Ferrymead Aeronautical Society

The Ferrymead Aeronautical Society is a group of volunteers dedicated to preserving the aviation history of New Zealand. The Society is an active member of the Ferrymead Trust, which runs the Ferrymead Heritage Park in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Ferrymead Aeronautical Society currently holds a collection of 10 fixed wing aircraft ranging from the 4-engined Vickers Viscount airliner to the diminutive de Havilland Vampire jet fighter. These aircraft represent the civil and military history of aviation in NZ from World War II to the present day, and include some rare treasures such as one of only 34 surviving de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers.

The Society’s helicopter section boasts one of the largest collections of helicopters in New Zealand, with 7 complete or near-complete aircraft including one of only a handful of Fairchild-Hiller FH1100 helicopters imported into NZ. The helicopter section aims to highlight the history of the helicopter as a workhorse in New Zealand since the Second World War, in agricultural, forestry, search and rescue & deer recovery roles.

The Society’s collection also includes 4 cockpit sections, a number of airport vehicles and a substantial collection of memorabilia and technical aviation literature.

Visitors are welcome any time during Ferrymead Heritage Park open hours, and workshop tours are possible via prior arrangement – see the contact page for more information.

The main display hangars were damaged in the February 2011 earthquake and were off limits to the public for a number of years, however these areas are now open to the public. The Society is grateful to the staff and management at Whyte Construction as well as all of their subcontractors for completing this work to a high standard, well within deadline and under budget.