Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Quicksilvers (2) - Weight Shift Quicksilvers

In my previous post on Quicksilvers I gave their brief history as coming from the Quicksilver hang glider.  This then had an engine bolted on and became the Quicksilver C and this was developed into the Quicksilver E was a weight shift machine that had a tricycle undercarriage with a fixed nosewheel.

We have had one Quicksilver E registered in New Zealand and four Quicksilver M models.  The Quicksilver M was also a weight shift microlight and I am not sure how it differs from the E model.

However there was at least one early model Quicksilver weight shift microlight here before microlights had to be registered:

This machine was imported by Pete James and he told me that it was the first microlight to be imported into New Zealand.  It arrived as a kit of tubes and all the other necessary bits and was assembled by Pete in a hangar at Hamilton in 1980.  This was the machine that Pete James flew at the Aviation Showcase 80 held at Hamilton Airport in November 1980 (see HERE),  and I think it was the one that Ken Asplin later flew at Te Kowhai (see HERE). 

The five New Zealand registered Quicksilver weight shift microlights are as follows:

ZK-ESU  You can tell it is a weight shift Quicksilver by the lack of tubes from the main wheels to the tail.

ZK-ESW  I am not sure why this was referred to as a Desert Fox.

ZK-ESX

ZK-EWK

ZK-JAG

As ever, if any reader has photos of Quicksilvers please send them to the Editor.