May 4, 2008 – From Dunedin to Te Anau
Weather: Mostly fine day (NZ term) cool, about 7C.
What an exciting day it was for me (Wayland). We had stopped a couple of times before at the Croydon Aircraft Co. close to Mandeville on highway 94 in past years but this year was different. It’s just past Clinton and Gore by the way heading west. At Croydon they rebuild any antique aircraft made of wood and fabric from the ground up. There is a building where they do the rebuilding which currently has about 10 planes in various stages of reconstruction. They also have a new museum building where they have a number of vintage aircraft on display. I think that I counted around 4 or 5 DeHaviland Moths and 3 or 4 other twin engine vintage craft beautifully restored. They have a Fox Moth that was the first aircraft used for mail delivery in New Zealand. All the finished aircraft there are in perfect condition and are flown. It is really cool to just wander around in their buildings and look at work they’re doing and the aircraft. They also have a beautifully conditioned grass airstrip that they fly from.
What was different this year was it was Sunday, it was a beautiful day, and they were giving rides in a Tiger Moth biplane. The Moths were post WWI and used by the Brits for training. This was the day to go for a ride in a Tiger Moth. Ryan was the pilot in command and sat in the rear seat and I got to ride in the front seat. This is an open cockpit biplane so Ryan loaned me a leather sheepskin jacket and a leather helmet with goggles. Very cool attire. The only disappointment was I didn’t have a long white scarf. Oh well!
Ryan got me all belted in and then hand propped the engine, yanked out the chocks, climbed in the back seat advanced the throttle and we started taxiing in the grass. Ryan lined it up with the runway, the tail popped up quickly and off we went. New Zealand is even more beautiful from the cockpit of a bright yellow biplane flying low. We followed the Mataura River back to Gore where he gained a little altitude and then said over the intercom those great words “you’ve got the plane”. I did a few turns and some up and down and then at Ryan’s direction headed towards a low mountain ridge that runs parallel to the river. Ryan took over again and put us at tree top level along the ridge. He said that many times there are wild mountain goats to be seen there but none today. As we were heading back to the airport he put the plane into a shallow dive and then pulled up into a loop and then after going around once went directly into another loop. What a thrill having never done any aerobatics before. It’s interesting seeing the horizon disappear beneath you then all blue sky and then the horizon appear upside down, then all earth and then the horizon back to normal. After that a roll and then down into a right hand pattern, line up with the runway, a slip to reduce airspeed (no flaps), kick it straight, and then a smooth touchdown.
Ryan and I walked back to the office chatting about flying and then he put the time in my logbook and signed it. I have been taking my logbook along to New Zealand every year with just this sort of thing in mind and finally made it. It has taken a while to get down to earth and wipe that silly smile off my face.
What can I say other than – Life is Great.
Will tell about the red Staggerwing at Croydon and pilot in another installment.
Kiwi Word of the Day: Bach or Crib – A small holiday (vacation) home.
What could be prettier than NZ sheep in front of the Southern Alps?
Our team at the Olive Tree in Te Anau.
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