Ardmore shots from Magnaman

Seen yesterday at Oceania by Magnaman was this Aerospatiale AS 350 B2 ZK-HAN2 (c/n 3154) from Rotor Flite NZ Ltd. It was well covered yesterday by MRC at :-

 http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2014/11/eurocopter-as350b2-zk-han.html

 Above. Seen today at Airwork was the MBB BK117 ZK-IVB (c/n 7061) which was registered to Airwork on 05-08-2014 as an -A4 model. It was re-listed as a BK117 B-2 on 03-11-2014.

If you look at the top of the fin you will note that it is branded as BK117-850D2. Check out:-

http://www.airwork.co.nz/BK117-850D2.aspxh

The Cessna 172M Skyhawk ZK-DKK (c/n 61742) has been on the NZ register since 18-07-1973 and following attention by Rex Aviation first flew here on 09-08-1973 for delivery to the Hawera Aero Club. After several private owners from February 1979 it ultimately went to Sunair Aviation at Mount Maunganui on 20-01-2010.

Rotary bits from Christchurch today.

Bargeldo1 has captured these first two rotary winged machines at Christchurch.

 No stranger to the Garden City Helicopters depot was the Aerospatiale AS 350 BA ZK-HIH2 (c/n 1723) from The Alpine Deer Group Ltd of Wanaka.

 Eurocopter AS 350 B3 ZK-IJO2 (c/n 7451) is a real stranger for Christchurch.
Captured above at the Garden City Helicopters depot early today; whilst the two shots below were taken in the rain at start up and departure North bound about mid afternoon. As you can see it is from the Faram Aviation Group Ltd of Hastings.

 Below - locally based at Skysales Aviation (NZ) Ltd - but seldom seen outside - is the Robinson R66 Turbine ZK-IXT (c/n 0331). It departed towards the west.

Lower three pics from Dave Paull.

Zenair/Zenith CH 601 Zodiacs of New Zealand (3) - CH 601HDS Models

The Zodiac CH 601 HDS is the Heavy Duty Speedwing model.  It is identical to the CH 601HD model except for the outer wing panels which are heavily tapered and shorter, resulting in a wingspan of 23 feet (7.01 metres) compared to the the HD wingspan which is 27 feet, and a wing area of 98 square feet compared to the HD wing area of 132 square feet.  The wing also features full length ailerons. With the speed wing the cruise speed is around 135 mph (117 knots) compared with around 120 mph (104 knots) for the CH 601HD model.  The outer wings of the HD and HDS models are interchangeable.

We have had two CH 601HDS models in New Zealand to date, one imported and locally built.

CH 601HDS ZK-SWB (c/n 6-4401) was built in the US and registered N447WB on 14/6/02.  It was imported into New Zealand by Edward J Welander of Tuakau and registered as ZK-SWB on 12/1/04.  On 26/6/07 ownership changed to FW Courtney and LM Flood of Kaikohe.   It is photo'd above at Kerikeri on 27/12/09.  You can see the tapered outer wing panel in this photo.

And our local CH 601HDS is ZK-DBZ (c/n 6-2284, DBZ for Don Boyd's Zenith) which was built by Don Boyd while he was resident in Taranaki and Wellington.  It was first registered on 23/6/04 and was test flown at Foxpine by John Lester in September 2004.  It is named Rere Ki Wairua which aptly means "to fly with spirit". The above photo of ZK-DBZ was taken at the 2006 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga.  It is currently based at Stratford, still owned by Don Boyd.

Zenair/Zenith CH 601 Zodiacs of New Zealand (2) - CH 601HD Models

As I posted previously, the Zodiac CH 601HD (for Heavy Duty) model was the first development of Chris Heintz's earlier CH 600 model.  Like the CH 601UL it was also marketed as a kit by Zenair from Canada, and by the Zenith Aircraft Company from the USA.  It is essentially the same as the CH 601UL but with some heavier panels, allowing the MAUW to be 1,200 pounds (544Kg).

We have had three CH 601HD models in New Zealand as detailed below:

ZK-ZED (c/n 3897) was built by Donald W Free of Rangiora and was first registered to him on 24/9/02.  It is based ar Rangiora where Blue Bus took the above photo on 29/3/09.

ZK-TMC (c/n 4781) was built by Philip A Gleeson and Shaun B Brill at Levin, and was first registered to them on 8/12/03.  Ownership transferred solely to Philip Gleeson on 24/11/10 and I understand it is currently stored at Levin.  Philip Gleeson sent the above photo, which was taken at Foxpine.  Thanks Philip.

ZK-SPD was built by Samuel Peter Dunning of Wellington, and was first registered to him on 1/3/12.  Peter Dunning kindly sent the above photo, which was taken in a hangar at Feilding.  You can see the three piece wing quite well in this photo, with the main undercarriage mounted at the ends of the wing stubs.

Eurocopter AS350B2 ZK-HAN

Registered to Rotor Flite of Clevedon in October 2013, this Eurocopter AS350B2 ZK-HAN2 was noted at Ardmore early November 2014 at the Oceania Helicopters facility.  The helicopter, c/n 3154, still wears the colour scheme worn during its time in the USA when registered N40751 and operated by Native American Air Ambulance/Omniflight of Mesa, Arizona. Neat photo of it as N40751 HERE

The helicopter wears a small "Rotor Work Limited" decal and associated logo with whom it is currently employed on a range of tasks: http://www.rotorwork.co.nz/site/ABOUTUS/Equipment/HelicopterFleet.aspx

This is just the second use of the registration ZK-HAN, and thanks to Bluebus we know the first was worn by a Hiller UH-12E with Alexander Helicopters and Luggate Game Packers and finally James Aviation between early 1963 and April of 1975.

Oamaru Drop in

I dropped into Oh Oamaru airport on Saturday (01-11-2014) at the invite of Colin Hay who has a hangar there which contains his aircraft and a large collection of aviation memorabilia.

But first a look at the North Otago Aero Club hangar.

Therein was the Piper PA-28-140E Cherokee ZK-DEJ (c/n 28-7225148). As you can see it is a 1972 (fiscal year) built aircraft first registered to Airwork (NZ Ltd on 24-03-1972.

See the following link for some more history.

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/cool-cherokee-zk-dej.html

Ownership moved to J W and S R Campbell of Dunedin on 01-04-2011.

In the left hand corner was the Cessna 180C ZK-BYJ (c/n 509008) as registered to the HKJ Partnership of Oamaru. (I suspect we need a separate post on this olde 180).

 Parked out front was the Club's Cessna 172N Skyhawk ZK-EOI (c/n 71937) which has been NZOU based since July of 2006.

In Colin Hay's hangar we have the Bowers Fly Baby 1A ZK-CFB2 (c/n 71023) which Colin imported from the States in May of 2011. A second example was imported at the same time and registered as ZK-OFB (c/n 65-16) and is currently dismantled in the rear of the hangar (lack of space).

There have been several previous post on these aircraft.

Parked behind "CFB" is the Minicab ZK-EEO (c/n AACA/311) minus engine cowls.

Anybody have a spare O-200 engine ?

Against the wall is the fuselage of a new build Bowers Fly Baby.

 Also currently dismantled and having its wings re-covered is the Circa Reproductions Nieuport II ZK-NIE1 (c/n MAANZ/471).

 The Rans S-6-ES ZK-RXL (c/n 02971099) has been in Colin's care since September 2006.

Thatcher CX 4 ZK-CXY Accident

Another Auckland aircraft to suffer an accident recently was Thatcher CX 4 ZK-CXY which is based at North Shore airfield.  It was reported to have overturned following a forced landing near the airfield on 25/10/14 with a minor injury to the pilot.

ZK-CXY was built by Derek Dikstaal of Waiwera and was first registered to him on 26/7/12.  It had been fitted with a canopy after the above photo was taken (at North Shore on 25/8/12).

We wish both the pilot and the aircraft a speedy recovery.

Aeroprakt A 22LS Foxbat ZK-LFG Accident

Aeroprakt A 22LS Foxbat ZK-LFG was involved in a go-around after landing accident yesterday 1/11/14 at the Pukekohe East airstrip, which seriously injured the pilot and his passenger, and left the aircraft badly damaged.

ZK-LFG is owned by the CC Aviation Group of Auckland (Jon Farmer and Peter Beer) and was first registered on 15/5/13.  Jon and Peter were not flying in the aircraft at the time of the accident.

ZK-LFG is photo'd above at the 2013 Black Sands flyin at Raglan on 2/11/13, exactly one year ago.

Cessna 180/185 gathering Tauranga

The Cessna 180 / 185 Group had a fly - in at Tauranga during the weekend.

Hairy Mole Rat has sent in these pics.

 Above is our first Cessna 185 ZK-CAK (c/n 185-0017) currently with Robin Langslow of Otane, in pole forward mode.

 Above we have the Cessna 180 ZK-BSP (c/n 31263) from the BSP Partnership of Auckland. First registered in NZ on 11-02-1957.

 Cessna 180 ZK-BSP (c/n 31263) Cessna 180J ZK-DKE (c/n 52351) and Cessna A185F ZK-CES2 (c/n 18503273).

 Above is Cessna 180 ZK-CBH2 (c/n 32542) This is of 1956 vintage but appears to have a later fuselage ! Did it get this after its 1984 incident in the USA ?

 ZK-CES2 is the Nigel Griffith Cessna A185F (c/n 18503273). This started its NZ career as ZK-JPM in April 1995.

 ZK-DRG (c/n 52463) is a 1974 model 180J with the DRG Partnership of Waiuku.

 Cessna 180H ZK-KRM (c/n 18051889) from the KRM Partnership.

A line up of ZK-DRG, ZK-CBK, ZK-EEJ and ZK-JHS.

ZK-CNZ

Our newest Cirruss SR22 ZK-CNZ  msn 4113, seen at Ardmore earlier today after arriving from it's home in Feilding. Ex N113NZ it was registered on 8-9-14 to B B Aviation of Feilding.