Aspeq Proud to Support New Zealand's Women in Aviation

This year's rally was hosted by the Hawke's Bay & East Coast Aero Club at Hastings Aerodrome, and with pristine skies overhead and over 140 attendees, including 24 first-time participants, it was one of NZAWA's biggest weekends to date.

Aspeq's Marketing & Communications Lead, Amie Cripps, attended on our behalf. "It was a great weekend with so many talented women," Amie said. "The event was so well organised and ran smoothly, which is a real testament to the organisational team." Amie was particularly captivated by the forced landing competitions, a highlight of the Saturday programme, where competitors tested their precision and composure by targeting a landing grid. It was edge-of-your-seat stuff.

The rally wrapped up with a Sunday Presentation Dinner, where Amie had the honour of presenting the Aspeq Scholarships to four very deserving recipients:

• Aspeq Walsh Scholarship — Olivia Spriggs
• Aspeq CPL Exam Scholarship — Tilly Whitten
• Aspeq Instructor Upgrade Scholarship — Sophie Collingridge
• Aspeq Instructor Upgrade Scholarship — Lexi Trotter

Both Sophie and Lexi are dedicated flight instructors known for their excellent student rapport, and it was a genuine pleasure to support their next step forward. These are exactly the kind of women Aspeq is proud to back.

NZAWA President Simone Boult expressed her thanks warmly: the association's members are deeply appreciative of the support, and events like this simply wouldn't be possible without the backing of the broader aviation community.

Looking ahead, we're already excited about the 2027 rally, to be hosted by the Marlborough Aero Club. We look forward to being part of it.

Aspeq is committed to supporting the growth, connection, and excellence of women in New Zealand aviation. Congratulations to all the 2026 rally competitors and scholarship winners.