Makarora December 17th 2009

Seen winding down on the Makarora airstrip on Thursday the 17th was the MD 500E (Hughes 369E) ZK-IHH (c/n 0227E) of Back Country Helicopters. First registered here on 27-09-2007.

Tied down beside the road was the Cessna U206F Stationair ZK-JMS (c/n U206F-01838) of Southern Alps Air Ltd. This aircraft began life in NZ as ZK-DFW on 09-11-1972 and served with the Southern Districts Aero Club at Gore until moving on to Aspiring Air in 1977. In 1992, and some six owners later, it was with Parachute Adventures at Queenstown who re-registered it aptly as ZK-PDZ1 on 07-07-1998. On 20-11-2000 this registration was transferred to Parachute Adventures newly acquired PAC Cresco to become ZK-PDZ2. This Cresco had been ZK-LTR up until this date. The Stationair was then re-registered to its current ZK-JMS. It moved over to Queenstown Air on 12-03-2002 and to Southern Alps Air on 11-11-2003.

Tucked away, under cover, in the back of the hangar was what appeared to be an all yellow Cub.