By the late 1960s the type was starting to be neglected in favour of faster and more comfortable metal aeroplanes, so in October 1969 a group of private owners who appreciated the Tiger Moth's many qualities gathered in Taumarunui. There they formed the Tiger Club of New Zealand, named for a similar organisation in England and the first of this country's specialist groups catering for vintage and specialist aeroplanes.The name was changed many years ago to the present Tiger Moth Club and the membership opened to everybody with an interest in this living part of our country's aviation heritage. While the Tiger Moth and its postwar Canadian cousin the Chipmunk remain the mainstay of the club, related de Havilland types and all vintage and classic aeroplanes are found among the more than 180 club members.

We cannot have these aircraft without people, and it's those people who make the Club. They come from varied backgrounds, but all have a common interest, which is flying their own vintage aeroplanes.

We also encourage people with other types of aircraft to join us and enjoy the friendship and the flying. Some of our staunchest members fly modern-day aircraft, but that does not prevent them from taking part in our various activities.

We have a programme in place for the teaching of some of the finer points of flying, not covered in most of today's flight training organisations. Our instructors are highly qualified and are among the finest in New Zealand.

Flying a Tiger Moth or the like may give the impression that this sort of thing is for older people. Not so, as our club also has a place for young people and we welcome all those with an interest in older aircraft.