Wednesday 10 August 2016

Feilding is Cessna Country 4-8-2016

Carrying on up the island from Paraparaumu my next stop was at Feilding which is the opposite of Paraparaumu in that it has developed hugely since the 1990s with many new hangars and a new aircraft maintenance business in Avcraft which is going from strength to strength.

On a cold afternoon most of the hangars were closed, but there were a large number of aircraft outside - mainly Cessnas as can be seen below: (in descending model number order)

Cessna A185F ZK-WBL owned by Drake Aviation, up from Rangiora.  This was previously ZK-JNH3 and has been owned by Drake Aviation since its first registration on 15/9/08.  I am surprised that it has never appeared on the blog as ZK-WBL previously, as it is from Blue Bus's home patch.

Cessna 177B ZK-TEC has been around since 25/10/95 and has been owned by Avcraft Engineering NZ Ltd since 23/12/14.  It also has not been featured on the blog before.

Cessna 172P ZK-LGE has been in New Zealand since 12/4/85 and has been owned by Avcraft Engineering NZ Ltd since 20/9/12.

I thought it was great to see a colourful and distinctive Cessna for a change, although I can see it would not be to everyones taste!.  C 172M ZK-DRP has been around since October 1974 and surprisingly has had only one owner in all that time, being the MF and DM Robbie Syndicate of Eketahuna.

Then there were seven 152s parked and picketed, several of which have not featured on the blog before.  The first six are owned by the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy (NZICPA), which is shifting to Wanganui in the near future.  Their base is in the old Manawatu Aerial Topdressing hangar which is advertised as for sale.

ZK-NFO has been in New Zealand since 9/11/07.

ZK-FCQ has been here since 29/11/83 and has had 17 owners in that time!

ZK-FPH2 has been here since 24/3/96 and has previously been registered ZK-NSM2 and ZK-JGU.

 Aerobat model ZK-EJV has been in New Zealand since 20/10/86 and has had 15 owners in that time.

ZK-MDK is a relative newcomer and has been around since 23/7/09.

ZK-NEI was first registered on 17/5/91 and has had 12 owners in that time.

And the final model I photo'd was the oldest of the lot.  ZK-DPS is an Aerobat 150L model that was first registered in New Zealand on 17/9/74.  It is owned by M Callister of Masterton and was undergoing maintenance in the Aero Support Aircraft Engineering hangar (along with C U206G ZK-KVZ which has featured on the blog previously).


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