TAUPO GLIDING CLUB
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Club History


A group of enthusiasts with a penchant for motorless flight obtained
permission from the Taupo Borough Council to lease the field, and on 19th September 1967 the Taupo Gliding Club was formed with the purchase of a Slingsby T31, ZK-GAC. This was quickly followed by the purchase of a single-seater T30B Prefect, ZK-GAB.

A Piper Club was hired from Peter Matich at 15cents per minute for
aerotowing the gliders. Winch and auto launching were also experimented with in those days. The auto launches were provided by an old Super Snipe driving towards the glider with the rope running through a pulley at one end of the field with glider at the opposite end.

Mr Carl Perham of Whakatane, the first club instructor, was flown to and from Taupo each weekend by Mr Bob Maisey. Lou Woltman gained his instructors certificate and became the first Taupo based instructor, followed by Vern Anderson, Kevin Roberts, John Pitkethley and Bruce Bates.

With the passing of the winch and Super Snipe, Vern Anderson purchased an Auster ZK-AYO to provide tows. This was followed by a Piper Cub ZK-BPA. The first towplane owned by the Club was an ex top-dressing Piper Pawnee 150 registered ZK-BOU, purchased in 1970, The hopper was removed, a tow hook fitted and did the job for seventeen years.  With the unfortunate demise of the Prefect, a single-seater Schleicher Ka6CR,GFH was purchased from Taupo Syndicate in January 1969. In July 1973 the T31 was replaced by a Two-seater Rhonlerche K4, GCJ purchased from John Roake.

A more modern two-seater was purchased in April 1982, a Schleicher K7GLQ and the pride of the fleet is a Polish Fibreglass Standard Jantar, GML, a single-seater purchased for $27,500 in September 1984.
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A couple of pics from the 50's...
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Weather
Taupo Weather
Rasp

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Links
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Soaring Society of America
Soaring Café
Civil Aviation Authority
TGC on Facebook


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Turnpoints and Airspace
Taupo Turnpoints 2020
Taupo Airspace 2020

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Newsletters
Outlanding Jul 2022
Outlanding Aug 2021

Outlanding Jun 2021




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Call 7 days a week 07 378 5627
421 Centennial Drive, Taupo
P.O.Box 25 Taupo
Email: gliding@reap.org.nz
2015©Taupo Gliding Club
  • Home
  • Club
    • Club fleet
    • Club history
    • Join the club
    • Webcam
  • Trial Flights
    • Trial flight options
    • Training to Solo
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Video
  • Members
    • Club Roster
    • Booking
  • Contact
  • Links
  • More ...
    • Information for Drone Pilots
    • Accommodation
    • Photos