Post by baz62 on Apr 22, 2012 12:10:12 GMT 12
Some of you may know I am turning 50 in May. (Please hold your applause til the end, thanks)
My clever wife thought an aviation themed present should be the best one for such a goal in life for me so she set out to book me a flight on AMY .
However a small flaw became apparent. Saturday the 14th was the last day for scenic flights over Christchurch for this season!
So imagine my surprise when i get a txt at work on the Friday saying sorry for short notice but we need to go to the airport at 11:30am tomorrow.
I didn't know why but I am a good guesser!
Strictly speaking AMY is a C47 but I think these days a passenger version gets called a DC3.
She is a genuine warbird in her own right as she dropped para troops at the Battle of the Philippines in 1944 while operated by the US and then spent most of her post war life flying round Australia.
Here she is taken after our flight:
I of course managed to get a primo seat right at the front on the port side. I just flashed my Wings Over New Zealand name badge and elbowed a few elderly folk out of the way. ;D
Here we are with me grinning like a Gibbon.
Hmmmm something not right in this photo............did Bristol make the DC3?
Put that right by buying a DC3 hat they were selling for $20. Its for a good cause afterall!
My view:
Back end of a Friendship to admire while awaiting engine start:
The starboard engine was started while the flight Attendant was giving the safety briefing. So funny when the engine gave a backfire and she waved it off with a "Oh don't worry it does that all the time!!"
Port engine purring away:
Once airborne we were allowed to visit the cockpit so of course guess who got up there first?
A few minutes after this photo was taken the copilot tapped me and pointed ahead. Coming towards us was Graham Bethell in his Mustang!!!!! He roared past the port side in a banking pass which Teresa saw from her windo as well. The previous flight had the Mustang formate on the wing and there was hope he would do the same for us but he must have been on his way in the airport so we missed out. Still cool though!!
Lets throw her about a bit:
The next bunch of photos are of the city and there is lots to see that is missing due to being demolished after the earthquake.
First photo is New Brighton and its Pier sticking out.:
You can see the containers by Redcliffs:
QE2 Stadium:
The Palms Mall
The city looking South:
West view
Not many of these high rises will be left soon!
The square is centre left. You can make out the remains of the Cathedral behind the tall slight curved hotel on the left.
Jade Stadium:
Riccarton with Riccarton Bush on the right and the Mall in the background.
A wing!
An engine!
here we are turning onto finals
A few more shots of AMY
Anther wedding photo recreation as Teresa had a photo taken on the steps of NZ3551 at the Air Force Museum on our wedding day!
A happy Baz :
Note the hat change!!
Bet you cant do this after getting off your A320/B737!!!!
Teresa was a bit over the photos by now so was having a wee nap. Thats ok I flew in a DC3!!!
My clever wife thought an aviation themed present should be the best one for such a goal in life for me so she set out to book me a flight on AMY .
However a small flaw became apparent. Saturday the 14th was the last day for scenic flights over Christchurch for this season!
So imagine my surprise when i get a txt at work on the Friday saying sorry for short notice but we need to go to the airport at 11:30am tomorrow.
I didn't know why but I am a good guesser!
Strictly speaking AMY is a C47 but I think these days a passenger version gets called a DC3.
She is a genuine warbird in her own right as she dropped para troops at the Battle of the Philippines in 1944 while operated by the US and then spent most of her post war life flying round Australia.
Here she is taken after our flight:
I of course managed to get a primo seat right at the front on the port side. I just flashed my Wings Over New Zealand name badge and elbowed a few elderly folk out of the way. ;D
Here we are with me grinning like a Gibbon.
Hmmmm something not right in this photo............did Bristol make the DC3?
Put that right by buying a DC3 hat they were selling for $20. Its for a good cause afterall!My view:
Back end of a Friendship to admire while awaiting engine start:
The starboard engine was started while the flight Attendant was giving the safety briefing. So funny when the engine gave a backfire and she waved it off with a "Oh don't worry it does that all the time!!"
Port engine purring away:
Once airborne we were allowed to visit the cockpit so of course guess who got up there first?
A few minutes after this photo was taken the copilot tapped me and pointed ahead. Coming towards us was Graham Bethell in his Mustang!!!!! He roared past the port side in a banking pass which Teresa saw from her windo as well. The previous flight had the Mustang formate on the wing and there was hope he would do the same for us but he must have been on his way in the airport so we missed out. Still cool though!!
Lets throw her about a bit:
The next bunch of photos are of the city and there is lots to see that is missing due to being demolished after the earthquake.
First photo is New Brighton and its Pier sticking out.:
You can see the containers by Redcliffs:
QE2 Stadium:
The Palms Mall
The city looking South:
West view
Not many of these high rises will be left soon!
The square is centre left. You can make out the remains of the Cathedral behind the tall slight curved hotel on the left.
Jade Stadium:
Riccarton with Riccarton Bush on the right and the Mall in the background.
A wing!
An engine!
here we are turning onto finals
A few more shots of AMY
Anther wedding photo recreation as Teresa had a photo taken on the steps of NZ3551 at the Air Force Museum on our wedding day!
A happy Baz :
Note the hat change!!
Bet you cant do this after getting off your A320/B737!!!!
Teresa was a bit over the photos by now so was having a wee nap. Thats ok I flew in a DC3!!!
