About Pro Flight
Ready to make your aviation dreams come true?
Pro Flight New Zealand offers warbird adventure rides in Auckland, aircraft type conversion and tailwheel training, air displays and more.
We operate one of the world’s lowest-time and most meticulously restored De Havilland Chipmunk trainers, and New Zealand’s best-presented Piper Arrow III for type conversions.
Vaughn Davis
Chief pilot and owner:
Vaughn is an experienced and passionate warbird pilot. Vaughn started flying gliders and powered aircraft as a teenager, then joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force straight from school. After training on the CT4B Airtrainer and Strikemaster jet, he received his command on the Fokker Friendship and then the C130 Hercules. Vaughn bought Chipmunk WZ865 in 2021 and after a comprehensive restoration flew its first test flight in 2024. Vaughn holds an Air Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL), D Category instructor rating, instrument rating, low level aerobatic rating, formation lead qualification and is certified to operate Adventure Rides under the CAA Part 115 regulations. He’s also working towards his C Category instructor rating and will be able to offer ab initio flight training on completion.
“Whether it’s a special birthday, a visitor to New Zealand looking for an extreme experience or someone making a long-held dream come true, I love sharing this unique view of Auckland with our passengers.”
In the Pro Flight hangar:
The De Havilland Chipmunk
The Chipmunk was designed by the Canadian arm of famous British aircraft manufacturer De Havilland. Intended to replace the same firm’s Tiger Moth as a military trainer, the prototype flew in 1946 and 1283 were built in total.
The Chipmunk combines World War 2 technologies and modern (for 1946) trainer design. Its aluminium construction is partly fabric covered, combining high strength with light weight and ease of repair. The Gipsy Major 10-2 engine producing 145 horsepower is an evolution of the engine fitted to the Tiger Moth. The Chipmunk is fully aerobatic and its well-balanced handling qualities have seen it described as “the poor man’s Spitfire.”
Our Chipmunk, ZK-CHP, carries its RAF code of WZ865 and uses the callsign Chipmunk 65. Built in 1953 with serial number C1-0895, it’s one of the last built for the Royal Air Force and has very low time for its age, partly due to leaving RAF service in 1975.
Chipmunk 65 was fully restored over 2021-2024 and is authentic in every detail, including its WW2-era cockpit fitout.
Chipmunk 65 is available for adventure rides (aerobatic or scenic) as well as type rating and tailwheel training. Chipmunk 65 is not available for rental.
In the Pro Flight hangar:
The Piper Arrow
The PA28R-201T is sometimes called the “HSV” of the Piper Cherokee family, thanks to its retractable undercarriage, variable pitch propeller and turbocharger enabling sea-level performance at high altitudes. ZK-TGF features a full IFR fitout including 2 x Garmin G5 primary flight displays, a Garmin GNS430W GPS and a GFC500 autopilot with limit protection.
ZK-TGF is available for type rating training as well as hourly rental to approved pilots.