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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 20, 2010 16:24:04 GMT 12
I have just returned from the excellent Waikato Aero Club Open Day at Hamilton Airport, the first of these events i have actually gotten along to. There was a great array of aircraft on both static and flying display. And it had a great relaxed atmosphere and I spotted a load of local forum members about the place too.
On of the highlights for me were a wonderful flight in the lovely Dakota over Hamilton. Thanks to Jessica, Geoff, and all the crew for a terrific scenic flight over the city and surrounds. Hamilton looks great from 1000 feet up.
Another wonderful highlight was Phill Hooker kindly took my mate Mike and I up in the Sioux for a jaunt around the airport. Wow, my first ever ride inside a Sioux (I was once strapped to a stretcher on the side of one in the RNZAF, but this time I had a first class seat). and what a wonderful experience. I couldn't stop grinning and Mike was the same.
We were filming all day for Mike's TV news programme (he's the producer, director and sometimes cameraman) on TV Central, so if you're in the Waikato or Bay of Plenty regions or if you get it on Sky, watch TV Central's news on Tuesday for a report.
Again, thanks to Roger Cruickshank at the Aero Club, Geoff and Jessica Cooper, and Phill Hooker and everyone else who mad it such an enjoyable day. I'll post some photos later at some point..
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Post by madaero on Mar 20, 2010 17:55:14 GMT 12
was a great day dave,i agree,pity about the dakota blowing a hydraulic hose tho-im guessing after your flight. the vampire was welcomed and provided a well awaited jet display to all,we dont get them much more around the waikato.
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Post by Bruce on Mar 20, 2010 18:41:04 GMT 12
I was doing some work on CKE so although I didnt get around Aero Club side, I did see some of the displays. The Vampire display looked great. I'm surprised they taxiied it in on the grass though - Vampires have a reputation for causing grass fires in dry conditions. The dust cloud looked impressive though! Poor old Betsy (the Dakota) is still at Hamilton, what a bummer  must have dropped a fair bit of oil as the rescue crews spent a while cleaning up the runway afterwards. I was thinking of taking CKE around to the club, but by time I had tidied off the bug fixes I was dealing with, it was a bit late. |
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Post by madaero on Mar 20, 2010 18:45:25 GMT 12
our guess was a good 5-8 litres,there was a strip from when it touched down around holding point alpha for around 200metres down in line with the 36 papis,plus a good puddle of it at holding point delta(western taxiway). bit of a bugger to try and clean up really.
dont worry bruce the vampire did its usual and scorched the grass,it parked up on aeromotives hardstand for the day tho.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 20, 2010 19:06:19 GMT 12
Yes the Dakota's unfortunate mishap did occur during my flight. I have to say the professionalism of the crew was outstanding in the circumstances. The pilots did everything right and the cabin crew, three of whom were onboard as one was being trained, were calm and collected and thus kept everyone else calm. None of the passengers looked remotely worried despite the fact that it could have been worse, and as soon as we came to a halt Geoff let everyone know what had happened and that all was ok, and even kept his sense of humour about it.
I feel really sorry for the Dakota team, not only did they miss out on taking further scenic flights throughout the day, but they had to then rent a van and pay to get their Auckland passengers back to Ardmore, which realy must have dented the budget. And on top of that they now have to have the brake system repaired. As Jessica said to me, at least it happened at hamilton as Aeromotive does all their maintenance and repairs, so that was handy.
Madaero, was that you spraying the grass with the fire engine at the end? It puts on quite a show, those water cannons. I was going to go along to the fire truck and ask if you were around but I kept getting distracted.
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Post by Kereru on Mar 20, 2010 19:59:48 GMT 12
Sorry to hear about the oil leak guys and hope it is fixed soon. Some pics of DAK leaving Ardmore this morning.  Cheers!   Colin |
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Post by hardyakka on Mar 20, 2010 20:20:06 GMT 12
JP and I were sitting in the Yak getting ready to start and depart when the fire appliance came past with (water) cannons "blazing". We then heard the sound of "rain" on the starboard wingtip. We had our canopies wide open so lucky it didn't come any closer...  Did a good job of keeping the dust down in the taxi-ing area though. Overall a good day but apparently there were a few warbirds that pulled out at the last minute which made it a bit quiet at times. |
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Post by Marcus on Mar 20, 2010 21:18:50 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 21, 2010 8:27:35 GMT 12
When did ZK-CLC display? I missed that entirely and was here from about 9.30am till almost 4pm. What is that by the way?
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Post by Bruce on Mar 21, 2010 8:32:36 GMT 12
CLC is a 180HP Avid Flyer - a serious bush plane!
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gooneybird
Sergeant
www.nzwarbirds.org.nz/dakota
Posts: 12
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Post by gooneybird on Mar 21, 2010 19:56:12 GMT 12
Dave we were delighted to have you on board and we're only sorry the day was shortened a little for us. The left brake actually suffered a mechanical failure internally and as a result the hydraulic fluid was dumped overboard.Fortunately we were almost outside our maintenance provider and we will have the aircraft back in the air in the next few days.Most importantly.... no harm done and the challenges of operating aged classic aircraft.
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Post by flyinkiwi on Mar 22, 2010 8:06:05 GMT 12
A pretty good day considering the scramble to reorganize things at the 11th hour. Really sorry to hear about the Dak, there seemed to be a fair amount of interest generated in the scenic flights. From my perch on the control towers catwalk I had a prime position to spot ZK-CKE taxiing around under her own power on the western apron. I couldn't take any snaps because I had lent my camera batteries to someone to power his Nikon after his went flat on him suddenly.
Highlights of the day was the Vampire display and Noel in his Pitts flying rings around Ash in the Archer.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 22, 2010 9:05:54 GMT 12
Yes, that was a very impressive entrance by Noel, flying around the Archer
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 22, 2010 12:32:19 GMT 12
Here are some photos from me from the day... The Yak 52 from Te Kowhai, flown by John Parker and Evan Yates  A very nice looking civil-owned CT/4E Airtrainer  The Dakota and a PAC 750XL  Piper PA-34 ZK-TSD  Piper PA-28 ZK-DQV  Mitsubishi MU-2 Air Ambulance ZK-KOH   Avid ZK-CLC  Fletcher  Phill Hooker's Piper Cub  More to come... |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 22, 2010 13:48:21 GMT 12
Some nice looking Waikato Aero Club Alphas  More Waikato Aero Club planes, Piper PA-28's  A Piper PA-31 ZK-LTD of Avia Air Charter Ltd   The Rescue Helicopter's stretcher gear  And of the MU-2 Air Ambulance  The MU-2 front-on  A Cessna of some sort  The PAC 750XL  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 22, 2010 13:55:40 GMT 12
Here is a photo I took of Noel Kruse's Pitts Special display looking into the sun  |
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Post by Tonys18 on Mar 22, 2010 14:57:04 GMT 12
Better put some on too!   Thirsty little thing!  Vampire in action    There it is again! ;D  Vampire going down the runway.  Im proberly wrong but I thought I spotted Dave on the other side of: NZ3546 ;D  Also anyone smell that av gas when the Vampire was going to the runway? |
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betsy46
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 85
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Post by betsy46 on Mar 22, 2010 17:14:00 GMT 12
Dave - Thanks for helping us set up scenic flights on the DC-3...we are all sorry that she had a brake problem on landing after the first scenic.
Drat.
You and Mike , and Jeff, Roger and the team at Waikato Aero Club, were so helpful and supportive to us after.
We got all our pax back to Ardmore, including Duke the Service Dog, then headed back to Hamilton , to return the Ground transport...then drive back again to AKL in our own car...got home rather late.
The Fly Dakota crew will always support the Waikato Aero Club team...invite us back at any time!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 22, 2010 20:22:58 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 22, 2010 22:09:03 GMT 12
Some more I took  Mooloo Stadium, or whatever it's called these days  |
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must have dropped a fair bit of oil as the rescue crews spent a while cleaning up the runway afterwards. 
