MSC XC course

Saturday 25th October to Wednesday 29th October

​You'll recall from the last newsletter that this course is planned to run over Labour weekend (Saturday to Wednesday).
​At present, enrolments are "light", sitting on only 3. For the course to run, as it's a labour of love for those putting it on, there need to be about 8 participants: if that's not achieved, then the course is unlikely to take place.
​If you're a North Island pilot who's at or near the Getting to Cross Country Pilot stage in the GNZ training programme and have the agreement of your CFI, this course will benefit you.
​The Matamata Soaring Centre runs this course annually over Labour weekend and the following days ending on Wednesday, combining lectures with flying instruction. Attendees may also bring a single seater from their club, as there is generally one twin (with instructor) for every two students. In recent years, there has also been field selection training using a motor glider, which has been widely appreciated.
​This course has been run over the last several decades and has helped produce competent, safe cross-country pilots. Many pilots have made their first outlanding during this course, using a pre-selected field close to the airfield.
​Accommodation is available at the airfield, while it is hoped that catering may also be available.
​The course has been added to the GNZ Events calendar, where you may enrol if you meet the criteria.

Please contact Gerard Robertson bungeegerard@gmail.com if you'd like more information.

Your entry form is here: https://gliding.net.nz/events/msc-cross-country-course-oct-2025

OPERATIONAL UPDATES FOR OMARAMA AIRFIELD LIMITED

The team at Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) have several important and exciting updates

regarding the operations at the Airfield and its associated components which we would like to

share with all users, operators and interested parties with regards to Omarama Airfield:

Reopening of Airfield Café

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) has entered into an agreement to acquire the operational

chattels of the previous operator to enable the café to reopen quickly with an opening date of no

later than 01 November 2025 or sooner if possible.

Historically the café (formerly The Pink Glider) was a pivotal and central facility to the Omarama

aviation users as well as regulars from the wider community and those visitors and tourists

passing through the area.

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) considers having an attractive exciting café operation

functioning seven days a week between 9am and 5pm between October and May is critical

to support those users of the Airfield and its visitors. Breakfasts, morning teas, lunches,

afternoon teas and afternoon refreshments support the general vibe of the Airfield day-to-day

operations as well as bring people into the general facilities. It may also be that the café

considers providing evening meal options as previous operators had in the past although this

needs to be discussed with the successful new operator.

Negotiations with new café operators are under way and should conclude in the next couple of weeks.

The Airfield company will help in any way it can to ensure the new operator opens quickly and is

well supported by the Airfield users and wider community in any way it can.

This is very exciting news for both the Omarama wider community and the Omarama Airfield.

Glider Towing

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) has entered into an agreement to acquire the glider towing

assets of Soaring Equipment Limited (SEL) and will begin operating from 01 October 2025

providing a reliable, safe and scalable towing operation seven days a week between 01 October

and 01 May each gliding season.

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) considers towing central to the success of the Airfield and

critical to help increase gliding activity in Omarama – arguably one of the best soaring bases in

the world.

A considerable amount of work has gone into creating systems which will enable an operationally

smooth experience with an automated billing system and strong operational processes.

Before 01 October 2025 there will be posters displayed at the terminal building and also on the

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) website http://www.omaramaairfield.co.nz which will contain a

QR code / link to sign up and create user accounts. Work is being done to ensure previously

collected information can be re-used and updated by other operators who share and require the

information for operational purposes. This sign-up process will give each pilot a unique three-

digit code to use when using the towing services and allow confirmation of operational

requirements are met as well as seamless billing.

It is the intention to keep the standard launch towing prices for the 2025/2026 season the same

as the 2024/2025 season of $19.00 per minute including GST. Long term Omarama Airfield

Limited (OAL) would like to reduce the cost of towing, if possible, to encourage and increase

activity in Omarama and will actively review at the end of the 2025/2026 season and look for

opportunities wherever they present.

Daily Weather Briefings

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) is in the process of contracting an organization to provide a

structured daily weather briefing for pilots seven days a week between 01 October and 01 May

at 10am in the terminal building main briefing area. It is an expected operational requirement

that those who intend to fly gliders from Omarama will attend the weather briefing for any day

they are to operate.

Daily Operational Briefings

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) has contracted the Omarama host gliding club Omarama

Gliding Club (OGC) to provide and chair a structured daily operational and safety meeting for

relevant operators, including other clubs operating in a permanent or visiting capacity who have

a relevant license to operate from Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL). These critical operational

meetings will commence in the Omarama Gliding Club offices at the terminal building at

9:30am seven days a week between 01 October and 01 May and include the chief tow pilot, CFI,

senior instructors, launch point controllers, leadership members and/or their delegated

authorities.

Prior to the daily weather briefing commencing at 10am each day in the main terminal building

briefing area the Omarama Gliding Club (OGC) will provide an operational and coordination

update from their 9:30am meeting outcomes to anyone who intends to operate that day around

operational, safety and flight following activities or any other information which requires

promulgation.

Operational CFI Services, Flight Following for NZ Visiting Pilots

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) has contracted the Omarama host gliding club, Omarama

Gliding Club (OGC), to provide for all short-term (< 30 days and non-regular) visiting pilots who

are active members from other New Zealand clubs the following services:

- CFI oversight and safety management

- Flight following services

- Access to club facilities and briefing rooms

- Emergency response coordination

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) realizes there is a cost to provide this service by a provider and

does not wish to discourage visitors from other member clubs visiting, so this funding is

considered important in relation to activity and growth.

Gliding Users/Pilots at Omarama Operations

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) would like to make sure that it is well promulgated that pilots

including visiting, permanent members of a local club operating at Omarama or those who are

members at other clubs operating in Omarama with a permanent establishment, must follow

the Gliding New Zealand (GNZ) Manual of Approved Procedures (MOAP) and as such operate

within the requirements of the host gliding club in Omarama being the Omarama Gliding Club

(OGC).

Part 2-2.3.5 “Notwithstanding paragraph 1.2 above, in cases where an affiliate wishes to

establish its main base at a site that is already the main base for one or more other affiliates,

there must be a formal memorandum of agreement (MoA) between all such affiliates, that is

referenced in their respective Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and sets out:

(a) How daily activities will be coordinated, and

(b) clear lines of responsibility for all flying operations, and

(c) clear pathways for the resolution of any operational and/or safety issues that may

arise from time to time. It’s likely that pilots with a permanent establishment at Omarama who are

not covered by the visiting pilot services that the Omarama Gliding Club (OGC) are contracted to

provide will need to join one of the local clubs as an associate or full member. It will be a requirement

of launching that all pilots are under the supervision of a CFI (or delegated representative) on the

airfield on the day of launch.

Note this includes pilots operating under “Independent Operations” as per Part 2-3.11 “when

flying at a host club where the pilot’s home-club CFI is not present, then the host club CFI (or

delegated representative) has authority to act on their behalf.”

Sections for Sale

Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) has a limited release of land parcels which are developed and

ready for sale. Come and build your future in Omarama on one of these sections closely

located to the Airfield. More information online at https://www.realestate.co.nz/42751018/.

Omarama Airfield Limited Structure and Governance

As directors we are regularly asked why and how we make decisions and it’s commonly

apparent that lots of people we interact with are unsure of the structure and governance which

we operate under so I felt it would be useful to append this information to the end of this letter. I

hope you find this information useful, and we hope to publish this on our website soon.

Updated Website – http://www.omaramaairfield.co.nz

We are in the process of updating our website with updated content, check it out.

Looking to the Future

On behalf of the directors of Omarama Airfield Limited (OAL) I just wanted to express how

excited we are for the future activity of Omarama and some of the positive changes which are

being executed at the moment.

The growth of both gliding and general aviation at Omarama over the last twelve months has

been considerable and we are excited to be aligning our strategic goals to enable future scaled

success for the Airfield, its shareholders and users.

If you wish to engage with the Airfield company directly please feel free to reach out to me or

email directors@omaramaairfield.co.nz with your questions or feedback.

Yours sincerely

Clive Geddes

Chairman

Omarama Airfield Limited

clive@omaramaairfield.co.nz

http://www.omaramaairfield.co.nz

New Trial GAA's

Huge thanks to the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Para Gliding Association

Exciting News - Sharing a milestone after 8 years of persistent advocacy, Airways and CAA have accepted the NZHGPA submission for a 90 day consultation for 11,500ft and 12,500ft GAA's at Nelson Lakes/Molesworth. If the trial is successful then the GAA's will become permanent. Trial starts 27th Nov 2025 to 30th April 2026 in time for the summer soaring season.

A point to note is that GNZ has signed an MOU with NZHGPA agreeing that Lake Station G870 (9,500 ft to FL195) will not be activated at the same time as the trial GAA's.

Classic Flyers' Museum

During winter Vintage Kiwi hasn’t had many gliding days, however we have had some superb winching days with the K-13 GFX flying beautifully. Roll on Spring and Summer!

Clubs pride themselves in having their gliders active. As well as GFX, Vintage Kiwi prides itself in having saved significant gliders from the scrap heap or bon fire. They all have a great story to tell.

Many readers may not realise that there is a strong association between the club and Classic Flyers’ Museum at the entrance to Tauranga Airport where various precious gliding items are housed. The biggest and most notable are the six gliders and Ann Johnson’s gliding display cabinet spread through three of the museum's hangars. There are also items in archival storage. The gliders are generally donated to the Vintage Kiwi club by their owners or estate, who in turn, lend them to Classic Flyers’ to be part of their display.

In the main hangar is the Tauranga Gliding Club’s very first glider, Slingsby T-31 GAU, assembled from a kitset in a factory and test flown by Gordon Hookings in 1956. It finally retired nearly fifty years later in May 2016 with several mishaps along the way.

In July 1959 it was sold to the Whakatane Gliding Club where it continued its training role. The Ohakea Aviation Sports Club at RNZAF Base Ohakea, became the next owner on 27 May 1971. The T-31 endured a further six years of instructional flights, for Air Training Corps cadets and some RNZAF personnel.

In July 1977 a syndicate comprising J S M Snowden, C D B Thomas and R W Minton took ownership and based GAU at Paraparaumu Aerodrome. Jevon Snowden assumed full ownership from August 1985. From 1991 the T-31 was out of the air and over several years Jevon fully refurbished it for eventual ownership, in November 2006, by the Norfolk Aviation Sports Club based at Norfolk Road, Inglewood. Jevon kept his interest in the glider after it was reactivated.

The club donated GAU to Vintage Kiwi in December 2018. On its arrival in Tauranga, the T-31 was put on display near the gliding club’s clubhouse where a celebratory barbecue was in progress. Renowned Tauranga Tiger Moth pilot and restorer John Pheasant taxiied his Tiger Moth ZK-BFF in front of the glider. To complete the 1950’s gliding scene, nearly 70 years onward, a tow rope was laid out and attached to the Moth and the T-31.

After the barbecue the T-31 was displayed in the main hangar.

Near the T.31 is Slingsby Swallow, GCD, “Great Charlie Duck” so named for its landing in Lake Wakatipu on 12 January 1977. It is intended that the story and the water landing photograph will be portrayed in greater detail in the coffee table book currently being produced by a team of six, covering New Zealand gliding history from 1909 till at least 2025. By sheer coincidence, GCD, one of the very few gliders to make a water landing in New Zealand was, until recently, displayed alongside Cessna 150 ZK-CGI. The Cessna also had a water landing, or should that be dunking, in appropriately named, Lake Duncan on 3 February 1970. How strange that both those landings occurred about 1000kms away, yet the aircraft spent many years sharing a hangar in Tauranga. Note the Cessna 150 ZK-CGI in the background of the above photograph.

Also in the main hangar is an unregistered Ulf-1, which was being constructed from a kitset. These German foot launchers, designed by Dieter Reich, have proven very successful since the type’s first flight in 1977. The example here is thought to be the only New Zealand Ulf. Sadly, the builder, Ken Dumper of Auckland, died before its completion. His widow kindly lent the glider frame to Classic Flyers’ since 2006, on the proviso it be retained untouched. Note the skid’s tennis ball suspension!

Next month we will focus on the other three gliders held at Classic Flyers’.

Peter layne

https://vintagekiwi.gliding.co.nz/