Sneaky Question time # 182 resolved.

I posted the following back on November the 20th.This was in fact a sneaky Question Time posting.

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FRIDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2015

Holiday bliss.

Where else could you take a holiday like this ?

Fishing in the Ahuriri River and hauling in a clump of Didymosphenia geminata ( better known as didymo or rock snot to most of us) and about to be buzzed by the LS3 ZK-GLS on a competition finish - with a suspicious patch of "weed" in the foreground (not that I would know anything about that).

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It is in fact all a load of hogswash.

Firstly the glider is not the real ZK-GLS.

It is also not a Rolladen-Schneider LS3 but is an LS6c Model suspended from the ceiling.

The real ZK-GLS is a Schleicher Ka6CR which is still current with John Currie of Rotorua.

That is not me fishing but is actually a large image on the wall of the Marino Cafe at Omarama and you will note in the pic below that the glider is suspended out in front of the picture.

I have adjusted the exposure to show the suspension wires.

Below is the original photo showing the rockery garden in the foreground and a chunk of old fence on the right. 

Only one person picked up on the falsehood.

Well done CMM.

The chocolate fish is yours.

Aerobatic Monoplanes of New Zealand (2) - Yakovlev Yak 50

The next type of purpose designed aerobatic monoplane to be registered in New Zealand was the Alpine Fighter Collection's Yak 50 ZK-YAC.

The Yak 50 was designed by Sergei Yakovlev in the 1970s and is a single seat aerobatic aircraft with exceptional handling and a rugged airframe (but see below).  Power was from a Vedeneyev MP 14 radial engine of typically 400 HP which gave a very good power to weight ratio.  A Yak 50 was flown to two World Aerobatic titles - in 1976 and 1982.  However, the stresses of unlimited aerobatics were such that the Russian team Yak 50s airframes were typically scrapped after about 50 flight hours, and there were numerous cases of main spar failure until modifications were made.

The length of the Yak 50 was 7.8 metres (25 feet 7 inches), the wingspan was 9.5 metres (31 feet 2 inches and the wing area was 161.5 square feet.  Empty weight was 750 Kg (1,658 pounds) and MAUW was 910 Kg (2,006 pounds)

ZK-YAC (c/n 852904) was first registered in New Zealand to the Alpine Fighter Collection of Wanaka on 28/3/96, and it is photo'd above Wanaka on 25/3/96.  It was manufactured in 1985 as LY-ANQ and later was sold to the UK as G-BWCF, being registered as such on 25/4/95.

The above photo was taken at the 1998 Wings Over Wanaka airshow on 10/4/98.  ZK-YAC didn't say long in New Zealand as it was cancelled on 15/6/98 and exported to Australia and registered as VH-YAY on 18/6/98, and where it is still current with Flying Fighters Pty Ltd of Sunnybank in Queensland.

ZK-TGN at Ardmore 1-12-15

North American T-28B Trojan  ZK-TGN was out doing engine runs at Ardmore this afternoon.

Aerobatic Monoplanes of New Zealand (1) - Zlin Trener Masters

I have been meaning to do a series on purpose-designed aerobatic monoplanes of New Zealand (of which there have been quite a few), for some time.  And with the blog header photo of Sukhoi SU 29 ZK-SUK, this seems like a good time to do it.

I think the earliest purpose designed aerobatic monoplanes in New Zealand were a pair of Zlin Trener Masters that were imported into Christchurch in 1964 and 1970, being a Z 326 and a Z 526.

The original Zlin Z 26 was first produced by the Czechoslovakian company Moravan Oktokovice in 1946 as a basic training aircraft.  Later Z 26s were optimised for aeroabatics.  The design was further developed by Zlin Aircraft Oktokovice as the Z 226, Z 326, Z 526 and finally the Z 726 until production ceased in 1970.  Variants were produced as single seaters (Akrobats) and 2 seaters (Trener Masters), and the type won several aerobatic competitions in the 1960s. The wing was distinctive in having a swept leading edge and the electrically operated undercarriage was retractable.

Both the Z 326 and the Z 526 were powered by 6 cylinder inverted Walter engines producing around 160 - 180 HP.  They had very similar dimensions and weights, for the Z 326 being length 7.83 metres (25 feet 8 inches), wingspan 10.59 metres (34 feet 9 inches) and wing area of 167 square feet.  Empty weight was 637 Kg (1,404 pounds) and MAUW was 910 Kg (2,006 pounds) (slightly increased for the Z 526).

Zlin Z 326 ZK-CHZ (c/n 586) was manufactured in 1961 as OK-OND.  It was registered in Australia as VH-DBZ in September 1962 and cancelled on 26/6/64 when it was sold to New Zealand.  The Canterbury Aero Club registered the aircraft as ZK-CHZ on 6/10/64.

It was later operated by the Christchurch Flying School for a time but was cancelled on 6/6/69 and exported to the USA where it became N4586 on 11/9/69.

Zlin Z 526 ZK-CJY (c/n 1091) was delivered new from the Zlin factory to New Zealand, as was first registered on 19/3/70 to David G Owen of Christchurch.

David Owen moved to Australia in 1992 and took ZK-CJY with him.  It was cancelled from the New Zealand register on 25/6/92 and re-registered in Australia as VH-ZLN on 30/9/92.  It is still on the Australian register but is physically at the Aero Technologies hangar at Ardmore for eventual restoration to flying status back in New Zealand.

ZK-HIY at Heli Maintenance.

Spotted at Heli Maintenance at Christchurch International yesterday was the Aerospatiale AS350 BA ZK-HIY6 (c/n 1807) wearing Independent Helicopters markings.

A previous note on this Squirrel can be seen at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/the-changing-face-of-qn.html#comment-form

ZK-FiSH & ZK-DME

The Zenair CH100 Mono-Z ZK-FSH (c/n AACA/609) was first registered on 16-02-1989 to Neville F Read and J A Nagelkerke of Christchurch.

Check the earlier post at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/zenith-ch-100-mono-zs-of-new-zealand.html

It was withdrawn to storage and cancelled on 07-05-1999.

Above we see ZK-FSH at Rangiora on 19-02-1993.

And at Ashburton on 07-02-1997.

And a close up of the "FiSH".

The airframe was purchased by "Rangiora Tug" a group of five worthy gentlemen from Rangiora Airfield who intend to restore this aircraft as an economical and affordable glider tug to spur the interest in flying and gliding within the younger generation.
As you can see it now carries the "DME" markings although it is not yet registered as such.

Pic above shows it on 26-05-2015 at RT awaiting its Honda Jazz turbo engine.

ZK-JWH at Takaka

Lord Nelson captured this Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair ZK-JWH (c/n T20609703) at Takaka on Sunday 29-11-2015.

It was originally briefly listed in the States as N94778 before coming to NZ to be registered here on 21-02-2013 with Opiki Cropping Ltd of Wellington with whom it replaced their Cessna T182R ZK-MRH and the 182S ZK-MDH and the 182Q ZK-XLT before that.

The Haast Eagle has landed at NZKH.

Ben Patterson of Wilderness Wings at Hokitika took this shot of the Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer ZK-SJG2 (c/n 22-3292) today.
In the background is the Henry Adams Robinson R44 ZK-HHI3 (c/n 0097).

Below is a close up of the fin.

This aircraft has featured previously at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2015/03/haast-eagle-zk-sjg.html

Robbie Gentry 12/2/28 - 2/11/15

While overseas I was sad to hear that Robbie Gentry had died, and I could not attend his funeral.

Robbie was a foundation member of the Amateur Aircraft Constructors Association (AACA), and had the honour of being allocated the first AACA constructors number of 10 (the numbering started at ten to recognise New Zealand's earlier homebuilders).  He was the first AACA secretary and magazine editor and over the years he was a prolific homebuilt aircraft builder.

Robbie was my first AACA stage inspector when I started building my Jodel D 9 in Wellington in 1973, and even then he had a refreshing approach that was almost experimental.  He looked me over and said:  "you're a fairly tall guy so we should raise the turtledeck 4 inches so your head doesn't stick out, then because the D 9's cockpit is a bit cramped we will make it 2 inches wider and 2 inches deeper, and because of the raised turtledeck we will raise the rudder by 6 inches".  I did all that and then had a visit from Robbie who said: "quick, David Rendall (of CAD) is retiring.  Draw up all those mods and get them into him".  And so I did and they were officially approved!  I reckon that makes ZK-KMM a Jodel D 9 and a half.  I know Robbie also mentored many other homebuilders over the years (have a look at the tail of Dave King's Minicab ZK-DRK and compare it to Robbie's D 11 ZK-DGA), and he leaves a lasting legacy in New Zealand's homebuilt aircraft movement

Robbie in his Turbulent ZK-CAE at the first AACA gathering at Paraparaumu in 1965.

Robbie's Aircraft

I reckon Robbie built or rebuilt 8 aircraft over the years, all in wood, as detailed below:

And he was still working on another Turbulent which he had nearly completed at the time of his passing!

Our condolences to Robbie's family.

Cutlass duo

 At Timaru back on the 24th there were two Cessna 172RG Cutlass II aircraft.

Above is the Napier Computer Systems ZK-EWB (c/n 172RG0671) tied down.

Below is the locally based ZK-JCL (c/n 172RG0732) receiving attention at AVTEK.