilots stopped at Hastings Aerodrome in Bridge Pa to refuel after flying from Masterton. The two planes will be on display at the Taupo air show this weekend.
Vintage Aviator Ltd is Mr Jackson's company which owns around 30 vintage planes.
Mr Burdan has been flying the vintage aircraft for about three years now, but has been a pilot since he was 16, mostly flying Tiger Moths and other older planes. "I was always keen on these old planes," he said.
As a teacher at Tawa College in Wellington, the school holidays provide a good opportunity to indulge in his hobby.
He flies the vintage planes whenever Mr Jackson needs a pilot.
A keen enthusiast, he said months of hanging around and making a nuisance of himself soon saw him being offered a job as a pilot with his company, but only in the school holidays.
Mr Jackson has a museum at Omaka Aerodrome, near Blenheim and a base and workshop in Masterton.
"He is very, very interested in the 1914 to 1918 era and the broader side of the aviation industry of that time," Mr Burdan said.
Working for Mr Jackson was an incredible opportunity, he said.
But flying the vintage planes was not as easy as getting in and flying to a destination.
It was crucial to get the right weather conditions. He said the wind proved difficult for the pilots of the older planes so a big window of opportunity was needed to get the planes to any destination.
The two pilots gave themselves a week to get to Taupo, taking in time to stay on the ground if the wind was too strong.
From Taupo they will fly to Hamilton for another air show.
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Which begs the question, will they or will they not be at Whitianga, too?
So, whoever's going, please by all means, bring us back pics etc! Nice to see Peter's stringbags getting further and further afield! This article leads me to think that the Pfalz and Avro are the "Special Guest Warbird"s advertised for Hamilton.
