Aircraft shared with RSA members

A blue Searey Amphibian caused a lot of interest from the RSA members. It is tricky to get in and out of, but comes complete with a small anchor, paddle and bilge pump so you can land in the water, jump out and have a swim.Not all the RSA members who took up the North Shore Aero Club’s invitation to look around the facility have an Air Force background – but they are all interested in aircraft. This M.A.S.H style Safari helicopter was built by ex-Air NZ pilot John Eaton. RSA members admire the gleaming Titan Mustang built by Rodger Coleclough. Hibiscus Coast Community RSA vice president Gary Jacob takes a look inside the cockpit. Richard Neave of Dairy Flat answered questions about the Mooney 201 which he and his wife Sue Campbell restored and have flown on many trips, including to the Gold Coast.

Around 12 members of three RSAs – including the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA – spent several hours at the Dairy Flat based aero club on November 14, taking a close up look at the planes, followed by lunch and a scenic flight.

The aero club hosted the veterans as a way of giving back to the community.

Hibiscus Coast Community RSA vice president Gary Jacob says he went along because his father-in-law, Havelock Williams, was New Zealand’s first Air Force photographer, taking photos of the troops going off to fight in World War II, as well as famous pilots like Jean Batten.

For others, it was a chance to find out more about aircraft that have been meticulously restored or built from scratch – this included Richard Neave’s Mooney 201, the three-quarter scale Titan Mustang built by Rodger Coleclough, and the helicopter built by ex-Air NZ pilot John Eaton.

The owners and, in some cases builders, of the planes shared their knowledge, answering many questions about horsepower, cruising speed, fuel capacity and the work involved in making and flying their planes.

After lunch, the RSA members were taken on a half hour scenic flight in the club’s Sirius and Cessna 172 planes, which included flying over the Auckland harbour bridge, Browns Island and Tiritiri Matangi.

There was also a flyby and display by a privately owned WWII P40 Kitty Hawk.