A microlight with an interesting history is owned by John Bolton-Riley who flew into Dannevirke from Feilding.
A microlight with an interesting history is owned by John Bolton-Riley who flew into Dannevirke from Feilding.
Dannevirke aerodrome's fascinating history was revealed on Sunday at the official launch of the book Becoming Airminded, A Timeline, 100 years of Dannevirke Aviation.
The book was the work of Mike Harold, who spent a number of years uncovering anecdotes on what is one of New Zealand's oldest airfields.
The launch co-incided with the club's annual dawn raid but dismal weather conditions prevented many planes from flying.
Club president Vince Payne said the weather was always the dilemma when it came to planning flying events and Sunday's "murky easterly" was no exception.
"The weather was very disappointing. It even prevented some of our club members flying in from Weber and Pahiatua."
He has taken part in the dawn raid around 20 times over the years.
Bolton-Riley owns a microlight and has become renowned for some of the flights he has made in it.
He has flown to the Chatham Islands and to Australia, a flight he made in three stages, first stopping on Norfolk Island, then Lord Howe Island and finally landing at Coffs Harbour, notching up 15 hours' flying time in the process.
Manawatū Aviation Club captain Ross Williamson said flying through the gorge was a bit exciting, but the trip was worth it.
He was happy to support Dannevirke Flying Club, which he said was a good active club.
Dannevirke Aero Club member Keith Cammock and Tararua mayor Tracey Collis look through a copy of Mike Harold's book on the history of aviation in Dannevirke, Becoming Airminded.
Payne officially welcomed guests to the club and introduced Mike Harold, thanking him for his work with the Phil Lamason Trust in producing the book.
Harold said the idea for writing it came from former Evening News associate editor Warren Barton, who told him that if ever he had the time, the history of aviation in Dannevirke would be worth recording.
"This book is a work in progress and is largely a pictorial edition of the history of the airfield."
Next month will mark 100 years since the first plane landed in Dannevirke on what was at that time the racecourse. It was a de Haviland flown by former World War I pilot Captain R Russell.
Harold acknowledged Eriata Nopera. He owned the land the airfield was built on and had been very accommodating in allowing the use of it.
He mentioned Ivan Kight who he described as an important pioneer of aviation in the district.
"He had an incredible effect on stimulating aviation and formed the Ruahine Aero Club in 1929 which became the Wairarapa Ruahine Aero Club by 1931. He was also the first person to be killed in New Zealand in a commercial aviation accident."
Harold spoke of the 65 men who worked in teams six days a week from November 1934 to June 1936 to level the 81-acre site to create the flattest airfield in the country.
Dannevirke bike shop owner Fred North, who worked in what was Mackies Garage on High St, built the Tui Sports plane. He was the first New Zealander to build a plane.
Another notable local aviator was a Dr Williams, whose interest was in gliding and he set up the New Zealand Gliding Association in Dannevirke.
"Captain Ron Claridge was probably the most important person in terms of the aero club. He organised for Sir Charles Kingsford Smith to land here. He actually landed here twice, the first time in a Tiger Moth to check out the airfield and the second time in the Southern Cross."
In more recent times, Harold said the formation of the Dannevirke Flying School by Colin Sandbrook was notable.
"More than 200 pilots who went through the flying school became commercial pilots."
He thanked everyone he had spoken to for their willingness to share their resources with him and thanked the Phil Lamason Trust for preserving the stories of the region and acknowledged the skill as a pilot of Lamason, who served in World War II.
•Copies of Becoming Airminded can be ordered through contact@phillamason.com or bought from the Dannevirke Information Centre.
