Microlights From Cape Reinga To Bluff

[Dave Homewood]

I came across these articles in The Press newspaper. This one from the 23rd of February 1982:

Microlights on the hop to Bluff


Mr Ken Asplin, of Hamilton, the pilot of one of the three microlight aircraft attempting the journey from Cape Reinga to Bluff, lands at the West Melton airstrip yesterday. The other two pilots, Mr Marty Waller, of Auckland, and Mr Trevor Barrett, of Hamilton, also landed safely. After a rest, the trio flew on to Ashburton. The pilots left Cape Reinga on February 7 and, making the journey in short hops, had logged 26 hours flying time when they reached West Melton. They crossed Cook Strait without incident on Sunday. Their tiny aircraft, which consist of a skeletal frame and fixed wings and tail, have a cruising speed of about 60km/h and need only 30 metres of runway to take off or land.

[Dave Homewood]

Microlights reach Bluff

PA Invercargill Three microlight aircraft pilots — Trevor Barrett, Martin Waller, and Kenneth Asplin — completed the last leg of a flight from North Cape to Bluff on Thursday. People have walked, cycled, and ridden horses the length of New Zealand but few would have felt these pilots’ exhilaration.

“You pull the stick back and feel yourself lift into the sky and the smooth air,” said Mr Barrett. “Then it’s the wind rushing past your cheek and throbbing in your eardrums” — what he called “back to basics flying.”

There are no gauges or cockpits on the microlights and navigational aids were necessary because right down the country it was a matter of following the roads of the coastline.

The trio completed the journey in 60 hours flying time. They began their flight from Cape Reinga on February 7 and the last leg from Gore was like a carnival of flying machines in the sky. The microlight plane trio had been joined by Murray Haden in his Pterodactyl and the pilot of a motorised hang-glider, or “trike,” as it is known in the trade. The five all taxied across the paddock together and rose effortlessly into the air.

The three pilots had a good time in the air. They took pictures, waved to one another, and evolved a system of sign language. When it was time for "smoko” they hailed one another and chose a paddock to land in.

“The view is beautiful and you have a fabulous feeling of peace,” said Mr Barrett.

PRESS, 27 FEBRUARY 1982


One of the three microlight aeroplanes, which have flown the length of New Zealand, on its victory run to Bluff.
PRESS, 27 FEBRUARY 1982

[madmax]

Trever Barrett and Ken Asplin later both lost their lives in separate aircraft crashes

[Dave Homewood]

[planewriting]

The first to fly from North Cape to Bluff were E F (Ted) Harvie and 18 year old Trevor (woman) Hunter and they completed the flight in a single day in Gipsy Moth ZK-ABP on 1 December 1933. Many years later wrote a book "Venture the far horizon". On the 50th anniversary of the epic flight, his nephew, Don Haggitt, re-enacted the flight. Ted and Trevor were in Invercargill to greet him on arrival. (ref nzhistory.govt.nz/first-flight-from-kaitaia-to-bluff). On a personal note I was told by my father that at some stage Ted was his parents' boarder. I do not know where and when.

In 2005 I realised that 1 December 2008 would be the 75th anniversary of the original flight. I thought, with modern gliders and very experienced cross country pilots perhaps a flight from Bluff to Cape Reinga may be possible so I suggested to gliding ace Terry Delore. He asked me what was the prize! I said, "Having the satisfaction of being first!"

Now read rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/29764/glider-flying-bluff-reinga-right

[Dave Homewood]

Bruce Cooke is sure that there was a New Zealand National Film Unit movie following the three microlights in 1982 on their North Cape to Bluff adventure. Does anyone else recall this? Is it online?

[Dave Homewood]

This has to be the film Bruce recalls.

www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/TZP60474/

[madmax]

The third person mentioned in the North Cape to bluff flight, Marty Waller, was an American who with fellow countryman Tommy Namias arrived in New Zealand earlier in 1982 and as appointed distributors set about assembling and selling Quicksilver microlights from a industrial site in Henderson.
Both Americans were hang glider pilots and following their sales campaign in NZ Tommy traveled to India where he entered and, I believe won a gliding contest. Upon his return to the same event the following year he is reputed to have met his death under questionable circumstances