Patchett Ag-Air

29/05/2026

Someone asked to see the landing at Waitui. This is Wayne Tantrum at the controls. We are privileged to work in places like this. Our customers are the best…

29/05/2026

It took a while to get our new loader sign written, it’s a great looking vehicle and a pleasure to operate.

20/05/2026

24/04/2026

Congratulations to my awesome Son Jack Griffith on gaining his Ag Rating today. The journey to get here has actually been a pretty big laugh, I won’t go into details here but believe me he’s in the right place now… Stay safe mate.

19/03/2026

Jack out there getting the hang of it…

21/01/2026

Congratulations to Wayne Tantrum on passing his Grade 2 ag rating today with Andrew Hogarth as flight examiner. I’m really looking forward to working with Wayne this year and getting through the work. P.S no more easterly or southerly winds thanks we have reached our quota.

14/12/2025

This years Christmas message is a little different, I’m sitting in the loader on a beautiful morning and Wayne my trainee pilot is flying our new Dehavilland Beaver AZB spreading lime, it’s a Sunday and I’m thinking about Church. No not that kind of church, for me a much better kind of church.
Each Sunday morning at 10.00 a group of gentlemen arrive at the Omaka Heritage center for coffee and a catchup, there’s a group of aircraft engineers at one table and a group of P40 rebuilders at another but at one table sits Ray Patchett. At Rays table are various disciples of most likely tailwheel pilots, Ag pilots and perhaps wannabe Ag pilots, outside there is a ton of lycra as the cyclists arrive for their coffee and a family will be buying tickets to the museum. But at Rays table the disciples are shooting the breeze, the “how was your week “etc… they are waiting for it to start, eventually Ray will say something, something about the shape of a wing perhaps or something about a fertiliser or a person “what do you mean by that” one of the men will ask, the men start to sit slightly forward as Ray says “well let me explain”
The next couple of hours pass quickly, the stories always start by going backwards to another story that needs telling first then sideways on a related tangent to bring the background in then after an hour and a half or so back to the original question. Ray is a gifted story teller, he’s free with a smile and laughs easily, he gifts time like it has no end. When the story is done someone will say Amen and church will be over. I haven’t been to many of these church sessions, I seem to work a lot of Sundays. However I had the privilege of Church with Ray for my training as well as the years that Ray loaded me, I learnt so much about this game but also I learnt what a gentleman is. Some people ask me why I didn’t change the name of Patchett Ag-Air to my own name and the reason is I’m proud to own aircraft with that name on them. And so to our customers thanks for what has been an excellent year and I am looking forward to having two aircraft and pilots serving Marlborough next year.
Welcome to our new pilot Wayne Tantrum who is already turning out good work and our great loader drivers who along with our excellent safety manager complete the team. Merry Christmas everyone. (The photos are Ray out on an airstrip mentoring us with the farmer and the new Beaver at Havelock airstrip)

08/11/2025

So today has been a big day! We welcome ZK-AZB to the Patchett Ag-Air hangar. She is the second Dehavilland Beaver to be added to our Marlborough base. An absolute veteran and icon of the industry AZB has had an extensive refurb . Wayne, Sam, Glen, Wallace and Rowan a pretty good singer but bad motorcycle rider have worked passionately over the last couple of months to get her to the standard she is and what a delight to fly! We also celebrate Wayne Tantrum’s first solo topdressing operations today (the same Wayne as above) he is the definition of a good buggar and an absolute pleasure to work with. Thanks also to our great customers who let us train on their properties.

08/08/2025

A few days ago we were lucky to have Scott from Scott Bishell Photograpy come up to the strip we were working on and take some photos. Not only is she an amazing aircraft but obviously very photogenic. On this job we were applying superphosphate.
We have been really churning out the work with the new machine and have purchased a second one to keep up with demand. These aircraft are supercharged and capable of carrying out high climb jobs very economically.
Thanks again Scott for the amazing photos.

04/06/2025

10 years ago today, first loads of solids being spread from the 185. It’s been a great journey so far, living the dream as they say. Although after 10 years we could probably afford to turn the wind down a little bit don’t you think?