Tauranga DC-3 flights

In a joint venture with Classic Flyers Museum, Air Chathams DC-3’s Whakatane schedule this season has been amended so that the DC-3 Skyliner arrives in Whakatane from Auckland mid morning on Saturday and returns to Auckland late Sunday afternoon. In doing so ZK-AWP is freed up to do some Bay of Plenty scenic flying.

On seven weekends, following its arrival in Whakatane, the DC-3 will ferry over to Classic Flyers at Tauranga to do 30 minute $99.00 scenic flights planned for 12pm , 1pm and 2pm on the Saturday. After staying overnight, three more flights are planned to follow at  11am, 12pm and 1pm  on the Sunday.

The weekends ZK-AWP is operating from Classic Flyers at Tauranga are:

12th & 13th November 2016
3rd & 4th December 2016
17th & 18th December 2016
14th & 15th January 2017
28th & 29th January 2017
4th & 5th February 2017
11th & 12th February 2017

There are mutual benefits for Air Chathams and Classic Flyers Museum. The museum has its licenced Av-Gas Cafe where would-be travellers and others can have a light meal before or after their flight.

Bookings can be made on line with either company:

Air Chathams: http://www.airchathams.co.nz/dc3-flights/book-a-scenic-flight/ where you can select a date and make a direct booking or phone 0800 580 127. 

Please take careful note that on some other weekends there will be scenic flights out of Whakatane so please select your flight very carefully.

Classic Flyers http://www.classicflyersnz.com or phone 07 572 4000

Please also note that the aircraft, when in Tauranga, will be operating from the Classic Flyers tarmac and NOT from the main Tauranga Airport terminal building.

There are two flight options: are

·        Cruise the North West coastline over Matakana Island and past Athenree to Waihi

·        View the Martha Open Cast Gold mine from above

·        Return to Tauranga flying over the patchwork quilt of kiwi fruit orchards and farms

·        Circle over Tauranga City and Mt Maunganui before landing

·        Fly out to Motiti Island and then circle down to Maketu on the South Eastern coast of the Bay

·        Circle back over the kiwi fruit orchards of Paengaroa and Te Puke

·        Fly over the Papamoa Hills to Eastern Tauranga

·        Circle over Tauranga City and Mt Maunganui before landing

There is a discounted rate available for family bookings of two adults and two children.

These flights may be the answer for Christmas and birthday presents so have a thought about this and circulate it among friends, family and colleagues (such as club members). Could it be a Christmas work function or some other special occasion? The idea is that the more people who participate then there is a possibility that other trips may eventuate on future weekends.