30 May 2005

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEEETING

The SVAS AGM will be held at the SVAS Museum , Hood Aerodrome at 1.30pm 17th July

The business of the AGM is:

*To receive the annual report and financial statements

*To elect the officers and members of the General Committee, and

*To decide any other matter duly submitted to the meeting.

General Business:

The Committee gives notice that a notice of motion to discuss, and if felt appropriate by members present at the AGM, to vote on a change of name for the Society

** See special debate on p2 (below)

* Light informal lunch at Museum from 12.30; all members welcome.

* SVAS Committee Meeting 10.00am 17th July

The 2005 Whittaker’s Wings Over Wairarapa Airshow:

Our biennial airshow took take place on 22 & 23 Jan 2005 – Wellington Anniversary Weekend. It was a great success!

It was widely reported in the aviation press, on TV3 and at www.wings.org.nz

Our Website

The SVAS Website is now active and being regularly updated. See: www.svas.org.nz

You can also see the airshow website at: www.wings.org.nz

Members with ideas or contributions for the website please contact Richard Jackson. And most importantly, if you spot errors or bloopers please advise me asap!

Membership List

This Newsletter is being sent out on our revised membership list, based on this year’s subscription renewals. If you know of others who want to be members or who may have inadvertently let their membership lapse, please advise our Membership Secretary, John McMullan.

The Museum

We moved into the Museum building for the 2005 airshow, and used it as the display pilots’ base and for their catering. Because of fire safety constraints were we not able to open it to the public at the same time.

The main display room now houses our collection, including the Wright Replica Glider, which is assembled and hangs from the roof.

There is still much to do for internal fit out.

TV Stars!

The Gibson Group are doing a series of short films for TV on aviation events that happened during the last war. SVAS provided some props for an episode that was filmed at Hood aerodrome.

SVAS provided pieces of the DC3 to make it look like a bomber crash site and also provided WW2 flying boots, helmets, goggles, and flying jackets.

We don’t yet know when the series may be screened.

A Special Note from the President:

I am keen to resolve the issue of the future name of our Society in the minds of our members. As members will recall I have raised the issue of the name of your society in the last two of my annual President’s reports and have suggested it may be time for a name change. The committee have canvassed members’ opinion and have made two suggestions that may better encapsulate what we do:

What ever we finally do we will not compromise our tax-exempt status and will maintain our position as an Incorporated Society.

Some thoughts on the first suggestion: this would be a reasonably small change and would better reflect what we do, fly vintage aircraft.

The origins of our society go back to 1974 when I started discussions with Ron Alexander of "The Golden Age Flying Society" based at Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim. Their Society was running out of enthusiasm and members and eventually they agreed to become amalgamated into NZ Sport and Vintage Aviation Society which was also closely affiliated with "The Tiger Club of NZ" , "The Amateur Aircraft Constructers Assn."and 'The Aviation Historical Society"

The last AGM of the Golden Age Flying Society was held 25-6-76 and the first Committee meeting of the SVAS was held 8-7-76. Subsequently all these organisations went their own way and we are still the clone of the Golden Age Flying Society. Should we revert to our origins?

At the last AGM there was some discussion about a name change for our Society. To get the ball rolling, my wife and I sat down the other night and came up with the following list:

I'll keep it brief - it's got to be two thumbs up and chocks away for 'Golden Age Flying Society'. 'Classic Flying Machine Co.' has possibilities, but for me can't get off the ground because the word 'Classic' has been well and truly branded across the ditch by 'Classic Wings', 'Classic Fighters' etc. Similarly '...Flying Machine Co.' is inextricably pinned to OFMC in the UK.

Lets get a distinctive name that belongs to us. 'Golden Age Flying Society' rang my bells as a kid in the '70's when I saw them perform at airshows and still does the same thing. Finally time for a return to our roots, eh?

OK, I am open to most names but I have an aversion to the word "golden". I admit that like all of us I am not a young as I once was but every time I hear the words "golden age" I am unable to get the image of old people sitting in chairs with rugs over their legs… The film "On Golden Pond" just about sums it up. Yes I know one day that will most probably be me but please not this early!
JM

I suggest that we avoid ‘company’ because we are an incorporated society and I suspect that the registrar will not accept ‘company’ in the name of an incorporated society. So I will read all John's proposals as if society has been substituted for co. On that basis I favour Vintage Aviation Society.

I quite like Classic Flying Machine Co. However, I keep coming back to the name that Tom acquired with the assets way back then in mid 70s: The Golden Age Flying Society (Inc) Captures the atmosphere perfectly for me and it has antecedents!

Members: General Business:Notice of Motion:

The Committee gives notice that a notice of motion to discuss, and if felt appropriate by members present at the AGM, to vote on a change of name for the Society

Name change to be discussed at our AGM; lets hear your views!

1330, 17 July 2005, SVAS Museum, Hood Aerodrome