59th Annual Walsh Scout Memorial Flying School - A Report from Luka and Sion

Luka and Sion were two of our winners last year. Several of our winners have attended Walsh and the overwhelming feeling we get from those who have attended - some, multiple times, is that it is an essential experience for those young people wishing to become pilots.

It is certainly a big deal, with a very long history. Volunteers from many arms of the aviation industry give their time and skills to help the young people who commit to spending two weeks in Matamata to learn and, for many, to manage to go solo.

Luka and Sion returned this year to learn more, even though they are both now in Flight Training at NAC - and they also volunteered their time to help the whole well oiled machine work efficiently for the new batch of 70 hopeful pilots. They kindly sent us a report on their time there and we are happy to pass it on to you to enjoy learning about the whole Walsh experience.

Let’s get this show on the road!

Luka writes: For 2 weeks Matamata aerodrome becomes the busiest airport in the country, with over 800 movements a day, surpassing Auckland Airport. Instructors and scouting staff come together from all over the country, all with the same goal: to help young students get their wings.

For me WALSH is more than a 2 week camping trip; it's a community, a place to learn, it's a home, and it's where I first flew solo.

I was 18 last year when I first went to Walsh as an ab-initio student, and it was a stepping stone for everything I have achieved since. You can go to Walsh as young as 16 and as old as 19. When I went back this year as a returned student, I had a new role as assistant flight lead. This meant supporting and assisting to lead the 12 young ab-initio students in Flight 2. On top of this I had daily duties and refuelling tasks to attend to, as well as my own flying!

Despite having a Private Pilots licence, I still learnt so much, all the instructors have so much experience and wisdom to share. Just the 2 weeks spent with them has made me a better pilot. I got type ratings in a PA38 Tomahawk, and a Cessna 172, but my passion lies with aerobatics. Aerobatics is not a part of my Airline-preparation course at Nelson Aviation College, so I got stuck in to some spinning in the C152. I was fortunate enough to do some aerobatics in a T-6 Air Tourer as well as a T-6 Harvard (thanks to the kind sponsorship of Mike Jones)!

Aerobatics in a Harvard - what more could you ask for!

A big part of Walsh are the friends and mentors you make, as I'm sure my friend and fellow Pauwels Flying Scholarship recipient, Sion Kim can agree with.

Sion writes: Returning to Walsh for a second year was about far more than just flying - it was about experience. Last year, as an ab-initio student, Walsh was where my flying properly ignited. Coming back this year as a returning student allowed me to see just how much the programme offers beyond the cockpit.

Alongside my own flying, I was up early for duties and responsibilities throughout the camp. I was part of the refuelling team, completing four-hour shifts each day. I was fortunate to be selected as one of the drivers, which meant taking responsibility for the refuelling truck and ensuring aircraft were fuelled, topped with oil, and ready on time for the next pilots, particularly those heading out on their unbeknownst first solos.

This year, I returned to Walsh with a clear goal: to gain experience and make the most of every opportunity. I was lucky enough to fly with Carlton Campbell - Aviation Safety Advisor for the South Island at the CAA - whose instruction and feedback were invaluable.

Building on what I had already learnt during 2025 back home in Auckland, Carlton helped me refine different aspects of my flying and further develop my skills and confidence as a pilot, especially in the mountains. I was also fortunate to experience a flight in the DHC-2 Beaver, kindly sponsored by Mike Jones, which was an unforgettable highlight of the camp.

Furthering the camp experience, I was able to make many new friends, with some located in Christchurch, Auckland, Taranaki, and Wellington, all over the country!

Friends for life - and the unstoppable energy of youth…

Sharing Walsh with Luka made the experience even more memorable, and it’s great that we are continuing our training together at Nelson Aviation College, where I’m undertaking the Diploma (Instructor Strand) with the aim of returning to Walsh as an instructor as soon as possible.

After everything Walsh has given me, I am more certain than ever that this is the industry I want to stay in - there are simply too many wonderful people, opportunities, and aircraft to walk away from now!

If you would like to learn more about the Walsh Scout Memorial Flying School, take a look at their website - https://scouts.nz/national-schools/walsh-memorial-scout-flying-school/‍ ‍