Pauanui

A warm 20deg spring day brought a variety of regional visitors into Pauanui including the newly reregistered (September 11) Tecnam P2002,  ZK-CCV,  a regular visitor in its previous guise as ZK-MEL.

From Ardmore came the Airline Flying Club's Warrior II ZK-KAT,  and Silentium 172 diesel powered 172R ZK-TAQ from the Ardmore Flying School.

Magnaman in Auckland

Three photos from Magnaman taken today 23-092917.

 Above we see the 'earthrounder' Vans RV10 ZU-IHF parked up at Auckland International Airport. Check out MRC's coverage Here.

 Over at Ardmore we have the Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP ZK-CAA2 (c/n 172S10397).

This is one of a batch of ex Royal Queensland Aero Club 172's that have recently arrived in NZ.

Still not officiall on our register - it was ferried over from Archerfield through Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island on 19-08-2017 and then on to Kerikeri and Ardmore on the 20th.

The Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer II ZK-EBQ (c/n 28-7690458) was first registered in NZ to Airwork (NZ) Ltd at Ardmore on 21-10-1976 having been built in the States as N9633N. 

It took up with the Southern Districts Aero Club at Gore on 03-03-1977 until becoming part of the Southland Aviation College Ltd on 01-12-1999.

This in turn became Southern Wings Ltd on 22-02-2001.

Southern Wings set up an Ardmore branch in Auggust of 2014.

Miles Messenger ZK-AKE at North Shore 20-9-2017

At North Shore airfield yesterday Bruce Lynch was working on his Miles M 38 Messenger 2A ZK-AKE2 .

ZK-AKE2 (c/n 6707) is not what you might first assume.  It is in fact ex G-AKEZ which was built in 1947.  It was cancelled from the UK register on 26/1/06 and exported to New Zealand where Bruce Lynch has been restoring it, and as can be seen it is getting pretty close.

The registration ZK-AKE is accurate for the period, as shown in this photo of the original Tiger Moth ZK-AKE (c/n DHNZ 68) taken at Rongotai in May 1947.

Slingsby Firefly ZK-TZX from North Shore Today 20-9-2017

The weather over Auckland was also spring-like today, so a trip up to North Shore Airfield was in order.  When I was there I bumped into Trevor Dance who was just pulling out his Slingsby T 67 Firefly ZK-TZX out of the hangar to go flying, and he had a spare seat.....

ZK-TZX (c/n 2050) on the ramp prior to start-up.

Lined up on Runway 21.

Climbing out over Whangaparaoa with Stillwater in the foreground.

Looking up Bon Accord Harbour on Kawau Island with the Coromandel in the distance.

The Spirit of New Zealand anchored off Snell's Beach and in the lee of Kawau Island.

And on finals for North Shore, it's a pretty narrow sealed strip.

Thanks very much for the flight Trevor.  It was great.

Pauanui

Spring finally arrived in Pauanui today and with it came a variety of visitors,  including a flock of 4 gyrocopters up for coffee from Tauranga.  These comprised 2 frequent visitors, yellowAutogyro MTO's ZK-RJW & UYM,  plus Magni Gyro ZK-PLW and the Delta Trikes J-RO ZK-RAC.

Also flying for coffee was the Storch S ZK-JES from Whangarei