Classics To The Sky Tauranga City Airshow

[rayo]

From the Classics of the Sky Website
www.classicflyersnz.com/Airshow



THE AIRSHOW IS COMING IN JANUARY 2016


Tauranga is the place to be when the Tauranga City Air Show fills the skies over the city’s airport again, providing a dynamic event for both Bay of Plenty citizens and visitors alike.



Organisers of the “Classics of the Sky”- (Tauranga City Airshow) are excited about a new format for the coming events in 2016.
There will now be two afternoon “mini airshows”, one in summer and one in autumn. Described as “family picnic type events”, the airshows are scheduled for mid-afternoon to evening, with static and flying aviation displays, food stalls and children’s entertainment. Air displays will start in the late afternoon and continue until evening.
Organisers have successfully run larger 2 day air-shows every two years since 2010, however it is felt that it is now time to try something different. Saturday, January 23rd along with Saturday March 19th are the two show dates set for 2016.
Each airshow will have a specific aviation theme. The themes for 2016 have not yet been announced as organisers are waiting to confirm participating aircraft. There will be a mix of classic aircraft, sports aircraft, military aircraft & gliders, along with local NZ Police teams & other displays.
Each airshow will have an associated event or special attraction – in January this will include the Mount Truck Show.
Previously held at Baypark, the Mount Truck Show organisers were looking for a venue with more space for more trucks, at the same time as the Classics of the Sky organisers were looking for an event to combine with the airshow, so the merging of intentions seemed appropriate and plans are well under way to provide the dual event for the local community.

Charity chosen to receive Truck Show proceeds.
Alex Salter, the organiser of the Mount Truck Show has advised, “ The Mount Truck Show 2016 is very excited to announce that the chosen charity for this event is the Trust power TECT rescue helicopter !! We thought this was a fitting charity to support as we are combining the truck show with a air show also The Trust power TECT Rescue helicopter provides an amazing service to people in need and are always on the look out for help.”

Information about the events will be available as it comes to hand. The official Facebook page www.facebook.com/classicsoftheskytauranga and the website for the Classics of The Sky Tauranga City Airshow and this website ClassicFlyersNZ.com as well as the Mount Truck Show Face book page www.facebook.com/bayparktruckdisplay

[Dave Homewood]

Classics To The Sky Tauranga City Airshow
23rd of January 2016
Tauranga Airport
Mount Maunganui
Tauranga

See Facebook here www.facebook.com/classicsoftheskytauranga/?fref=photo

[fragamort]

No news yet about the participating aircrafts for march 19th? I'll go back home to Belgium tree days later and it would be possible to organize my trip to come to the meeting.

[Dave Homewood]

Here is another Wings Over New Zealand Show, released just in time because in this episode we hear from Andrew Gormlie of the Classic Flyers Museum in Tauranga about the upcoming “Classics To The Sky” Tauranga City Airshow, taking place on the 23rd of January 2016.

He discusses what the public can expect to see, including the Spitfire at Sunset display, the Grumman Avenger, hopefully the Venom and many other warbirds and other display aircraft, along with around 140 trucks in The Mount Truck Show, and much more.

Andrew also talks about the subsequent airshow scheduled for the 19th of March 2016 also at Tauranga Airport, and we discuss the excellent Classic Flyers NZ Museum team and their current and past projects. Plus there are some hints of exciting future projects too. Here's the link:

www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2016/01/classics-to-the-sky/

[Dave Homewood]

Who is going to this airshow on Saturday? It looks like Andrew may be getting his wish that he made in the WONZ Show interview, as it seems there will be several bands of rain come through this week to green things up and dampen down the pollen and dust followed by sunshine on the weekend, according to the Metvuw forecast. Fingers crossed.

I hope to be going along with Bruce. Who else is attending?

[Dave Homewood]

For the Tauranga folk, from their Facebook page:

Weather permitting -
The Avenger arrives on Thursday afternoon about 6pm.
The Spitfire arrives Friday morning - about 10.00am. (Harvards & others Friday too).

[Peter Lewis]

Not me, unfortunatly.

I have a business meetng in Christchurch all day Saturday.
Bad timing!

[suthg]

Three at least from Tokoroa heading over, Bob Leask, myself and an old Pommie Git - well I mow his lawns in our winter when he's back in England for summer at home!! We are good mates really Looking forward to it !!

[nosig]

I'll be there :-)

[ZacYates]

My fingers will be crossed for good weather. Unfortunately it's not a pay week otherwise I'd be tempted.

[Dave Homewood]

Tauranga air show focuses on enjoyment

7:44 AM Monday Jan 18, 2016


Spitfire at Sunset air show director Andrew Gormlie with the Messerschmitt 108 that will thrill crowds when it dog-fights a Spitfire next Saturday. Photo/George Novak

A possible world-first format will see Tauranga's Classics of the Sky air show run at the cooler end of the day so punters no longer swelter in the sun.

Instead of the traditional large-scale show run over two days every second year, organisers are trying something totally different, starting next Saturday with Spitfire at Sunset.

Show director Andrew Gormlie said the emphasis would be on comfort and enjoyment, rather than enduring stinking hot days with grizzly children.

"It's more low-key, I would liken it to a Mission Estate concert," he said.

If the low-key twilight show was a success, then a differently themed show would be staged in early autumn featuring jet aircraft.

He said it was a big departure from Tauranga's traditional air shows that attracted crowds of 25,000-plus, and might even be a world-first.

Spitfire at Sunset will double with the Mount Truck Show's 140 rigs when the gates open at 2.30pm.

The aerial displays, starting at 4pm, will include a dog fight between two World War II aircraft, an Mk5 Spitfire and a Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun, with the sound of actual cannon fire. All the elements of other air shows would be there but in a condensed version.

Mr Gormlie said it had the potential to be an idyllic show.

"Balmy weather, a drink in the hand and listening to the sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin-powered Spitfire just as the sun was going down - it couldn't get any better."

Organisers also attracted more people wanting to exhibit their aircraft in the static displays than there was room on the ground to accommodate.

Mr Gormlie said everything was easier with a shortened event including compliance, set-up and finding the aircraft.

However, it still involved a dedicated band of 200 volunteers from Rotary and Classic Flyers to make it happen.

People would be able to select from about 25 food and beverage stalls, including alcohol.

They were expecting a crowd of 5000 to 10,000 people so that running four shows in two years would achieve the same numbers as one big show every second year.

He said big air shows did not necessarily offer more than a smaller show, only multiples of the same things until people felt overwhelmed.

Spitfire at Sunset would also include the Roaring Forties Harvard Formation Aerobatic Team, dive-bombing by a Grumman TBF Avenger and an extreme aerobatic display by Doug Brooker.

Mr Gormlie said the owner and pilot of the Ardmore-based Spitfire was also offering a show special of $3000 for a half-hour ride - $1000 less than the normal charge.

New Zealand was one of the cheapest countries in the world to taste flying in the aircraft that helped win the Battle of Britain, with flights in the UK costing 4000 ($8820).

- Bay of Plenty Times

www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11575477

[Dave Homewood]

Airshow’s rare two seater star
Posted at 10:15am Monday 11 Jan, 2016 | By Andrew Campbell [e-mail]

Flights on a dual seat Spitfire aircraft are being offered as an entree into the Tauranga City Airshow on January 23.

Classic Flyers CEO Andrew Gormlie says, for around $3000, people will get a half hour flight in the New Zealand Warbirds Association operated aircraft.


The rare dual seat Spitfire: Picture: Gavin Conroy of Classic Aircraft Photography.

The normal price to take a flight in a spitfire, which is due to arrive in Tauranga on Thursday, is $3950.

Andrew says it will be available for flights on the Friday before the show and even Saturday morning before the afternoon show, which is themed Spitfire at Sunset.

There will also be a couple of Harvard WWII trainers available for adventure flights, along with the Spearman aircraft

There are only a handful of dual seat Spitfires still flying, two of them in the UK.

“This particular spitfire is booked all the time,” says Andrew. “It's done something like 70 rides in the last six months. Quite rare are the two seats.”

In England, a ride in a two seat spitfire costs more like 3000 pounds, and is booked six months ahead.

“We all know that exchange rates are relative, but at the same time it's a lot more money than here.”

The difference gets people coming to New Zealand to combine a holiday and a spitfire flight, says Andrew.

The dual seat Spitfires were mostly manufactured after the close of the war. In 1948, 10 Spitfire T Mk IXs, were exported to India.

In 1951, a further six TR 9 trainers were converted from the standard Mk IX to train pilots for the Irish Air Corps Seafire fleet.

The Ardmore-based aircraft has been in New Zealand since 2008. It was modified in America from a single seater to a two-seater.

It's painted in RAF desert colours with the markings of a Mk IX flown by a New Zealand Squadron Leader Colin Gray, when based in Tunisia in mid-1943.

“It's done several trips, in various directions we watched it at Masterton last year,” says Andrew.

“Lovely item, quite rare. A lot of people want to go for a ride in a Spitfire, because how often do you get the opportunity?

“It's the chief billed item of course. Spitfire at Sunset is our theme, all about that aircraft, among all the other aircraft.”

The airshow format is changed this year. Instead of having one two-day airshow, there will be two separate afternoon-evening shows - one on January 23, and the other March 16.

Each show will have its own theme or special attraction.

They are planned as ‘family picnic type events', starting mid-afternoon with static and flying displays, food stalls and children's entertainment. Air displays will start late afternoon and continue until evening.

The summer show is also being held in conjunction with the mount Truck Show.

The truck show was looking for a bigger venue and the air show organisers were looking for an event to combine with.

People interested in taking a flight in the Spitfire can email Classic Flyers at [e-mail]

www.sunlive.co.nz/news/117115-airshows-rare-two-seater-star.html

[mumbles]

I won't be at this one, but I really hope the format shift works, because I think it's a great idea.

[ZacYates]

They have a very cool selection of types attending, judging by recent Facebook posts, including a recently imported WACO (new-build?). I'm looking forward to seeing any photos shared here.

[Marcus]

Hi all

Just bought our tickets. Will have a brown "floppy" hat and camera bag over my shoulder. Hope to see some of our formites tomorrow.

[rayo]

Hi all have a great time wish I was there.
Would you believe I have been in Tauranga for the last 3 weeks sorting out some family stuff and now I am back in New Plymouth darn! Never mind next time. Anyway i did manage a couple of quick trips to the Museum over that time.
Keep an Eye out for the Gisborne TBF which is under restoration. I believe it will be out in the Fresh air on the day and the progress made is impressive. It looks like the plumbing has been completed for the wing folding mechanisms as well as the bomb bay doors so I am assuming there will be a demo. On top of that I saw the Prop was back on so maybe an engine run is in the offing. I didn't have time to verify any of this so lets know.
I also tripped over another exciting project (not an aircraft restoration) for the near future while I was pottering about but I will leave that announcement to the museum sometime soon.

[ErrolC]

There are photos on Facebook of Plonky and the Gisborne / Tauranga Avenger on the flightline together.

Edit: set here
www.facebook.com/classicsoftheskytauranga/photos/pcb.971976632888899/971975952888967/?type=3&theater

[ErrolC]

Fox Moth APT just leaving Ardmore, I assume heading down

[nosig]

Spitty's has flown twice already today. Lucky buggers!

[The Red Baron]

Report with pictures on the local news site.....link