ZK-HBS revisited.

I have been asked off blog if I have pics of the two earlier ZK-HBS's.

This is what I've got.

 The original ZK-HBS was a Hiller UH-12E with the c/n 2301. Built as N9795C and listed in March 1964 to the Puerto Rico Resources Authority. Ownership went briefly to G E Mattern sometime in 1966 before it came to NZ and became ZK-HBS with Whirlwide Helicopters Ltd of Hastings on 10-03-1967. It first flew in NZ during May and was then posted down South.

At about this time is was named "Blossom".

It had a bit of an incident at Haast on 16-03-1968 and another at Teretonga on 23-01-1969.

It was relisted to Whirl-Wide Aviation Ltd at Timaru on 01-11-1969.

On 12-06-1970 it had a tail rotor strike in the Selbourne Range (not far inland from Jacksons Bay) and was destroyed by fire.

Its registration was cancelled on 24-06-1970.

Both photographs were taken at Invercargill. Top one on in December of 1968 and the shot below on 24-01-1969.

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Issue two of the ZK-HBS marks went to the Hughes 269C with the c/n of 82-0157.

This came out of the Hughes Tool Company plant at Carlsbad, California as N9689F in about August of 1972. First operator was the City of Columbus Police Division, at Columbus Ohio followed by Flight Centre Co Inc of Tulsa Oklahoma during 1974 and then Sierra Bravo Corp'n in 1977.

On 01-12-1978 it joined the ranks of the City of North Miami Beach Police. By February 1983 it was working with the Caribbean Chopper Corp'n of Naples, Florida and was listed to Greenpeace International Inc of Washington DC in November 1985.

It was noted at Ardmore in November of 1986 and then in storage at Taupo. Its US registration was cancelled in October 1988.

 My only photos of her are as N9689F as seen at Garden City Helicopters, Christchurch on 10-03-1988.

It was registered as ZK-HBS2 on 25-10-1988 to P G Avery and P A Westbury at Taupo, and then solely to P G Avery at Kinloch on 05-12-1989.

Heli-Sika of Poronui were next from 28-04-1992 (although it was with them during 1991) and then Te Onepu Helicopters (1992) Ltd of Taupo from 14-07-1995.

It was damaged during a hover training flight at Poronui on 26-09-1998 and its registration was cancelled on 16-11-1998.

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ZK-HBS3, as mentioned in the previous post, came along in February 2002

 These two pics of ZK-HBS3 were taken (above) at on Palmerston North on 01-04-2004, and below at Taupo on 03-03-2008.

Just as a reminder : the small number following the registration is an unofficial addition by aviation enthusiasts.

If a registration has been issued more than once then a number is added to indicate which allocation is being discussed.

I think we are up to the 7th allocation of some helicopter registrations so far.