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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 10, 2013 14:13:52 GMT 12
I note their webpage does say this though: "We will soon be announcing our key aircraft act, just tidying up a few last minute details" Perhaps there will be a decent overseas warbird coming? Oh, according to their facebook page, the jet racing thing IS the "key flying act". How unimpressive. A recent episode of Plane Crazy Down Under podcast had an interview with an Australian pilot who races an L39 at Reno and he was talking about all the major training they have to go through before even getting near the actual race. I wonder if the three local pilots that the airshow is putting up against the three experienced Reno pilots will be getting such training? I'd really hate to see any of our pilots or any visiting pilots put at risk. |
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Post by lesterpk on Dec 10, 2013 17:00:59 GMT 12
Among the RNZAF aircraft on their list of aircraft attending I note the absence of Airtrainers (The Red Checkers). Is this going to be the first Wanaka show without the Roaring Forties and the Red Checkers? The Dec issue of RNZAF News lists all the upcomng airshow participants from the RNZAF. There is a note that the Checkers aren't being formed this year due to pressures of pilot training coming first. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 10, 2013 17:53:21 GMT 12
Oh dear. More signs of the times I guess. The news tonight reported on a new study that has found the Army is unable to deploy overseas, the Navy cannot find staff to man the HMNZS Wellington or its Seasprites, and the RNZAF has not enough instructors to get the NH90's operational. And with the new Chief of Defence Force, Tim Keating, being appointed today apparently the first thing the Minister of Defence Coleman said to him was he has to find ways to save money!
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Post by mumbles on Dec 10, 2013 19:04:45 GMT 12
Oh dear. More signs of the times I guess. The news tonight reported on a new study that has found the Army is unable to deploy overseas, the Navy cannot find staff to man the HMNZS Wellington or its Seasprites, and the RNZAF has not enough instructors to get the NH90's operational. And with the new Chief of Defence Force, Tim Keating, being appointed today apparently the first thing the Minister of Defence Coleman said to him was he has to find ways to save money! Yeah, because that worked out so well with the last guy. |
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Post by TS on Dec 10, 2013 19:05:10 GMT 12
Well, all I can say is, I'm glad I stopped going to Wanaka a while ago. Great place, Awesome setting, But once the Accountants got control of it, the rest was/is History. Me thinks
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Post by mumbles on Dec 10, 2013 19:11:49 GMT 12
Said it before, but since the late 90's WOW seems to have been marketing itself more at the overseas enthusiast than the locals, and doesn't seem to have acknowledged that the scene and options for the locals are somewhat different now than they were then. Ironically, I have a good chance of getting to 2014's event, for the first time in a decade  I'm I'm honest though the attraction would be more the venue and the company than the show itself - I haven't seen much to get excited about in the media releases so far. A talked with a small sample of random Gold Stand attendees at Temora. One I'd met at Omaka, I can't remember if we discussed Wanaka at all. Others either hoped to get to Wanaka, or had a history and plan to go. The regulars said that meeting with other regulars was a big part of why they went, and gave the impression that they would have to be very disappointed with the show to consider going to alternative NZ shows (most of which they weren't specifically aware of). I can understand Wanaka aiming more for overseas attendees and more casual show-goers, rather than more serious NZ enthusiasts. The later are much more expensive to regularly encourage back, and their location has some definite disadvantages in comparison with the alternatives. They also have advantages, of course. Like most of the NZ population, travel and accommodation costs in comparison to e.g Tauranga are very noticeable, and there is little that the show organisers can do about that. All true but, there was a definite feeling from the late 90's on that if you weren't cashed up enough to get a two or three day pass, WOW wasn't particularly interested in your business. It was their perogative to go after the overseas market, but in doing so they risked alienating some of the punters that put them in a position to do so. From what you said above about overseas visitors, one wonders if it is not a case now of sitting on laurels a bit and trading on reputation and the exact lack of awareness of alternatives that you mention, consciously or not. That doesn't seem to be a particularly good place to be in from where I sit . |
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Post by DragonflyDH90 on Dec 10, 2013 19:23:05 GMT 12
I know of one 'key aircraft' that may be part of the 'last minute details' that may be coming from overseas but can't say sorry but it isn't really anything I would write home over in my opinion.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 10, 2013 21:43:38 GMT 12
Is it an interesting WWII warbird type of key aircraft?
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Post by suthg on Dec 17, 2013 7:15:52 GMT 12
Armee de L’Air To Participate In The Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow The French will be bringing a CASA CN-235-300 aircraft (mini Hercules) which will be open for the public to view throughout the three days of the event. Warbirds Over Wanaka General Manager, Ed Taylor said it would be the first time Wanaka had hosted French military. “The aircraft, crew and high-ranking officials will add real international flair to the show and we are absolutely delighted that the Armee de L’Aire (French Air Force) have accepted our invitation to Central Otago.” The CASA is a medium-range twin-turbo-prop aircraft developed jointly between CASA in Spain and IPTN in Indonesia as a regional airliner and military transporter, he said. Amongst its military roles are maritime patrol, surveillance and troop transport. www.warbirdsnews.com/airshow-news/armee-de-lair-partecipate-warbirds-wanaka-international-airshow.html
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Post by vs on Dec 17, 2013 9:05:49 GMT 12
Good to see the French here again. They have been down to quite a few air shows in the past few years…..be worth going if they bought a Mirage 2000!
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Post by ErrolC on Dec 17, 2013 11:21:35 GMT 12
It's a pity there isn't a display pilot available for it - I've seen one several times, but never flying.
Sent via Proboards Android App
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Post by shorty on Dec 17, 2013 16:20:29 GMT 12
More on the CN 235:
A delegation of French military officials and a specialist surveillance aircraft will arrive in Wanaka next Easter, jointly hosted by the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow.
The French will be bringing a CASA CN-235-300 aircraft, which will be open for the public to view throughout the three days of the airshow.
Warbirds Over Wanaka general manager Ed Taylor said it would be the first time Wanaka had hosted the French military.
''The aircraft, crew and high-ranking officials will add real international flair to the show and we are absolutely delighted that the Armee de L'Air [French Air Force] have accepted our invitation to Central Otago.''
The CASA is a medium-range twin-turbo-prop aircraft developed jointly between CASA in Spain and IPTN in Indonesia as a regional airliner and military transporter, Mr Taylor said.
Among its military roles are maritime patrol, surveillance and troop transport.
''This is a sophisticated tactical aircraft, something the public doesn't generally get a chance to get close to,'' Mr Taylor said
Still doesn't tempt me at all. I'd rather drive from Dunedin to Omaka than from Dunedin to Wanaka
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Post by shorty on Dec 17, 2013 16:28:08 GMT 12
Since when were Aerostar L39's Russian? I thought they were Czech. Wanaka had a pylon race with the Harvards in 1992, I seem to recall. Or was that 1993? And it was a regular feature of most air pageants in the 1930's across NZ. Seems to be the thing for one or two of the commercial joy-riding operators to refer to them as soviet fighters in their promotional material, when they aren't russian or fighters. The average joe doesn't know the difference anyway. TV3 referred to the L-39 as an "Advanced Fighter" in it's piece yesterday Mind you I see the Strikemaster being listed in ads (on this forum!) as a "jet fighter" |
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Post by suthg on Dec 17, 2013 16:45:55 GMT 12
''This is a sophisticated tactical aircraft, something the public doesn't generally get a chance to get close to,'' Mr Taylor said We actually do get to see the C130 quite regularly if at an airshow, and if one of them is there, they are always open and welcome to allow visitors up the ramp and inside the cavernous space and even to look in the cockpit. It is just part of the NZDF means of connecting with Jo Public and especially the older teenagers who may wish to take up an interest or career in the Army or RNZAF; and, at some airshows, the Navy is also there with a Seasprite to show off its capabilities - more "spritely" than the old UH-1  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 17, 2013 16:59:32 GMT 12
The Strikemaster was a jet fighter. Perhaps not the role that this country used it for, but other nations certainly did, in Africa, etc. And the company also offers rides in other fighters, so the name fits ok.
Except at lots of other NZ airshows it has been static at over the past several years....
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 20, 2013 11:31:19 GMT 12
The latest press release
Pilots confirmed for Jet Racing
20.12.13
A NASA astronaut who has completed six space shuttle flights has been confirmed as one of the pilots taking part in high-speed jet racing at the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow next Easter.
Colonel Curtis Brown of the United States was flight commander on two of his six space missions and is also a five times Reno Jet Air Race Champion.
Alongside Curtis in the “Reno” team contesting the #GigatownWanaka Jet races will be three times Red Bull World Air Race champion, Mike Mangold.
“Jet racing is fast and exciting, both for the pilots and the spectators on the ground. Group racing around a 14-kilometre closed course yields speeds over 700kph, with maximum G-forces in turns, and the challenges of passing. We’ve heard a lot about Warbirds Over Wanaka and very much want to be a part of it,” Mr Mangold said.
This is the first time that both of these ‘rock stars’ of American jet air racing will be competing alongside each other outside the USA, according to airshow general manager, Ed Taylor.
The third member of the team is John ‘Johnny Rocket’ Kokshoorn who lives in Australia but has previously competed at the world-famous Reno Jet Air Races. John completed his Reno race training under Curtis Brown, Mr Taylor said.
The three visiting pilots will be flying Aero L-29 jets, one of which arrived at Wanaka last week to be permanently based in the Southern Lakes area. The aircraft is operated by Wanaka-based XXAviation which now has three Warbird aircraft available for leisure flights.
The international team will be taking on a New Zealand team comprised of seasoned jet pilots Brett Emeny, Paul ‘Huggy’ Hughan and Peter Vause.
Brett Emeny has been flying for nearly 40 years and will be competing in his own Vampire. Paul Hughan will also be flying a Vampire while Peter Vause will be piloting his Aero L39.
Mr Mangold said he and his colleagues saw the event as a chance to promote jet racing outside the United States. “Many people from New Zealand and Australia have travelled to Reno for the air races over the years but most have not, so to have it happening right there in Wanaka gives them a chance to see us in action on their own patch."
“The event also gives us the opportunity to pit our skills against some very fine New Zealand Jet pilots, so all-in-all it’s going to be a great experience for everyone – most of all the spectators,” says Mike.
Mr Taylor said there had been a boost in ticket sales since the announcement of the #GigatownWanaka Jet event, particularly from Australians and North Islanders.
“While this event is attracting national and international interest it wouldn’t be happening if a group of local Wanaka people hadn’t got in behind it,” says Ed.
The naming rights sponsor is #GigatownWanaka which is the group behind the bid by Wanaka to win the Chorus-sponsored competition which would give it the fastest internet access of any city or town in the Southern Hemisphere.
“#GigatownWanaka is already way out in front in the competition and we’re thrilled they’ve chosen Warbirds Over Wanaka as another way for them to get even more support for the cause.”
The other local sponsors who are helping out with the event are Skydive Wanaka and Maungatua Contracting.
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Post by kwieldraayer on Dec 20, 2013 16:18:18 GMT 12
Is anyone intending on flying in for WOW 14? It was a great trip in 2012 from Oamaru to Wanaka hassle free. 2nd to last plane to arrive before AMY the DC3 and 2nd to leave. Cheap option if cost sharing and by far easier and more fun!
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Post by ErrolC on Dec 21, 2013 10:49:24 GMT 12
The latest press release Pilots confirmed for Jet Racing 20.12.13 ... The three visiting pilots will be flying Aero L-29 jets, one of which arrived at Wanaka last week to be permanently based in the Southern Lakes area. The aircraft is operated by Wanaka-based XXAviation which now has three Warbird aircraft available for leisure flights. The international team will be taking on a New Zealand team comprised of seasoned jet pilots Brett Emeny, Paul ‘Huggy’ Hughan and Peter Vause. Brett Emeny has been flying for nearly 40 years and will be competing in his own Vampire. Paul Hughan will also be flying a Vampire while Peter Vause will be piloting his Aero L39. ... I've done a post on NZ L-29s in Civil Aviation |
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Post by minicooper on Dec 22, 2013 12:52:56 GMT 12
Afternoon all, is anyone aware of special flights to Wanaka from Wellington? I would love to go but it would have to be a day trip - leave and cost to drive ect!
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Post by Poohbah on Jan 7, 2014 23:37:46 GMT 12
Mini. Try Vincent Aviation. They have done day trips to Wanaka in the past.
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I'm I'm honest though the attraction would be more the venue and the company than the show itself - I haven't seen much to get excited about in the media releases so far.
