December 2025

President’s Report

From The Flight Deck

It’s good to be able to report that all is quiet on the Canterbury Front, when one considers all the bad stuff happening elsewhere in the world, distance dulls the reality, aren’t we lucky?

Our Patron organised a six man team of seasoned pistol shooters for the Officers Club Leslie Hills Competition 2025 and what an astounding performance. Being the second team to show the way our target changing was perfection personified, our reloading was smart, nothing was shot out of the sky, and all six completed the event with a smile.  No need to discuss results…….., participation was the order of the day!  All had great fun.

Our last lunch for the year in our lounge was an outstanding success and augers well for future occasions and we will use both our lounge and Double Tree from now on.

For many years we have helped the Canterbury ATC Cadets for their annual camps and Roger Read has introduced us to his group “Youth Glide” and captured our imagination with their activities, something for us to consider henceforth.

Keith Jolly
President

Brevet Club (Canterbury) Inc

Social and Meetings Programme for 2026

January
13           Club Day

February
03           Club Day Wigram Hotel (Committee Meeting Donaldson Room)

18           Lunch at the Chateau on the Park (Wednesday)

24           Trip to Ta Whaki

March 
03           Club Day Trip to Ashburton Aviation Museum and Rolls Royce Collection

17           Club Day Trip to Waimak Classic Cars

31           Club Day Wigram Hotel (Committee Meeting Wigram Hotel)

April    
15           Buffet Lunch at the Brevet Lounge (Wednesday)

25           ANZAC Day (Saturday)

May
12           Club Day

26           Club Day (Committee Meeting Morrison Room)

June
09           Club Day

23           AGM followed by Buffet Lunch at the Brevet Lounge

July
21           Club Day (Committee Meeting Morrison Room)

August
19           Lunch at the Chateau on the Park (Wednesday)

September
01           Club Day

13           Battle of Britain (Sunday to be confirmed)

29           Club Day (Committee Meeting Donaldson Room)

October
14           Lunch at the Chateau on the Park (Wednesday)

27           Club Day

November
11           Club Day (Wednesday)

24           Club Day

December
08           Christmas Buffet Lunch at the Brevet Lounge (Committee Meeting - Morrison Room)

22           Final Club Day of the year

January 2027
19           First club Day of the year

Beauty and the blimp

The Airlander recently featured in Country Life.

Your speed is modest but your delight is great. Currently under development in the UK, and option has bedrooms and can stay aloft for days. A concept worth watching maybe. Here is a link to the Airlander's website: https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/

Events coming up note in your diary   

Our first club day for 2026 is 13^th January in our lounge, February 3^rd we have a committee meeting in the Donaldson Room followed by a Club Day at Wigram Hotel, and on 18^th February lunch at Double Tree, Chateau on the Park

On the subject of global events:

I recall a front page of Time magazine in the 1970’s which showed a log floating down a stream.  The log had a bunch of ants on board and every one of them was convinced that they were in control steering the log.  Fact was that the log just followed the stream.  Seems to describe a number of political leaders.

BREVET CLUB EXCURSION: TUE 24 FEB 26 

This is an all-day car pool outing which includes a visit to the newly minted Ta Whaki aerodrome, located approximately 12 km west of Birdlings Flat on the Kaitorete Spit. The aerodrome has a 3000ft sealed runway, a new hanger and is a centre for development of New Zealand’s burgeoning space industry. The field is used to launch and recover Kea Aerospace’s twin motor electrically powered glider type aircraft which can reach to the stratosphere. There is no assurance that on the day of our visit this aircraft will be on site.

For lunch we’ll proceed to The Little River General Store and Cafe adjacent to which is a rather well stocked art gallery and gift shop.

From Little River a gentle rally over shingle and winding roads will bring the patrol out  to Teddington from where members can disperse to the best way home  OR  the patrol shall continue to the Tai Tapu Hotel for a light shandy before dispersing to respective homes.

The Wheatsheaf Hotel was considered for the afternoon tea but is now a Tibetan Buddhist Facility.

Approximate drive times are as follows:

The visit to Ta Whaki begins at 1030 hrs sharp on Tue 24 Feb 26
Please plan to be there at around 1015 hrs

The visit is hosted by Stan Topping the Ops Mgr for Ta Whaki and should be done by 1200 hrs.

The Price of Freedom Is Eternal Vigilance

Have a great Christmas and may 2026 be memorable