A Message from Gavin Johnston, General Manager

At every Warbirds Over Wanaka I’ve made the remark that, in preparation for the next show, the hardest thing we have to achieve now is making the next show better than the last. My observation at this, the tenth Warbirds Over Wanaka, was that this was the best — and so it should have been, we’ve had 18 years’ of experience!

For every show the public demands to see something different. In 2006 there were some important changes to our structure. Firstly, we concentrated on gathering together aircraft from within New Zealand. Secondly, we did not bring any vintage fighters in from overseas, for reasons mainly of cost. However, I still feel we excelled in 2006, finally achieving the presence of an aircraft that has taken us eight years to deliver. Of course I’m talking about the F-111. We must give thanks to the Royal Australian Air Force for allowing this magnificent aircraft to be displayed at our airshow, and to the rest of the team who helped organise this special visit. We were up against it until very shortly before the show.

Four weeks before Easter we sent the press release to the media confirming the visit. However, the next day I was told from Australia, ‘You know it’s not confirmed yet, mate.’! My heart skipped a beat and my nerves went into overdrive. I had assurance from Australia that I shouldn’t ‘worry mate, we’ll make it work.’ And they did. What a relief. When they started asking me to book accommodation and wanted to contact our display co-ordinator, I knew it was a sure thing. When the F-111 finally arrived for a practice run on the Thursday before the show, after several false alarms about its arrival time, the relief I felt was enormous. I sported a huge grin for the rest of the day.

I have been involved with the airshow at Wanaka since 1988, when I was acting president of the Wanaka Districts Lions Club. We began by helping Tim organise his ‘good idea’, which eventually became Warbirds On Parade. I was constantly kept on my toes by Tim, whose invitations to his office with a 7 a.m. phone call to come down and discuss ‘an idea’, often had me wondering what was coming next. In those days I acted as airshow co-ordinator; it was a part-time position, but a very interesting job that I enjoyed very much. After Tim’s accident in 1996, I became general manager, which was a full-time job. I was charged with making the show tick and showing a profit. It was not an easy task. I did everything from licking stamps to getting quotes for bringing aircraft from overseas for the airshows. For the two years leading up to each show it’s mostly a one-man band, but as show day approaches I get great support from members of the parent company and there’s always someone to talk to regarding all aspects of the show. My challenge over the years, as the job of general manager has grown, has been to make the airshow one of the best events for public viewing in New Zealand. With Tim’s foresight and determination, I think we now have one of the best warbird airshows in the world, and it is the premier airshow in Australasia.

Over the years it has been necessary to change the way we do things in many areas. Rules in the areas of health and safety have become tighter. In the early days we’d dig holes for the toilets, provide a wooden seat and a roof to complete the picture and that would be that. Today was have a health and safety officer to looks after such matters. We also have traffic management, previously taken care of by the good people from the New Zealand Police, but today part of a user-pays system. There are myriad Civil Aviation Authority rules to follow. The media play a very important part in the event, and we now employ three people to take care of the contingent that arrives (and grows) at each show. In 2006 we hosted over 100 media personnel from all over the globe.

When we first began the airshow in 1988, there were few buildings at Wanaka Airport. Our temporary fences for the show were erected in minutes. Today we are beginning to be a bit squeezed out with more hangars and permanent fencing going up. We manage to squeeze everything into what has become a very confined space, and at the end of the show the airport is once again returned to its stature as a big field. Over the years local operators have been very good as we interrupt their businesses leading up to the Easter weekend event. Putting everything together at the airport takes several weekends of erecting marquees, building the grandstand and getting everything in order. Warbirds Over Wanaka has helped to put Wanaka on the worldwide map, and WoW has become synonymous with Wanaka Airport. Many are the calls I personally field, where people ask to book scenic flights or to talk with Ian Brodie! After ten years of organising airshows at Wanaka Airport, the 50th Anniversay VE Day airshow, and a handful of small shows in between, there are many, many people to say thank you to.

Firstly, Tim Wallis’ brother George, who I have come to regard as ‘deputy chairman’. George was part of the ‘committee of three’, with Tim as chairman and myself as airshow co-ordinator. George took charge of the vintage machinery and tractor displays and, to this day, still holds this role. George’s assistance has been invaluable. Bruce Cameron, chairman of the military vehicle section, has quietly worked for many years organizing what is known as Warhorses at Wanaka. He and his committee have made this part of the show a spectacle in itself, and without them the show wouldn’t be the same. A huge thanks must be made to Bruce and his team. Peter Mac has taken to our event like a duck to water. He has an infectious enthusiasm for all aspects of the airshow, organising excellent displays such as the classic fire engines and, in 2006, classic cockpits. The excellent exhibition at the NZ Fighter Pilots Museum was not to be missed. We look forward to seeing Peter at many shows to come. We could not do without John Lamont’s expertise in his role as the flying programme co-ordinator. For each show he comes up with a non-stop unique flying programme, something that I, as a non-flyer, could never attempt. With over 70 aircraft to co-ordinate in 2006, this year’s the programme was at the least difficult, but I believe it was the best yet.

There’s a group from Team Wanaka 06 that I have dubbed ‘The A Team’. The group includes the women in the office, the guys in the field and the controllers in the tower. For days before the event they work tirelessly, then they keep their energies going during and after the event. I’m hoping these people will happily put their hands up for the next airshow! My thanks must also go to the permanent staff at Alpine Deer Group and The Alpine Fighter Collection, and the people at The New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum, who attended to the ticket sales.

A huge thanks must be given to the owners of the aircraft, vintage machinery, classic fire engines and cockpits, and to the trade and food stall operators, the entertainers, service contractors and all those who have helped out. The participation of these people is what significantly extends the appeal of our airshow.

Sponsors have always been a huge part of the show. My thanks to our principal sponsor, Air BP, who have been part of the show for many years. Also, thank you to New Zealand Major Events, our newest sponsor, and all other sponsors of our event. We must not forget the public who attended in 2006, an estimated 111,000 poured through the gates over the three days of Easter. Many people were return attendees, but we also welcomed thousands of first-timers. The Wanaka experience stays with visitors for some time, and word of mouth is one of the greatest advertising tools available. We hope you will all return for future shows. The airshow is held over a three-day period, every second Easter on even-dated years. It’s foreseeable that things go wrong in that 60-hour period and it’s hard to right these things immediately. This year we had dust. We tried to right the dust, but the dust kept coming back! The 60 hours were soon over and time had passed very quickly, but what was remarkable was the way those at the show bared with us, tolerating the dust and other problems that occurred.

In 2006 the Trade Expo and Flyers Market were the largest we have ever seen. Over 100 exhibitors and tradespeople showed their wares. Over the years this area of the airshow has grown and grown, and this year we had to put the ‘sold out’ sign up! The Gold Pass area was also sold out prior to the show. Unfortunately there were problems on the Saturday, for which we apologise, but we give our assurance that it won’t happen again. As I have said, it’s very hard to rectify problems at the show in the short period we are given. We learn a lot each year, and this year, as with previous years, we will learn from our mistakes. After ten Warbirds Over Wanaka airshows, Tim Wallis has decided to relinquish ownership of the event from the Alpine Deer Group to a trust. Working with Tim from 990 has been a great experience and I need to thank him for asking me to come on board, it’s been something I’ll never forget.

Working with the trust I expect to see some changes, but in the end Wanaka will still be Wanaka. We are not an Avalon, nor a Farnborough; I’d event extend myself to say we are better than Duxford, but we certainly don’t have the resources of Oshkosh. But we are Wanaka, and we are unique.
 
Gavin Johnston
General Manager

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