Kiwithrottlejockey
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Top aviator and Warbirds founder Trevor Bland diesFairfax NZ News | 4:20PM - Saturday, 20 September 2014 The Roaring '40s at Warbirds Over Wanaka. Photo: GAVIN CONWAY.ONE OF New Zealand's top aviators and the founding president of the NZ Warbirds Association has died.
Trevor Bland, 78, died at Auckland Hospital this morning following a long illness. He is survived by his wife and four daughters and two step daughters.
Bland first served as a Vampire pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the 1950s before moving to RAF as an aerobatic pilot, where he made his name as one of the New Zealand's best known display pilots.
Later he rejoined the air force before becoming an Air New Zealand pilot.
Bland's passion for flight transcended outside of work hours and he owned a number of vintage planes.
In 1978, he founded the New Zealand Warbirds Association, which restores and preserve ex-air force service aircrafts.
Bland served as president for thirty years before stepping down seven years ago due to ill health.
Gavin Trethewey, former president of the Warbirds Association, said Bland will leave a legacy for the association's 400 members.
We all look up to him enormously because of the fact that he was the founder of our association, he said.
He had very big shoes to fill.
Bland's story is recorded in his biography, Rags to Rivets the Trevor Bland story, by Ron Pemberton.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be confirmed.http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/64354800/top-aviator-and-warbirds-founder-trevor-bland-dies
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