What's on in the east?

[kiwi]

In the last 30 mins something in excess of 15 light aircraft have flown over Ohope heading east , whats up ?

[Bruce]

NZ Air Safari I'm guessing.

[Dave Homewood]

The Catalina which is taking part in the Air Safari was certainly at Tauranga yesterday. I didn't see any other aircraft from the rally. Maybe it was in the lead? ;D

[hardyakka]

The track for the Air Safari has been altered to allow for stink weather.

If you go to the Air Safari Website www.flyingnz.co.nz/safari/diary.html you can follow the SpiderTracks equipped members of the fleet including our own Graeme Milne (Head of the Waikato DHB) in his Dynamic microlight.

Looks like they went Taupo-Edgecumbe-round East Cape and ended up in Gizzy today. Some of them cut through/back/around the Ureweras rather than taking on the cape.

I hope the weather improves for them.

[flyjoe180]

Good website that.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

‘Cat’ makes flying visit to Timaru

BY EMMA BAILEY - The Timaru Herald | 5:00AM - Tuesday, 30 March 2010


ON LAND AND WATER: Senior captain Philip Seale, top,
prepares to fuel the Consolidated Catalina amphibious
aircraft at Richard Pearse Airport at Seadown yesterday.
— NATASHA MARTIN/The Timaru Herald.

A Consolidated Catalina aircraft could have landed in Caroline Bay, but opted instead for the smooth tarmac of Richard Pearse Airport.

The aircraft was one of 64 to converge on Timaru yesterday as part of the Around New Zealand Air Safari. The 10-day flying adventure will see the planes go head-to-head to see which can get the best time.

The safari, which started at Auckland's Ardmore airport, circled Cape Reinga and will travel as far south as Invercargill, finishing in Queenstown.

Event director John McLean said 180 pilots and crew were taking part in the challenge, including the 66-year-old amphibious Catalina, and after a rest day in Timaru today, they would depart for Oamaru for lunch tomorrow and then on to Invercargill for the night.

"We have a briefing at 7.30am, with 12 log points. When they fly overhead at the destination the clock stops."

Catalina captain and pilot Dee Bond has flown in the Catalina for 13 years, and still gets a buzz when it lands on the water. "We are going to the Warbirds over Wanaka, and will be landing on the lake, weather permitting.

"That is where she [the Catalina] is in her element, she is absolutely stunning on the water. It doesn't matter how many times you experience it," she said.

The hull is shaped like a speedboat and is painted white and above the waterline the plane is painted blue. "You really feel the cold when you land on the Southern lakes. You can almost feel the cold coming up the plane as it sinks into the water."

Weighing 16,000kg and with a wingspan of 32 metres, similar to that of a 737, the plane can surprisingly carry only 20 people.

"She doesn't fly fast, cruising at 115 knots. She is heavy to fly and it is two hands on the controls for takeoff and landing."

The plane was built in 1944 and served in World War II. Five elephants painted on the side of the plane represent the five lives the plane saved during the war.

When armed the plane can carry two machineguns, two nose turret guns, and four bombs underneath or two torpedoes.

www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/3525226/Cat-makes-flying-visit-to-Timaru

[beagle]

and fly for days