Flight fulfills dream
Retired Whanganui firefighter Duncan Troughton had a life-long dream to take a flight in a Tiger Moth — and thanks to some local blokes with a can-do attitude, his wish came true.
Troughton has limited mobility due to the effects of Parkinson’s disease, and thought he might have missed his chance, but his long-time friend Clayton Grant had other ideas.
“Clayton called me and asked if I could help out,” said pilot and
Tiger Moth owner Richmond Harding.
“After talking to Duncan I wanted to help but I couldn’t see how we could get him into the plane because you can’t have a lot of people standing on the wing of a Tiger Moth. I have to say I didn’t give much encouragement — but I didn’t say no.”
Harding thought the gantry in the hangar at Wanganui Aero Club might be a possibility but lowering Troughton in was still likely to be problematic so Grant contacted crane operator Ted Matthews.
“I’d never put a man in the cockpit of a plane before but I never turn
down a challenge,” said Matthews. “I wanted to help so I said ‘yes’.”
The next thing needed was a means of conveyance that could be attached to the crane so Grant contacted local hang glider Ricky Winduss, who was able to supply a harness.
Pam Troughton said her husband was overjoyed when Grant called
them last week. “Clayton said ‘It’s all on at 3.30 this afternoon’ so we got in the car and headed to Richmond’s.”
Harding keeps the plane in his hangar, which doubles up as an aviation museum at his Otamatea property. Although he still likes to fly in his 80s, he recruited his son Bruce.
“Bruce is younger and stronger so I thought he would be the man for the job rather than me,” said Harding.
Troughton said his 40-minute flight was what he had hoped for.
“We flew up to Kai iwi and out over Kaitoke, where I used to live — it was
fantastic,” he said. “I’ve wanted to fly in a Tiger Moth ever since I was a kid.
“I got a taste for flying when I lived next to Dick Stephenson who took me up in his Fletcher topdressing plane a few times. He let me have a go at the controls once.”
Troughton stayed in the harness during the flight and Matthews was able to reattach it to the crane and safely lift him out after the landing.
“I don’t think he’s come back down to earth yet,” said Pam Troughton.
“We’re so grateful to everyone for making this happen.”