N Z Fire Service training

I stumbled across these guys doing a training exercise in, on and around helicopters at the back of Christchurch airport today.

Helicopter is Helipro's AS350BA ZK-HKU2.

750XL ZK-JPP lost.

PAC 750XL ZK-JPP c/n 106 was involved in a fatal acccident in Switzerland on 21-09-08.
For further details see http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=22911
Under sources click on "Paravia"for more aerial shots of JPP.
Click on "TSR Video"for accident site shots.

Tks to Ray for headsup.

Question time #23 winner

Oh darn.

Still far too easy then !

Yes Greybeard does it again.

Pilatus PC-6 B2-H2 Turbo Porter HB-FHO trundled into Christchurch from Lord Howe Island on 21-01-1982 to become ZK-MCK with the Mount Cook Group on the 26th.

It had been a factory demonstrator with Pilatus Flugzeugwerk AB out of Stans from August 1980 until sold to NZ. It was upgraded to B2-H4 and first flew as such on 29-11-1986.

It is now with Aoraki Mount Cook Ski Planes Ltd.

Question time #23

The end question for this is "What was the previous registration of this aircraft" ?

So tell me what aircraft type we have.
What its current registration is.
And then its P.I.

Question time #22 resolved.

Greybeard gets the type correct at the first pop. Got the registration wrong though ; not that I asked for it.

Barry. Not AMY either. Again; that was not the question.

Barry. (again). Indeed the starboard wing : but outboard of the engine at the wing attachment.

mr 47. Put your three cornered hat on (the one with the big letter "D " on it).

Pic is of ZK-DAK at Westport on 27-03-2007 during its NZ tour covering the NZNAC anniversary.

Well done all.
Stand by for something more taxing.

Question time #22

What's this then ?

No it is not part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. !

What type of aircraft is it ?

And what part are we looking at ?

First sightings at Ashburton

Two new additions found at Ashburton today.

Above is the Rans S-6S Coyote II ZK-JDP2 of John Lindner of Woodbury. Registered on 24-01-2008.

Below is the Airdrome Aeroplanes Foller D-VI Replica ZK-TBF2 , c/n NZ001 , with Graham Ritchie.

New 172 sightings at Timaru

Two first sightings for me at Timaru today.
ZK-SID Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP , c/n 9523 , caught outside its immaculate hangar at Timaru.
This was registered as ZK-SID on 24-04-2008 to SID McAuley.
It was previously ZK-JPT with the Wakatipu Aero Club (Air Wakatipu) from 24-12-2003.
PIC below of ZK-JPJ2 at Queenstown on 16-08-2006.

Also noted by me for the first time was the Cessna 172 Skyhawk ZK-NFJ2 , c/n 68021 , listed with Target Products 1978 Ltd of Washdyke.
This is a rebuild of ZK-SBJ which is a 1976 model; imported into NZ by Rob Leach for S B Jones of Mossburn and registered on 31-01-1979. About eight more operaters are listed before its accident at Lake Sumner on 31-10-1998 when it failed to get airborne from a wet strip.
I believe it was a Avtek rebuild at Timaru.

Question time #21 answer.

Chippie ZK-TAZ was photographed at Ashburton on 21-02-2008 on is was to the DH fly in at Taieri. It was accompanied by Chipmunk ZK-UAS. (At Timaru at about the same time, also bound for NZTI, was Stearman ZK-STM).
Well done Anonymous and Anonymous Barry.

Question time #21 Type correct - but what reg'n ?

Told you it was an easy one.

Anonymouse has solved the first part of the problem with a very detailed (& accurate) description of the type.

Chipmunk it is..

But which one ?

Question time #21

Another easy one for you.

What type of aircraft is this ?
And you may as well tell us its registration.

New arrivals for Canterbury Aero Club

Two more new Piper aircraft have been delivered to the Canterbury Aero.
They were unloaded from their container on the Skysales pad (a designated Ag clearing area) in the rain on Thursday (18th)

N3106M is a Archer III as seen above. (To become ZK-LJE).
ZK-LJD is a Warrior III, below. Both pics from Glen Reid of Skysales.

By late Friday afternoon ZK-LJD (below) was coming together nicely in the Club hangar and N3106M is stored alongside.

Canterbury Aero Club Visit Wigram.

The Canterbury Aero Club started here in 1928 and as part of their 80th celebrations, and with the pending closure of Wigram airfield, decided that it would be nice to return to Wigram for the final time.

The three views show the aircraft line up outside the Air Force Museum at various stages of the morning. I logged 31 Canterbury Aero Club aircraft at Wigram this morning along with a TV3 crew interviewing their CFI Jay Peters.

More Christchurch Helicopters today 17-09-2008

Having completed a season of heli skiing, I believe based at Mount Cook, is the AS350D AStar ZK-HYW2 , c/n 1420. A late 1981 production helicopter which joined Rick Lucas Helicopters on 17-02-1995. Resting up at Helipro today.

Bell 206B JetRanger II ZK-HTX , c/n 1616 started work in the Orient in February 1975, returning to the States in 1981 and imported into ZK land and listed with Farm Helicopters at Ardmore on 27-06-1984. It is a resonably recent arrival down Canterbury way, being registered to Rural Helicopters (Canterbury) Ltd of Harwarden on 11-03-2008. Here it is at Helipro today.

ZK-HFJ3 c/n LN027 is one of three NOTAR's on the field at the moment.

It is a 1992 model and has spent time, following export from the US, in Denmark and Belgium before returning to the US. It came onto the NZ register on 15-02-05 with Oceania and went to Alpine Hunting Adventures at Franz Josef (Hence HFJ). Seen today at Heli-Maintenance.

Across the fences at Skysales was the Hughes 369E ZK-INO. See blog below.

New 369E

New MD500E S/N:0580E ZK-INO imported by the NZ MD Distributor Skysales Aviation. Carried US reg N9080F with MD Helicopters. Test flown from Christchurch 17.09.08

Canterbury Aviation addition.

The Cessna U206G ZK-WWH , c/n 03550 , now carries Canterbury Aviation titles and was tied down outside their office at Christchurch today.
And off course everyone knows that this began as ZK-MCH in December of 1976 and went to Mount Cook & Southern Lakes Tourist Co Ltd, and as a floatplane it overturned in Earshell Cove on 15-03-1977. Its registration was cancelled on 05-04-1977 and the remains went to Whirl-Wide Helicopters of Timaru. It was rebuilt by Central Aircraft Maintenance at Hamilton and re-registered as ZK-WWH for Whirl-Wide Helicopters on 03-08-1977. At least half a dozen owner/operators followed until it was damaged on take off at Queenstown in August of 2005. It was rebuilt at Nelson as a part time project and became listed with John & Lorraine Horrell of Nelson, flying again on 13-11-07, and has been leased to the Nelson Aviation College.

Let 39C ZK-TCS

Peter Campbell captured yet to fly ZK-TCS at Nelson. This should stand out in a crowd!

Ardmore 16Sep

Haven't seen North Shore based Percival Proctor ZK-ARP for many years! No action around it so unsure as the reason for its visit.

Another Cessna 150/152 on the block, ZK-JBU. Yet to be registered but looks ready for action. ZK-JBS, featured earlier on this blog, was finally placed on the register 15Sep with the Manawatu District Aero Club. It remains parked at Ardmore (just visible in the background of this photo).

Partenavia ZK-TCP has been on the register for just under 3 years but doesn't seem to get out and about all that often. The ownership details would indicate it resides at Whangarei.

Question Time #20 resolved.

As I inferred - this was a simple one.
The object was the mirror on the side of the Aerospatiale SA365N Dauphin 2 ZK-HYX2 of Rick Lucas Helicopters (Helipro).
Photographs taken at Paraparaumu on 10-12-2006.
This helicopter joined the NZ Civil register on 20-09-2004 and was cancelled on 16-11-2007 as exported to Rumania.

Well done anonymous.

Sport aviation extremes

Jerry O'Neill had his DG-800B ZK-GPY at Rangiora recently and it is seen here about to doddle of into the mountains together with (but seperately - if you know what I mean) Dave Tillman in his ASH26E ZK-GRL. Both being self launching motor gliders.

In the background is the SU-29 ZK-SUK. It has been at NZRT, based in the RAE hangar, for over a month now and has been quiet active. I noted Brett Emeny having a drive of it on 13-08-08. Brett has his C320 ZK-EGN on the field that day. His Bell 206B ZK-HXQ was here on Friday (12th).

Cessna 185C ZK-SMW

Cessna 185C ZK-SMW (185C-0678) has returned to our shores following a stint in Australia undertaking a rebuild. It crossed the Tasman in a crate sometime during 2007 (date?) after it was damaged and flew back arriving at Kerikeri from Norfolk Island 29Aug. It was snapped by Colin Hunter departing Ardmore 30Aug.

Demise of ZK-DXS.

Cessna 177RG Cardinal ZK-DXS , c/n 0981 , arrived in NZ in November 1976 courtesy of Dalhoff & King Aviation of Ardmore to whom it was registered on 19-01-1977.

It was listed to P T Collins of Hastings on 21-06-77 and used by the HB & EC Aero Club. Aviation News were noted using it in the early 80's.
Pic below shows it at Pudding Hill on 25-01-1981 with Aviation News script on tail + large bird .

It went to Airwork (NZ) Ltd of Christchurch on 13-07-81 and was moved on to the Ardmore Flying School on 13-11-81.
Pic below shows it at Invercargill on 22-11-1983.

At New Plymouth on 20-03-1985.

And at Ardmore on 02-11-1993. All three with Ardmore Flying School

It spent a short time at the Bay of Islands Aero Club from July 1998 until January 1999 when it moved to Southern Air at Invercargill. Wakatipu Aero Club operated it from April 2000 until Cardinal Flyers of Feilding appear on 10-07-2000

Pic below at Wanaka on 29-02-2002 with Cardinal Flyers.

JJ Airways Ltd of North Shore became the listed operator on 19-05-07.
It crashed on take off from the Fox Glacier airstrip on Friday 5th taking out the power supply to the township. All three persons were injured with the pilot still in ICU at CHCH.
Mountain Helicopters lifted the wreck out of the bush on Thursday - three photos in the Press today.

Question Time #20

What aircraft does this hang off. Type & registration required thank you.
There will be no chocolate fish for this easy one.

An arival N77317

Behold : A Cessna 120.
N77317 , c/n 11759 , is of 1946 vintage. Unpacked at Rangiora mid week for its owner Fred Vernon. It has rag wings with metal ailerons and I guess an after market rear side window added . I am not certain if it will aspire to the NZ Civil register, but if it does it will become the second C120 after ZK-FFK which is with the Vintage Cessna 120 Syndicate at Hamilton.

A departure ZK-JKM aka "75"

Not yet cancelled but dearly departed is the Polikarpov I-153 Chaika ZK-JKM with c/n 7027. It is away to Spain to join the Parc Aeronautic de Catalunya Foundation Museum near Barcelona.
For more details see the latest edition of NZ Aviaton News Magazine (September page 2).

Familiar to all Wanaka Air Show visitors and also seen at Masterton not too long ago. It was trailered up and back.

It had a bird (duck) strike on 21-04-00 and for a period afterwards carried a Duck Kill sign. It also wore a Chinese Nationalist Air Force scheme at about the same time.

I know I have a pic of it in that scheme, but do you think I can find it ???.

Top pic taken at Wanaka on 16-08-2006.

Lower pic also at Wanaka but on 16-12-2003.

AS350FX exported

Aerospatiale AS350FX ZK-IFX (c/n 2409) was snapped at Ardmore 08Sep minus its rotors and subsequent checking shows the helicopter was deregistered that day as being exported.

ZK-IFX initially arrived ex Japan (JA6039) in 2005 and was registered to Oceania on 25Nov that year as ZK-HNG/5. It transferred to The Helicopter Line in March 2006 and then had its registration changed to ZK-IFX on 03 August 2007.

Minus its blades outside the Oceania hanger 08Sep.

Gone - As in exported. ZK-WTW

Continuing its travels is the Solo Wings Windlass Standard Trike ZK-WTW , c/n WL-150.
Top pic at Rangiora on 23-09-07. Bottom view also at RT but on 21-10-07.

This Trike was imported from South Africa where it had been registered as ZS-WGW since 17-08-1989 to a N C Dowsett. An ownership change on 21-08-98 saw it with David P Sutherland of Hillcrest.

David imported the aircraft into NZ and registered it as ZK-WTW on 12-06-02 only to on sell it to Ralph Allen of Dunedin from 08-11-2002. Its next officially listed move was to Ray Corbett at Rangiora on 12-12-2005 and then to Francis Huchette on 06-10-2007. Francis has packed it up and moved it offshore from 02-09-2008. I assume by his new address that its destination is France.

Question time #19 WINNER...

Helio there Anonymous Barry. You have scored again.
The Trevor Collins Helio H-250 Courier II ZK-TCE c/n 2503 as spied at Omaka 31-03-07.
Don't worry about the tire pressure - that was only needed if I got a flood of correct answers.

Change of marks again. ZK-HCD.

Hughes 369E "500E" c/n 0021E began life as N843LA in about May of 1984 and was used by the organiser of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games under the ownership of W Bilson of Marina Del Ray, California. It was imported in to NZ via Motor Holdings at Dunedin and became ZK-HYO on 31-08-1987 before moving to its new owner, Tony Nightingale (read Resene Paints) of Wellington. (replacing 369D ZK-HYT1).These two pics show it at Garden City Helicopter base Christchurch on 03-09-1987 on delivery.
Note the floatation gear on the skids.

Pic below shows it, minus floatation gear in the old CAA hangar at Wellington on 21-04-89.

In May 1983 it went to Rick Lucas Helicopters and Tony replaced it with the AS350 ZK-HYT2.

HYO was briefly cancelled from the NZ register late June and early July 1994; re-appearing for a couple of weeks listed to Barry Payne Associates Ltd. It was cancelled as exported on 29-07-94 and became F-OHJH in Tahiti in November of 94.

It returned to NZ and became ZK-IDP on 27-02-1997 with DGS Mambretti of Pleasant Point, Sth Canterbury.

Pic below shows it as ZK-IDP at Timaru on 23-03-97.

On 20-05-98 it was relisted to Archive Security Ltd, Wellington. A Company name change was applied on 10-12-2004 to Heriot Properties Holdings Ltd at Waikanae.

Heli CD Contractors Ltd of Christchurch show on the ownership list from 08-02-08.

Pic below shows it at the Heli Centre Christchurch as ZK-ILO on 24-04-08.

On 27-08-08 it became ZK-HCD3 , still with Heli CD Contractors.

Pic below taken this dull CHCH day.