Christchurch this evening.

Bargeld01 has provided these two shot as taken at Christchurch International Airport this evening 06-02-2013.

 Above is the Kiwi Lion Ltd's Raytheon (Beech) G58 Baron N254F (c/n TH-2169). It arrived in Auckland back on 27-10-2009.

Cessna 172N ZK-TAB (c/n 73811) is a 1980 model which arrived in NZ and became ZK-EYC on 19-05-1982. After several owners it went to the Tauranga Aero Club and was re-registered in the "Club" ZK-T** range as ZK-TAB on 11-12-1996. It is currently listed to Sunair Aviation Ltd of Mount Maunganui.

AS350 Squirrel ZK-HBI....the 4th

A quick drive by at Ardmore 05 February had me looking twice at AS350BA Squirrel ZK-HBI as it sat outside the Oceania hangar and I was just about to bypass it when it dawned on me that it wasn't the ZK-HBI I had photographed at Franz Josef in April of 2012.

So on arriving home I checked the ever helpful NZCAA website which quickly revealed that the machine photographed was AS350BA c/n 1447 ex VH-DEA and registered to JP Scott of South Westland on 29 January this year replacing ZK-HBI/3 c/n 2257 which was cancelled from the register a week earlier as "destroyed".  

Thanks to Bluebus the fate of ZK-HBI/3 has been recorded as follows:

The AS350 suffered a dynamic rollover while landing at the Pioneer Hut, Westland National Park, on 11 November 2012.  The four climbers and pilot on board were not injured and were able to walk the 500m to the hut.  

ZK-HBI/4 started out as an AS350 Astar N5784X, then N120US, then to Aruba as P4-SEE and about this time it became an AS350RM Allstar with a Soloy conversion to RR C250-C30M engine.  Then back to the USA as N120US in 1997 and by then it was an AS350BA (!!).  To B-HJP November 1997, N121US in April 2000, and VH-DEA on 24 August 2007....

ZK-HBI/1 was a UH12E and ZK-HBI/2 was yet another AS350, c/n 1228.

ZK-HBI number 3 at Franz Josef in October 2006. 

And ZK-HBI number 4 at Ardmore 05 February 2013. 

Tailwind

Nick reports

Sunday 3rd Feb

Bill Izard in Wittman Tailwind ZK-RET

(From Foxhill Airfield KihiKihi)

Zoomed in from Masterton as I had my old tail Wheel of my Jodel to pass onto him.

He apparently did the MS to HS sector at 168 knots and his HS to HN sector at 150 knots not bad for a home built.......

Wittman W8 Tailwind ZK-RET (c/n AACA/386) was built by Ray Thurston of Blenheim. It was registered on 15-12-1980 and first flew on the 20th.

Ownership moved to Bill Izard of Masterton on 06-03-2003 and then to Cliff Bellingham of Pukekohe on 22-07-2003.

It returned to Bill Izard, now of Te Awamutu, on 18-09-2011.

All above pics taken at Hastings by Nick Furmage.

Pic below was shot at Masterton on 18-01-2013.

Hastings report # 2.

 More pics from Nick. This time we have the Cessna 510 Citation Mustang ZK-MUS2 (c/n 510-300).

 This airframe was rolled out of the Cessna plant at Independence on 04-02-2010 and was listed as ZK-MUS on 23-03-2010 with Acernus Aero Ltd of Wellington.

And it could be yours if you want it :- check out

 http://www.aso.com/listings/spec/ViewAd.aspx?id=142088

Hastings report.

Nick provides some shots from Hastings. Taken Sunday 03-02-2013.

 The ex Air Chathams Beech 65-B80 Queen Air ZK-CIA2 (c/n LD-430) has not got much closer to the Chathams Islands Aviation Museum.

 The Air Hawkes Bay Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP ZK-JMR (c/n 172S10639) holding off.

 Over from Paraparaumu for the day was the Cessna 177B Cardinal ZK-DAN (c/n 177B-01528).
It has been listed to G J and J L Shute of Wainuiomata since June of 1995 and is seen below in its corner of the hangar at Paraparaumu on 20-01-2013.

The Pilatus Porter ZK-PCI news !

                   Pilatus PC6 Porter ZK-PCI was reported as stolen in this earlier posting:- see

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2010/08/missing.html

 

I found the following update whilst researching another topic.

 

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-835825

 

Photograph from the Andy Heap collection.

AS 355 F2 Twin Star Ecureuil 2 ZK-HFS

 A recent NZ Aviation News Magazine item mentioned that :-

Two Eurocopter AS 355 F2 Twin Star Ecureuil 2’s were removed from their shipping container at Pacific Aircraft Services of Christchurch on 08-11-2012. Both are ex the Czech Republic and from the same operator.

The older of the two was built in 1988 for delivery to the Guardia Nacional de Venezuela (Police) and allocated the GN-8884 markings. It was damaged on 12-05-1994 and was returned to Eurocopter for repairs. It re-surfaced allocated the French test registration of F-WQED before delivery in an all yellow scheme to become OK-BIC in 1996 with Autoklub Bohemia Assistance – Better known as ABA Air.

Below is a photograph of OK-BIC in November 1996 with the French test registration of F-WQED attached temporarily inside the cockpit window. Photo from Marcel Herzig.

(Marcus runs a site dedicated to the Pilatus Porter at http://www.pc-6.com/ )

 It later moved to Delta Systems Air (DSA) in the EMS role.

Photo below by Jiri Sofikanic at www.czechairspotters.com

Below are the two airframes mentioned above, as seen at Pacific Aircraft at Christchurch on 09-11-2012. OK-BIC nearest, with OK-AIA behind. OK-AIA was allocated ZK-HLI6 briefly before settling on ZK-HUQ3.

 OK-BIC become ZK-HFS₄ and was listed to Rotor Flite NZ Ltd in late November. Certification work on this one is under way at press time.

Below, work underway on its NZ certification at Pacific Aircraft Services at Christchurch. Pic taken 28-11-12.

 Below is a photograph from Tony McFarlin showing ZK-HFS4 on 29-01-2013 at Christchurch.

Five Pawnee tugs.

Found these whilst rummaging in the old shoe box.

 Taken at Omarama on 02-01-2010 is the Canterbury Gliding Clubs Piper PA-25-235 ZK-CNG (c/n 25-3624) It has been towing since about August of 1974.
Below we have a photograph from the CMM collection showing ZK-CNG at the end of its ag flying days, still wearing the Aerial Sowing tag, and parked outside the old Canterbury Aero Club building at Christchurch in September of 1973 - awaiting conversion to tow plane configuration.

Below is Auckland Gliding Club Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee ZK-CEB (c/n 2421). Previously an ag machine with Rangitikei Air Services from 1964. It joined the Auckland Club in October of 1967. Pic taken at Drury 15-03-2009. Note the four blade prop. (ZK-CNG had one for a while as well).

Below is a view of that prop being worked on.

Below we have an Andy Heap shot showing ZK-CEB towing ZK-GAK, GXF and GNO on 30-04-2011.

 

 Above is "Super Grunt", the Taranaki Gliding Club's Pawnee 235 ZK-RWS (c/n 2161). This had a whole bunch of owners in the USA before arriving in NZ to be listed as RWS in memory of Bob W Struthers on 25-03-1996. Photo at Stratford on 20-03-2010.

 Above we have the Wellington Gliding Clubs ZK-TUG on final for Paraparaumu on 02-12-2007. TUG is c/n 25-2993. It previously worked in Malasia and Australia before joining the Wellington Club on 06-11-1995. It was withdrawn from use and cancelled on 20-06-2011.

ZK-BWP is a Pawnee 150 (c/n 25-275). Imported by Airwork and on line with Cookson Airspread in December of 1960. It joined the Wanganui Gliding Towing Trust in May of 1967. The above shot was taken at Feilding on 02-09-1979 whilst with the Wanganui Gliding Club.
Below is another fine shot from the CMM collection showing ZK-BWP ready for work.

Helipro on Queens - 3

I was in Wellington last Friday 25 January on another "you can't beat Wellington on a good day" day.  The waterfront was humming with locals and tourists from 2 cruise ships that were in port.

And Helipro had a full complement of 3 helicopters at their Queens Wharf base.  I always find that helicopters on the wharf are very photogenic, and even more so on such a great day.

Robinson R 44 ZK-HES headed off for a sight-seeing flight with a load of tourists...

Followed by Aerospatial AS 350D Squirrel ZK-HYD with another load of tourists...

While Kawasaki BK 117 A-3 ZK-HYE sat and in the sun and waited for the next emergency call.  It didn't come while I was there.

Te Anau aviation scene.

 

Tony McFarlin has kindly sent in the follow batch of photographs taken at Te Anau and Manapouri.

 All pics taken on 27-01-2012.

 

 Above is the Dassault Mystere-Falcon 50X N83TY (288) of Viper Aviation parked over at Manapouri.

 The Water and Wings (Te Anau) Ltd's Cessna U206C ZK-DRH (c/n U206C-1179) rests just off shore at the Te Anau township.

Two views of the Aerospatiale AS 350B2 Squirrel ZK-HMD4 (c/n 2782) of Southern Lakes Helicopters approaching and landing on their Heliwharf at Te Anau.

 Southern Lakes Helicopters Robinson R44 Raven 11 ZK-IAS3 (c/n 13187) also on the wharf.

Down at the Manapouri Airfield was the Cessna U206G Stationair ZK-KPW (c/n U206G-03593) of Fly Fiordland Air Ltd. This aircraft has worked this region since 1993.