How quickly a year and a half goes past. I have been slowly updating this site to a new format on and off over the past year and have finally reached a point where I am happy to publish it online. Much has happened in the last 12-18 months and I still need to complete updating a number of pages but I thought it was time to release the new format. One of the new changes, apart from the new layout, is the introduction of the SAA Auckland tab to the home menu. I took on the newsletter editors role with the Auckland Sport Aircraft Association in June 2011 and have been producing the monthly newsletter since then. The new tab contains PDF copies of each of the newsletters which contain some fairly topical information regarding the sport flying and homebuild/kitbuilt movements here in NZ. If you are interested you can also visit the Auckland SAA website here and/or the SAA New Zealand website here.

Build Progress Summary
Although I have not achieved much in the way of building in the last twelve months, most of what I have achieved has been around the Vertical Stabiliser and the Rear Fuselage mount points for the empennage. There is still quite a bit to do to complete the VS and to get the mounting complete but it is progressing, albeit very slowly. As can be seen from the image I have managed to get the HS and VS mounted on the fuselage and am working on completing all the workwork associated with mounting them before removing them to add foam and fibreglass.

Recent News off the KRNet
This year is the 25th anniversary of the KR range of aircraft and the annual KR Gathering in the US is shaping up to be a big event. Many builders are working hard around the US to try and complete and get there KR's airworthy for the event.

Sonex JQP News
Since completing my PPL renewing in late 2010 I have also since been rated on Sonex JQP. It has been quite an experience to learn how to fly this aircraft and to get to fly it semi regularly. In March of this year we moved JQP from Te Kowhai near Hamilton to Ardmore airfield in South Auckland. This now means that the three syndicate members who are rated on JQP can access her on a regular basis to go flying. I have to say it makes a big difference only having to set aside a couple of hours to go flying instead of a whole day as was previously the case. A 10-15 minute drive is so much easier than an hour or more.

My Flying
As mentioned above I managed to renew my PPL in late 2010. Such has been the delay in getting updates on this site that my BFR is now due in November this year. I have not done much GA flying in the last 6 months, preferring instead to utilise Sonex JQP which I fly under my microlight licence. I will be starting to work through the BFR training beginning in July this year as I still want to keep my PPL current.

Other Updates
My good friend Chris Rarere and I have managed to get to a number of airshows over the airshow season just gone. These included the 2012 SportAvex at Tauranga in Febuary, the RNZAF 75th Anniversary airshow at Ohakea in late March and also to Warbirds over Wanaka in April. I have yet to create pages for these shows but as I complete them I will put them up.