Helicopters at Motueka

Spotted on Wednesday (2023.05.10) at Motueka Aerodrome were three choppers receiving maintainence at Argus Aviation on the north side of the aerodrome.

MD 520 NOTAR - ZK-ISO (cn LN-006)

This bright red machine, was originaly built in September of 1991 as N526FB (LN006). It first saw service with the City of Phoenix Police Department of Phoenix, Arizona.

In May of 2006, N526FB was sold off to Germany, and became D-HABF of Hahn Helicopter Flight Services Gmbh, Germany. Whilst in Germany, it operated for just under 4 years and took on the bright red scheme.

During January 2010, the airframe was listed for sale.

Eventaully, purchased by New Zealand customer Faram Aviation Group Ltd of Hastings in August of 2013, the aircraft joined the New Zealand register as ZK-ISO. Coast to Coast Helicopters of Blenheim purchased the machine in October 2018, where it still resides.

ZK-ISO was previously featured on the blog here.

MD 520 NOTAR - ZK-IEG (cn LN-016)

Built in April 1992, this machine first saw service with Heli-Max of Ontario, Canada as C-FMYW (LN-016). On February 13th 2006, C-FMYW was purchased by Heli-Transport of Trois Rivieres, Canada. LN-016 first saw New Zealand skies in 2011 after being purchased by Reid Heslop Helicopters Ltd of Wakefield, as ZK-IJW (Previously mentioned here). ZK-IJW had multiple different operators in the South Island over the next 5 years before being purchased by Heliventures NZ Ltd of Oamaru in December 2016. Heliventures NZ re-registered the machine as ZK-IEG in January 2017 before being sold off to Hanmer Springs Helicopters (Amuri Helicopters Ltd), of Hanmer Springs on the 14th of September 2018 where it remains. The Amuri Helicopters logo can be noted on the tail boom.

ZK-IEG was previously mentioned on the blog here.

Aerospatiale AS350FX ZK-HJM (cn 1671)

A second Hanmer Springs Helicopters (Amuri Helicopters Ltd) machine was next to ZK-IEG (pictured above), ZK-HJM, an Aerospatiale AS350FX (c/n 1671). 

ZK-HJM flew from Twizel to Motueka on the 27th of April 2023 with a flight time of just over 2 hours. It remained in Motueka for two weeks before travelling to the West Coast the day after being photographed above.

ZK-HJM has been featured on this blog here.

 

Into the hills again.

 Oh blast !  I hate it when this happens. Snow down my neck again.

Transport home from Mahanga in the Spencer Mountains on the 25th was the Amuri Helicopters Aerospatiale AS 350 FX ZK-HJM4  (c/n 1671).

 Last August we did the trip in the Coat to Coast MD Notar ZK-ISO (c/n LN-006).

Much more snow then - mind you it was later in the season.

Above pic taken at the Amuri Helicopters base near Hanmer Springs.

Winter wonderland at Mahanga.

 The NIWA boys borrowed the MD NOTAR ZK-ISO and shot up to Mount Mahanga in the Spencer Mountains on the 8th.

A bit of ice on the tower but we have seen it a lot worse.

 And the nearest milkshake from here would probably be a respectable walk over to St Arnaud.

We have talked about this NOTAR before at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/search?q=iso

NOTAR ZK-ISO

The sixth NOTAR built (c/n LN006) was registered as N526FB to the manufacturer; McDonnell Douglas; in September of 1991 but didn’t fly until 11-02-1992. It was fitted out for the City of Phoenix Police Department in Arizona and came on line in early June of 1992.  It was sold in May 2006 and went to Germany and became D-HABF on 08-06-2006 with Hahn Helicopters GmbH out of Hahn., followed by Axel Friedhoff GmbH. It was initially noted for sale in early 2010 via Aero Sales Calden with a TTAF of 11,300 hours but eventually sold through Valentini Aviation

 It was sold to NZ and became ZK-ISO with the Faram Aviation Group of Hastings on 09-08-2013.

Coast to Coast Helicopters 2013 Ltd took it over in early October of 2013 and have it based in Blenheim with it being flown by the Company CEO, Al Twisleton.

The photograph above was kindly supplied to me by Al, via Lord Nelson, and shows ZK-ISO with spray tanks fitted "somewhere in Marlborough". (May I perhaps suggest The Molesworth).
It carries small "Coast to Coast" script on the px door and still wears the German colours on its fins.

Below is a pic of her as D-HABF during its Hahn Helicopter days (Via Aeroboek).