Over the years I have occasionally posted photos of historical AACA aircraft as I have come across them. Here is another one of a unique homebuilt:
Bob Maisey flying his Rand Robinson KR 1 ZK-EKT over Taupo. It is only 12 feet and 9 inches long!Saturday 14 September 2024
AACA Historical - Rand KR 1 ZK-EKT
Friday 13 September 2024
Beaver ZK-CKH
After Air Contracts had received their first two Beavers, another one arrived for Air Services (Wairarapa) Ltd also of Masterton who were I think closely linked to Air Contracts at the time.
This "new" Beaver was registered ZK-CKH but it has the longest history of any of the New Zealand Beavers being the 25th aircraft off the DH Canada production line at Downsview, Ontario, in 1948. It was delivered to South Africa to become ZS-DCG for De Havilland Aircraft of South Africa (Pty) Ltd on 24/11/48 and then to Tank Aircraft (Pty) Ltd of Johannesburg. It was flown to Libya in 1961 where it became G-ARTR for B L R Pocock of Old Bosham, Sussex, England on 5/10/61 and while in Libya it wore "Libyan Aviation contracted to CAMDRILL" titles. It was back in England by mid 1964 and then was cancelled from the UK register on 7/8/64 and shipped to New Zealand where it arrived on 7/10/64.
Thursday 12 September 2024
Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-IKO/2
Rotorway Exec ZK-HYE/4
A couple of days ago I met up with Phil Finlayson at his workshop near Dairy Flat. Phil has a couple of Rotorway Exec helicopters and has recently completed his ZK-HYE4 ready for CAA inspection. Phil's other Exec is ZK-HWZ2 that he recently acquired from Tim Pike of Waiuku. Phil also sent me a photo of ZK-HYE4 on its trailer at Whangarei :
ZK-HYE4 has a c/n of AACA/545 which is the same c/n one of our earliest Rotorway Execs ZK-HUB which I posted about (with others) HERE. ZK-HUB was cancelled as withdrawn on 25/7/11 and ZK-HYE4 was registered on 27/6/23. I also saw it in a hangar at the 2014 SAANZ flyin at Bridge Pa in Hastings when Cliff Johnston was rebuilding it. Somewhere along the line Phil acquired it and it has been rebuilt to Exec 162 standards. Phil intends to fly his Exec at Whangarei.Wednesday 11 September 2024
Cessna 172M ZK-EKP
And below at Ardmore on 04-09-1979.
It soon moved on to Commercial Helicopters Ltd (Keith McKenzie) of Taumaranui, who traded it under the Mountain Air label from 18-11-1987.
From around 2007 it was transferred to Brent & Cathy Guy who traded as Mountain Air Ltd, Mt Ruapehu from 29-10-2008.
What is that mounting bracket for on the wing strut ?
In mid-May of 2021, it moved to New Plymouth for Flighttech Ltd and was snapped below at Pauanui on 06-01-2022.
Tuesday 10 September 2024
EC130T2 ZK-IGW 2
Monday 9 September 2024
Beaver ZK-CGS
Alongside the many Fieldair Beavers that were imported in the mid 1960s, Air Contracts of Masterton also imported several Beavers to work alongside their ZK-BFO. The first of them (and Air Contracts second Beaver) was ZK-CGS (c/n 802).
DHC 2 Beaver c/n 802 was shipped to Sierra Leone in 1955 where it became VR-LAA, registered to the Sierra Leone Selection Trust Ltd of Lungi on 2/12/55. The Sierra Leone Selection Trust was involved with diamond mining. Later it became 9L-LAA in April 1961 when Sierra Leone became independent. Then it was shipped to New Zealand arriving in December 1963.
Sunday 8 September 2024
Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-HXE delivered.
Saturday 7 September 2024
Bolkow Junior ZK-CJL at Paraparaumu
Bolkow Bo 208C Junior ZK-CJL is now based at Paraparaumu airport where Jordan Elvy took this photo recently:
It was registered to the MT Welcome Family Trust Ltd of Pukerua Bay on 27/6/24. We haven't had a very good photo of it on the blog previously so thanks for the photo Jordan.Thursday 5 September 2024
A couple from Taranaki
Up the road at Stratford airfield was the rarely seen Zenith CH601 ZK-SPD. This was built back in 2012 and acquired by a New Plymouth owner in late 2022.
NZ7011 arrives at Whenuapai yesterday
NZ7011 c/n 382-5978 first flew on 05-04-2024 and was accepted by the RNZAF on 08-08-2024.
See here https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=8322756984407821
Wednesday 4 September 2024
A Couple of NSAC aircraft at North Shore Today
On my way back home after a morning coffee with friends at Browns Bay, I called into North Shore airfield where there was some action among the North Shore Aero Club planes:
Tuesday 3 September 2024
Beaver ZK-BFO
Back in 1954 Beavers were operated as topdressers by Rural Aviation (2), Fieldair (3) and James Aviation who had 2 as topdressers and then bought ZK-BFO as a 6 passenger version to operate the "Beaver Trail" between Rotorua, Kawerau and Mangere.
Monday 2 September 2024
AS350B2 ZK-HAN 2
Grounded by fog at Kihikihi was Rotor Work's AS350B2 ZK-HAN2 which has just been fully refurbished and repainted in the company's new fleet colours. This was originally imported from the USA in 2013.