Helicopter at the College

It's not every day one gets to go to school in a helicopter. But that's exactly what happened on Friday morning, 27th March 2009, when Mary Woolston flew in to Tawa College in an Air Force helicopter. She's no longer a student there, but was the deputy head girl in 2004 and was invited to be the guest speaker at that day's "Academic Assembly" at the College.

She and a number of crewmen flew to the school in an RNZAF Iroquois helicopter which drew a lot of attention from the students as seen in these pics. Most of us have never sat in a helicopter, let alone flown in one. Many of the schoolkids, and some of the adults, at least had the opportunity to sit in the craft even if it did just stay on the ground. Some of us were too busy taking photographs!

[Click on pics to enlarge].

	Landing in the Tawa College grounds, 9.46am.
	Mary Woolston (centre) and, at left, the current head girl.
	Students getting a closeup look at the chopper.
	Waiting to clamber on board.
	Mary, at left, and the current head girl, Josie.
	Mary and the rest of the team prior to departure.
	Interested observers waiting for takeoff.
	Checking the instruction manual on how to fly the craft.
	Houston, we have liftoff, 11.25am.
	Off into the wild blue yonder.