Latest News - Keep Track!

Ardmore Pilots - Mountain Flying Training
Mon, 26 July 2010

We were pleased to host yet another group of pilots from Ardmore Flying School. 10 Pilots ranging from C cat trainees to B cat Instructors took part in a week long Mountain Flying Course looking at the basics of mountain flying. During the week, most of the pilots also enjoyed a spectacular trip to Milford Sound, putting their new skills to the test. We look forward to seeing the next group soon.

Night Flying
Fri, 16 July 2010

This winter we are pleased to be able to offer Night Flying instruction through co-operation with the Gore Aero Club. Roydon, one of our senior staff is experienced in teaching Night Flying and uses the fantastic facilities at the Gore Aerodrome. Night Flying is a wonderful experience and adds another element to your flying, Dont miss out!

Chipmunk
Wed, 7 July 2010

We have a Chipmunk here available for ratings and rides. Don’t miss a great opportunity to fly in a beautiful classic entry-level warbird. 

Private Pilots - Helicopter
Tue, 1 June 2010

A huge congratulations to Julianne Kramer (our CFI/ops manger) on achieving her Private Pilots Licence Helicopter. Julianne loves anything to do with flying and a helicopter PPL has always been on the 'to do' list. She says, "Helicopter flying is lots of fun and gives different sensations than fixed wing". Julianne wishes to eventually build enough experience for a CPL heli. 

Membership Night
Fri, 26 March 2010

6pm Friday 26 March 2010 there's a free sausage sizzle BBQ at the club. It's an ideal opportunity to renew your membership but really all that admin is a nonsense - what we'll really be doing is drinking beer (or maybe learning to crochet) and making new friends. Please feel free to turn up and find out what the Wakatipu Aero Club is all about. New faces very welcome. Bring your buddies.

Top news: On the day you can join the club or renew your full flying membership at the old rate!

(Also at Facebook)

New Line Pilots
Tue, 9 March 2010

Congratulations to William Clark and Mackenzie Gardyne on achieving their OCA. 

Commercial Pilots
Sat, 27 February 2010

Awesome effort this month for two of our club pilots, Matt Murphy and Paul Beardsell, both achieving their Commercial Pilots Licences. Well done guys.

Mandeville Fly In
Sat, 20 February 2010

Mandeville's annual fly in is being held the weekend of 20 & 21- 
Feb. Vintage/ Classic aircraft, steam engines and machines. Joy rides. A fantastic weekend and great opportunity to fly there in a club aircraft.

Legend of the Skies
Fri, 5 February 2010

Another interesting event for flying enthusiasts at the Wakatipu Aero 
Club:  The Douglas DC-3  AMY operated by Southern DC3 Ltd will be visiting 
the club.  Have a look, go flying in a beautiful historic aircraft! See you there.

ETN returns
Wed, 3 February 2010

A frustrating few months having one of our charter aircraft unserviceable due to manufacturing faults with Continentals engines. ETN has now had replacement parts fitted and test flights conducted and released to service, immediately resuming operations to Milford Sound.

Poker Run
Sun, 31 January 2010

5 airstrips, 5 cards – best hand wins! Perfect flying conditions on the day lured many members to come join the fun. Every club aircraft took to the skies stopping at Branches, Glenorchy, Greenstone, Upper Von and finishing at Walter Peak for a nice buffet meal. Card hands were then submitted with Ian Clearwater winning with a Full House 2’s over Kings.

Newly Licenced Pilot
Thu, 28 January 2010

Congratulations to Katie Smallwood for achieving her Private Pilots Licence. Katie came to us from USA in Winter 2009 and diligently worked her way to becoming a pilot while enjoying her hobby of Skydiving in her spare time. Katie has since left us and returned home, she will be missed.

Broadening her Horizons
Wed, 18 November 2009

Congratulations to our very own CFI - Julianne Kramer on achieving her First Solo Helicopter!

Julianne has recently been studying and training towards a PPL helicopter. She took a trial flight many years ago and loved the experience and thought "one day, Id love to learn to fly these". After just a month of weekend lessons in her spare time, Julianne flew her first solo Helicopter flight, a fantastic achievement! Well done!

Party Time
Fri, 6 November 2009

Keg of beer and a huge roast lamb was enjoyed by many to celebrate Alex achieving his Instructor rating and Roydon logging 1000 hrs Flying time. Well done guys!

New Instructor
Sat, 31 October 2009

A huge congratulations to Alex Turnbull on achieving his C Category Instructor rating. He comes just in time to better cope with the busy summer season ahead.

ETN
Sat, 24 October 2009

Just 1 month after having a brand new engine installed we receive an emergency Airworthiness Directive to immediately ground the aircraft. Continental found that a number of engines recently manufactured were found to have faulty Camshafts and followers. All Continental IO-520 engines affected worldwide required a full disassembly of the engine, checks and replacement parts. Poor timing as we head into the start of the season... thanks Continental! 

RNX Returns
Mon, 5 October 2009

We welcome back ZK-RNX which now has a brand new engine upgrade to 180Hp. Perfect timing as we head into the busy summer season of charter work. Performance specs for this model with the new engine are fantastic and this aircraft prides itself with the most useful 'useful load' of any light 4 seater aircraft we've ever flown. A very tidy and great performing aircraft that is always a pleasure to fly.

First Solo
Wed, 5 August 2009

Congratulations to Hamish Hutton and Katie Smallwood who flew their first solo flight. A very memorable experience, well done!

AGM
Tue, 21 April 2009

7pm at the club.

Private Pilots
Thu, 26 March 2009

Congratulations to Russell Barker and Jim Rooney who recently achieved their Private Pilots Licence.

ZK-RNX retired
Tue, 10 March 2009

The well-liked RNX, one of our Cessna 172s, has had to be returned to its owner as the engine has gone over the life permitted for aircraft used for training. We hope to see it again once its engine has been replaced/overhauled.

New Line Pilots
Mon, 9 March 2009

Congratulations to William Clark and Mackenzie Gardyne on achieving their OCA. 

Private Pilots
Tue, 27 January 2009

This month we congratulate Debbie MacColl and Frank Shiller on achieving their Private Pilots Licence. Debbie is a local girl with a family history in aviation while Frank comes all the way from Germany! Well done.

New B-cat Flight Instructor
Sat, 6 December 2008

We warmly welcome Roydon Wells to the Wakatipu Aero Club. Roydon has been instructing in Invercargill and holds a B-category flight instruction qualification. This means he can conduct just about any training we might require from trial flights and ab initio PPL training through to BFRs and CPL exercises. He arrives just in time to help us cope a little better with the usual increase of activity over the Summer months. Already we've been struggling to meet demand from members owing to lack of instructors and we are still recruiting for at least one more instructor. But your chance of having an instructor to fly with has now greatly improved. Phone and book or come in and have a chat with Roydon.

New commitee member
Tue, 25 November 2008

Ray Crow has been co-opted onto the Committee.

In-house OCA Examiner
Tue, 25 November 2008

Commercial pilots need to pass an operational competency assessment (OCA) annually with the organisation for which they fly. Julianne Kramer is now licensed to assess the operational competency of commercial pilots. No longer will the club have to use an external assessor for the pilots of our airline, Air Wakatipu. And we are able to offer OCA's to other local operators.

Alex Turnbull CPL
Sat, 1 November 2008

It's all happening to schedule (and quicker) for Alex!

Rats and ships
Wed, 1 October 2008

Matt Cameron is now flying the Cherokee 6 for Glenorchy Air but is still to be found at the club and he remains a valuable committee member.

Jennie Rolston bravely stayed the winter but she is unfortunately no longer instructing except possibly on an occasional basis. She will be flying out of Te Anau, where she lives. That commute was just too much.

Another aircraft
Mon, 1 September 2008

ZK-RNX is now one of the aircraft on line at the club.

Matt Murphy PPL
Thu, 24 July 2008

Congratulation to Matt Murphy on passing his PPL flight test today!

Another OCA
Thu, 3 July 2008

Congratulations to Ray Crow on passing his OCA, keeping up the recent run of successful flight tests at the club.

Two OCA's and a PPL
Sat, 14 June 2008

Congratulations to Andrew Elcock on passing his PPL flight test this week. Peter Daniell and Matt Cameron also passed their OCA's so are able to come online with Air Wakatipu as commercial pilots.

WHY's back with a new windscreen
Sat, 14 June 2008

When ZK-WHY came online with the club in March this year everybody who flew it made the same comment: “great plane just a shame about the windscreen”. Well WHY has been in maintenance for the last week and now has a new windscreen.

ZK-MDR has been withdrawn by its owner. We hope to see it back one day.

Welcome to Jennie Rolston
Sun, 11 May 2008

We are very pleased to welcome Jennie Rolston to the club. She is a B-category flight instructor who has instructed in Invercargill and, more recently, in Fiji. Jennie is able to provide for most members' training needs, from ab initio PPL instruction, through to BFR's, as well as training towards CPL and the C-category flight instructor rating.

Russell Barker First Solo
Wed, 7 May 2008

Congratulations to Russell Barker on his first solo. Something he has been looking forward to for a while, Russell took to the sky himself in ETT this afternoon.

CPL For Ray Crow
Fri, 25 April 2008

After unfortunately narrowly missing out on the first attempt Ray got back on the horse right away and made the trip to Dunedin for another CPL flight test, which he passed, congratulations!

Flight Test Successes
Fri, 28 March 2008

Congratulations to Matt Cameron and Peter Daniell on passing their CPL flight tests. Also to Julianne Kramer, our newest B Cat instructor!

Members' achievements
Sat, 15 March 2008

This week congratulations are due Alex Turnbull, who passed his PPL flight test, and also to Debbie MacColl, who flew solo for the first time.