It is with a flush of pride that we introduce to you our second recipient for 2023 of the Pauwels Flying Scholarship Special Award. Alika is a rural lass with a steely determination to become an airline pilot and we are happy to help!

We’re thrilled to introduce to you our first winner of 2023 - the charming Abi Carter. A remarkable young woman who embodies all that the Pauwels Flying Scholarship stands for!

53 years. I imagine that most people reading this blog will be younger than this. But this is how long Ron Twine was a Flight Attendant for Air New Zealand. The longest serving. He has just retired and we had a chat to him about the changes he has seen over those years.

This unusual looking structure is a B787 Simulator. In this article, Arthur Gatland, tells us all about it and the videos demonstrate what it can do.

In aviation, some adventures are move adventurous than others. Here, Bob Henderson recalls some tight wee spots he found himself in when flying for the RNZAF.

9/11. Whether we want to or not, we all know about it. But for most of us, our knowledge relates only to the two towers. But what was happening on the aircraft and how were the airlines handling the unfolding drama?

Cameron is the proof that you are never too old to become an airline pilot. His story is an inspiration to those who feel it’s too late to make their dream a reality.

It gives us great joy to see our recipients move through the process of becoming a commercial pilot. Ben is the first of our Special Award winners to reach this milestone.

Very occasionally, something can go quite wrong with the aircraft you are on. This article tells of such an event and what took place onboard.

We all have our good days and our bad days. But then… sometimes some days are just so bad that you just have to believe that some greater being is deliberately making your day the worst it can possibly be.

Humans are fickle things. Especially on planes. Seated shoulder to shoulder for never ending hours, who knows what can happen? Too often to count these stresses can cause people to get REALLY sick. In a tin can at 36,000 feet above the Pacific, there are limited options.

It is amazing where a chance gift of a trial flight can take you. From being given a flight for his birthday when he was a little ‘un, Bob has travelled the world, fought in a war and been a Captain for Air New Zealand. A very satisfying career!

Chris Kriechbaum, Manager of Pilot Recruitment, has written an article for us on the recruitment process for Air New Zealand. If you are planning on ending up in the airlines, this is a read for you!

Is there life after PPL? One of those existential questions. Patently, there is but are you using your licence to it’s fullest? Are you still having fun? CFI for Auckland Aero Club, Gavin Weir, opens your mind to all the possibilities out there to keep it fresh.

Surrounded by stunning but incredibly sharp and pointy mountains at close range - how do aircraft manage to land and takeoff safely at Queenstown Airport?

For brand new airline pilots, it’s important to decide whether to join a union, or not, to protect their working interests.

In this article, Neil McGarvey gives us a brief overview of what a union is all about.

What a splendid place to work and what views! Especially of aircraft landing. Do you ever eye up the Tower and wonder who is working in there? Are they judging your landings? The bounces, the smoking wheels, the wandering around the runway? In this blog, we meet a Tower controller and hear about her career.

Just you, soaring on silent wings - with nothing between you and the clouds except for the whisper of wind over your wings. Many of us have dreamed of flight since we were very young.

In this blog, Arthur tells of his life long passion for the art of gliding - keeping aloft without engines.

Arthur has left line flying behind and is now in management. Here he talks about his time as Manager Flight Standards for Air New Zealand before moving into his current Instructor role.

This is Arthur’s last installment of being a line pilot for Air New Zealand and he is now on the B787. Again, the aircraft is tested, as only Arthur knows how!