Exported ZK-PCJ.

Cessna 182R Skylane II , ZK-DRB/2, c/n 67730, was built as N5459N for delivery to Australia where it became VH-MDQ on 03-09-1981 for J Bonar at Runaway Bay, Queensland. Ownership moved to S W O'Brien of Labrador, Q, on 16-10-1988.
This registration was cancelled on 24-01-1995 for it to take up the personalised (initials) marking of ZK-DRB/2 the following day for David Ross Black of Mosgiel. On 30-06-2004 ownership transferred to Peter Christopher Johnston of Milton (David Black having the later model 182T ZK-DRB/3 c/n 81365 about due). On the same day it was re-registered to the new owners initial as ZK-PCJ.
After recent listing with Southern Aircraft Sales it was sold offshore and departed NZ through Kerikeri on 05-07-2008 for Norfolk Island. The next day it moved through Lord Howe island and on to Kempsey.
The ZK registration was cancelled on 11-07-08. It is now located at Tipperary Station some 180km south of Darwn in the northern Territories and was registered as VH-TPT on 29-07-08 to Branir Pty Ltd.

These two rather poor photos are the result of re-photographing the originals in artificial lighting.
ZK-DRB was caught at Christchurch on 17-02-2002 and ZK-PCJ was at Ashburton on 05-02-05.

Demise confirmed

The latest cancellation on the CAA register is that of the Cessna 210 ZK-RHK c/n 57559. Cancelled on 05-08-2008 as destroyed.

In mid May there was a mysterious hangar fire on the West Coast in which a Cessna 210 was destroyed (allegedly arson). A photo was published in the Coast newspapers at the time but ID was difficult to ascertain for certain.

RHK was an early model 210 - 1960 - and spent many years in Australia as VH-RHK from 05-01-1961. It ferried into Kaitaia via Norfolk Island on 22-09-95 and swapped its VH for ZK marks on 13-10-95 for Aegis Oil Ltd.

The top pic shows it at Timaru on 23-07-04, and the lower is at Christchurch on 07-12-2003. It was damaged at Moana (West Coast) on 08-02-05 when it drifted off the strip and the nose gear collapsed. I'm guessing it received its three bladed prop during repairs !

Merchant Enterprise

The Whistling Wheelbarrow ZK-SAE still sits forlornly outside the closed Argosy Cafe just beyond Woodbourne airfield on highway 6 between Blenheim and Renwick.

Note the owl on the wing - there is another at the same spot on the other wing (they are in the same state as the argosy - Static). The Starlings on the props are for real though.

This blurb is attached to the fuselage side.
ZK-SAE was built as G-ASXN for BEA and first flew on 10-03-1965 gaining its UK c of a on the 26th. It moved over to Canada and became CF-TAJ on 06-07-70 for Midwest Airlines and was operated by Transair.

My records show it as arriving at Blenheim, via the UK, on 12-07-74 (which differs from the above details). The "Merchant Enterprise" was withdrawn from use on 30-09-90 having flown 45,646 hours over 34,874 cycles. It was officially cancelled from the NZCAR on 03-10-90 and was taken over by the Argosy Trust in Fbruary 1991.

Ardmore of late

At Ardmore 24Jul was this Hastings based Champion which has been on the registered since 1981!


Duchess ZK-FIC has taken on a new identity from 25Jun as ZK-SMI


Appears that Jetranger ZK-HOP has adopted a modified scheme.


Hughes 500D ZK-HRI from Masterton arrived at Oceania 24Jul.

New Trislander for GBA

Great Barrier Airlines took delivery of Trislander G-RHOP back on 12Apr this year with the aircraft arriving at Auckland from Lord Howe Island. It has since been noted at North Shore marked as ZK-CJS albeit not yet registered.

At North Shore on 23Jul, Steve Lowe photo

Unknown Cessna ID

Can anybody help me out with a positive identity for this Cessna 172.
Seen at Thames on 18-03-2000. It may include the numbers "55" in its c/n.
I'm thinking maybe ZK-FSI. Any better answers out there ?

Question time #15

Easier one this time !
All I need to know is what sort of aircraft do we have here ?
(yes it is NZ Civil).

One and the same ZK-ICJ

Bell 47G VH-UTQ , c/n 3337 , was registered to Helicopter Utilities in 1965 and served in Fiji as VQ-FBN and DQ-FBN. It returned to Mascot, Sydney in 1976 and is shown here parked outside the Airfast Helicopter Hangar on 25-11-1976.

And blow me down; here it is again. This time as ZK-ICJ at Tauranga on 10-02-2007. It was first listed in NZ to Clark & Jolly at Taupo on 01-10-2002. Then to Helilink on 17-02-04; Harbour & Gulf on 30-06-05 and now with Kiwi Kopters Tauranga Ltd from 15-12-05.

Patrille goes fencing #2

Ive been unpacking boxes of photographs recently and sorting them into some sort of order and came across this one which shows the damage done to the C180 Patrille (better known to most of you as ZK-BJB) when the driver pulled back on the control column as the fence approached. This off course gives up elevator but also places the elevator balance horns below the level of the tailplane handy for the #8 wire to hook onto. Note there is a significant length of #8 still attached to the tail wheel and extending out to the bottom left of the pic (taken 21-04-1969 at Invercargill).
I hope the pilot purchased a Art Union ticket.
The aircraft is still alive and well with Tony Mackle out of Tea Pot Valley.

Question time #14 Answer

What you are looking at is the overhead panel in the cockpit of the Cessna 180E , c/n 51144 , now ZK-TUA. I believe this was a local Aussie mod.
It was delivered to the Australian Army on 30-08-1962 having briefly been tested using the US registration of N2644Y. Interesting to note here that in earlier days Cessna used to register their aircraft using the last two numbers of the c/n as the last two numbers of the US registration.
In a similar vein the Australian military use the last three numbers of the c/n as the last three numbers of the military serial number - preceeded by a type number (98 for the Cessna 180) and the letter "A" for Australia.
In the case of this C180 it became A98-144. Its colour scheme in the early 1970's was full military scheme.
This particular C180 joined the Queensland Police Force in 1975 as VH-PFT, followed by a fist full of private owners until by 1992 it was with the Western Australia Skydiving Academy. In October 1994 it ended down in the mangroves near Broome.
It was shipped to NZ and over a four year period was rebuilt by Kim Christophers and registered as ZK-TUA on 24-09-1998 and first flew on 27-09-98. Why "TUA" well the next owner from 10-11-98 was Tim U Austin.
Hugh & Sam Bethell became the listed owners from 17-03-06, but when they both obtained C185's it moved on to David Sinclair of Balclutha from 25-10-2006.
No winner. Pic taken at Christchurch in November 1998