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Photo Nelson Mail
Flight instructor Monique Elwell, Club President Kevin Allport and Instructor Sheena Bowring at the Aero Club’s 75th anniversary.
75 years and climbing
The Nelson Aero Club was formed on celebrating the history of the club,” information on the history of the club,
28 September 1932 and celebrated its said President Kevin Allport. “Everyone and of aviation in Nelson. “The first
75th anniversary on the weekend of had a good time, it couldn’t have been club aircraft was a Piper Cub. It’s
28 September this year. better”. still flying, but couldn’t make it for
the weekend. We’ve flown Dragons,
The anniversary celebrations started The Aero Club first operated from Procters, Austers, Tiger Moths, Piper
with a barbecue on the Friday night what is now Saxton Field and moved Cubs and Cherokees. Now we have
and an open day at the airfield on the to the airport site in the late 1930’s, seven planes available, including two
Saturday where club planes were used although activity ceased during the Cessna 150’s, two Cessna 172’s and
to take learners’ flights. Second World War. Since then the club a twin engine Cougar, all of which are
has occupied different buildings on the used for instruction at different levels,”
Ninety six guests attended an evening airport site until finally moving to the he said.
dinner on the Saturday night, with current hangar in February 1996.
those present having connections to The club has trained private and
the club going back to the 1950’s. Kevin has been involved with the commercial pilots, with Loulene
“It was great to see so many people club since 1967 and is a mine of Gollop (now an Air Nelson pilot),
continued pg 2...
(Aero Club staff 1957)
from page 1
Mike Johnson and Bryce Nairn among
those who have gone on to successful
careers in the aviation industry. Sadly
there are no foundation members left
– but names like Sir Jack Newman,
Ian Neale and Reg Kingsford are well
remembered.
The first full time instructor was Don
Price, who at 92 years old is the
Patron of the club. “We were pleased
to see him briefly on the Saturday.
Sadly he was unable to attend the
evening function due to a fall,” said
Kevin.
Things are looking good for the future
of the club, with 125 members, regular
club trips such as the annual Brass
Monkey flight to St Arnaud, regular
Sunday barbecues for members and we drop a toilet roll out of the plane excellent safety record and planes are
newcomers and competitions that at 40,000 feet and follow it down. maintained following a strict regime.
would scare the wits out of non- We thought we’d have a go at aerial “We try to cater for families”, said
aviators. golf next time.” The club has a strong Kevin, who likes to see young and old
competition background and has up in the air. “We have students aged
Instructor Sheena Bowring said: “We successfully fielded teams in national from 12 to over 60. You need to be
have competitions for spot landings, competitions for many years, with 17 to get your private pilot’s licence,
aerobatics, formation flying, and Kevin a regular participant and holder but you can start working on it from a
games such as streamer cone where of many titles. The club also boasts an younger age,” he said.
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Women in aviation at
Nelson Aero Club
The Nelson Aero Club has a strong association with
women in aviation and currently has two full-time
female flying instructors. Monique Elwell and Sheena
Bowring are flying in the wake of renowned women
pilots such as Thelma Bradshaw, who gained her
private pilot’s licence in 1955.
Thelma was born in Wales but came to New Zealand in
1950 to teach and was introduced to flying by a fellow
teacher. She had her first flight in a Tiger Moth and
was hooked. She arrived in Nelson in 1954 to teach
at Nelson College for Girls, where she remained for 11
years while earning her private pilot’s licence in 1955,
and her commercial licence a year later.
Thelma’s hopes of a career as a commercial pilot were
dashed because airlines didn’t employ women pilots
then. And air traffic control was out of the question due
to a “lack of facilities” at airports. Instead she decided
to try instructing, and gained her instructor’s rating
in 1957. Thelma went on to become the first woman
instructor in the country with a B rating, and worked as
an instructor with the Nelson Aero Club for many years.
Thelma married World War 2 Pilot Arthur Bradshaw in
1965 after flying a charter to Wellington to pick him
up, and was later a captain of the Aero Club. Thelma
was one of many older members present at the 75th
anniversary celebrations. Thelma Bradshaw
From the General Manager
We at Nelson Airport Ltd take great it’s great to have been able to make
pride not only in the history of our the required changes to accommodate
airport but in providing facilities that the progress of Air Nelson to its brand
support and encourage the aviation new fleet of Bombardier Q300s.
industry and all that flows from it.
The new development extending the
It’s been great over the last weeks to road in the General Aviation area will
take a look back and see how far we allow us to provide more sites and
have all come. Significant industries encourage business development
like the Air Nelson Engineering facility to meet the needs of the aviation
and the Air Nelson headquarters, industry in both its commercial and
along with Helicopters NZ and the hobby aspects in this region.
various support industries that spring
up around them provide a significant We congratulate the Aero club and Air
contribution to employment and the Nelson on reaching their respective
economy of the region. milestones and look forward to a long
and extensive continued association
It’s wonderful to see the enthusiasm of with them and all other members of
the smaller but very important entities the aviation industry in the Nelson
like the Aero club, often referred to as area.
the crèche of aviators, active on the
Kaye McNabb airport. At the other end of the scale Kaye McNabb - General Manager
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Air Nelson marks end
of Saab air service era
September 24 2007 was an historic Friendship and National Airways years was world best practice for
day in aviation history. The final Corporation era. During this period both the type and turbo props in
scheduled service of the 33 seat it has carried 12 million passengers general.
Saab 340A arrived in Nelson from more than 181,300,000 kilometres
Wellington at 1.35pm, marking on 500,000 flights, with an accident The decision to replace the Saab
the end of another chapter in the free record. was made in light of the expansion
history of both Air Nelson and New of the regional air travel market
Zealand aviation. Air Nelson was instrumental in the with today’s low cost fares. The
set up of a full Saab flight simulator aircraft is being replaced with the
A number of the original project for training in Melbourne which 50 seater Q300, with the fleet
team from September 1990 was first used in April 1997. The expanded to 23 aircraft – a decision
were on hand to participate in company has operated 22 different which reflects confidence in a
the flight and to celebrate the Saabs, and was pleased to arrange robust market. Customer feedback
occasion. Representatives of GE the successful sale of the balance of is positive and the future looks
Aviation which manufactures the Saab fleet to Aviation Industry bright for the new fleet.
the CT7 engines, and of aircraft Resources in the United States.
supplier Saab Aircraft Holdings “Over the next 12 months Air
were also present to acknowledge The success of the Saab has Nelson expects to provide in excess
a partnership which spanned 17 reflected the matching of a well of 1 million seats into the Nelson
years. designed and robust aircraft with Market for the first time ever,” said
the technical and operational skills Air Nelson General Manager John
The Saab has been a hugely of the people at Air Nelson. The Hambleton.
important tool in the redevelopment reliability of the aircraft at 99.2
of regional air services in the post percent average across its entire 17
The last SAAB ZK-NLH passes through its arch of honour provided by Nelson Airport Rescue Fire Service tender Rescue 05
at the completion of its final commercial passenger service flight from Wellington at 13:35 on 24th September 2007.
The Airport Users Group Meeting
All members of the users group are invited to attend the next meeting which will be held in the Aero Club rooms
4.30 pm on Wednesday 17 October.
Nelson Airport Limited • PO Box 1598, Nelson
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Phone: 03 547 3199 • Fax: 03 547 3194 • Email: nelsonairport@clear.net.nz