Women's Air Rally

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31504, 19 October 1967, Page 15

Women's Air Rally

The selection of the Rangiora airfield as the venue for the annual rally of the New Zealand Airwomen’s Association has provided another spectacular attraction for visitors to the district during Labour Week-end.

Alternating each year between North and South Islands, this year's rally has attracted from as far afield as Auckland and Invercargill, between 40 and 50 women pilots, several of whopi will bring aeroplanes. Everything at the rally—from piloting the aircraft from which women parachutists will jump, to controlling the gliders—will be done by women. Men certainly take a back seat at these rallies. For several years, air pageants were a regular feature on the Sunday of Labour Week-end, and although the rally is primarily

competitive, many of the spectator attractions of a pageant are included in the programme.

As well as being able to watch the various flying, gliding, aerobatic, and navigation events, persons attending the rally will be able to go for joy rides given by the Canterbury Aero Club. Airwomen with varied flying experience will be competing for the trophies, with sections for private and commercial pilots, and for learners up to private pilot standard who have had only a short period in the air. The annual rally of airwomen includes not only fly-

ing competitions. On Saturday evening the annual meeting of the association will be held, and a dinner, followed by a social and presentation of trophies, will be held on Sunday evening. The main competition day will be Sunday, when the gliding, aerobatic, and private and commercial pilot competitions will be held. These events, which are likely to have greatest spectator value, will fit in well with the weekend programme, being the only organised activity on that day. Women members of the Canterbury Aero Club, mainly from the club’s North Canterbury branch, have organised the rally. Aircraft to be used, in addition to those flown to Rangiora by airwomen, will be supplied by the Canterbury club.