Drove over to Waipukerau airfield, hoping to have a Tiger Moth lesson but the wind was just too strong for us to be able to do more solo time. Instead we had a coffee with Ross the CFI and a nice chat.

We met the Patron, Bob Gunson, who turns out to be married to someone who was a good friend of Max’s sister and Max was her father’s accountant! Can’t go anywhere in Hawke’s Bay….

In the evening we drove with Max over to Jan and Jerry Chisum’s place for a BBQ in honour of an 83 year old Kiwi pilot who now lives in Perth but was visiting. It was a very good evening with lots of friendly pilots around and a little bit of flying done (not by us). Small world again – it turns out the Guest Of Honour had built a Pietenpol Aircamper and had helpful correspondence with a good friend of ours from our flying club in the UK who had built one and started the UK Pietenpol Club!

We left about 10pm to take Max home so Noel and I then drove to the Marine Parade in Napier to join the crowds celebrating New Year. The fireworks were pretty good as were the bagpipers after midnight.