Flying....

It was a day of aircraft, trikes, VWs and buggys, a day to catch up with long time friends and to celebrate an 85th birthday. It was great listening to the stories as people mingled, hearing how some got a thrill out of building an aircraft and then taking to the skies. The fleet of seven aircraft in Cust was built by father and son and then later son and wife.

The granddaddy of them all was the Woody Pusher ZK-DUA where the pilot sits up front with the passenger behind. Next came the Fred, ZK-FRD shown with the Woody Pusher,, a single seated open cockpit designed for the solo pilot of which father and son worked on. The story continues when the son meet a lovely young girl and they wanted to fly together so they both built the next plane a Pietenpol Air Camper ZK-PRB bearing the initials of this young girl. It has an open cockpit with the passenger sitting up front and the pilot behind.

I was fortunate to have a few flights in this magnificent plane over the years and its by far my most favourite way of flying. I love being in an open cockpit cruising the sky with the landscape below, feeling the wind in your face and having that forever view and yes I was wrapped up in an aviators jacket, helmet and goggles just like the red baron.

The young couple married and had two fine young lads and the dream continued with the building of the MOA, ZK-MQA more of a family plane with a closed cockpit and seating for four. There's been several other planes built along the way but to me these have been the most significant.

It was hard to know what to blip and my shots are a little boring but I decided on the Pietenpol Air Camper because of my memories and time in the air, it also relates to my journal name.

What a great Sunday it was :)