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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 13:55:02 GMT 12
I think for most of us Wanaka is difficult to get to and damned expensive, but it has to be done at least once though. I have been to three airshows there and don't regret the effort put in one bit. I'd like to get to Wings Over Wairarapa too someday to see what it's like. Omaka remains my favourite venue though.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 23, 2012 14:17:39 GMT 12
Wings Over Wairarapa is brilliant because of the bend in the crowd-line.
So when aeroplanes such as the Corsair fly along the crowd-line, they are slighty banked over to follow that line and you are looking at them topside.
BTW....I didn't get to Warbirds on Parade in 1988 at Wanaka, but I was there for the very first Warbirds over Wanaka in 1990 and I was a foundation Gold Pass holder in 1992, and I've been in the Gold Pass for every WOW airshow since, apart from 2010 when we had Silver Passes instead.
I've also been at every Classic Fighters since the first one in 2001 and I've also always had a Gold Pass.
I've tended to be a bit more relaxed about Wings over Wairarapa....having it local tends to make one take it for granted a bit more and I have missed a couple of them due to work committments. I never put in for annual leave over Xmas, or throughout January or February (with the exception of my birthday in February if I'm rostered to work) so my workmates can't moan about me always taking Easter off, including a week or two either side of it. As a result, I've always been rostered to work throughout Wellington Anniversary Weekend, although I've often taken a lieu day on the Sunday to attend Wings Over Wairarapa. This year, however, the weekend has coincided with a rostered Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday long weekend off-duty, so I will be at the airshow all three days.
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Post by phil82 on Dec 23, 2012 14:18:17 GMT 12
Wanaka used to be reasonable but then became a victim of it's success. I went to one show on a special ANZ flight, in early out at the end of the show, in A SAAB, piloted by a crew who clearly wanted to go there because they were there all day like us. Cost was about $40-00/$50-00 if I recall. Then everyone got in on the package deals of accommodation /flights etc, costing hundreds of dollars. I like Wanaka; it's a brilliant setting, but way too costly now.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 23, 2012 14:19:01 GMT 12
I can see a sponsor's billboard right there ;D "Easy to get to" - Yeah Right It depends where you're starting from. |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 23, 2012 14:33:13 GMT 12
If you're coming from the north (but, west of the ranges) it's quicker if you avoid the Manawatu Gorge and instead go over the Pahiatua Track from Palmerston North. However, don't go right into Pahiatua, but instead turn right onto Nikau Road just past Makomako and follow that for a few kilometres through Nikau, then at Marima, turn left into Tutaekara Road and head out through Mangamaire to SH2, then travel south to Masterton.
When you get to Masterton, turn onto Te Ore Ore Road (towards Castlepoint) and drive past Wairarapa Hospital, then turn right into Cameron Road. After crossing the Waipoua River, take the second on the left (Johnson Street) and drive along that road (it becomes Te Whiti Road within a couple of blocks) out into the country until you get to the intersection with Manaia Road, turn right into that road and you will find yourself approaching Hood Aerodrome from the opposite direction to the log-jam of cars heading straight out from Masterton.
A wee bit of local knowlege like that can get you into the aerodrome a lot quicker and avoid you getting stuck in the jamup of cars. Also, you'll end up parking a lot closer to the crowd area of the airshow.
If you're coming from Hawke's Bay, follow the same instructions once you get to Masterton on SH2 (Te Ore Ore Road is before you cross over the bridge to the downtown area of Masterton).
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Post by scrooge on Dec 23, 2012 16:03:31 GMT 12
Or with these instructions from kiwithrottlejockey, you will at least be stuck in a que of fellow forumites who have all read this as well.
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Post by spongebob206 on Dec 23, 2012 20:27:07 GMT 12
Roll on Wairarapa  I'm a Steiny man but will purchace and consume a box of tui in support. Cheers Kiwithrottleguy, wll take the shorty Fly mossie fly Thank you all concerned |
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Post by machpants on Dec 27, 2012 19:52:09 GMT 12
I notice that one of the spits is a t stick, is there anyway to get a trip? in the UK not possible due to the CAA licence it flies under, maybe dif here in NZ?
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Post by McFly on Dec 27, 2012 20:12:28 GMT 12
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Post by machpants on Dec 28, 2012 8:47:45 GMT 12
OH MY bleep GOD! I asked in jest as much as in hope - let alone expectation, birthday pressie coming up!  Thanks |
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Post by Parrotfish on Dec 28, 2012 15:15:10 GMT 12
Just confirmed that I will be at Wings over Wairarapa this year. A first for me. Quite excited.
Cheers,
Sean.
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Post by mumbles on Dec 28, 2012 22:55:40 GMT 12
I can see a sponsor's billboard right there ;D "Easy to get to" - Yeah Right Speaking of which, the Tui billboard beside the Wellington-Hutt motorway was updated last night:  |
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Post by FlyingKiwi on Dec 29, 2012 21:52:07 GMT 12
That's awesome, says it all really doesn't it! |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 29, 2012 22:31:49 GMT 12
That's awesome, says it all really doesn't it! |
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Post by 11SQNLDR on Dec 30, 2012 9:12:21 GMT 12
Something I noted on the WoW website ws the fact that gate purchases are going to be at a premium over pre-purchased tickets bought via Ticketek.
Even with the dreaded credit card surcharge it will still be cheaper to buy your tickets online, print them out and bring them on the day.
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Post by suthg on Dec 30, 2012 12:18:52 GMT 12
I have booked my hotel, ordered my tickets, planning on driving down on the Thursday. Have a social Friday morning with DW in town, go to venue for afternoon. Wife wishes to mosey around in QEII park and places during the day times. Stay Sunday night and travel back on Monday = two days annual leave. Looking forward to it! Check out the pricing of the tickets here and then buy them through Ticketek, link from the page. |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 30, 2012 12:33:33 GMT 12
Something I noted on the WoW website ws the fact that gate purchases are going to be at a premium over pre-purchased tickets bought via Ticketek. Even with the dreaded credit card surcharge it will still be cheaper to buy your tickets online, print them out and bring them on the day. It has been that way ever since the airshow stopped being run by the Sport & Vintage Aviation Society. The professional event organisers who have been running it ever since contracted ticket sales to Ticketek and put a premium on cash gate sales. However, the upside of dealing with Ticketek is that if an event is cancelled (as was the case with the Sunday airshow last time) it was easy to get a refund by simply presenting the tickets to any Ticketek outlet. They are way more efficent to deal with that that mickey-mouse Ticket Direct outfit who do the ticketing for Warbirds Over Wanaka now. I have had huge battles with them purchasing tickets for the last two Warbirds Over Wanaka airshows. They insist on couriering the tickets and refuse to post them. Inevitably, the courier turns up at my place and I am at work, nobody is home, all of my neighbours are also at work, and because I don't have a letterbox (I rent a PO Box at the local Post Shop and removed my letterbox many years ago to get rid of the junk mail problem), they leave a card on the front step which inevitably blows away, then I have no knowlege that the courier has called or which courier company. When Gavin was running Warbirds Over Wanaka, he was happy to post my Gold Passes to my PO Box, but Ticket Direct refuses to do that. So when the Passes don't turn up, the emails and phone calls begin and it often takes many weeks before I finally catch up with the Gold Passes I have purchased. It would be so much simpler if they'd agree to mail passes to me, but they refuse. They really piss me off big-time! |
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Post by scrooge on Jan 4, 2013 9:55:17 GMT 12
Looks like I am taking the DH84 Dragon down from North Shore on the Friday and returning Monday. We may have a couple of seats available for passengers. PM me if you are interested (donation to Dave if any seats booked through here). A friend has taken the spot.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jan 4, 2013 10:06:37 GMT 12
Looks like I am taking the DH84 Dragon down from North Shore on the Friday and returning Monday. We may have a couple of seats available for passengers. PM me if you are interested (donation to Dave if any seats booked through here).
I presume you will be taking part in the de Havilland flypast with all the other de Havilland aeroplanes, including the Vampire and the Mosquito?
I am really looking to seeing that large formation. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 4, 2013 10:52:10 GMT 12
Will they all be in the air together? It's doubtful, they weren't at Ardmore - the slow DH's went up in one flypast and the fast ones in another.
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- See here: 
