1941 de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth Adventure Flight at Ardmore, New Zealand

On December 21st, 2025, I had the lucky opportunity to sit in the front seat of a 1941 de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, NZ847 (ZK-AKC) for a flight from over the Wairoa River all the way to Kawakawa Bay and back. Built at Rongotai, it served as a trainer in the RNZAF from 1941-1946, where it then entered the civilian market. Exchanging owners multiple times and suffering two crashes since then, it is currently operated by the New Zealand Warbirds Association/Warbirds LTD Adventure Flights, who has kept it in pristine condition. I had a wonderful time getting to meet and talk with President Frank Parker and my pilot, Brett Nicholls. Flying open cockpit is a completely different experience that I recommend anyone to experience. The noise of the wind blowing by may break your ears, so sorry headphone users :(

Timestamps:
0:00 Engine start-up
1:45 Taxiing to runway
3:00 Takeoff
8:30 "Dambusters" Run over Wairoa River
10:20 Flying over Kauri Bay, Wairoa Bay, and Mataitai Bay
13:10 Flying over Waitawa Bay and Kawakawa Bay
18:00 Returning to Ardmore
25:30 Entering the pattern
27:30 Landing
28:45 Taxiing back to the hangar
31:53 BONUS CLIP 1 - Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 and Albatros D.Va engine start
32:24 BONUS CLIP 2 - Tiger Moth takeoff from the Adventure Flight before mine
33:32 BONUS CLIP 3 - Tiger Moth flyover from the Adventure Flight before mine
33:55 BONUS CLIP 4 - T-6 Harvard Adventure Flight takeoff
34:21 BONUS CLIP 5 - Yak-52 engine start
34:44 BONUS CLIP 6 - Rolling the Albatros D.Va and Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 out of the hangar
35:28 BONUS CLIP 7 - Failed attempts to start the Tiger Moth's engine