Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 22, 2021 19:07:16 GMT 12
New Wings Over Wairarapa chairman wants to build the event into 'New Zealand's premier airshow'
Piers Fuller
14:50, Jul 22 2021
Former Minister of Defence Ron Mark was a volunteer helping tidy up at Wings Over Wairarapa earlier this year. He’s now chairman of the airshow’s trust board. PIERS FULLER/STUFF
A big feather in the cap of the new head of the North Island’s biggest airshow is that he knows how to get the best aircraft.
It was under former defence minister Ron Mark’s watch that the New Zealand Defence Force secured billions to upgrade key parts of its air fleet.
Mark also worked with organisers to attract one of the main drawcards of this year’s Wings Over the Wairarapa festival in February - the flyover of the United States Airforce Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber.
A United States Airforce Boeing B-52 doing a fly past Hood Aerodrome during Wings Over Wairarapa earlier this year. PIERS FULLER/STUFF
Mark had been a volunteer with Wings Over Wairarapa for several years and his partner Christine Tracey helped organise key parts of the show, so he was well aware of the workings of the Masterton-based event.
Mark said he would like to work with the airshow trust to help grow it into “New Zealand’s premier airshow” and expand its trade and educational offerings.
“I think the event has enormous potential far beyond just being an airshow,” he said. “It’s time to take a fresh look at the event, what the aim and purpose is, what our objectives are.
“When you’re running an event that you have to fundraise over a million dollars to put on ... that lasts over three days and can go broke if the weather goes bad, you’ve really got to be clear as to why you’re doing it.”
Mark said as well as enhancing its offerings, the trust should consider whether to expand ‘’Wings’’ from a three-day event to five days, or whether it needed to change its name.
“If we can grow the event out to 100,000 people over four or five days, I think that would be amazing for the local economy, for developing workforce opportunities for young people, and for the industry to showcase what it does for the nation.”
A formation of North American Harvard WWII fighter trainer aircraft flew over Wellington as part of this year’s event.
PIERS FULLER/STUFF
Attracting the world’s top aerobatic teams could also be a possibility for future events, Mark said.
“A laudable goal would be to get an international air display team in from either the United States or from Britain - something like the Red Arrows [RAF] or the Blue Angels [US Navy].
“Those are the types of things I would love to see here, but I need to emphasise that this is more than just a warbirds show.
“In the future I think we can work better with New Zealand’s strategic partners, better with the aviation sector and show more.”
Outgoing Wings Over Wairarapa chairman Bob Francis and the event’s founder Tom Williams in front of the de Havilland Mosquito at a previous show. STUFF
Mark said Masterton’s Hood Aerodrome was ideally placed for a top airshow because of its location, flying conditions and space.
“We’ve got to protect the venue as best we can, and work closely with local government in terms of how Hood Aerodrome is developed in order to ensure that it doesn’t kneecap the event.”
Another unique drawcard was that Hood was home to Peter Jackson’s vintage aircraft collection, which included the largest fleet of WWI fighters in the world.
Mark was taking over from outgoing chairman Bob Francis who had overseen the Wings through a transformational period from 2011.
“Without Bob’s dedication and guidance, I doubt very much if the event would have survived a full weather cancellation in 2017, a partial one in 2019 and then a Covid-affected event in 2021.”
As well as Mark as chairman, the Wings Over Wairarapa Community Trust has added two new members, Mike Butterick and Glen Horsfall, who have joined Sam Orsborn, Bernie Pothan, Brett Wooffindin and Mike Jones on the board.
The next Wings Over Wairarapa airshow is scheduled for February 24-26, 2023.
www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/125827948/new-wings-over-wairarapa-chairman-wants-to-build-the-event-into-new-zealands-premier-airshow
Piers Fuller
14:50, Jul 22 2021
Former Minister of Defence Ron Mark was a volunteer helping tidy up at Wings Over Wairarapa earlier this year. He’s now chairman of the airshow’s trust board. PIERS FULLER/STUFF
A big feather in the cap of the new head of the North Island’s biggest airshow is that he knows how to get the best aircraft.
It was under former defence minister Ron Mark’s watch that the New Zealand Defence Force secured billions to upgrade key parts of its air fleet.
Mark also worked with organisers to attract one of the main drawcards of this year’s Wings Over the Wairarapa festival in February - the flyover of the United States Airforce Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber.
A United States Airforce Boeing B-52 doing a fly past Hood Aerodrome during Wings Over Wairarapa earlier this year. PIERS FULLER/STUFF
Mark had been a volunteer with Wings Over Wairarapa for several years and his partner Christine Tracey helped organise key parts of the show, so he was well aware of the workings of the Masterton-based event.
Mark said he would like to work with the airshow trust to help grow it into “New Zealand’s premier airshow” and expand its trade and educational offerings.
“I think the event has enormous potential far beyond just being an airshow,” he said. “It’s time to take a fresh look at the event, what the aim and purpose is, what our objectives are.
“When you’re running an event that you have to fundraise over a million dollars to put on ... that lasts over three days and can go broke if the weather goes bad, you’ve really got to be clear as to why you’re doing it.”
Mark said as well as enhancing its offerings, the trust should consider whether to expand ‘’Wings’’ from a three-day event to five days, or whether it needed to change its name.
“If we can grow the event out to 100,000 people over four or five days, I think that would be amazing for the local economy, for developing workforce opportunities for young people, and for the industry to showcase what it does for the nation.”
A formation of North American Harvard WWII fighter trainer aircraft flew over Wellington as part of this year’s event.
PIERS FULLER/STUFF
Attracting the world’s top aerobatic teams could also be a possibility for future events, Mark said.
“A laudable goal would be to get an international air display team in from either the United States or from Britain - something like the Red Arrows [RAF] or the Blue Angels [US Navy].
“Those are the types of things I would love to see here, but I need to emphasise that this is more than just a warbirds show.
“In the future I think we can work better with New Zealand’s strategic partners, better with the aviation sector and show more.”
Outgoing Wings Over Wairarapa chairman Bob Francis and the event’s founder Tom Williams in front of the de Havilland Mosquito at a previous show. STUFF
Mark said Masterton’s Hood Aerodrome was ideally placed for a top airshow because of its location, flying conditions and space.
“We’ve got to protect the venue as best we can, and work closely with local government in terms of how Hood Aerodrome is developed in order to ensure that it doesn’t kneecap the event.”
Another unique drawcard was that Hood was home to Peter Jackson’s vintage aircraft collection, which included the largest fleet of WWI fighters in the world.
Mark was taking over from outgoing chairman Bob Francis who had overseen the Wings through a transformational period from 2011.
“Without Bob’s dedication and guidance, I doubt very much if the event would have survived a full weather cancellation in 2017, a partial one in 2019 and then a Covid-affected event in 2021.”
As well as Mark as chairman, the Wings Over Wairarapa Community Trust has added two new members, Mike Butterick and Glen Horsfall, who have joined Sam Orsborn, Bernie Pothan, Brett Wooffindin and Mike Jones on the board.
The next Wings Over Wairarapa airshow is scheduled for February 24-26, 2023.
www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/125827948/new-wings-over-wairarapa-chairman-wants-to-build-the-event-into-new-zealands-premier-airshow
