The New Plymouth Aero Club Inc was incorporated in April 1929.

Although the Club had suitable buildings and an airfield it did not have the funds for an aircraft. In great Kiwi tradition a small group of residents formed a private company for the purpose of purchasing a plane and hiring it to the Club. The first plane to be flown by the Club was a Gypsy Moth. Training began in 1930 and was not long before around 20 pupils were enrolled.

Prior to the outbreak of Word War II numerous pilots received their introduction to flying at New Plymouth and many of them left New Zealand to join the RAF on short service and permanent commissions. They were the foundation members, so to speak, of the air arm that grew to such enormous strength during 1939­1945.

In common with other Aero Clubs in New Zealand the New Plymouth Aero Club had its progress halted by the outbreak of war. Trained men went into uniform and the training aircraft were taken over by the military authorities. Most of the Gypsy Moths were taken over by the RNZAF when the original Bell Block airfield became an Air Force Station.

After the war the New Plymouth Aero Club was the first New Zealand Club to recommence flying. The war years had brought about tremendous growth to the old New Plymouth Airport at Bell Block. Many new buildings appeared and these were retained at the end of the war. During the immediate post war years the Aero Club's development went hand in hand with the paw of the national development.

Membership grew, club facilities were expanded, and social activities fostered. However as passenger aircraft grew larger and faster so did the need for sealed runways. On November 7 1966 the new airport, with new facilities, was opened at Brown Road, now Airport Drive.

Today, with the establishment of Air New Plymouth's alliance with Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, we are more able to meet the demand for professional pilots