ABOUT US
Classic Cubs has been providing flight training and aircraft hire since 2007. It is our mission to provide quality flight training in classic Piper Cub aircraft. We believe the best way to achieve this goal is to train pilots wishing to extend their experience and broaden their horizons by flying tailwheel aircraft.
MANAGING DIRECTOR & CHIEF FLYING INSTRUCTOR
BILL HENWOOD
Bill Henwood is the Managing Director and Chief Flying Instructor at Classic Cubs. He has had a life long interest in aircraft, reading most of the Biggles books as a lad. He would often spend rainy days at Paraparaumu airport (then the bad weather alternate for Wellingtons Rongotai Airport) watching F27 Friendship aircraft come and go. Bill also has a keen interest in photography, and combining the two passions has resulted in a large collection of NZ aircraft photos from the 70s and 80s. Those interests extended into a part-time photography business specialising in equestrian events (due to hours watching his two daughters ride!) and aerial photography, and then flight training in a Super Cub.
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Bill is now retired from Air New Zealand, and has a wide range of experience flying various Jet Aircraft including B737, B787 and A320. For Classic Cubs Bill offers taildragger training, BFRs and private hire to suitably qualified pilots. Bill has amassed over 22,000 flying hours, in a range of aircraft from Jodel D9 single-seater, to most Piper and Cessna single-engine, Austers, DH-82 Tiger Moth, DHC-1 Chipmunk, Cub, Pawnee, Airtourer, Boeing Stearman, twin-engine GAF Nomad, Cessna 421, Piper Seneca and Navajo Chieftan, Embraer Banderante, Metroliner, Convair 580, Boeing 737, 787 and A320. Included is 5,000 hours instructing on most of the above types, except for the Boeings and Airbus. Bill has a current ‘B’ Cat instructor rating allowing him to conduct ab initio training, conversion training, mountain flying, aerobatic training, and BFR's. The wide range of aircraft type ratings allows him to conduct BFR's in our aircraft or yours.
ASSOCIATE MANAGING DIRECTOR
NEROLI HENWOOD
Neroli Henwood is the Associate Managing Director and co-owner. Neroli has a wide range of life experience. She has worked in the horticultural, medical, veterinary and aviation industries in various capacities, and held a Private Pilots licence until the late 80’s. Neroli recently regained her Private Pilots Licence, having to resit the exams and a flight test after a layoff of some 24 years since originally holding a licence. Her 600+ flying hours has meant a speedy transition to taildragger flying.
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Bill and Neroli have two daughters who also have a keen interest in aviation. This means they all enjoy flying together and share a love of the family's two Piper Cubs. Their youngest daughter Olivia is a C-Category Instructor with Classic Cubs.
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C-CATEGORY INSTRUCTOR
OLIVIA steaD
Olivia is our C-Category Instructor. She completed almost all of her PPL and CPL flight training in BQV, as well as much of her C-Cat Instructor Training. After gaining her Instructor Qualification she was employed as a Full Time Flight Instructor at L3 Harris Airline Academy at Hamilton Airport. She gained valuable experience providing ab initio training to Airline Cadets as well as domestic students.
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Olivia has over 400 hours instructing experience and over 350 hours flying tailwheel types. She started instructing in the Cub in 2020 and now conducts ab initio and tailwheel training alongside Bill.
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