Thorp S-18 ZK-WMT

Sad to report that this aircraft crashed at Whenuapai on Saturday with the loss of both occupants, the owner Wayne Matthews and Brent Baldwin.

Registered on 16-03-2004 as ZK-WMY (Wayne Matthews Thorp) it was first flown at Matamata by Tony Schischka.

Back on 18-10-2005 this aircraft was flown from Invercargill to Hobart and returned into Auckland via Lord Howe Island on 04-11-2005.

Covering more recent activities :-There is an interesting article on this aircraft and the owner/builder Wayne Matthews in the latest (Autumn 2008) issue of Sport Flying.



This photo shows the aircraft "Rosie 3" at Ashburton in February of 2007.

Yak moves across town & the Fleet arrives

Yesterday the Nicholas Pilbrow Yak 55M ZK-YKV c/n 920402 moved base from Rangiora to Wigram. It did a short aerobatic display before heading across town to now be based out of Wigram.

Fleet 80 Canuck CF-DQM c/n 065 is about to come together at Rangiora. At his stage it is unlikely to be coming onto the NZ register as it is just on temporary transfer to NZ with its owner. A good bit of info on this aircraft available by Google search.Don't be confused by the Cessna 180 wing in the background.

Also lurking in one of the new hangars (been here since February) is the AA5 VH-ETT, c/n AA5 0282, all the way from WA, under slow restoration with the intent of becoming ZK-XRF. (pics later in restoration process).

Unknown Lake airframe ID confirmed.

The Lake LA-4-200 c/n 1045 at Whangarei's Northland Aviation hangar was registered as ZK-DQN on 22-04-2008 to Seabird Aeromarine.

Previous identity : N8007B, VH-XPS and DQ-ACA.

Interestingly ZK-DQN was reserved for a Lake back in the mid 1970's. But this was not taken up.

Robinson R22 Beta ZK-HVS.

Robinson R22 Beta c/n 2849, ex JA7953 became ZK-HVS/3 on 08-04-2008 to Rotor Flite N. Z. Ltd.

Noted today at Helipro's base at Christchurch Airport.

Flying the scouts

A busy weekend at the Canterbury Gliding Clubs Hororata base, flying off a large number of Scouts.

Sunday began with a frosty early morning wake up as four balloons were inflated next to the Scout tent site on the Hororata Domain.

These were Cameron O-120 ZK-FAD, Thunder & Colt AX7-77 ZK-MJC, Cameron V-90 ZK-WRU/2 and Cameron V-90 ZK-OOH.

While one batch went ballooning another was over the other side of the trees in the Gliding field preparing :-

and then flying the two Grob Twins (ZK-GOR & ZK-GPR) via winch launch.

(Blue bus lurking in background).

[First one to move is a wimp]

More recent arrivals in Christchurch.

The new Eurocopter EC 120B ZK-IFE c/n 1502 for Hanlin Johnstone is now resident in the owners hangar.

Incidently :- it is not black, but grey.

His Robinson R44 ZK-HKJ/3 c/n 10757 is still resident although it has been sold to a new owner, who is seen here about to buzz off.






And another resonably recent arrival is the Hughes 369E c/n 0021E for Heli CD Contracting Ltd taken with the long lense.
This has previously operated as ZK-HYO (twice) and ZK-IDP.

Canterbury Aero Clubs new addition.

Tucked away out of site on Saturday was the Piper PA-28-181 Archer 111 N1005J, which had arrived the previous day.

It has actually been purchased by a club member.

Check out the MRC Aviation link for ferry details.

Unknown airframe

Can anybody please identify this Lake airframe as noted at Whangarei in 10-03-2008

Question time #6

Another easy one for you.

Who is the person standing beside this aircraft ?

Warm wind from the south - improves with age.

Found this lovely old fella in the back of a hangar at Whangarei on 10-03-2008.

First time I saw it was way back when Merv Halliday had it. However it succumbed to an accident and was rebuilt with a Lycoming engine. My next meetimg was on the St Clair Beach at Dunedin following a forced landing - never did look right with a Lycoming.

Fortunately following a longthy rebuild it returned to the register in January 2001 in its true and proper form. Auster J5G Autocar ZK-BDK.

Yes even the Cub.

It was surprising the amount of interest shown in the Canterbury Aero Club Cub ZK-BNL at the Rangiora open day.

That reminds me :- Does anybody recall this cub being equiped with hopper etc when it was first registered in 1956 ??

Question time #5

All I need to know this time is the owners address please !

Rangiora open day.

A lovely fine Autumnal day for the Rangiora open day.

Biggest attraction (in more sense than one) for the average Joe Blogz was the DC-3 ZK-AMY offering rides.

Kerry Millar's "Linda Lovelace" ZK-DGM was found lurking in the corner of a hangar.

The Roger MAnn Ragabond (Ragwing) ZK-MGS came down from Harwarden.

Colin Marshall had the demonstator Evektor Aerotechnik Sportster Plus ZK-MAC on show.

Harry Devonish came over from Wigram with his H269C ZK-HYQ to move the freshly cut grass around.

A couple of Fisher R80 Tiger Moths, ZK-LIF and ZK-NOX did their thing.And a long way from home (Marton) was the Murray Farr Jodel D.18 ZK-JPK

Coasting!

This week I spent a couple of days on the West Coast visiting family and this included a large amount of time spent in Greymouth Hospital where by Dad is currently residing following a stroke 6 weeks ago. Its great for him that the view from his ward's lounge is over the Grey Airport so he's able to monitor whats going on, and of course a bonus for when I visit that its only a stones throw away and photos can even be taken from the hospital itself!

Herewith are some of the machines snapped during the week:

ZKHGH carrying out winch training @ Greymouth

Endurance Fishing of Nelson's R44 ZKHGU @ Greymouth

Beck Helicopters Bell 204 ZKHHF making a very brief visit to Greymouth, pity about the sun!

Coastwide Helicopters R44 ZKHQV @ Greymouth

Sutton Moss, operating as Scenicland Helicopters, R44 ZKHUC @ Greymouth

And ZKHUC departing from Hokitika

Coastwide Helicopters workhorse, Hughes 500D ZKHUW. That and the R44 seem to be kept VERY busy with the Pike River Coal project and a NOTAR is expected soon.

Timaru based R22 ZKHZY made a fleeting visit to Greymouth

Raetihi based Hughes 500D ZKIKL spent time flying from Hokitika

The Christian Community's Cessna 150 ZKCTE was kept busy at Greymouth and Hokitika

Wilderness Wings Cessna 185 ZKDPE resting at Hokitika after a southern scenic flight

Canterbury Aero Club Piper PA28 ZKEIP carrying out a touch and go @ Greymouth

Gisborne based Cougar ZKJER departing Greymouth

A 2nd Gisborne based machine @ Greymouth was Beech A36 ZKUTE

Tecnam Bravo ZKJTB arrived @ Hokitika 10Apr from its Rangiora home

New imports

Three recent imports noted.

Piper PA-28-140. c/n 28-23089, N9632W was noted at Tauranga and is now ZK-FLO/3 for Vanessa Ahem.

Cessna 152. c/n 15280188 , N152MM (ex N24273) was noted at Whangarei and is now ZK-NPD/2 and

Cessna 152. c/n 15279756 , N757HQ also at Whangarei is now ZK-NPG/2. Both listed to Geck Co NZ Aviation Ltd.

Tundra Tires (Tyres)

When I first spotted the Avid Magnum ZK-CLC/2 at Rangiora on 02-11-07 it did have a comic book look about it.

Even more jolly was the site of PA22/20 ZK-BSH at Wellington on 08-02-07.


And as for the "Claytons Auster" ZK-AXC. Well ; It has'n't even got a real engine.

Westland Bush Plane

Wondered what the Westland Bush Plane was? Well, wonder no more! Caught on my travels is Russell Cook's latest creation out of Kaihinu, north of Hokitika. It may look like a Cub, but Russell assures me that the only original bit of a Cub is one wing. Although it is hard to tell, the dimensions are all bigger than the standard PA-18, and the whole lot is built from scratch. Fabulous workmanship as well. The tundra tyres are for landing in the West Coast river beds.

While on the subject of tundra tyres, keeping ZK-WBP company was this Avid Flyer STOL. If you were looking for the perfect comicbook aeroplane, this wouldn't be far off the mark! (Hokitika 17 Feb 08)