The Race

WHAT IS FASTER? A SPORTS PLANE, A HELICOPTER OR A POWERFUL SPORTS CAR?

Power to weight ratios are important; so is acceleration. And it may be affected by manoeuvrability! A helicopter can turn in place; a car might try a hand brake turn, but even a small aircraft has to pull G and bank into a tight turn. The three-way race at our Air Festival should provide some answers, as Doug Brooker’s speedy MXS meets a powerful (650hp) Gulf Almac Cobra alongside a Squirrel helicopter.

THE MXS

The high tech, carbon fibre MXS is the outstanding modern aerobatic aircraft. Developed from an American design, the MXS is now produced in Perth, Western Australia, and is widely used in aerobatic championships world-wide. The MXS has a 360hp Lycoming engine.

THE GULF ALMAC COBRA 427R

The Cobra was built in Upper Hutt in 1989 as a replica of a Shelby Cobra 427. The body is made of Kevlar, the motor is a 1960’s LS7 454 ‘big block’ Chevrolet ls7 race engine. Bevan Wright has owned the car for about 30 years

THE AS350 BA SQUIRREL

Flown by Tim Williams, the Squirrel (Ecureuil) is powered by a Turbomeca Arriel 1B turbine engine of 848hp which drives a 3-blade main rotor. It can reach 287kmh (178mph) and has a range of 660km.

Where Aviation Comes Together

New Zealand Aviation Federation

Promoting a safe and thriving general aviation sector in New Zealand

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Aircraft Engineering Association of NZ (AEANZ) Aviation New Zealand (AvNZ) Balloon Aviation Association of New Zealand (BAANZ) Federation members Flying New Zealand (RNZAC) represent a combined Gliding New Zealand (GNZ) membership in excess Model Flying New Zealand of 10,500 members, New Zealand Airshow Association (NZASA) owning over 4,000 GA New Zealand Parachute Federation (NZPF) aircraft and 42,000 New Zealand Warbirds Association model aircraft including Royal Aeronautical Society NZ Division (RAES) drones Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand (SAANZ) The Honourable Company of Air Pilots New Zealand Region The New Zealand Association of Women in Aviation (NZAWA) The Recreational Aircraft Association of NZ (RAANZ) Wairarapa Flying Tigers

Learn more about general aviation by visiting us at Wings Over Wairarapa, February 2021

We will have our members waiting to answer your questions