NZ extended holiday 2004

[G-KEST]

Hello there,
My wife nad I are taking our first holiday for 6 years in NZ in April and May. We fly in to Christchurch and our initial aim is to be at Wanaka for the Easter airshow. After that we will tour in the South Island before spending some time with old friends near Nelson. The query is specifically - I celebrate 50 years as a pilot on Saturday 17 April 2004 since I was sent on my first solo in an ATC Cadet 3 glider on 17 April 1954. I now have over 13,000 hours in light aeroplanes, gliders and balloons with over 9,000 as instructor. I now have a UK NPPL(SEP) and previously held an ATPL plus FAA CPL(SMEL) and a Russian PPL. I hold a Silver C plus Gold C height. It would be fabulous to be able to get aloft in a sailplane on the 17th and, if conditions permitted, to achieve another element of my gliding badge. Any ideas out there?
Cheers,
Trapper 69
and in reality - Barry Tempest MRAeS
Armageddon Aviation
PS - any info on NZ general aviation events during April and May would be much appreciated also.

[Speeds high]

There is a very good Gliding Field at Omarama airfield, just to the north of Wanaka, where you can hire an ASH25 and get into that awsome westerly wave, and have a go at 30,000 foot height gain.

Also be sure to stop off at Omaka airfeild near Blenheim and have a look at the WW1 aircraft collection.

[slackie]

Was in WF Thursday/Friday.

WOW pilots had their pre-airshow camp.

Friday morning saw the spectacular sight of the following aircraft being readied outside the Alpine Fighter Collection hangar ...
Poli I16 & I153
Mustang
Spitfire
Hurricane
Corsair
(and even the L39 Albatross made an appearance on the other side of the aerodrome)

All flew - spectacular!

I venture to suggest that Wanaka is the ONLY place in the world where such a significant group of aircraft gather. You certainly wouldn't have seen that sight anywhere else in the world that day! And to top it all off there was even a fresh dump of snow on the mountains - breathtaking!