Scenes from Tiger Moth Club 2009 Fly-in at Taumarunui.
Just now and then, one captures an image that is worth saving. This was taken at the New Zealand Tiger Moth Club’s 40th Anniversary Labour Weekend fly-in at Taumarunui, a rural inland town in our North Island.
Derek Williams, one of our most experienced Ag.pilots, is flying his personal North American T-6 Texan/Harvard ZK-ENC; ex RNZAF NZ1091. For many years Derek and his fine machine have been a regular and welcome sight at our air shows and fly-ins.
In the other snapshot, Derek and veteran Ag pilot Kevin Erni, enjoy an ale and a chat after flying. Both chaps are still operational; Derek with SuperAir at Tauranga and Kevin with Wanganui Aero Work at Taumarunui. As I took this shot, my mind drifted back to half a century ago when Derek and I shared Civil Aviation examination rooms when sitting our Commercial Pilot Licence theory exams. I was then 18 with Derek just a few years my senior.
Kevin, and his charming wife Karen, were kind enough to host my wife Janet and I for the memorable weekend. This little item is my way of paying a tribute to these two modest pilots who, between them, have carried out approximately 450,000 take-offs from demanding hill-country farm airstrips in aircraft loaded above their Normal Category weights, and routinely with tail-winds for take-off or landing.
Mike Feeney
