This page is reserved for Student activities, flight experiences, training articles/movies and photos
.
Piako Gliding Club visit
The Piako Gliding Club will be arriving at Thames on the 5th of January and intend to start flying from the 6th of January (until 20th Jan). They would like to invite our members to fly with them during that time. You are able to fly at Piako Gliding Club Rates just Book on the Piako Gliding Club Website Piako Gliding Club : Home and include “HAC” against your name.
Select the day and time and select Glider and Instructor.
New Student, Instructor and Aircraft Booking System
This is now available for all Students to book your flying lessons. Please ensure you have completed and returned your Setup form.
It is your responsibility to provide updated records to ensure your booking is not rejected. Note: Students do not require a medical or RAANZ membership until your first solo is imminent.
Congratulations Caleb on your first Solo!
Click on the following link to see his flight.
A training flight from Thames to Dargaville in overcast and windy conditions.
Dargaville Aero Club’s Saturday lunch is a “MUST”
.
This is an interesting history of what we tend to call the “Phonetic Alphabet”
Cross-Country flight from Thames, over to Port Waikato, down to Ragland and back to Thames. 8/09/25
Well, what can I say? We live in a fantastic part of the world, and this was a spectacular flight. What better place can you learn to fly? This was my third flying lesson after a six month break, so I am a bit rusty!! My first real cross-country since getting back to flying, and I have certainly learned a very important lesson; that is, the importance of planning. I had no idea where I wanted to go, so didn’t make up my mind until the day. Big mistake!
I ended up being a bit overwhelmed and flustered. One of my radio announcements stated that I was at a height of 1500 miles (I meant feet, of course!) Maybe some within earshot may have had a giggle! Cliff certainly did! Next time, I will be better planned.
A very successful Student Get-together was held on Saturday 6th September
Murray Connell was our Guest Speaker, an impressive career as an Air Force helicopter pilot and an Air New Zealand Pilot, including 787 Dreamliners
Rotorua Lakes Cross-Country flying lesson 4th Sept 2025
Slideshow:
Cross-Country Flying Student experience from Thames to New Plymouth 7th Aug 2025
A recent cross-country microlight flight from Thames down to Alexandra in Central Otago
Narrative by Stephan Bosman
A Cross-country Training flight to Taupo/National Park
Maraetai Dam on the Waikato River 
Whakamaru Dam 
There was quite a lot of cloud around National Park area. Mt Doom is somewhat hidden 
From Ruapehu’s summit looking back toward Taupo 
While we got to 10,000 feeet, the Crater Lake on Ruapehu was under cloud so will have to wait for another day 
Taupo coming into view. The new terminal is looking great and we were able to get coffee 
Huka Falls 
Wairakei 
Prawn Farm 
Blue Spring, which is where the Waihou River begins 
Te Poi 
Wairere Falls 
Kaimai Rail Tunnel entrance
Narrative by Cliff McChesney, Flying Instructor
On Friday 11th August I took one of my students for a cross country flight to Mt Ruapehu and then home via Taupo.
We were airborne at 1100 hours and winging our way south. There was a southerly blowing and the two thousand foot wind was predicted to be
After making all the appropriate calls we turned final for runway 17 at Taupo. A Dash 8 was loading passengers so we figured the café should be open. On the flight down, the Taupo ATIS was saying the air temperature was 4 degrees. While ZK-CJN does have a heater, it only blows air onto the windscreen and does precious little toward warming the cabin. Also once you reach 10,000 feet and begin your decent, it then only blows cold air!
After a couple of coffees and a toilet stop we were back in the air again. Leaving the circuit via Boat harbour we tracked to Huka Falls. A couple of orbits here and then off to Wairakei. We made our way to Orakei Korako and down river to Ohakuri Lake and power station. Leaving the river, we continued our journey north to pick up Tokoroa and the Blue Spring at Putaruru. With a few radio frequency changes we were soon in the circuit for Thames.
A most enjoyable 3.3 hours of flight on a rather stunning winter’s day.
A Cross-country Flying Lesson to Rotorua Lakes
with Cliff McChesney (Instructor) with Lesley Weston (student)
See slideshow below (photos courtesy of Cliff):
Departure from Thames 
Fog blanket to the south of Thames on departure 
Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotorua 
Lake Okareka 
Blue Lake 
Lake Tarawera 
Lake Rotomahana 
Mt Tarawera summit 
Mt Tarawera coastline 
Lake Rerewhakaaitu 
Mt Edgcumbe and Kawerau Mill 
Matahina Dam 
Whale Island and White Island 
Edgcumbe Township 
Matata Coastline 
Bowentown Harbour 
Lingering fog south of Paeroa at midday 
“We flew Thames – Rotorua Lakes – Mt Tarawera – landed briefly at Galatea (a small military airfield in the middle of nowhere – used during war times) – Whakatane – Tauranga – back to Thames.
“At 8pm the previous evening I was given my homework! Listing all the radio frequencies along the route and identifying waypoints and controlled areas. Consequently I was up at 4.30 am hard at work!
“It was a foggy start to a sub-zero degree morning, but it cleared enough
by 9.45am to take off for a fantastic day. After so much bad weather recently it was great to have a beautiful sunny day.
“It was a huge learning curve with regards to entering controlled areas. Tauranga is a busy airport (in my flying experience). Traffic includes Air NZ and other regional commercial airlines. I take my hat off to the control tower who have to manage all the aircraft, a hugely stressful job that I couldn’t contemplate. At one stage we were told to continue at 2,500 feet, whilst another aircraft had to circle until we had passed, another flight was told to fly in at 1,500 feet and flew directly below us.
“Radio communication is so important, you know what you should say but it comes out as a garbled blurb. Hopefully, one day I will get the hang of it.
“Looking forward to my next cross-country experience.”
Hauraki Aero Club 
You must be logged in to post a comment.