Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Aerodyne Vector 610s

After the distractions of the last couple of weeks, it is time to get back to microlights of NZ.

The next type of microlight to be registered in New Zealand was the Aerodyne Vector 610 which was descended from the Klaus Hill designed Humbug and developed through the twin 9 HP Chrysler Power-Bee powered Vector 600 by the Vector Aircraft Corp, and Vector Aircraft was bought up by Aerodyne Systems Inc of Millers Falls, Massachusetts in 1982.  The Vector 610 first appeared at Sun N Fun at Lakeland, Florida in March 1982.  It was powered by a 22 HP Zenoah G25B engine (2 stroke of course)

As can be seen in the above brochure, the New Zealand (Australasian) agents were Airsports Ltd of Tauranga which was the company formed by Arch Haddow who was a foundation member of MAANZ.  You can click once or twice to enlarge the above photos to read them more easily.

We have had five Vector 610s registered in New Zealand:

ZK-FDP (c/n MAANZ/144)  Registered 29 Sep 1982 to Haddow Investments Ltd, Tauranga (Arch Haddow) t/a Airsports Ltd, Tauranga, then 21 Aug 1984 R. A. Emms, Opotiki, then 13 Oct 1989 Alan R. Graham, Mount Maunganui. then 15 Jun 1994 N. F. Bartley-Berry, then 25 Sep 1994 Neil M. France, Auckland.   Cancelled 31 Oct 1995 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-EXJ (c/n 1314 and MAANZ/165)  Registered 19 Oct 1982 to J. F. Meijer, Tauranga, then 23 Mar 1988 Andrew A. & M. J. Jasper, Greymouth.   Cancelled 28 Mar 2012 registration revoked.

ZK-AMV (c/n 1316)

Arrived in NZ and test flown at Ardmore 1982.  Registered 21 Jun 1984 to B. A. J. Hirtzell, Auckland Last flown 1988 & stored.  Cancelled 8 Nov 1994 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-FJC (c/n MAANZ/260)

Registered 16 Jun 1984 to Hillary Bell, Waiomu (near Thames) then later Waipukurau ,  Cancelled 28 Jun 2001 registration revoked.  Stored with Ron Day at Waipukurau.

ZK-VEC (c/n 1312 and MAANZ/141)

Registered 1 Oct 1982 to Haddow Investments Ltd t/a Airsports Ltd, Tauranga.  In this model the nosewheel cants during flight and must be centered before landing. This was not done and consequently the nosewheel broke off on landing at Tauranga 1 April 1983.  Then 5 Jun 1984 Brian D. Umbers, Matamata, then 18 Apr 1990 J. F. Bayliss, Te Puke, then 5 Aug 1992 G. R. Faulkner, Tauranga.  Cancelled 18 Sep 1998 as withdrawn from use.