The Star: April 18, 2024

The Star Thursday April 18 2024
16
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Committed to renewable air travel
• From page 15
The flight deliberately coincided
with the COP26 conference as
countries discussed transition
away from fossil fuels.
After making the move, Freedman
has grown to appreciate the
country as a place open to new
ideas.
“New Zealand does have a very
good entrepreneurial spirit, I’ve
found. A great acceptance of, and
interest in, new technology here
and it’s a very good country to try
new things.”
His passion for the environment
extends beyond just his aviation
business.
Involvement in native tree
plantings and pest control efforts
in Cass Bay give Freedman a sense
of fulfilment.
“Things like that can give direct
hope to an individual and help you
realise you can make a difference
even on a local level,” he said.
“Changing the way we fly and
reducing emissions from aviation
is the other end of that scale.”
His commitment to local
conservation work and national
advocacy all come from the same
desire to make an impact on New
Zealand’s environment.
“Sometimes people can feel a
little bit helpless and depressed
about climate change, so I think
doing any little things can help
people feel better about those
HIGH-FLYING: Gary Freedman often takes scenic trips in the Alpha Electro. He says the
aircraft provides a quiet and smooth experience.
really big challenges.”
Freedman’s career in renewable
technology started at UK
company Ecotricity in 2002.
As a head of department, he
organised the installation of wind
turbines on behalf of clients.
His business degree from
Manchester Metropolitan
University set him on track for a
career advocating and marketing
new renewable technologies.
“I was working a lot in wind and
then in solar as it became more
viable economically. My passion
for environmental work really
came along with the renewable
technology.”
From 2010, he worked at the
RES Group and then Airvolution
Energy helping to develop sites for
wind turbines.
After moving to New Zealand,
he has worked for Meridian
Energy and Harmony Energy
coordinating the development of
electric vehicle infrastructure and
solar farms.
Freedman’s interest in electric
planes grew out of his love for
flying.
“At the same time as my work,
I was also flying hang gliders just
as a hobby. Then I got my pilots
licence and actually started flying
small planes.”
The Alpha Electro is now used
for trial flights, pilot training and
as a promotional tool for more
electric aircraft.
Intrigued aviation enthusiasts
listened intently over Easter
weekend as the Electric Air team
showed off the Alpha Electro
at the Warbirds Over Wanaka
international airshow.
“People there are interested in
the old warplanes, but they’re also
interested in the future of flight.”
Freedman’s dream is to see the
use of electric planes increase in
New Zealand.
Current technology limits
the distance electric planes can
travel, but Freedman believes
New Zealand’s high proportion
of short haul flights, coupled
with a relatively green electricity
grid, makes it the perfect place to
experiment with the technology.
In coming years, Electric Air
is considering the purchase of
more electric planes and wants to
help convert petrol planes to fully
electric models.
Freedman hopes the company
will make a mark on New
Zealand’s emissions profile and
his work will help to pass on his
passion to his 17-year-old son and
14-year-old daughter.
“I do hope that they will be
encouraged by all the things we
do. You know we drive an electric
car, and go trapping. I think
they’ve both gained a really good
understanding of being good
neighbours with nature.”
50 years in the trade a major milestone
Five decades, 50 years, half a century – no
matter how you put it, that’s a long stretch of
time in anyone’s reckoning. And that’s how
long Greg Box, owner/operator of Amazing
Auto Electric, has been involved in the autoelectrical
trade.
It all started when he began as an apprentice
with Benson Bros in Gisborne on June 24,
1974, learning the nuts and bolts of the trade
and acquiring the skills needed to pursue
a successful career as an auto-electrical
engineer.
After spending almost seven years there,
Greg headed overseas, and over the following
eight years he worked in the motor trade in
the UK, and for a large part of the time, in
the mining industry in Alaska, Australia and
Africa.
Family matters brought him back to New
Zealand, plus he was also keen to start his own
business here. With that in mind he re-located
to Christchurch in 1989, initially working for
a local firm, before launching out as a sole
trader in 1993.
A decade later he established his current
business, Amazing Auto Electric, opening a
workshop in Coleridge Street and employing
staff.
As a business it has proved a great success,
and while it is a challenging trade, and
one that can be stressful, it’s a trade he has
thoroughly enjoyed over the last 50 years. He
says for a person that enjoys working with
machinery and fixing things as he does, it’s an
ideal career.
“For an apprentice starting out it takes five
years to qualify, but for those that can stick to
it, it’s a great trade to be in.”
With auto-electrical systems
being re-designed every five to
10 years, ongoing training with
online and on-site courses
is also an important part of
keeping up in the industry,
Greg says.
He is proud of the service
Photographed
in his Coleridge
St workshop,
Greg Box is
about to mark
50 years in the
auto-electrical
trade.
Greg Box,
left, with staff
members
Anton Weir,
centre, and
Shane Gallop.
We have some
of the latest and
greatest scanning
tools and software
available to help
diagnose and solve
problems, nine in
total.
he and his two staff – one
fully qualified and the other
undergoing his apprenticeship,
offer customers.
“Many of the problems
people have with their vehicles
are related to the electrical
system. When that warning
light comes up on the dashboard, it
indicates there’s something wrong, and we
can fix it,” Greg says, adding, “Over the years
we have been blessed with the best customers
and staff any business could wish for and we
wouldn’t be here without them.”
Amazing Auto Electric provides service for
all types of vehicle from trucks, to commercial
vans to family cars. Located at 65 Coleridge
Street, it is open 8am to 5pm Monday to
Friday.
And in just a few weeks’ time, Monday June
24 will be a red-letter day for owner Greg, as
he reaches his 50th anniversary in the trade, a
significant milestone by any measure.
Amazing
Auto
AAE Electric
CARS • BOATS • TRUCKS
• CARAVANS • 4WDS
• TRAILERS • ELECTRIC
& HYBRID VEHICLES
USUALLY SAME DAY SERVICE
• Starter Motors
• Alternators
• Central Locking
• Electric Windows
• ABS & Airbags
YoU nAME IT, WE fIx IT
For everything
Auto Electric
• Stereos/Alarms
• Batteries
• Tuneups
• Engine
Management
65 Coleridge St, Sydenham
Phone 03 379 4250
www.amazingautoelectric.co.nz