Canterbury Recreational Aircraft Club open day at Rangiora 27-03-2021.

 There was a good selection of aircraft parked out for public display at Rangiora on Saturday as part of the Canterbury Recreational Aircraft Club (CRAC) open day.

Flown in from Loburn Abbey for the day was the Fisher R80 Tiger Moth ZK-LAS (c/n 18) as listed to Ivan Campbell.

Also down from Loburn Abbey was the Ragwing Aero Storch ZK-RWB (c/n RW19) which is a ivan Campbell rework.

It started as a microlight class one as built by Wayne Wilson and Subaru EA81 powered and was first flown from Rangiora on 04-07-2004. 

Ivan purchased it in March 2010 and has spent some years converting it to a two seater class two microlight, adding addition details and re-powering it with a Rotec R2800 radial engine.

See earlier posts on ZK-RWB here   https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/search?q=rwb

The Rans S-10 Sakota ZK-SIO (c/n 0393157/MAANZ489) was a major rebuild project by Brent Thompson and his mother and friends and was re-flown again on 29-04-2017 by Andrew Love.

It was sold to Iain McPhail of Christchurch from 16-04-2019 and was proudly on display today.

The SOX Syndicate ICP Savannah S ZK-SOX (c/n 18-02-54-0593) was registered on 03-12-2020. It now has a grey upper cowling and spinner.

And WOT you may well ask is this ?
The Tom Cadet Boorabee Mk I ZK-WOT2 (c/n B001-98) is an Australian design which utilised the rear fuselage of a Drifter, with an enclosed tandem cockpit with an HKS700E four stroke pusher engine. 
It entered the Australian microlight register on 18-08-1998 as 10-3037 but was re-listed as 19-3037 in 1999.

It was registered  as ZK-WOT2 on 13-02-2015 with Barry Povey of Otaika.

It has had the rear seat removed. 

Graeme Main of Rolleston picked it up from 30-06-2020 and following some titivating it is now offered for sale.

Open Day at North Shore Airfield Yesterday 27-3-2021

The North Shore Aero Club put on an open day yesterday which was well attended, and quite a lot of aircraft were on display.  Some that caught my eye were:

A couple of A 22LS Foxbats that I had not seen before were David Signal's North Shore based ZK-SGI.

And ZK-FXB2 which is now registered to Foxbat New Zealand Ltd of Huntly.

In the Aero Club's big hangar were fifteen aircraft on display including Roger Coleclough's as yet unregistered Titan Mustang.

As well as the Wingnut Syndicate's Aeronca 100 U/L ZK-AMW.

And also Stan and Gilly Smith's DH 94 Moth Minor ZK-AKM.

While outside was their DH 84 Dragon ZK-AXI.  Stan told me that he is aiming to have the Dragon flying again soon.

Rangitata Island Back on 23-3-2021

Last Tuesday we were driving from Dunedin to Christchurch which gave me an opportunity to call in to see Russell Brodie at his Rangitata Island airfield base.  It was the first time I had been there, and there were some interesting planes, mostly tucked away, and a lot of old microlight airframes that were stored.

Resident Tiger Moth ZK-BRL marked as its RNZAF identity NZ1443 basking in the afternoon sun.

I only was able to have a brief chat with Russell as he was needed in East Canterbury Aviation's Rans S-6ES ZK-RHZ for some microlight instruction.

East Canterbury Aviation's Airdrome Aeroplanes Fokker E III replica ZK-EII3 was in the main hangar and other WW 1 replica aircraft were hangared in another hangar including the Fokker D IV, a Fokker D VII, and a Nieuport 17.

The Brodie's AESL Airtourer 150 ZK-DAC was parked out.

While Russell and his student flew circuits.  A nice place to visit.

Pauanui

An overnight visitor to Pauanui was the very quick Tauranga based Stoddard Hamilton SH3R Glasair III ZK-MKP2.   This was originally registered back in 2008 and has had a scheme revision in the last month with its registration moved to the tail.

With the closure of the L3 operation at Hamilton Airport a number of their Cessna 172s have been sold locally, the latest being 172S ZK-CTQ2 which is now the 6th 172 in the Waikato Aero Club fleet.  It was originally imported from the US in 2013.

Also with the Waikato Aero Club is their last remaining Alpha R2160 ZK-WCD which has been in the club fleet since 2017.

 

Momona on 23-3-2021

Due to a change in our plans I had to return to Dunedin Airport on 23 March to pick up another rental car to drive to Christchurch.  It is not easy to get photos of aircraft at Mainland Air but I tried:

Beech V 35B Bonanza ZK-EDJ is registered to a Queenstown owner.  It is one of only two V tailed Bonanzas on the register (the other being ZK-DDG).

And the Tecnam P 2006T ZK-MTW while being registered to a Putararu owner, has a Mainland Air logo on the tail (apologies for the heat haze which is surprising as there had been quite thick fog all morning).

  

Alexandra Back on 22-3-2021

 Not far down the road from Cromwell through spectacular Central Otago scenery we came to Alexandra, where there were also some interesting sport aircraft:

I had never seen the Avid Flyer Mk IV ZK-DBM2 before, and it was briefly out of its hangar in the sunlight.  It was first registered to Don Mahon of Arrowtown on 13/11/96 and I believe it has never been far way from Central Otago since.

Tecnam P 96 Golf ZK-RLS of the Sparks Family Trust was prepared for a flight up to Omarama.

And in another hangar was Craig Reynold's recently New Zealand registered 1958 model Champion 7EC ZK-CXZ2 (c/n 7EC-682) which was imported by Craig as N7597E.  Craig told me that he has taxied it but it has not yet flown in New Zealand.
 

Cromwell Today 22-3-2021

It was a beautiful day for a drive down through Central Otago today and I happened by Cromwell airfield where there were several sport aircraft out in the sun:

A really colourful surprise was the Rotorway A600 Talon ZK-IAD2 (c/n RWIAQLD 8008) which was registered to D L Ainslie of Arrowtown on 11/2/20.  It was imported from Australia where it was registered VH-LUN.

Detail of the Talon artwork that was probably done by a talonted Australian airbrush artist as it looks like an Aussie flag.

A long way from home was Zenith CH 601XL ZK-MEY which is registered to B & S Meyer of Hamilton.

And John and Trish Crawford's well travelled Bushby Mustang II ZK-CAR was also aprked on the field.

  

Nelson early this afternoon

 Lord Nelson was at Nelson Airport today and has offered us these three pics. 

This Gulfstream GV-SP N812RB (c/n 5045) was captured taxying in after arriving from Auckland.

It departed mid-afternoon back to Auckland.

This is a 2004 model and initially carried the N954GA and the N789RR US registration and became N560DM from 18-10-2007 with McDonald Aviation LLC of Prather, California.

It was re-registered listed as N812RB to TVPX ARS Inc Trustee of North Salt Lake from 26-09-2019.

I noted a brief mention of Westpac New Zealand Ltd in Late August of 2019.

The Air Charter Karamea De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver ZK-SBV (c/n 763) was down from its base in the Heaphy Track area.

Looking better than when I last noted it was the Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub ZK-ERB (c/n 18-5290 and ex ZK-BNS) which was listed to Roc On Aviation Ltd of Wellington on 09-05-2019.

A Couple from Hawkes Bay

The latest addition to the Helicopters Hawkes Bay fleet is AS350B2 sprayer ZK-HBA5 which was acquired in February 2021.   This was originally imported from the US in 2019.

Down the road at Waipukurau the locally based Aerospread Cresco ZK-LTU is now in an overall white scheme with a new tail logo.  This has been owned by the company since 2013.

 

Auckland to Dunedin

We had a very pleasant flight from Auckland to Dunedin this afternoon on Jetstar flight JQ 285.  I managed to get a starboard window seat at the rear so I was able to take photos of a few landmarks as we floated on by:

Farewell Spit from 34,000 feet.

Mt Cook coming up under the wing.

Lake Coleridge with the Wilberforce River beyond feeding in to the very braided Rakaia River.

Mt Cook again from further South with Lake Pukaki visible.

Close to touchdown at Momona Airport

And our aircraft VH-VGA at the gate.

Tauranga to Taupo

A visit to Tauranga Airport this morning revealed Midwest Helicopters' Hughes 369D ZK-HRF in for maintenance.   This was imported from Japan back in 2005 and has been with the Whanganui company since 2018.   It is the only 369D in their fleet which currently comprises 10 helicopters of 7 different types.

Also receiving attention was the Whakatane based Autogyro Europe MT03 Eagle ZK-RKG which hasnt been on this blog before.   It was imported new in 2007.

Down the road at Taupo the 1959 vintage Cessna 172A ZK-BPT which has languished unmarked for some 3 years after refurbishment has now acquired its registration and was being test flown.   It has been registered to Rotor & Wing Maintenance since 2003.

 

I remember when !

 Taupo 1973 from Graeme Stratton.

On the left we have the Cessna 337C Super Skymaster ZK-DAQ, c/n 3370795, This came from Australia where it had been registered as VH-EGT with Rex Aviation Pty.  It arrived in Auckland on 23-04-1970 and became ZK-DAQ for Rex Aviation (NZ) Ltd at Ardmore on 30-11-1970.It is seen above at Wellington on 05-07-1971.

It spent a few months on line with the Rex Flying School before joining the Taupo Flying School and Air Services on 26-07-1971.Above it was at Taupo on 26-09-1972.

It was destroyed in a hangar fire at Rotorua on 31-03-1981, along with the Pask Air Service Piper PA-36 Brave ZK-EIH, the Piper Cub ZK-BYW from Te Kumi Station, and the John Galpin Tiger Moth ZK-BFG.

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In the centre of the shot we have the Aero Engine Services Ltd Airtourer Super 150 ZK-CZP c/n A537.
This was built as a Victa Airtourer 115 and registered as ZK-CMA on 14-12-1965 to the Rotorua Aero Club.
It was crashed at Turangi on 17-08-1968 and cancelled on 27-05-1969.

Its mortal remains were used in the build of the Airtourer Super 150 which became ZK-CZP on 30-05-1969 to Aero Engine Services Ltd at Hamilton - first flying as such on 09-06-1969. It joined the Taupo Flying School and Air Services Ltd on 05-09-1969. 

Photo above shows ZK-CZP at Paraparaumu on 28-02-1971.

Photo below at Taupo on 10-11-1973.

It overturned in a force landing just north of Matamata on 25-01-1974 and was cancelled on 08-03-1974.

It was rebuilt by and re-registered to Central Aircraft Maintenance Ltd at Hamilton on 05-08-1974 with an amended c/n of A-537-A and sold on to J M L Dillon of Blenheim from 08-09-1975.It ferried from Auckland to Norfolk Island on 04-04-1976 and its NZ registration was cancelled on 09-04-1976.

In Australia it became VH-COI on 29-04-1976 to Peter Coy of Woorndoo, Victoria and then to John O'Halloran in 1985 and now of Tewantin, Queensland with whom it remains.

Above we see VH-COI in a reasonably recent shot by Ian Ross via the Australian Airtrainer Assoc.

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And on the right hand side we have the Cessna 172M ZK-DNN c/n 17262107. 
This 172 was built as N12605 and was shipped to NZ aboard the Austral Ensign reaching our shores on 25-10-1973. It became ZK-DNN with the NZ agents Rex Aviation (NZ) )Ltd at Ardmore on 31-10-1973. 

Above we see ZK-DNN at Taupo on 10-11-1973 

I have a note saying that it first flew in NZ and gained its CofA on 22-11-1973 which is after the date of the above photo ?

It was delivered to the Taupo Flying School followed by a move to Air Central from 30-01-1976. 
Ross McKelvie of Napier took it over from 07-07-1978 and then Hurst Studio Ltd of Napier from 19-10-1983.

It was lost in a fatal accident at Makiekie Stream on 06-07-1990.