The Satcher's New Zealand Adventure: Flying

It has been a real privilege to see New Zealand from the air. As the year winds downs, I've been trying to get out an fly as much as possible. One Saturday, I flew north along the coast to the village of Raglan. The Raglan runway is a patch of grass near an old golf course. Originally, it was an emergency strip laid down at the beginning of WWII. Raglan is now a vacation destination for the central North Island and it is well known in the surfing world for its surf breaks.

Heading north, just east of New Plymouth

Spectacular cliffs along the west coast, north of New Plymouth

Iron ore barge bound for China

Raglan. Can you see the runway?

Here's some help

Looking down runway 23

Footbridge into Raglan

Headed home

Iron sands mine

We've been attending church at the Salvation Army and have become friends with a number of folks in the congregation. On Sunday the 27th of September, I scheduled the 172 and gave rides to any of the Sallies that wanted to see Hawera from the air. I gave eight rides over the course of four hours. Everybody enjoyed themselves. It was a good day of flying.

Some folks waiting on their ride

My friends, Victor and John

Helen and Daniel

Graeme

Gisborne is a city on the East Cape of the North Island. Gisborne is sort of like the last outpost of the East Cape and it is three hours by road to any other sizeable city. We never had the opportunity as a family to see it, but I was keen to fly across the island to have a look.

A holding point at New Plymouth

Taumarunui Aerodrome

Lake Taupo

Logging east of Taupo

Rangitaiki Aerodrome

Lake Waikaremoana

The weather cooperated on October 6th and I convinced Jack to join me. Flying across the widest part of the North Island really brings home the diversity of New Zealand. From costal plains to large inland lakes to volcanoes, New Zealand has it all and it is absolutely stunning from the air.