Monday 16 November 2009

Helilink Helicopters at Mechanics Bay

While downtown on Saturday afternoon I took the opportunity to pop into the Mechanics Bay heliport. It was quiet with only these 2 helicopters there. Above is "Police 2" which is ZK-HDG as advised by Helilink Ltd, who operate it for the New Zealand police. This is an Aerospatiale Twin Squirrel AS 355 F1 that was first registered on 27/9/91 after being imported from the USA (ex N5802T) by Airwork Holdings Ltd. It does not carry a registration so I guess it is a registered colour scheme, but you are in no doubt about what it is. It is equipped with a Wescam Model 12 gimbal camera and a SX 16 Nightsun searchlight (and a lot of other mods). You can find these things out on the CAA website by clicking on the Flight Manual data in the aircraft registration screen (in this case Air No 2368).
And the other helicopter there was Helilink's Robinson R 44 II ZK-HEI, in a nice position for a photograph with a Waitemata Harbour backdrop.

13 comments:

  1. Sir Minty,

    I might be wrong, but I believe that the helicopter is not required to display a ZK registration provided it shows it's "police rego" [for lack of a better term]. I understand that this is a "security" type matter which allows a certain level of anonymity for an aircraft that could be more of a target for some people.

    I'll try and find the rule/ac that supports this.

    Rodney

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  2. Here is the reference:

    (d) A New Zealand registered aircraft operating within New Zealand on a police operation authorised by the Commissioner of Police is not required to display its nationality mark or registration mark allocated under 47.103, if the aircraft displays a police mark allocated under 47.102.

    47.102 Police marks
    A police mark for display on a New Zealand registered aircraft must
    comprise–
    (1) The word POLICE followed by a number allocated by the
    Commissioner of Police; or
    Civil Aviation Rules Part 47 CAA Consolidation
    24 January 2002 14 CAA of NZ
    (2) A group of three letters reserved by the Director for allocation
    by the Commissioner of Police.

    http://www.caa.govt.nz/rules/Rule_Consolidations/Part_047_Consolidation.pdf

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  3. Found the rule references. CAR 47.101 & CAR 47.102 refer.

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  4. Whoops:

    http://www.caa.govt.nz/rules/Rule_Consolidations/Part_047_Consolidation.pdf

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  5. Thanks for the info Rodney and Gerkin. It is nice to know someone is reading what we post! Do you know the (different) rule that allows for some aircraft to have a registered colour scheme? and therefore not show a registration. Examples are some warbirds and also some Yak's and also Hatz Biplane ZK-PEC.

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  6. Hi Sir Minty,

    Check out CAR 47.101-107 (or there abouts). Part 47 deals with registration marking, and also things like registered paint schemes and stuff.

    Question: When I post this comment, will I have beaten Gerkin??? :-)

    Cheers,

    Rodney

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  7. Hahaha, I guess that makes it 1-1... =D

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