Spitfires & Sportscars Tour 2023
Posted by Melanie on Oct 15, 2023
We are very fortunate having a job that takes us to some of the best airshows and museums in the UK, with wonderful guests and this year was no exception. We also had the benefit of a heatwave and continuous sunshine for three weeks, rather…read more...
Codford St Mary Commonwealth War Graves & the Australian Badge
Posted by Melanie on Nov 12, 2022
Codford The Codford area has had a long history with ANZAC soldiers and during World War I large training and transfer camps were established for the tens of thousands of troops waiting to move to France. Codford also became a depot in 1916 for…read more...
Boscombe Down & Old Sarum
Posted by Melanie on Oct 9, 2022
Boscombe Down Aviation Collection Wiltshire is best known for its iconic prehistoric monuments, the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral and picture-perfect villages. The standing stones of Stonehenge are probably the most notable but in the aviation…read more...
DC3s Airworthy in NZ
Posted by Melanie on Aug 2, 2021
Over 80 years old now, the DC3 is one of the most mass produced aircraft in history. Around 16000 were built, the earliest in the 1930's for American Airlines who were instrumental in it's development. During WW11 it was the most…read more...
Route 79 Museum
Posted by Melanie on Sep 28, 2020
A new addition to our catalogue of visits for 2021 will be Route 79 in Geraldine. This new museum is the eclectic collection belonging to Paul Robins, and is due to open in November. Paul has always been interested in all…read more...
“Merchant Enterprise” SAFE AIR ARGOSY ZK-SAE
Posted by Melanie on Jul 23, 2020
Woodbourne near Blenheim is home to a unique experience, a “Virtual Flight” in the resident Argosy, the last of its kind in the world. This historic twin-boom aircraft is open daily 10-4pm and sits alongside The Runway…read more...
New Zealand Helicopter Heritage Museum
Posted by Melanie on Jul 20, 2020
Andrew Brian grew up with a great interest in helicopters. In 1965, venison processors & exporters Graham Stewart & Co had started shooting deer from helicopters using the Bell 47 and used his father’s Manuia Springs Hotel in…read more...
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre
Posted by Melanie on Jun 28, 2020
At Omaka airfield you might be surprised to find such a world class array of aircraft, stories and rare memorabilia, beautifully displayed with realistic and dramatic dioramas, and given the theatrical treatment that the museum has become famous for.…read more...
Spitfires in the UK
Posted by Melanie on Feb 27, 2020
The Spitfire Trail 2020 We always try and take in as much aviation history as possible on our tours and include a good cross section of aircraft, this year will be our most Spitfire intensive tour to date, probably more Spitfires than any…read more...
The Bulford Kiwi
Posted by Melanie on Jul 25, 2019
How we came across the Bulford Kiwi This story was unknown to us, along with most of the population of NZ it seems, until we stumbled upon it on our Wings & Wheels tour in 2017. The story is told in detail in a deeply researched and intriguing…read more...
Wings over the Outback 2019
Posted by Melanie on May 10, 2019
An outback adventure organised by Air Adventure Australia and Aviation Tours NZ We boarded the “Outback Jet” (Cessna Conquest 2) and left a cool and moody 13 degree Melbourne for our hour and a half flight to Broken Hill. Once past the…read more...
Wings over Wairarapa 2019
Posted by Melanie on Feb 24, 2019
Friday started with the schools visits and what a perfect way to use a quieter time at the show to introduce 4500 kids to aviation and some hands on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths). They had them off roading in Landrovers, in…read more...
Battle of Britain & D-Day tour 2019
Posted by Melanie on Feb 2, 2019
2019 is shaping up to be a busy year for us with 3 tours on the go. Battle of Britain & D-Day is our UK/France tour this year, a repeat of the very successful 2016 trip. Departing on the 10th July which coincidently was the start of the battle,…read more...
Winter of '41 Spitfire and SWA Fine Art
Posted by Melanie on Dec 11, 2018
Our Christmas Aviation Tours NZ newsletter this year was accompanied by this wonderful picture kindly approved by SWA Fine Art - home to aviation art prints signed by WW2 heroes. It is by artist Philip E West and available on the SWA website…read more...
Avalon - Australian International Air Show
Posted by Melanie on Nov 24, 2018
Avalon - Australian International Air Show 2019 will be our first visit to the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport, Melbourne. So, we can’t speak first hand but here is what we are expecting from information gathered from…read more...
The Shuttleworth Military Pageant
Posted by Melanie on Nov 15, 2018
This airshow, usually at the beginning of July, is a wonderful day out at Old Warden aerodrome which is home to The Shuttleworth Collection, opened to the public in 1963. Filling five hangars, this is an amazing collection of vintage and veteran…read more...
Royal International Air Tattoo
Posted by Melanie on Oct 22, 2018
The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is organised by The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. The trust is best known for staging the world's largest military airshow at RAF Fairford. The origins of the Air Tattoo stretch back to a…read more...
War & Peace Revival
Posted by Melanie on Oct 21, 2018
The War & Peace Revival is the greatest celebration of military history and vintage lifestyle in the world. We had a great day at the Revival in 2016 and were amazed by the scale of his annual event. In 2019 it will be held at The Hop Farm,…read more...
Flying Legends Airshows
Posted by Melanie on Oct 7, 2018
Flying Legends is the greatest Warbird event in Europe. A world class aerial spectacular organized by The Fighter Collection in conjunction with Imperial War Museum at Duxford. The 1940s atmosphere draws you in and the incredible flying displays…read more...
The Aviator
Posted by Melanie on Aug 26, 2018
We chose a great venue to launch our airshow tours for next year and were happy to see so many friends, past guests and possible future guests. I gave a quick run down of our 2019 tours Avalon & Beyond, Wings over the Outback, Battle of Britain…read more...
Wings over the Outback 2019
Posted by Melanie on Jul 28, 2018
We have been working hard and are happy to offer this unique itinerary in association with Air Adventure Australia. A truly spectacular and exclusive trip. Check out the details on our home page and do please ask if you have any questions.Fly away to…read more...
Tauranga Airshow 2018
Posted by Melanie on Jan 21, 2018
Our local airshow is well worth the day out. A great combination of flying, ground shows and this year a fantastic turn out from the Military Vehicle Club. Lovely to see so many families out and the little future aviation enthusiasts & pilots. For…read more...
Biggin Hill Spitfire Flight
Posted by Melanie on Nov 19, 2017
Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, often mistaken for a museum, is a restoration facility dedicated to putting Spitfires back in the air. To date it has restored six Spitfires to flying condition, with several more projects waiting their turn. As well…read more...
Wings & Wheels
Posted by Melanie on Feb 8, 2017
Let us take you on an amazing journey to some of the best-known museums and events in the South of England. Goodwood Revival is the only historic race meeting to be staged entirely in period dress and is a return to the halcyon days of Goodwood as…read more...
NZ Airshows
Posted by Melanie on Jan 15, 2017
It's going to be a great year for New Zealand airshows!Tauranga air show kicks off the season on 21st January. The skies above Tauranga City Airport will reverberate to the sounds of fast jets and some of the fastest land based vehicles in New…read more...
Charity Lunch
Posted by Melanie on Jan 5, 2016
We are having a charity lunch to help raise funds for the RAF Benevolent Fund and in memory of Les Munro. It will be held at Classic Flyers, Tauranga, on Sunday 21st Feb, 12 - 3pm. A scrummy dinner of roast chicken and/or bangers & mash, with sticky…read more...
2016 Tours Launched
Posted by Melanie on Dec 15, 2015
Wow! It's going to be a fantastic year for tours in 2016. Bomber County, one of our favourite tours and the all new Battle of Britain & D-DayA lot of new visits on the cards next year and some new experiences such as "Sit in a Spit" at Biggin Hill.…read more...
Planes, Trains & Autos 2015
Posted by Melanie on Aug 4, 2015
Just returned from a fantastic tour, with great people. It's a hard life but someone's gotta do it! Two amazing airshows with perfect weather."Flying Legends" the greatest Warbirds event in Europe and one of our favourite airshows. 12 Spitfires…read more...
Wings Over Wairarapa 2015
Posted by Melanie on Apr 21, 2015
What a great show! Fabulous weather combined with good company and some great flying made for a perfect weekend.Friday was practice day and a good start to the weekend. Plenty of flying with the jets going up first - 2 Strikemaster, 2 Albatros & the…read more...
Armistice in Cambridge
Posted by Melanie on Dec 8, 2014
This is a great event held on the closest weekend to 11th November. A beautiful setting on the banks of Lake Karapiro.The Don Rowland Centre is filled with trade stands including book sales, vintage & collectibles, militaria, crafts, models, and of…read more...
2015 Tour Launch
Posted by Melanie on Sep 25, 2014
It's that time of year again! We have returned from a very successful Bomber County 2014 tour and with great excitement, prepared the itinerary for Planes, Trains & Autos 2015.This itinerary through the south of England ran for three years prior to…read more...
Planes Trains & Autos, the beginnning
Posted by Melanie on Mar 16, 2014
How it all started! In 2009 I was working as a general travel broker for Frontier Travel, who were about to launch a new website. They asked for us brokers to come up with some new and exciting ideas for the website. On discussing this with hubby…read more...
Welcome
Posted by Melanie on Feb 28, 2014
Welcome to the Aviation Tours NZ blog. Join us as we count down to the 2014 Bomber County Tour departing 30th June.16 weeks and counting to this sell out tour feauring Duxford's Flying Legends with options for RAF Waddington and International Air…read more...