On Thursday the 9th of October we met Lance at the Feildair hanger where the helicopter is kept and after a safety briefing we (with brother Adam) boarded the chopper and flew out.
Our flight took us round Longburn and over Linton military base then along the hills as we got an aerial view of the windmills that dotted the ranges. The helicopter then flew round the front of the gorge and headed back over Ashhurst towards Palmerston North to land at the airport where Lance demonstrated the hovering abilities of the chopper as he landed back on the platform from which we had taken off from only 20min earlier.
Flying in a chopper is quite different to flying in a plane, the noise, movement and ability to go any direction you want. This 20 minute helicopter flight was the first time I had flown in a helicopter and I would rate it up there as one of the best things I have done.
Big thanks must go to Bike Manawatu and the Rescue Helicopter Trust for providing me with this opportunity to take the helicopter flight.
David Martin