Kiwi Thunder  - Tigers Blood  

Southern Hospitality Magazine

Simon and the Thunder Mustang features in this months                     Southern Hospitality magazine, click here for the article.

Airshow Season.

Summer has arrived!

And with summer comes the airshow season and it is going to be a great season with many events on our calendar including

Gabby the Aviatrix...

This is Gabby who joined Simon for a flight in the Thunder Mustang recently, she went from looking a little nervous before her flight to a HUGE grin afterwards and we love to hear things like "Hi I just want to say thank you so so so so so so much for my ride in the plane it was the best thing I have ever done in my life...... And now you have made me want to get my pilot license" 

Recent Flying....Aug 07

The last few weeks have seen a slight improvement in the weather and a corresponding increase in the amount of flying that we have been doing. In between the rain and the wind have been a few days that are just made for flying, with a memorable flight down to the central North Island for a display, aerobatics on our return and just to top the day off formation with the Ardmore based P51-D.

The picture quality isn't great but I found myself in the back-seat with nothing but my mobile phone!

Congratulations Commander Bill.

Also congratulations from the Kiwi Thunder team to Commander Bill and to Kim on the first flight of their Thunder Mustang, it looks great Bill and many thanks to Shelah Morgan for the photographs below.

Winter update

A number of people have mentioned that we haven't updated the site for a few weeks so here goes. A mixture of the winter weather and completing our 2nd 100 hour checks and annuals has kept things quiet on the flying front. Simon has recently returned from a trip to Wanaka where he was flying Garth Hogans P40 kittyhawk (some pictures below). I can't think of a better place to be flying this historic aeroplane!

Talking of photographs check out Gavin Conroys web site at http://capphotography.fotopic.net/

We have also been working on our new hangar situated behind the warbirds hangar at Ardmore and right in front of the Engine Dynamics workshop. If you are in the neighborhood drop by for a coffee. We are enjoying having our own facility and somewhere to put all of our flying related things.

Hopefully we are going to get an improvement in the weather soon and some of those crisp and clear winter days that are so great for flying.

I want that.....

Cool toys....and a fun web site

Another Thunder Mustang.

According to Kenny Campbell the aircraft (N451KC) runs and flies beautifully.

And what a great paint job. Special paint was used for the silver, no metal flake, but it has the appearance of polished aluminum. Very, very bright in the sunlight.

New Zealand 'Nanchang' web site

If you have been to a New Zealand airshow you have probably seen the Chinese built Nanchang flying and I have just been advised that they have their own web site. Well worth a visit, you can find them on our links page or by clicking here

Classic Wings - Omaka 2007

See our Gallery page for more information.

FAI record applied for.

Rob Burns (pilot) and Chris Bromley (co-pilot) have set a new unofficial record time in the C1c class between Auckland and Christchurch of 1 hour 36minutes and 38 seconds for an average speed of 465kph (251kts). This beats the previous record set in 1996 by Chris Thoms in a Lancair iv.

After waiting several weeks for suitable weather we took advantage of a high pressure system passing over the country to get a smooth run direct from Auckland International Airport to Christchurch International a distance of 404km. The flight had a number of highlights for the pilots, after all how often do you get to fly down the main runway at an International airport at 350kts to get a start time and finish with a fly by of the tower at another at 360kts, all without getting in trouble! And at one point be 50 nautical miles off shore.

Many many thanks to the very helpful and professional team at Air Traffic Control for making it all possible and providing the clearances and assistance as we progressed down the country.

And for the record, there is still a LOT more speed left in the Thunder Mustang.