Air Force veteran and former Air Force Museum volunteer guide Derrick Hubbard (94) meeting Armani Hansen (16), for the first time at the Museum in December 2020.  by Supplied

Air Force veteran helps Rangiora student achieve flying dream

SuppliedApril 9, 2021

When Air Force veteran Derrick Hubbard flew solo on his 90th birthday with the Canterbury Recreational Aircraft Club (CRAC) in 2017, he and his (now late) wife, Vera, decided they would like to ‘pay it forward’ and sponsor a young person to experience the same opportunity.

In 2020, amid the turmoil of Covid-19 and the passing of his wife of 70 years, Derrick approached CRAC flying instructor, Dave Mitchell, and Air Force Museum of New Zealand Education Officer, Chris Davey, to seek out a deserving young trainee pilot. After a rigorous application process and successful interview, Armani Hansen, a 16-year-old Rangiora High School student, was selected as the recipient of funding from Derrick and the late Vera Hubbard, to receive sufficient instruction to achieve a solo flight.

Armani has had a passion for flight from a young age and was already working part-time at the Rangiora New World supermarket to save for his long-term goal to become a pilot. Having also been selected for a Gateway Aviation programme at high school, where he is enhancing his theory of flight knowledge, Armani took to lessons enthusiastically and efficiently. His CRAC instructor, Dave Mitchell, put Armani through his paces in weekly flying lessons.

On Tuesday 23 March at the Rangiora airfield, Armani was scheduled for a further flying lesson. As with most trainee pilots, he had no prior warning of his solo flight, as it is only when the student is deemed ready by the instructor that the latter gives the go-ahead to take off on their own. With Armani’s family secretly escorted into the CRAC clubrooms by Chris Davey, the group watched as Dave Mitchell instructed Armani through ‘touch and go’ circuits, before taxiing to the clubrooms. As Dave recounts, “I told him we were taxiing back to the threshold for another take-off, and when near the clubhouse I added - "But this time you are doing it on your own. I am getting out now".

With Derrick watching from his home at Summerset at Wigram retirement village via video call, Armani took off and did a circuit of the airfield, with an empty seat next to him. As he executed what Dave called “a textbook landing”, he finally spotted his family next to the clubhouse. After shutting down the aircraft engine a wonderfully emotional celebration ensued, with very proud parents, siblings, and flight instructor. Armani recalls, “It was a very exciting and exhilarating experience that I will never forget. When Dave, my flight instructor, got off the plane and said I was going to go up solo, I couldn’t keep the grin off my face, even though it was nerve-racking - the thought of knowing that I would be at 1200 feet all alone! Thank you so much to Derrick for giving me the Hubbard Flying Opportunity - I will be forever grateful. Thanks to Chris for all of your organising and for choosing me, and to Dave for getting me ready to go solo”.

Armani being congratulated by his flying instructor Dave Mitchell, following his first solo flight at Rangiora airfield on 23 March — Image by: Supplied

Over chocolate mud cake and non-alcoholic bubbly, Armani chatted to his sponsor, Derrick, via another video call, before the very happy 94-year-old Derrick started ‘running out of puff’ and signed off for the day. Serena, Armani’s mother commented, “What an absolutely incredible day watching my son, Armani, fly his first solo flight! I couldn’t be prouder of him. I was nervous and scared but, above all, just so excited for him. He’s worked so hard and been so determined to make his dream of being a pilot come true and this is an amazing step towards that goal. Thank you to everybody involved in making this happen - we appreciate it so much!”

Armani is looking forward to visiting Derrick in person again very soon, to recount his solo story and pay gratitude to the wonderful husband and wife who “made his dream come true”.


For more information please contact:

Chris Davey

Education Officer

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Chris.davey@airforcemuseum.co.nz

(03) 343-9517

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