April 2019 Vol No. 54 THE M.A.C. FLYER OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE MARLBOROUGH AERO CLUB INC. P.O. Box 73, Blenheim, 7240 Tel: (03) 578 5073 Email: [email protected] www.marlboroughaeroclub.co.nz M.A.C. Marlborough Aero Club PATRON PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT John Sinclair Alistair Matthews Scott Madsen Ph: 03 578 7110 Ph: 027 428 7863 Ph: 027 453 9348 HON. TREASURER SECRETARY Corrie Pickering Raylene Wadsworth Ph: 027 570 4881 Ph: 03 578 5073 COMMITTEE Mike Rutherford, Grant Jolley, Marty Nicoll, Victoria Lewis, John Hutchison, Jonathon Large CHIEF FLYING INSTRUCTOR CLUB CAPTAIN Sharn Davies Ben Morris Ph: 03 578 5073 Ph: 027 940 3235 Check out our new website – www.jemaviation.co.nz Annual Inspections, ARA / BRA’s, repairs, modifications and rebuilds – we can handle it all! Ph. (03) 578 3063 Mob. 021 504 048 Email [email protected] Hangar 22b, Aviation Heritage Centre Airpark, Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, NZ 2 PRESIDENT’S REPORT Fresh from the monthly committee meeting last week which was fairly straight forward. We have seen the provisional end of year results which are now being audited and put in to the usual annual report. While an overall loss is indicated there have been a number of high expenditure items this year but that sets us up for the next 10+ years. I will make further comment when the full report is out. The club is still in a healthy position and keeps it’s good name out there as was evidenced by the complimentary comments from recent air show participants. Talking of which , many thanks to all who put their hand up and helped in many different ways and to all club members for working in with the restrictions and some inconvenience. The organisers consider the show a success despite the cancelation of the Sunday show. We did have one complaint from the public about noise, some early morning activity on the Friday, but we would not have an air show without some noise so we have to be constantly mind full of how we manage it, hence our Noise Management Plan. On the financial side our bar was well patronised and good profits made along with the BBQ food provided but all giving good value for money. Just note Barman John’s article on a price rise which is probably well over due. Also note Grant’s article on some minor repairs to the airfield which is at no cost to the club, as per our ‘use of’ agreement with Classic Fighters. You may have noticed that there are a few more Sounds Air aircraft coming in to Omaka, namely in the form of PC12’s. Sounds Aero are now doing all the maintenance on these aircraft and so the agreement with MAC has been updated in line with our usual business practises. Ben Morris is now well into his work with MAC. It is good to see his cheery face around and facilitating members flying. If you are thinking of theory exams then Ben is the man to see and organise some classes. A good thing to do during the winter months along with some night flying. 3 Presidents Report Cont... The club traditionally recognises various achievements in various ways. There has been no formal recognition of the ‘First Solo’ achievement on the actual day other than the hearty congratulations offered and the exultation of the candidate. We have commissioned the casting of a new badge in the same style as we have, and do use for other events. (the 90th Anniversary for instance). Colours are black and silver and look very smart and can be immediately worn on any outer garment. The instructor in charge will present this on the day so recipients will have something to show friends and family. Certificates will continue to be presented at the Wings Dinner as we have done in the past. The AGM moves closer so continue to think about putting your name forward for any position on the committee. All places can be contested, and some will be vacated. Finally, to the following new members, have fun like we all do. Kimberly Price (daughter of a well known helicopter operator) David McGrath Stephanie Govenlock Bruce Govenlock Hamish Reid Daniel Francis (a paraglider, so a different form of aviation) Fly safe, Alistair 4 CFI REPORT Not a lot to report on this newsletter. The clubs’ student numbers are ever increasing and currently sitting at just below 60. This is great news and is keeping the team very busy squeezing everyone in each week. It’s great to have Ben aboard to help manage the workload. We will be looking at starting evening theory classes soon. Details will follow via email in the coming weeks. Night Flying. If you are keen on night flying this year, then please get in touch with one of the instructors and we will put your name on the list. We will be starting night flying from the end of the month. Remedial ground works is under way on the airfield after Classic Fighters. You will note a large portion of the North East corner of the airfield is cordoned off with cones. We have spread 54 cubic metres of top soil and then reseeded the area. We need to allow the grass to take hold before using that area for movements. Please respect what we are trying to do and do not taxi or drive over the area. A NOTAM has been issued closing the area marked by cones. We have a new taxiway to runway 25 and 30 out from the Aero Club which bypasses the closed area. If you are unsure where to taxi please ask. That is all from me this month. I must get out flying! Sharn 5 1st Solo 1st Solo Jonathon Sorensen 26 April 2019 PPL PPL Alex Barbarich-Bacher 26 April 2019 6 OFFICE NEWS DUTY PILOTS WANTED: Anybody interested in being a Duty Pilot on a Saturday morning from 9 till 1pm or Saturday afternoon from 1pm till 5pm and Sunday from 9am till 1 pm or 1 pm till 5 pm. This is by no means an arduous job and you'll meet lots of like minded pilots, and of course visitors. please contact Mike Gray on 578 1435 or 0274 303 001 or [email protected]. You'll only be rostered on for 1 shift per month. Keep the dirty side down. Thank you and regards Mike Gray MAC Accommodation Find us on Facebook Pilot / RNZAC Member M.A.C Marlborough Aero Club $120 / night Email: [email protected] 7 CLASSIC FIGHTERS AIRSHOW 2019—MAC DEBRIEF Another Classic Fighters Airshow has been and gone hopefully making a reasonable return for the organisers considering the huge amount of effort that goes into this event both financially and the efforts of so many volunteers. This year the committee decided to appoint an Airshow Liaison Officer (ALO) to be the point of contact between the CFCT and the club. This was to allow, where possible, our staff to carry on with their day to day tasks without the added distraction of having to make decisions on some areas such as the setting up. As with all things after this type of event, there is always something when sitting down and reviewing that you find what could of been done different or better. Some Health and Safety issues but more particularly weather related issues of the 2017 show, in respect to airfield damage, were still in the back of our minds as the 2019 show approached us. CFCT had from their side appointed one of our past presidents, Rex Newman, to be my point of contact. Rex, with his previous experience in assisting setting up a lot of the previous shows, was an excellent choice and had both the clubs and CFCT interests at heart and was a pleasure to work along side. The weather played its part in the huge logistical challenge of setting up and for the first two days of the show, however as you will be aware the rain on Sunday curtailed the show around lunchtime. Airshow over, now comes the dismantling of props, stands, marquees and the removal of containers etc. by the many subcontractors along with an increased amount of heavy trucks onto now a sodden ground. The committee being pragmatic allowed the CFCT a few extra days to allow the ground to dry out and have everything removed to minimise any further ground damage. 8 Classic Fighters Airshow 2019—MAC Debrief Cont... A week later I met with a representative from Pynes Seeds to get expert advise on an appropriate seed mix and then with representatives of CFCT, along with Turf Professionals, to look at the restoration of any damaged areas. Per chance rain the previous day highlighted a lot of the hollows, mostly created from the 2017 Airshow. In the first few days of May work began in earnest to bring in some 50+ cum of fresh soil, level and sow the seed. Looking at the initial results of what has been done I believe the CFCT has done an excellent job in returning the worn areas to a high standard. All we can hope for now is a little rain and a some warm weather to allow the seed mix to germinate. Sharn has issued a NOTAM highlighting the coned off area and we hope our itinerant pilots read this to stop getting stuck!! Thank you to Findlater Construction for lending us the cones. New taxiways are to be mown to bypass the coned areas but also to allow rejuvenation of the worn taxiway towards the threshold of Rwy 25.