“Born to fly” – Hayden Faulknor stands ready to take on the skies at the National Flying Championships in Hastings. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
“Born to fly” – Hayden Faulknor stands ready to take on the skies at the National Flying Championships in Hastings. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
Before he could walk or talk, Haumoana’s Hayden Faulknor was already flying.
As an 8-months-old, he sat in the cockpit of a plane with his pilot father, feeling the hum of the engine and the tilt of the wings.
“It was natural for me to learn to become a pilot and keep flying. I think I was born to fly,” Faulknor told Hawke’s Bay Today.
His aviation journey officially took off over 34 years ago, when he began gliding at 16.
Gliding, a recreational and competitive air sport, involves flying unpowered aircraft, known as gliders or sailplanes, using natural air currents to stay airborne.
On Friday, Faulknor got the honour of competing at home at the National Flying Championships in Hastings.
“Events like this are great for pilots to refresh their skills, while meeting like-minded people and building friendships, within the fly community across the country,” he says.
Despite flying as a hobby, Faulknor is no stranger to success.
Last year, he won for the second time the bombing competition at the national champs in Ashburton, where you drop a bag full of sand or other weighted material and try to hit a target on the ground.
“The competition is very intense, it won’t be easy, but I am confident,” he said.
Bombing and life-raft dropping competitions are among the few times pilots can legally drop an object from an aircraft.
They test altitude and airspeed control, as well as precision by asking competitors to hit a target with the object.
An air judge flies with the competitor, while ground judges record accuracy.
A bag dropped during the bombing event at the National Flying Championships at Hawke’s Bay & East Coast Aero Club. Photo / Chris Lierheimer
The National Flying Championships, hosted by the Hawke’s Bay & East Coast Aero Club, started on Wednesday and continues until Saturday.
Flying NZ vice president and nationals 2025 event director, Reuben Hansen, said this is the first time the event has returned to Hawke’s Bay since 2010.
“We have 35 airplanes here and about 120 people involved, including competitors, judges, and supporters. They’ve come from as far north as North Shore and as far south as Timaru, with about 25 from Hawke’s Bay,” he said.
The competition lineup has 20 different events, including precision flying, aerobatics, formation flying, navigation, landing and bombing.
Among the competitors is Andrew Roberts, who travelled from Tauranga for his second National Championship after five years of flying.
“I started because my dad flies gliders, and his dad flew power aircraft. I’ve just been around aviation my whole life,” Roberts said.
For him, the event is about more than just the prizes.
“I’m hoping to take home some trophies, but it’s also about catching up with friends.”
Tauranga’s Andrew Roberts at his second National Championship. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
Flying NZ president Peter King says that among the trophies up for grabs, the most coveted is the Wigram Cup, first awarded in 1931.
“The Wigram Cup is named after Sir Henry Wigram, a pioneer aviator who helped shape New Zealand’s aviation history,” King said.
The prestigious trophy is awarded in the team event, where four competitors across different disciplines combine their scores to determine the best aero club.
Flying NZ president Peter King (left) and vice president Reuben Hansen with the prestigious Wigram Cup, first awarded in 1931. Photo/ Rafaella Melo
The next major flying event for Kiwis is The Wings Trophy International, an annual competition between New Zealand and Australia held alternately in each country.
This year, it will take place in May, in Taree, Australia.
Faulknor’s skills have earned him a spot on the New Zealand team.
“We hope to go over there and win, but like the nationals, the quality of the competitors is very high, so we just hope to have an enjoyable time getting the best result possible and representing New Zealand well,” he said.
