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Departing from Nelson<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Waikawa<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Goodbye, South Island<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nI called up Wellington over the radio, and they gave me clearance to continue at my current altitude and pass through their airspace. They routed me just a mile or so south of Wellington airport, offering me excellent views of the city from up high. I was given a vector on my way outbound, to stay clear of some incoming IFR traffic, but soon released to proceed directly towards my first stop of Flat Point.<\/p>\n\n\n
Wellington<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Lake Wairarapa<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Flat Point<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nI had already landed at the majority of large and medium sized airports in New Zealand, so my destinations over the next few days would largely be smaller local and private strips. I had identified most of these from the AOPA NZ airstrip guide. Flat Point airfield is one such strip, 500m of grass perched right on the coast to the east of Wellington. I flew a low downwind to check out the strip, before coming in for a landing from the northeast.<\/p>\n\n\n
Parked at Flat Point<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>The coast at Flat Point<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Flat Point airstrip<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThere was nobody around at Flat Point, so after stretching my legs and enjoying the coastal air for a while I started Planey up again, taxiing back to the northeast to start my takeoff run. A climbing left turn gave me final views of Flat Point as I gained altitude to clear the coastal hills, and pointed the nose to the northwest and my next destinations. The flight took me past Masterton, home of the New Zealand aerobatics competition that we’d stopped off at in late February, and then over the rugged bush-covered hills of the central North Island.<\/p>\n\n\n
Departure from Flat Point<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Flat Point airstrip<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Crossing the North Island<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Passing the Masterton area<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Hills north of Tararua Forest Park<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Descent towards Koputaroa<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nMy next stop would be Koputaroa, a small private farm strip north of Wellington. I’d called ahead to get permission to visit, and had been welcomed and given a briefing. The strip is well kept, short grass, and sits right next to a collection of farm buildings and a silo. As I taxied in I spotted a light aircraft tucked in the back of the barn. Once again, nobody was around, so after a brief stop I jumped back into Planey and fired up the engine. <\/p>\n\n\n
Koputaroa airstrip<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>On the ground at Koputaroa<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThe next leg was just a short one, to the airstrip of Foxpine. This is a little airpark near the town of Foxton, on the west coast of the North Island. The flight took just a few minutes, and after my typical downwind to check the condition of the strip I touched down and taxied to park next to what appeared to be a sort of club house. As I exited the aircraft, a car drove over towards me and stopped nearby; out of it emerged a gentleman with a friendly smile who turned out to be Mike.<\/p>\n\n\n