July 2007

Queenstown RNP—An Air New Zealand First
Pacific Wings’ Airline and Business Aviation correspondent, Capt. Graeme Mollison, describes an Air New Zealand “first”—its application of advanced navigational tools and technology to improve bad-weather access to Queenstown’s mountain-locked airport.

ANZSASI Conference Report
Rob Neil reports on the annual conference of the Australia New Zealand Society of Air Safety Investigators.

A Dream Come True
Tauranga’s Classic Flyers Museum features twice in this issue of Pacific Wings (it was a welcome stopover for the NAC tour—pages 32–36 in this issue). The museum’s own Diane Jeffery talks about Classic Flyer’s origins and what it has to offer aviation enthusiasts.

NAC—Flying as it Used To Be
In March this year, a group of aviation history enthusiasts made a nostalgic tour around New Zealand, re-living the “glory days” of NAC. Their aircraft—the Warbird Dakota Society’s immaculate DC3—was piloted by none other than Pacific Wings’ Airline and General Aviation Correspondent, Capt. Geoff Cooper.

Letters From War
This is the first of what will be a regular feature by veteran US military helicopter aviator and retired airline pilot Don Harward, who is currently a civilian front-line warrior in the real war on terror, flying Huey II helicopters on dangerous ground-support missions for the Afghan Eradication Force in Afghanistan. Don gives us personal insight into his world—past and present.

Dick Maling—My New Zealand Hero
Before he died, author and one-time RAF pilot Wing Commander Geoffrey Morley-Mower wrote about New Zealander Dick Maling whose flying skills and personal qualities he greatly admired.

NZAWA Annual Photographic Competition
Each year, the New Zealand Association of Women in Aviation (NZAWA) holds a photographic competition to coincide with its annual rally. Pacific Wings presents the winners’ images.