The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guest: Wing Commander Barry “Patch” Nelson

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: ‎29th of ‎December ‎2025

Released: 1st of March 2026

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 26 seconds

Have you ever wondered what is involved when a new aircraft type is selected for service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force? In this episode of the Wings Over New Zealand Show, Dave Homewood speaks with Wing Commander Barry “Patch” Nelson on this very topic.

Patch was in charge if the Royal New Zealand Air Force team who were responsible for the their part in the selection of the NHIndustries NH90 twin-engined medium utility helicopters, to replace the Bell UH-1H Iroquois fleet; and also the selection of the AgustaWestland A109 Light Utility Helicopters that replaced the Bell 47G Sioux fleet.

There is an inordinate amount of work involved in selecting a new type, and a massive number of people from all sorts of government departments and community groups all have an input, as Patch explains. This is a fascinating look into the inner workings of a selection team, deep in the heart of Defence Headquarters in Wellington.

The NH90 was selected to replace the Iroquois, and the contract to buy nine NH90-TTH variant helicopters was finalised in July-August 2006. The first and second examples of the fleet, NZ3301 and NZ3302, were delivered on the 6th of December 2011, and deliveries followed as they were built, through till 2014. The fleet became fully operational in 2015, and eight examples now form the backbone of No. 3 Squadron. And additional ninth NH90 is held as an Attrition Airframe.

The A109LUH is a lightweight, twin-engined helicopter with a modern glass cockpit and a retractable wheeled undercarriage. The A109s were acquired under a NZ$139 million contract signed in May 2008 for the acquisition of the five A109s, plus an additional A109 airframe to be used as a source of spares, as well as a simulator and a spares and support package. The A109s began arriving at Ohakea in May 2011, and five of them are now are operated by the Helicopter Transitional Unit, No. 3 Squadron RNZAF, at Ohakea.

Quick Links:

• The Royal New Zealand Air Force

• The NHIndustries NH90 helicopter

• The AugustaWestland A109 helicopter

• NHIndustries Site

• Leonardo Helicopters (successor to AugustaWestland) site

NH90 Helicopter’s depart from Westport during EXERCISE SOUTHERN KATIPO 2017, which is a combined joint and interagency Field Training Exercise focused on developing, exercising and evaluating the New Zealand Defence Force’s ability to project forces anywhere in the South West Pacific and either operate independently or with coalition partners. (NZDF Official Photo)

An NH90 and an A109 of the RNZAF together at Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow in 2023. (NZDF Official Photo)

One of the RNZAF’s new AgustaWestland A109s, NZ3403, over northern Italy, circa 2010. Agusta-Westland Photo.

One of the RNZAF’s new AgustaWestland A109s, NZ3403 over northern Italy, circa 2010. Agusta-Westland Photo.


One of the RNZAF’s new AgustaWestland A109s, NZ3403 over northern Italy, circa 2010. Agusta-Westland Photo.

The official handover of the first A109’s at the production and flight test facility in Vergiate, north of Milan, Ialy. The group from left to right: SQNLDR Chris Moody, FLTLT Wayne Thomas, WGCDR Patch Nelson, SQNLDR Adam Death, AugustWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini, F/S Dale Cox and W/O ‘Mario’ Marteletti.

Below: NZDF Photos of NH90s in service. Copyright to NZDF Official.

NH90 Images Supplied

Ex Blackbird was held at Dip Flat Feb 2022. The ex is designed to expose the pilots and crew to flying in mountainous terrain.

Exercise Winchester is 3 Squadron exercise which was held in Waiouru. The purpose of this EX was to qualify and re-qualify Air Force personnel in gunnery in helicopters, and uses the 109 and the NH90. The exercise also involved stationary targets for self-defense.

Training in the NH90 flight simulator. Exercise Steel Talon is a helicopter crew training activity conducted by 3 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The aim of the exercise is to train NH90 helicopter crews in day and night tactical battlefield operations for conventional forces.

Navy personnel assist with the clean up of debri on the streets of Auckland after the major flooding event as part of Operation Awhina. Mayor Wayne Brown took the opportunity to assist.

3SQN and 5 Aviation Regiment crews conduct 131 bty admin move taskings from RAAF Townsville to the Townsville training area. NZDF personnel from the Royal New Zealand Navy, NZ Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force take part in Exercise Talisman Sabre (TS23) across Australia. TS23 is a bilateral, biennial Australian hosted and USA supported combined exercise focused on the planning and conduct of a high end, mid-intensity warfighting scenario. The exercise is designed to improve combat readiness, exercise war-fighting skills and systems, whilst advancing combined staff and force interoperability.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and its international partners conduct a military assault against a ‘Becaran’ ‘highland militia’ stronghold on the Rainbow Ski-field near St Arnaud in the Tasman district during SK15. The assault was spear-headed by NZ infantry ‘fast-roped’ by Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) NH-90 helicopters to take the high ground sorrounding the ski-field, and by a combined Australian-New Zealand ANZAC Ready Reaction Force (RRF), utilising Australian Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles, which cleared and secured the rebel base at the ski-field Ex Southern Katipo 2015 (SK15) is a combined, joint, international training field exercise focussed on developing, exercising and evaluating the NZDF’s independent amphibious capabilities and ability to project forces anywhere in the South West Pacific. SK15 provides the opportunity to ensure continual preparedness to operate independently or with our coalition partners. The scenario involves a fictional South West Pacific country that has requested international intervention to restore law and order. The scenario allows for an emphasis on amphibious operations within the context of a larger stability and security operation.

The following two photos are from Australian Government Defence

An NH90 assisting with relief in Australian bushfires, 2019-2020. (ADF Official)

RNZAF NH90s operating from a helicopter carrier in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. (ADF Official)

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Guest: Grant Harnish

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 19th of February 2026

Released: 20th of February 2026

Duration: 45 minutes 34 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with Grant Harnish of Salt Air in the Bay of Islands. Grant owns and flies ZK-CFA, which is the only airworthy Grumman Widgeon flying boat in the Southern Hemisphere.

Grant talks about operating the Widgeon, and also sistership Widgeon ZK-AVM, commercially with Salt Air at Paihia from 1992 through till 2000. And he discusses buying ZK-CFA back many years later and embarking on a big restoration that brought it back to pristine airworthy condition.

He also talks about the rest of the Salt Air fleet, a mix of helicopters and fixed wing types, and their various roles. The helicopters are based on the Paihia waterfront, and the Gippsland GA-8 Airvan is based at Kerikeri Airport.

Quick Links:

• Salt Air

• The 3rd Level New Zealand Blog page on ZK-CFA’s history

The following photos are used with permission from Grant Harnish and from the Salt Air Facebook page, here

Grant’s Grumman G44A Widgeon ZK-CFA

Living the Dream with ZK-CFA

History on display.

Rafael Sanchez on the left in Cuba, circa 1950s with CU-N346, which is now ZK-CFA

Grant in the pilot’s seat at Kingfish Lodge, back in 1992 or 1993.

This was at a fire in Ahipara.

A barracuda hunt fishing competition, mid ’90’s. Grant says, “We won heaviest fish…. bit of a story with that one.”

Bringing CFA north before the rebuild.

Above: In the right hand seat this is Katja Sanchez, whose grandfather owned ZK-CFA, which was back then CU-N346, in Cuba from 1949 through till 1962. So her family flew in the same plane 70 years ago!

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Guest: David Berger

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 11th of February 2026

Released: 14th of February 2026

Duration: 1 hour 53 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with David Berger, who is an ex-pat British doctor who lives in Fernmount, NSW, in Australia, and works in Broome, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. But he has a hangar at Omarama, Central Otago, and he spends a fair bit of time in this country flying his aeroplanes.

He owns a Piper Super Cub, a Cessna 185 and his beloved Republic Seabee which he based here in Omarama. David talks about the history of the Seabee, and what it is like to fly. He also tells some fascinating stories of flying long distance trips around the world in the Cessna, etc.

Quick Links:

• Republic Seabee

• Spencer Air Car

• The Franklin Engine Company

• SeaBear Aircraft

• Honoria Glossop

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

David Berger and his Republic Seabee, which carried the name “Honoria Glossop”

The Omarama hangar, with the Super Cub and the Seabee tucked up inside.

David’s Super Cub VH-YUP on a gravel bar in the South Island of New Zealand


David’s Cessna A185F N185MW, ‘Honey Bun 7’, seen here at Cameron Corner, Queensland in the Strzelecki Desert.

David’s sons Tom and Ed and some locals refuel the Cessna at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands. This was a major base for RNZAF Hudsons and Venturas in WWII.

Below are some of David’s videos of the Seabee operating from Lake Ohau

And here is the Blue Horizons movie that David spoke about in the episode

Guest: David Wilkinson, SAANZ President

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 22nd of January 2026

Released: 8th of February 2026

Duration: 58 minutes 06 seconds

In this Wings Over New Zealand Show “Flying Boat Month” episode Dave Homewood speaks with David Wilkinson, who is President of the Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand. He is also owner and pilot of a small fleet of aeroplanes, with his latest addition being a Taylor Coot flying boat that he has restored after it was close to becoming scrapped.

The Taylor Coot is a two-seat homebuilt amphibious aircraft designed by Moulton Taylor, who was famous for his flying car designs. David’s example, ZK-JST, was originally built in the 1980s by SAANZ stalwart and Life Member Alistair McLachlan, who had been an engineer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and with Air New Zealand.

David talks about the history of the airframe and how he ended up acquiring it. He talks about the restoration process and the various upgrades he has made during the rebuild, including the installation of a bigger horsepower engine then before. And he talks about what it has been like to learn to fly the Coot, his first flying boat.

As well as the Coot, Dave also has his father Don’s Corby Starlet ZK-TOY, his Van’s RV-8, his Rihn DR-107 One Design, and a half share with Andrew Hope in the Pitts Special ZK-MPM.

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.

Quick Links:

• Taylor Coot on Wikipedia

• Previous WONZ Show episode with David Wilkinson and Alistair McLachlan – WONZ 88

Photos below were taken by David Wilkinson unless specified.

Taylor Coot ZK-JST out and about after restoration by David Wilkinson, who took this photo.

David Wilkinson water taxiing his Taylor Coot on the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland. Photo from his GoPro.

Alistair McLachlan back in the Coot

Photo by Dave Homewood

Photo by Dave Homewood

Photo by Dave Homewood

David’s video of his Coot

Guest: Andy Love

Hosts: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 2nd of February 2026

Released: 2nd of February 2026

Duration:  44 minutes 58 seconds

In this episode Andy Love, air display coordinator of the upcoming Warbirds Over Wanaka 2026 International Airshow gives a rundown of what the public can expect to see, and he warns that tickets are selling out fast.

The three-day show over Easter Weekend – 3rd to 5th of April 2026 – is looking to be a very good one with some spectacular flying acts lined up. Easter Saturday is now fully sold out but there are still General Admission and Silver Pass tickets available for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Get your tickets here!
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/httpswww-warbirdsoverwanaka-comairshow/tickets

Also selling fast are the bookings for the various aircraft rides available, so go to the links on this page to make your bookings:
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/flight-experience

Check out the line up here:
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/httpswww-warbirdsoverwanaka-comairshow/aircraft-confirmed

The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joachim Karud.