Taieri Airfield

I've got a large collection of photos of aircraft from Taieri airfield, my home base. In this post I'll have all the microlights and gyrocopters that haven't featured on this blog before, or ones that have moved here or been repainted since last time they were featured.

 A new one for the blog is Bolkow Bo 208 C Junior ZK-CJH (c/n 607). This aircraft is stored in the same hangar as ZK-XAS, but has been sold to a new owner somewhere else in the country apparently. It's currently in Southair getting some maintenance work. 

 Alpi Pioneer 200 ZK-ETC (c/n NZ2002) is now Taieri based, and owned by Geoff Laing. He was kind enough to take me up for a quick flight a couple of weeks ago.

ZK-FDD, a Flight Design CT-LS (c/n F-11-10-01) is now Taieri based. I don't see it flying that much, but a lot more than some others fly at Taieri. 

Pietenpol Air Camper M/L has had a repaint into a new scheme, and has moved along with its owner Glen Morgan to Dunedin. While this aircraft is not currently active, he flies his Jodel D11S ZK-EDG

ZK-LXA has been restored ready to fly by its original builder Alex Armstrong, and is looking great. Alex also built the Sisler SF-2A Cygnet ZK-LXB seen in the background (which is getting engine work) and the Vans RV-4 ZK-LXC which Alex was kind enough to give me a flight in with Ray Bremer. Unfortunately, Alex has decided he is too old to test fly this aircraft, so the job of that will fall to someone else. With any luck it'll be flying in 2019.

ZK-RCW, a RAF 2000 GTX SE (c/n H2-97-8-285) in its hangar at Taieri Airfield. This aircraft has just been sold to a new owner I believe, as its TradeMe listing is no longer up.

Colin Chalmers' own homebuilt gyrocopter, ZK-RDB in its hangar at Taieri airfield. I believe this was all his own design.

Rans S-6S Coyote II ZK-YEP (c/n 06071816-S) is now all finished, and has been checked by the CAA. It should be flown for the first time later this year or early next year. 

Pauanui

Visitors to the Pauanui airfield of late included the Thames based Cessna 210G ZK-DCA,  showing off its retraction mode..

And the latest addition to the Waikato Aero Club fleet,  Cessna 172S ZK-WKF,  which was ZK-JCG in a former life.

Further South at Te Kowhai 8-12-2018

 Two and a half hours South of North Shore (includes a hold up for an accident on the Northern Motorway and a stop for a coffee and muffin at the BP on the Southern Motorway) you get to Te Kowhai airfield.  It was quiet around 5 on the Saturday afternoon but it was good to see the facilities being used for a works Christmas party with bouncy castles and other rides for the many kids - this sort of thing will make the airfield an established part of the community.

The nice straight tail Cessna 172 ZK-EHA2 was departing as I arrived. It is registered to EHA Ltd of Hamilton.

And so I carried on to my overnight stay with Number 2 grandson (and aircraft enthusiast), at Te Kuiti.

SAAANZ Christmas BBQ at North Shore 8-12-2018

The Sport Aircraft Association of NZ (Auckland Branch) held their Christmas BBQ at North Shore airfield on Saturday 8 December (at the same time as the NAC event at Kaipara Flats).  As I was needing to head South to Stratford I called in on my way past to see what was there.

SAAANZ member John Eaton's Canadian Home Rotors Safari helicopter ZK-IJE is flying again, the first time I had seen it outside.

While the globe trotting Eurofox G-GBNZ also called in to the event.  I understand that this aircraft will be put in a container this week and shipped back to the UK.

The Northern Aviators Club Christmas BBQ at Kaipara Flats 8-12-2018

I will return back to the NAC Christmas BBQ which was not actually that long ago, but a lot of miles have gone under the wheels since then.  There were 18 sport aircraft and their pilots and crew attending from around the Far North, and around 50 people partook of the BBQ.

Chris Lyle was down from Kerikeri in his lovely Bristell NG 5 ZK-CLA2.

Richard Bell arrived from Whangarei in his ELA 07R autogyro ZK-VBA, one of three gyros from Whangarei.

 the others were Nigel Towler in his Magni M 24 Orion ZK-MWR

 and Dave Morrow in his ex-Solo Wings MTO Sport ZK-SWR2

Rob Fry flew up from North Shore in his Cessna 172P ZK-LEN.  This arrived with the globe trotting Eurofox and was the camera machine for John King to get some nice air-to-air shots of G-GBNZ.

White Island Flights

As referred to below Kahu Helicopters operate helicopter flights out to White Island, but for those who prefer a fixed wing option East Bay Aviation operate Cessna 172N ZK-EJY out of Whakatane to both White Island and Mt Tarawera.   EJY has been repainted in a smart new scheme.

Vans RV 14 ZK-VNX at Ardmore Today 11-12-2018

After meeting up with Richard Currie at Kaipara Flats last Saturday, he has done a trip down the East Coast while I have travelled down the West Coast of the North Island.  I will post from the trip later, but I thought I would first post the newly registered Vans RV 14 ZK-VNX at Aero Technology at Ardmore today.

ZK-VNX has not flown under its New Zealand registration yet but that is likely in the next few days.

Helicopters at Gisborne

With four helicopter operators based at Gisborne Airport plus the Helicopter Rescue service theres the potential for a lot of activity.   Those seen on Monday included Hughes 269C ZK-HGP,  which is actually owned privately in Havelock North.

Country Helicopters operate R44 sprayer ZK-HWP

And one of the Gisborne Helicopters fleet is Hughes 369E ZK-HXU.

Farmers Air Gisborne

A visit today to the Farmers Air base at Gisborne Airport revealed 2 of the company's PAC 750XL aircraft,  being ZK-XLA

And ZK-XLB

Also present was their Cessna A185F ZK-MDY which was flown across the Tasman in early November,  being previously VH-MDY.

Piper Cub ZK-BKA

Piper PA-18A-150 Super Cub ZK-BKA (c/n 18-4638) was the sixth equal Cub to join the NZ register - doing so on 12-12-1955 (along with ZK-BJZ) to Airwork (NZ) Ltd at Christchurch.

It first flew here on 21-12-1955 and was delivered to Harts Aerial Topdressing Co Ltd of Christchurch.

The six following photographs are from the Des White collection thanks to the Aviation Historical Society of NZ. 

(are you a member yet ? ).

These first two shots are from early on - possibly 1956 - showing the small ZK-BKA registration letters on the rudder and the 'PIPER' name on the fuselage forward of the cockpit.

Above and below - basically the same scheme but with larger registration letters spread across the fin and rudder and about half way up. Both at Christchurch.

Above - in the large hangar - which became the Mount Cook hangar - in a different fuselage colour scheme with the registration letters lower on the vertical tail and the 'AERIAL TOPDRESSING LTD' no longer on the fuselage, the 'HARTS' is in a different font and the "PIPER' is missing from the forward fuselage.

Sometime in 1966 it was with Ivan East of East Aviation Ltd of Wellington - who worked out of the Wellington Aero Club hangar.

It is seen below on 04-09-1966 tied down beside the East Aviation/Wellington Aero Club hangar -  now minus all Company markings and hopper, and is now fitted with glider tow hook.

Below we see two views of her at Paraparaumu wearing 'Wellington Gliding Club' script.

Then I caught it back at East Aviation in Wellington on 30-10-70.

During this period it was given a complete new colour scheme - as seen below at Paraparaumu in January 1971 with a small Piper chevron on the rudder and small ' Wellington Gliding Club' text on the engine cowl. It also has a rear vision mirror fitted.

Above and below - A view from both sides when Parked near the Aero Club at Paraparaumu on 15-01-1971.

By 16-09-1971 it had additional tail markings as seen here above and below.

Below - Returning to land at Paraparaumu as seen by Allan Wooller.

No it is not an all yellow scheme - its just the aging process of colour prints from the 1970's.

Below we see it at Masterton in February of 1976 - again the colour print aging - from Allan Wooller.

Above - on December 1978 Allan Wooller caught it again - back at Paraparaumu.

In late January the Club officially took over the Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee ZK-SUG followed by Pawnee ZK-TUG in November.

According to my notes ZK-BKA passed through Associated Aviation at Paraparaumu in late 1995, spent a short time with the Tauranga Gliding Club before joining Cross Wind Holdings Ltd at Tauranga from 16-02-1996.

Cross Wind (if memory serves was David Campbell, Andrew and Joanne Gormlie Bryan Thorn and Neville Dodds).

It then transferred to the Cub Syndicate - Tauranga on 19-07-2000.

Now we can jump forward a few years and find ZK-BKA above at Tauranga on 16-03-2009 with revised tail markings..

Ownership passed solely to David Campbell from 20-01-2017.

The current owners Bidgood Family Trust of Taupo were listed from 04-03-2018 where the Cub replaced the  Cessna 170A ZK-OCC - as seen in the background in the photo below taken at Taupo recently.

Below we see ZK-BKA parked over on the Boyd Strip , Central North Island.

And below the nicely equipped office.