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Real aircraft. Real skills. Real flight training.

A family-run flight school built on real aviation experience

Classic Cubs offers full flight training based at Hamilton Airport (NZHN), including PPL, CPL, instructor training, IFR, tailwheel, mountain flying, strip training, aircraft hire, and BFRs. We specialise in quality training in vintage Piper Super Cubs with a focus on developing capable, confident pilots.

Start your journey

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Testimonials

Bill, you're a true aviation legend! Thanks for sharing your skills with me!

- Dan

Thank you, Bill, for your outstanding teaching! Benefitted greatly and learned a lot!!

- Russ

Bill and Olivia are AWESOME instructors, but more importantly they are great people who really want the best for all their students and friends who fly with them. Grateful to have started my flying journey with you and looking forward to the next stage!

- Regan

Why fly with us?

Family-owned business since 2007

Friendly, experienced instructors

Tailwheel, mountain and strip flying

Flexible booking to your schedule

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What do two instructors do on a nice fine day when they have a day off? Go flying of course.

Bill roped Ross MacDonald, CFI of Central Hawkes Bay Aero Club at Waipukurau, to mind him going into the Boyd airstrip in the Kaimanawa Ranges, central North Island, New Zealand.

It has been a place on Bills bucket list ever since he was a young CPL, but never actually made it. It was worth the wait. Enough of a challenge but a manageable risk.

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #stripflying #nzaviation

Distractions fade, your focus sharpens, and you feel completely absorbed in the moment ✈️

#flowstate #pipercub #supercub #tailwheeltraining #nzaviation

MEET BILL HENWOOD ✈️👨‍✈️

With a lifetime in aviation, Bill brings a wealth of experience to Classic Cubs. His background spans avionics in the Air Force, flight instruction, and an airline career, making him a valued mentor to both his students and the wider general aviation community.

Bill’s love of aviation began as a young boy, spending hours watching aircraft come and go at Paraparaumu Airport.

Over the years, Bill built a flying career that took him from Piper Cubs and Tiger Moths to airliners including the Boeing 737, Boeing 787 and Airbus A320. Along the way, he has accumulated more than 25,000 flying hours and over 5,000 hours of flight instruction across a huge range of aircraft types.

Nineteen years ago, Bill and his wife Neroli purchased Piper Super Cub BQV and founded Classic Cubs to share the joy of flying while helping pilots build real-world skills and confidence.

Today, as Chief Flight Instructor, Bill continues to pass on decades of experience through tailwheel training, mountain flying, BFRs, and more. His focus has always been on helping pilots become safe, capable, and confident aviators.

Bill is the heart of Classic Cubs, contributing an enormous amount of knowledge, experience, and mentorship to everyone who chooses to fly with him.

📸 @paloma.serville 👩‍✈️✈️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #flightinstructor #nzaviation

Cub: a vintage taildragger that teaches focus, finesse and how to dance with the wind.

📸 @paloma.serville 👩‍✈️✈️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #taildragger #nzaviation

Eric Hendrickson is a FedEx freight pilot and had a hankering to fly a light aeroplane in NZ, find out about Mountain Flying and try out a Supercub.

The trade off was he had to bring some freight with him. These things all came together today, the only thing missing was suitable weather. However some would argue mountain flying training should have some weather challenges which we had to deal with winds, rain showers and turbulence.

Well done Eric, hopefully you will come back for some more practice and maybe some more sunshine next time ☀️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #mountainflying #nzaviation

Father–daughter team Bill Henwood and Olivia Stead from Classic Cubs deliver quality flight training in the Waikato. It’s a true family business that has been operating for over 19 years ✈️👨‍✈️👩‍✈️

Bill has decades of airline and instructing experience, while Olivia brings a fresh perspective shaped by both airline academy and grassroots flight instruction.

Together they share the same goal to build safe, confident and capable pilots. They primarily teach in vintage tailwheel aircraft, and are rated on a wide range of other aircraft types too.

Stayed tuned for their individual intros coming soon!

📸 @paloma.serville 👩‍✈️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #flightinstructor #nzaviation

Reaching the circuit is a huge milestone in your flight training journey. It’s where you will master takeoffs and landings, building the confidence and skill to eventually fly solo.

Touch and go’s allow students to fit more landings into a session, helping build consistency and confidence faster.

Always dreamed of learning to fly?
You’re in the right place. Let’s make it happen!

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #touchandgo #nzaviation

POV: you always dreamed of becoming a pilot and now you can land a Piper Cub 🧑‍✈️🛩️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #tailwheeltraining #nzaviation

The ultimate classroom views ⛰️🌳☀️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #tailwheeltraining #nzaviation

Matt Read is visiting from Aus with his kiwi mate Phil Kean (a Waikato old boy from the 1980s) and went for a trial flight in BTC today. Phil learnt to fly with Jack Bindon and Matt holds an Aus RPL.

Matt goes back to Aus next week and wanted a tail dragger intro flight prior to finishing his full PPL in a Taildragger. Matt’s flying bodes well for a Taildragger future 😀

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #tailwheeltraining #nzaviation

Much of the Waikato was blanketed in thick fog this morning ☁️

We departed from Mercer in clear skies and were treated to an incredible view above the clouds.

#cpltraining #tailwheeltraining #jodeld11 #nzaviation

Blast from the past - in December 1995 Bill was freelance instructing at Hamilton when in between jobs. During that period Bill sent two students on their First Solo flights, one is now a Boeing 787 Captain, and the other, Peter Ryan, went on to a varied career including a period as Loader Driver for a Topdressing company.

Bill was at the de Havilland Chipmunk 80th Anniversary fly-in today and met up with Peter Ryan for a good old catch up of the last 31 years. Amazing how small the aviation community is. 👨‍✈️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #ppltraining #nzaviation

Bill has been flying with NZer David Scott who lives in Japan but is currently on holiday back home in NZ for 10 days.

Today Bill got to do trial flights for his sister Janet, her husband Logan and their son James who works for Flight Structures at Hamilton Airport. James is a keen flight simmer and took to BTC like a natural 👨‍✈️

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #ppltraining #nzaviation

Beautiful day to complete the CPL navigation syllabus with a Cross Country Flight Test ✈️

The Coromandel showed off with turquoise waters, crystal clear skies, and stunning views ☀️

Huge congratulations to Regan on this achievement - another great milestone reached 👏

#cplcrosscountry #cpltraining #nzaviation #tailwheel

Tilt your phone slightly and come for a ride in the right hand seat from Great Barrier Island back to Hamilton Airport ☀️⛅️🌧️

#cpltraining #crosscountryflight #greatbarrierisland #nzaviation

Second time lucky, Regan and Olivia managed to land on Great Barrier Island as part of Regan’s CPL cross country navigation training.

Low cloud and rain showers hugged the Coromandel but the Island was sitting in a beautiful patch of sunshine ☀️

Regan’s CPL cross country training has thrown plenty of real challenges and that’s exactly what it’s all about. Good planning, have back up options, keep a picture of what’s happening around you and make smart timely decisions when plans need to change ✅👨‍✈️

#cpltraining #crosscountry #greatbarrierisland #nzaviation

Regan kicked off his CPL cross country’s today with a trip around the Central Plateau Mountains with Liv in his Jodel D11 🗻

The route took them from Hamilton to Taupo, then down the Desert Road and back via Taumaranui.

While the cloud was hugging the top of Mt Ruapehu, it was still stunning, with some snow to remind us that winter is coming ❄️

#cplcrosscountry #cpltraining #tailwheel #jodeld11 #nzaviation

Chris Hardy after flying his first flying lesson, aiming to fulfil a lifelong ambition to gain his PPL 🛩️

Chris is an engineer and also has a very capable home flight simulator, which has helped with understanding the theory for his first lessons in our Supercubs, the second of which was with new B Cat Olivia today. 👩‍✈️

We look forward to sharing this journey with you Chris!

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #ppltraining #nzaviation

Congratulations to Chris Moss for his first solo flight at Te Kowhai Airfield today. Chris did his first five lessons in a nose wheel type, then converted to the Super cub ZK-BTC for his first circuits and achieved first solo. Awesome effort Chris! 😀

Chris is aiming for an aviation career and we wish him all the best on this journey.

Coincidently Chris is our first student to carry out their First Solo in our 1957 Supercub ZK- BTC, after 9 years Topdressing then 50 years in a barn.

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #firstsolo #nzaviation

Congratulations to Mark Smith on achieving conversion of his US PPL to a Kiwi PPL.

Sterling effort Mark, after a 20 year break from flying and moving to New Zealand. Then having to train for Mountain flying, sitting all exams and a full PPL flight test. This training was carried in less than 3 months. Good effort Mark! 👨‍✈️🛩️🇺🇸🇳🇿

#pplflighttest #pipercub #supercub #pa18 #nzaviation

Congratulations Olivia for passing your B Category Flight Instructor Rating today. Awesome effort!

This journey began over 4 years ago with delays by COVID, redundancy, marriage, motherhood, and a concerted effort over the last 3 months. B Cat is a huge achievement and bodes well for Liv’s future.

We are very proud to have Olivia on the instructing team. Thank you to Roger Cruikshank for the flight test today. 👩‍✈️🛩️

#bcatinstructor #flighttest #nzaviation

Final steps in Regan’s Jodel D 11 type rating today, crosswind circuits on the sealed runway at Hamilton.

After 65 hours PPL training in our Supercub BQV, PPL flight test and 5 1/2 hours in his Jodel D11, Regan is ready to take his aeroplane to its new home base at Parakai, north of Auckland. Enjoy the hour building Regan 🛩️

#aircraftowner #jodeld11 #ppl #tailwheeltraining #typerating

Today was a big day for one of our PPL students, Regan Hall. Regan started flying with us 1 year and 10 days ago with a few months off in the middle of last year. Today Regan sat and passed his PPL Flight Test to a high standard, then flew his newly purchased Jodel D11 ZK-KSD, including a solo flight from Hamilton to Te Kowhai.

Congratulations Regan. Onwards and upwards with hour building to CPL training 🛫

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #pplflighttest #nzaviation

15 years ago when Neroli and I moved our SuperCub BQV from Ardmore to Te Kowhai I was offered the opportunity to operate any time from an airstrip near Naike in the North Waikato. Over the years I flew past the strip more than once but never landed.

Jeremy the owner operated a Cessna 172 from the strip, which on paper makes it suitable for a Supercub but I could never take the next step, actually landing. This week changed that. First I went in with Jeremy in his 172 during his BFR (Biennial Flight Review) and 2 days later I took a student in who was getting current again in a C172 (longtime Topdressing pilot). tToday I took our Supercub BTC in with a student during a CPL Mountain Flying training flight.

Part of the imperative to go onto the strip was historical. BTC operated off the strip when owned by Glen Murray Topdressing so it was nice to finally return BTC to home ground 🏡

One of the nice things about owning an old aeroplane is the stories that continually pop up. This is one of ours.

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #stripflying #nzaviation

C150 available for training and private hire with checkout. Available in January and based at Te Kowhai, Hamilton.

BFR, Type Ratings, Private Hire etc.

Contact Bill Henwood 0210654538
bill@supercub.co.nz
www.supercub.co.nz

You can’t get a more classic shot, blue skies, green grass airstrip and a yellow Cub. Craig Moss brought his shared Supercub to Te Kowhai to pick up Bill and extend his skills exploring South Waikato strips.

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #stripflying #nzaviation

Rob Shuttleworth completed his first solo flight in his newly purchased syndicate-owned Piper Cherokee 235, after a 10 year break from flying in New Zealand.

The government departments are on Christmas holidays so Rob has to wait a few more weeks before sitting Air Law to fully renew his BFR. Until then, he’s reverting to student pilot privileges.

#pipercherokee #nzaviation

Today Bill achieved a huge milestone - flying his 25,000th hour! 🥳🎉🍻

His flying career has been interesting and varied, beginning in the Air Force as an avionics engineer then onto flying a huge range of types. From towing gliders in a single seat Piper Pawnee to flying all around the world in a Boeing 787 ✈️

Bill is passionate about sharing the skill and thrill of tail dragging, and has racked up 5000 hours in the Super Cub alone! His tally also includes 6800 hours instructing 👨‍✈️

Bill has also shared flight time with his wife and two daughters; Neroli regained her PPL in the Cub after an over 20 years lapse lapse; Ashleigh and Bill were on the B737 together when Ash was a Flight Attendant with Air New Zealand, and Olivia did all of her flight training with Bill and now works with him as an instructor at Classic Cubs. Will his grandson Finn have the aviation bug too? 🤔😅

Join us in congratulating Bill on this epic achievement 🤝👏

#25000hours #milestone #aviationcareer #pilot #flightinstructor

Andrew Green was on holiday from Glenorchy with his family and came to Te Kowhai to renew his acquaintance with Cubs, 13 years after his last Taildragger flight.

Since then he has bought a Cessna 172A so he wondered if his feet had gone to sleep. We did a refresher of stalls and steep turns then rejoined for some circuits. Over the flight most things came back to Andrew showing that the Cub was like an old slipper. 😀

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #tailwheeltraining #nzaviation

Ollie Bird came to Te Kowhai on Tuesday to finish his Supercub rating and renew his BFR in BQV. He is on leave from his day job flying Cessna Ag Husky and Pawnee Brave in Australia. It was a big day in the heat but Ollie was successful in meeting all the requirements with some fun along the way 😄

Coincidently Ollie had started his Cub rating at Central Hawkes Bay Aero Club with Ross Macdonald just before leaving for Australia two years ago in the Cub that was first at Waipukurau in 1957. Small world.

#pipercub #supercub #pa18 #tailwheeltraining #nzaviation

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Testimonials

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