Flying Training Wing’s Family Day
By WGCDR Darryn Webb
I love it when a good idea comes together - as was the case for the second annual Flying Training Wing Family day held at Ohakea on Waitangi Day.
FLTLT ‘Norm’ Senior with potential recruits. WN 08-0035-12-tn.jpg.
The morning dawned to clear skies and a gentle Ohakea zephyr. The Tiger, Harvard and Airtrainers sat patiently awaiting their cargo of eager passengers and proud pilots hoping to keep the sick bags empty and the smiles wide - they didn’t disappoint.
When the suggestion of this event cropped up it occurred to me that the RNZAF is all about creating opportunities to exploit our point of difference. Where else could you provide such an environment, recognising the importance that family plays in the bigger picture and then rewarding them with an opportunity to turn upside down and tell their friends they had ‘flown a loop’. I certainly couldn’t imagine many other air forces signing up to the suggestion and this simply doesn’t exist out there in Civvie Street. I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise then that it went down so well.
Georgia Sutherland tries on an aircrew helmet for size. WN 08-0035-10-tn.jpg.
PTS staff got the ball rolling with FLTLT Ben Stephens doing the organisational donkey work, preparing the flying programme and welcome brief to the sizeable crowd for 0830hrs on a public holiday. SQNLDR Dan O’Reilly quite rightly laid down the law to his assembled QFI’s - there was no need to push anything, simply strapping in was enough to get the camera’s out, and the S&S team did a sterling job keeping those ‘one size fits no one’ passenger helmets cycling through the ensemble. The enthusiasm was certainly contagious with a significant number of our Aeromotive brethren and partners also part of the team for the first time, no better way of demonstrating the important part they play in supporting our military air operations. The Red Checkers then - as is increasingly the case without a C130 on hand - stole the show with another magnificent display to the appreciative audience. It was a fantastic day with many outstanding moments. No sick bags were needed, permanent grins and sore cheeks were reminders of the thrill of a Harvard ride and an open canopy. The day did turn expensive for one lucky young FLTLT nevertheless. At the top of a loop Phil Wilson chose to ask his partner Katie to marry him - and they say the romance of aviation is dead. The main prompt for me to report though was a quintessential hand written letter from F/S Nick Wilson’s 10 year old daughter Hannah. In her best purple felt tip printing she thanked me for the great day and especially for being able to see Mitre 10 Mega from the air. Good times had by all. The BBQ and festivities continued into the afternoon and for those left wondering, the answer was yes.