Salt Air Craft Peppered Across Northland

Following my previous post showing Salt Air's Grand Caravan ZK-MJL at the Southern end of their Kerikeri to North Shore route, here is their Gippsland GA 8 Airvan ZK-MAB taxying in at the Northern terminus at Kerikeri on 27 December. This Airvan was registered to Salt Air on 6/11/08 and is ex VH-BQY.

Meanwhile over at Paihia on 29 December was Robinson R 44 11 ZK-HGM with a Christmas season backdrop, flying into the Salt Air helipad. This helicopter was kept very busy ferrying people in and out of Paihia and around the Bay of Islands. ZK-HGM was registered to Salt Air on 13/12 07 and is ex N442RB.

And finally, back at Kerikeri was Bell 206B Jetranger ZK-HFE parked beside a monsoon bucket. This aircraft was purchased by Salt Air on 23/2/07 and is ex JA9752.

These 3 aircraft plus the Grand Caravan make up the current fleet of Salt Air Ltd.

Hamilton 28Dec

Parked nears its place of birth was FUGRO's Cresco VH-KPY currently on deployment to NZ on survey work. This machine started its life 12 years ago as ZK-KPY operating in Western Australia and shortly after its arrival became VH-KPY. It has since seen service in a number of locations around the world.

First registered in 1977, FU24 Fletcher ZK-EGW was parked with a gaggle of other similar machines at Super Air. I've not spied this particular machine before, however I see it was blogged by Blue Bus in February this year : http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2009/02/some-fletcher-family-shots.html

Registered to interests in Otorohanga, Zenith CH601XL ZK-JRL is seen here snuggled amongst the hangers.

A long way from home was Mainland Air's Dunedin based Cessna 152 ZK-NSM/3 which arrived on the NZ register this year.

Cessna 185D ZK-CKP comes to town.

A rare sighting (by me anyway) is the Cessna 185D Skywagon ZK-CKP (c/n 185D-0796) from Otematata Station [in the Waitaki Valley - near Lake Benmore].
From March of 1965 until December of 1987 this aircraft served with Mount Cook Air Services; Mount Cook Airlines; Mount Cook & Southern Lakes Tourist Co Ltd and the Mount Cook Group. It went to Hugh Cameron at Otematata Station on 17-12-1987.
Seen above at Christchurch on December the 22nd.

The Robinson R33

Turbine day at Timaru

Earlier in the month - December 7th 2009 - I called through Timaru and found three single engined turboprops at AviationTeknology (AVTEK) plus the regular airline Beech 1900D. A real P&W PT6 day.

Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-PMT (c/n 20800183) was indulging in a "tug o war" with a fork lift when I arrived. Neither party seemed to gain any ground. This is the Skydive Tandem Ltds machine and is based at Pudding Hill at the base of Mount Hutt. I've never had the courage to ask why it was registered as PMT !

One third of the NZ Air Tractor population was on site. Mackenzie Aviations AT-502B ZK-MAA (c/n 502B-2579)[from Gore] was parked out following servicing and tucked away in AVTEK's hangar was the Air Tractor AT-402B ZK-SAT (c/n 402B-0990) of Skyfarmers from near Methven. (no pic today).

Wet visit to Mount Cook

Rain, thunder, lightning and gale force winds produced a very lean collection at the Aoraki Mount Cook Skiplanes base on 09-12-2009. There was nothing outside at all. I did manage to get the above grotty pic of the Aerospatiale AS350B2 ZK-IHW (c/n 2816) in the Aoraki Mount Cook Skiplanes scheme. This is operated in conjunction with Heliworks of Queenstown. A second AS350 is availabe for the busier periods.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
One snip of info is that the Company hack Cessna 180C ZK-BYJ (c/n 50908) is soon to start up from Alex Millers airstrip at Waiho near Franz Josef in a parachute dropping role. Pilot will be Gary Craig.
The pic of ZK-BYJ below was taken at the Pukaki/Twizel strip on 20-01-06. It is equiped with special tracking receivers. From memory they were tracking tagged Kiwi's (of the Apteryx - not the Homo Sapien variety).

Gliders spied down south recently.

I popped into Omarama just as the rain had ceased on December the 10th. All the gliders were tucked away in the hangars. Two of interest being shown here.

Above is the recently registered (02-12-09) Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2b ZK-GDR (c/n 14) listed to Sailplane Services of Drury. Its previous US registration of N39EM is still visible on its undercarriage door with the "NB" letters being the US owners competition ID. It has been in NZ for a couple of years now - the top pic was taken at Omarama on 31-12-2007 whilst it was listed on the US register to John Iacobucci of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its US registration was cancelled on 30-10-09.

Below is the UK registered Schempp-Hirth Ventus 2c G-CHWA (c/n 8). A 1996 production glider, it was listed to Chris Garton as G-CHWA on 27-05-2008 having previously been on the BGA (British Gliding Assoc) register as BGA4251. About two years ago UK gliders began being moved over to the general "G" register, so that now they are listed with the powered aircraft. Chris has been gliding since about 1965 and in a high houred regular Omarama visitor.

On a much brighter day at Alexandra 13-12-2009, the Central Otago Gliding Club was out to play.

Molino PIK20 ZK-GKG (c/n 20067) had just been assembled and was having its duplicate inspection done before being winch launched. I nearly purchased this one in 1993. It has been with John Robinson since June of 1999 - Thats him in the blue overalls.

The Central Otago Clubs trainer is the Grob 103 Twin Astir ZK-GJW (c/n 3009) seen here on short final after a px ride. I wouldn't mind a beer for every circuit that I have done from the back seat of this lovely olde girl.

Schempp-Hirth HS7 Mini Nimbus ZK-GLN.

Lost in an accident on the Orchard Spur, about 12km SSW of Omaka, on December 18th 2009 was the Schempp-Hirth HS7 Mini Nimbus ZK-GLN (c/n 24) sadly along with its pilot.

It was imported into NZ for Frank Gatland of Auckland in November of 1977

Top photo taken at Omarama on 13-11-1990 whilst under the ownership of Mark Aldridge (the block of pine trees in the background has now gone) and the lower photo was also taken at Omarama but on 21-11-1997 whilst listed to D C Patchett of Blenheim. It was registered to the Lima November Syndicate of Omaka on 01-04-2001.

Christmas Eve at North Shore

Late on a lovely Christmas Eve at North Shore Airfield, Vans RV 7 ZK-NVS was doing circuits with its new owner S J Jones.

And Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-MJL arrived operating the the regular Salt Air shuttle from Keri Keri and Whangarei.

Merry Christmas to all. Have a safe holiday season.

Question time # 84 WHEELS

We have a bunch of wheels for Christmas.
How many can you put an aircraft type on ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 1

Correct answer is Stoddard-Hamilton Glastar TD ZK-PCW

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 2

Correct answer from ZK-CKE:- Europa wing tip wheel. Pic above is ZK-UBD. Below is a faired example.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 3

Correct answer is Bruce Naish Gyro-1 Place ZK-RAU/2.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 4

Correct answer is Porterfield 35-70 Flyabout ZK-POR.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 5

Correct answer from Sir Minty:- Zlin 37T

& whats different is that the wheel are mounted on the outside of the u/c oleos etc. All the others in NZ are on the inside.

Anonymous is near enough on this occasion.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 6

Correct answer is Schleicher ASH26E ZK-GRL.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 7

Correct answer from ZK-CKE:- Nanchang ZK-PNN .

OOPS ! Thats erroneous.

As pointed out by ANONYMOUS. It is actually the YAK 52. ZK-PNN. Sorry about that - Too much rum in my Christmas pudding.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No 8

Correct answer is Pilatrus PC-6/B1-H2 ZK-PCI. Pic via Andy Heap.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

No 9

Correct answer from ZK-CKE:- Wilga ZK-PZN.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No 10 (or No 7A)

Corrected answer from Anonymous:- YAK 52 (as in pic No 7)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No 11

Answer near enough from ZK-CKE:- Rutan Varieze
Pic No 11 sneakily added Xmas Day at 1900hrs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
AND :- What is different about Photo number 5 - when compared with the others of the same type in NZ ?

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.

Wanaka sampler 15th December 2009

A thing of rare beauty. Zlin Z-37T ZK-WLO (c/n 020) of Willow Air (NZ) Ltd, working in the Wanaka area - in for a hot re-fuel.

Liz Needham's North American 88 Harvard 2A* ZK-TVI [T6] (c/n 88-14178).

Pitts S-2A Special ZK-PIT (c/n 2020) of Classic Flights Ltd is a recent arrival here. Operating as the "Silver Demon".

De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk ZK-MUH (c/n C1-0834) of the Alpine Deer Group being prepared for its move to Masterton.

Another Pitts is this S-2B ZK-KHM (c/n 5090) recently listed to Sam Stephenson of Christchurch

Alpine Helicopters Aerospatiale AS350BA ZK-ITW2 (c/n 1344). This was previously ZK-HYC3 with Mount Hutt Helicopters.

Hot off its first flight in NZ is this Hughes 369HS ZK-HHY4 (c/n 14-0556S) on the Heli Support pad. It was listed to Rotorworx (NZ) Ltd of Wanaka on 26-11-09 - ex C-FXEA from Canada.

Gathering more dust is the Hiller UH-12E ZK-HBL2 (c/n 2042R). Imported and registered as ZK-HDJ in July 1970, it has I believe been with Sir Tim ever since.

Hughes 369D ZK-HSH (c/n 89-0562D) refuelling. It was listed to Lloyd Ferguson of Wanaka on 18-09-2007.

Another recent arrival at Wanaka is this Eurocopter EC 130 B4 ZK-HAC2 for Wanaka Helicopters.

North American NA88 Harvard 3 ZK-ENE in the Southair hangar. Previously NZ1066 with the RNZAF.

Stimulating the inner ear was the Curtiss P40N ZK-CAG2.