Upper Valley Gliding club

[robinsm]

Can anyone tell me when the Upper Valley Gliding Club in the Hutt valley moved from Whitemans valley to the Kaitoke/upper hutt site?

 

 

[ave8rr]

G'day Robin, I have asked the question of a mate who used to glide there . Should have some idea later today.

 

Cheers

 

 

[ave8rr]

Robin, this from my mate Grant who used to fly at Whitemans Valley when he lived in Upper Hutt.

 

Quote:

 

My logbook shows last glider flight at the Whitemans Valley strip on 24/3/74, then Easter at Taupo and then the operation moved to Paraparaumu. I left and joined the airforce at the end of July 74. They operated at PP from then on until they developed the strip. My logbook shows me flying the UVGC gliders again at PP in Dec 1975 and I again flew at PP in Mar 76 but it was a Wellington GC glider so not sure if they were still there although I would imagine so as if they had moved I would have gone to Kaitoke. Not sure how long it took for them to develop the site at Kaitoke but I think it would have been a while as some major earthworks were required. I have only ever flown there once and that was when I flew our Jodel in there a few years later.

 

Unquote

 

I was a share holder in the Jodel with Grant and can remember him flying from Whenuapai to Kaitoke as I had just flown back from Palmerston North earlier in the day. I am not at home so can't check my log book but would of been around 79/80 or there abouts.

 

Cheers

 

 

[robinsm]

Thanks Mate. I attended the old NZ Police Training school in Trentham in 1968 - 1969 and used to walk over the hill from upper hutt to the Whiteman valley site each weekend if couldn't cadge a lift. My logbook shows the flights I made. I learned in the club Rhon adler (different colour to the one shown on the website, and the club Rhon lerch. (rag and tube glider) The club also owned a K8 single seat glider. The tow plane looks to be the same supercub we used for towing then. Great times.