Microlight club started

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 6, 8 July 1986, Page 3

Microlight club started

The Waimarino's first microlight club has recently been formed and their two-seater machine is arriving shortly. The microlight is a twoseater Bantam, the first twoseater craft to be made in New Zealand. The 15 members of the club have contributed $1000 each towards buying the

microlight. The machine costs $13,500 and the extra money will go towards building a hangar at Wards Airstrip, Raetihi. lan Heappey, the club chairman, said that individuals have tried to get a microlight club going for several years. When recently there were enough people prepared to contribute to

the cost of the first plane the club was established. The club chose a New Zeala.nd-made machine because of the easy availability of parts and its compettive cost and performance. The Bantam carries enough fuel for 2Vi hours flying. It can travel about 1 13 kms before re-fuelling. The aircraft has a 50 horse-power engine and its normal speed is around 80 kms per hour. Its top speed is 120 kms per hour. lan Heappey said there was interest in the club from as far away as Owhango and Wanganui. The nearest microlight clubs are at Taupo and Feilding. Microlight flights will begin soon after the plane arrive and trial flights will be available to prospective club members at about $10 a time. The club's chief flying instructor Laurie Jones, has about 60 hours flying time in a microlight, and lan Heappey has about 12 hours. A second, one-seater microlight may be bought if there is sufficient interest.