Auckland Harbour Bridge Fly-under

[dudduddud]

Goodafternoon,
Does anyone recall the last time someone flew under Auckland's Harbour Bridge?

Cheers

DD

[ZK-NSN]

Fred Ladd was one of, if not the first. I forget the company but they had Grumman Goose or a similar floatplane. He wrote a book, pretty interesting read.

[tinpis]

"A shower of spray and we're away ! "



:p

[dudduddud]

"down the ramp and into the damp"

Fred Ladd is 'the man'. Anyone know what happened to him after the Tourist Air Travel Widgeons?

Or: who was the last person to under-fly the Auckland Harbour Bridge?

[tinpis]

Well I hope he not still flyin he be about 110 years old.

[dudduddud]

"There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there may be exceptions to the rule."

[ed]
One of his esteemed services to the residents of the Hauraki Gulf was delivering the daily newspaper to various Dept. of Conservation staff and Lighthouse Keepers by throwing it out the window. He would often attach a short poem for the readers entertainment, a couple of examples included here:


Greetings shepherds with your sheep
Here's your friend Fred just roused from sleep.
The sun is shining and I cant stop
But here's the news down your chimney pot


It's nice up here
Looks nice down there
Hello down there
From us up here
If youre wondering what's the latest caper
Read about it in the morning paper


Apologies to S.Maddock et al

ps: does anyone know the details of the latest Auckland Harbour Bridge Fly-under?

[LocoDriver]

Fred Ladd flew under the bridge on his last day with tourist air travel, 31/03/1967.
The court discharged him.

After TAT, he flew in Taupo and Rotorua(Capt Ladd's volcanic wonder flights'

Fredd retired to Taupo, and flew giders, when he was in his seventies.

He died some years ago, a gentleman to the end.
I am not sure if his wife(Mabel) is still alive, does anyone
know?

[belowMDA]

Hmm does doing it in the 737 simulator count?? after weaving through Aucklands cbd buildings took her under the bridge at 300+ knots. ahem... Terrain, Terrain Pull up!!

[chicken6]

Last time I remember was a helicopter going under to film the ad for, "That'll be in the Herald on Sunday"

Last before that, Tim Wallis in the Spitfire?

[Split Flap]

Was done in approx 1990, in a Grumman Widgeon but I cant recall the name of the guy.

[tinpis]

Last saw a Widgeon in Cairns kiwi dude had it where did that go?

[G-LOST]

And more trivia...

Piper Cub ZK-BKV was the first aircraft to fly under the harbour bridge - during the official opening when several thousand Aucklanders were walking the bridge. Flown by an Auckland Aero Club member, Eric Barfoot, who made a number of passes and then returned to the club to hang up his licence, so to speak. I inherited the newspaper cuttings (great photos) his logbook, fine, letter of ban from the club for life etc. when I ran the BKV syndicate. We also gave the old fella a ride in BKV a few years ago, guess he must have passed away by now.

LOST.