Healthy Bastards Bush Pilots Champs at Omaka 7-2-2026

This year the Healthy Bastards Bush Pilots Champs at Omaka clashed with the SAANZ Flyin at Masterton (maybe it does every year?) so some pilots had a choice to make.  I noted that there were several Masterton based aircraft at Omaka.  Planefil and Tim Gorman made the trip to Omaka and have provided a few photos of the winners in the various categories:

The Aeroandinas MXP-150 ZK-RTZ flown by Donald Leach won the spot landing competition with a best effort of 0.9 metres from the mark - and his second attempt was 1.0 metres away!

Bob Swanney from Waihi Beach won the Microlight category of the STOL competition with a score of 50.2 metres (takeoff 22.1m and landing 28.1m)in his ICP Savannah S ZK-MRJ.

Innes Bint from Rangiora won the light touring category of the STOL competition with a score of 80.2 metres (takeoff 36.9m and landing 43.3m) in the ZK-BVJ Syndicate's Piper Super Cub ZK-BVJ.

And in this neat photo Tim Gorman captured both the winner and second place getter in the heavy touring category of the STOL competition.  Jonathan Battson from Christchurch won with a score of 120.2 metres (takeoff 53.5m and landing 66.7m) in the Bearhawk Syndicate's R&B Bearhawk ZK-NJB2.  In the photo Neville Bailey of Christchurch is landing in his R&B Bearhawk ZK-NSB "Bearhawk Bravo".   His score was 134.1 metres (takeoff 56.4m and landing 77.7m). 

Thanks for the photos Planefil and Tim.