Beechcraft Sundowner ZK-DVH

One of the many fine Beech Aircraft to come to New Zealand was the Beech C23 Sundowner 180. 

A development of the A23 Musketeer.

One of six Sundowners imported ZK-DVH is c/n M-1551 which was registered to James Aviation Ltd at Hamilton on 12-08-1974. 

It is seen above in their hangar on 19-03-1975.

Above it was caught at Christchurch Airport during November 1975 by CMM with his magic little Instamatic camera.

It was sold to D S Bisley of Hamilton on 17-10-1975 and remained there until sold to Gary Nash of Auckland on 25-02-2000.

Photo above by Sir Minty and taken on 16-09-2016.

Prior to acquiring the Sundowner Gary had operated the Cessna 150H ZK-CSG, the Piper PA-23-250C Aztec ZK-MCZ, the Micro Bantam B20 ZK-XIE and the Piper Pa-28-140 ZK-ECY.

Question time # 168 revisited. HELP please.

We have had a plea from RESTORER 

"ZK AQK has had the wings repaired ready to do a trial fitting, the fuse has been repaired almost ready to repaint".

 Does anyone know what the original colour was ?

*************************************************

Below is the original QT # 168

Question time # 168. Proctor ZK-AQK

The first note I have on this Percival P.44 Proctor 5 ZK-AQK (c/n Ae.79) is that it was listed to Percival Aircraft Ltd and also to Paulo Periera Ignacio from 04-10-1946 through until 24-09-1947.

The NZ agent L E Clark took it on from 11-12-1947 followed by J R C Killian of Gisborne from 13-05-1948.

Pic below is an early from the Ed Coates collection.

About mid October of 1952 it went to Queenstown for Southern Scenic Air Services Ltd, and eight years later (28-10-1960) to B R R Cragg at Omaka.

Next in line appears to be Central Aviation Ltd of Roxburgh; and then I have a B Wells of Mosgiel.

I believe it was withdrawn from use at Roxburgh in 1965 and its registration was cancelled on 04-06-1966.

Further guardians appear to include Scotts Engineering Ltd in Christchurch, who operated Proctor ZK-AQZ at about this time. It (AQK) was noted as derelict at Woolston in 1972.

Philip Burns of Dunsandel seem to have re-registered on 10-11-1977.

At some point it moved to the Ashburton Aviation Museum and its registration was cancelled on 24-01-1991.

It was at Russell Brodie's Rangitata Island property from 2003 and is photographed below on 20-04-2014 as it was about to be transported back to the Ashburton Aviation Museum.

 ZK-AQK pushed out from its storage space at Rangitata Island with strops already attached for lifting purposes. Its space already partially filled by a Tiger Moth rebuild project.

If you can add to the historical details of this aircraft - feel free to add a comment.

Alpi Aviation Pioneer 200s of New Zealand (4)

Our last batch of Alpi 200s comprises four aircraft that were delivered in 2006 then there was quite a gap until a kit built aircraft was registered in 2013, and another factory built aircraft was registered in 2015.  The Alpi factory still manufactures the Pioneer 200 and the similar Pioneer 230 as kits.

ZK-CIR (c/n NZ2019) was first registered to Charles I Redgrave of Auckland on 28/6/06.  It was fitted with a 6 cylinder Jabiru 3300 engine - the only Alpi 200 with this engine in New Zealand.  it is photo'd above in a hangar at Whangarei on 28/5/07 where it can be seen that is was named "Blue Skies".

It was sold to Ross M McLean of Whangarei (no relation of Logan) on 20/8/10 and now has a fuselage registration as in the above photo, also taken in the Whangarei hangar, on 2/3/15.

ZK-SYD2 (c/n 2020) was first registered to Sydney L Harvey of Tuatapere on 10/11/06).  It suffered an engine failure and force landed at Great Mercury Island on 14/2/08.  On 24/12/10 it was sold to Kevin S Harvey of Otautau.  It is currently operated by the Fiordland  Aero Club at Te Anau, from whose website I obtained the above photo.

ZK-LPA (c/n 2021) was registered to Alpi Aviation NZ Ltd,, now of Kaukapakapa on 29/11/06.  It was sold to Graham C Stokes of Whangarei on 3/12/07 then to the LPA 2011 Syndicate of Maungatapere on 16/6/11.  Most recently it was sold on 8/5/13 to the Fiordland Aero Club of Te Anau.  It is photo'd above at the 2007 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton, on 4/2/07.

ZK-LPI2 (c/n 2022) was Peter Randall's replacement for his earlier Alpi 200 ZK-LPI that was written off in a landing accident and was written off on 18/12/07.  ZK-LPI2 was registered on 24/12/07. It has the later Alpi colour scheme as can be seen in the above photo taken at the 2008 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga, on 6/2/08.

ZK-MGK (c/n 128) is out of the ordinary for Alpi 200s in New Zealand.  It was built from a damaged kit that was imported by Mike Sheffield, Graeme Main and Ken Richards (hence the registration).  It was built at Rangiora and was registered to the MGK Syndicate of Christchurch, on 11/12/13.  It is photo'd above at Rangiora on 17/5/15.

And our final Alpi 200 to date is a recent import:  ZK-KPD (c/n 249-09) is the latest model from the factory and is badged as a "Hawk".  It was imported by Logan McLean and registered to Kevin P Dore of Christchurch on 2/12/15.  It is photo'd above along with a line up of other Alpis, at Rangitata Island on 24/4/16.

I think we will see more Alpi 200s in New Zealand in the future, as they are a good honest aircraft for New Zealand conditions, and they are still being made by the Alpi factory.

A day in the life of Garden City Aviation at Nelson

A brief pictorial look at the days activities at Garden City Aviation Ltd's at Nelson Airport.

All photographs from Lord Nelson.

 Barry McAuliffe and crew startup (above) and away (below) at Midday in ZK-HGU.

 Below - Tony McCombe and crew arrive back late afternoon in Beech King Air ZK-FDR after a full day of aeromedical transfers.

The BK117 ZK-HGU returns towards last light at 1900hrs.

Barely on the ground long enough or a refuel and a quick snack.

Then away again.

This time to the West Coast.

 And returned at 2100.

 The Squirrel ZK-IHL returned after a big day of lifting in the Wellington region.
The crew of the BK117 remain on call overnight, as do the crew of the King Air.

Alpi Aviation Pioneer 200s of New Zealand (3)

This next lot arrived in the country between 2005 and 2006.

ZK-LPS (c/n NZ20013) was registered on 13/4/05 to Ross P Stratford of Nelson.  It is photo'd above at Rangiora on 4/3/07.

Ross Stratford re-registered his aircraft as ZK-LPB on 9/12/08.  It was sold to Graham B Smith of Timaru on 2/4/09 and it is photo'd under his ownership at Rangitata Island on 18/12/11.  More recently it was purchased by NR and LN Campbell of Campbell Farms of Fairlie.

ZK-PCB2 (c/n NZ2014) was registered to Peter C Bell of Hastings on 4/7/05.  It has stayed in Hastings, being sold to Peter C Steers on 27/4/12 and it photo'd at Hastings on 21/4/16.

ZK-CDB2 (c/n NZ20015) was registered to Neil G Ferguson of Waiau on 29/11/05 and it is still owned by him.  It is photo'd above at the 2006 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga on 5/2/06.

ZK-LPY (c/n NZ20016) was registered to Alfa One Aviation Ltd of Whangarei on 29/11/05 and it is photo'd above in a hangar at Whangarei on 29/5/07.  It was cancelled on 29/1/09 and exported to Australia where it became 24-7077.

ZK-PKT (c/n SN97) is a XL Sparrow model that was first registered on 31/3/06 to the PN and KA Thompson Family Trust of  Ruawai.  It was sold to the Avex Holdings Trust of Kaukapakapa (Rex and Colleen Swensson) on 19/11/07.  It was sold back to Alpi Aviation Ltd of Kaukapakapa on 20/11/09 (when Rex Swensson upgraded to a Alpi Pioneer 300).  It is photo'd above at Parakai on 1/3/09.  It was sold to Colin R Chalmers and Jonathon T Elliott of Mosgiel on 15/3/11, and then to Steve Amsted of Christchurch on 20/7/13.

Most recently it was sold on 12/11/14 to the Global Campers Business Trust of Rolleston (Volkmer Wollenweber) and it is now named "Furious Feather" with "The Wollenwebers"under the cockpit.  The above photo was taken on 14/3/15 at Logan McLean's property Fernside Fields, East of Rangiora.

ZK-DJC2 (c/n 2018) was first registered to David J Clack of North Shore on 3/5/06.  It is photo'd above at Paul Hopper's old strip at Silverdale.

On 5/11/11 it was sold to Gavin S Madsen of Hamilton, and on 30/11/11 he re-registered the aircraft as ZK-MSG.  It is photo'd above taking off at Pauanui on 6/1/12.