Aerobatic Monoplanes of New Zealand (6) - Yak 55s

The all metal Yakovlev 55 was designed in the late 1970s by a team led by Sergei Yakovlev as a replacement for the Yak 50.  It was smaller than the Yak 50 and was designed to meet the challenges of the Western aerobatic aircraft of the time which could fly tighter routines.  It had a cantilevered mid wing of symmetrical section to aid inverted flight, a fixed sprung titanium undercarriage and it was powered by the Vedeneyev MP14 radial engine of 360 HP.  In the late 1980s a redesigned version, the Yak 55M was produced with a shorter wing to increase the roll rate.  Yak 55s were flown to victory by the Russian team in the 1984 World Teams Aerobatic Championships.

The specifications for the Yak 55 and Yak 55M are: length for both 7.29 metres (23 feet 11 inches), wingspan Yak 55 9.00 metres(29 feet 6 inches),  Yak 55M 8.10 metres (26 feet 7 inches) and the wing area is 159 square feet for the Yak 55 and 138 square feet for the Yak 55M.  Empty weight is around 640 Kg (1,411 pounds) and the restricted all up weight for aerobatics is 855 Kg (1,885 pounds).

Yak 55 ZK-JPO (c/n 880609) was imported into New Zealand by Claus Petrie and Alister Yeoman and was first registered to the CJ Petrie and AG Yeoman Partnership of Nelson on 6/5/06.  From the c/n it was manufactured in 1988 but I do not have any previous history for it.  The above photo was taken at Rangiora on 27/3/06..

It was quickly transferred to Alister Yeoman and Kevin Langford as the AG Yeoman and KW Langford partnership of Darfield on 9/8/06.  Then on 19/10/07 ownership transferred solely to Kevin Langford, with whom it is still current.  It is photo'd above in a hangar at Ashburton on 7/2/09.

Yak 55M ZK-YKV (c/n 920402) also has a previous history that is unknown to me but I assume it was constructed in 1992.  Probably the 27 is a legacy of its earlier history.  On 13/9/05 it was registered as N5288N and it had a couple of American owners before being shipped to New Zealand in 2007.  It was uncrated at Rangiora on 11/1/08 and was registered to Nicholas T Pilbrow of Dunsandel on 11/3/08.  On 14/6/08 ownership transferred to 55M NZ Ltd of Paeroa (a syndicate of Nic Pilbrow, Jolyon Reeves and Steven Geard)

It is photo'd above at the 2009 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton on 7/2/09.

On 1/4 14 ownership transferred solely to Steven S Geard of Paeroa, with whom it is stll current.  It is based at Tauranga, where the Hairy Mole Rat took this neat photo of it climbing out.

The Alpha at Whangarei

Another fine pic from Whangarei taken yesterday by Jean210.

This is our one and only Pipistrel Alpha Trainer ZK-JAT2 (c/n 448 AT 912) which entered our civil aircraft register on 14-11-2012 with David and Helen McMillan of Seaside Flying Ltd at Greymouth.

It was sold to Solo Wings of Tauranga from 12-08-2015. 

It has been replaced at Greymouth by the Aeroprakt A-22LS ZK-LFB.

It was being flown this day by Lawrence Robinson from Solo Wings of Tauranga.

Gyros at Whangarei on 16-12-2015

Jean210 was at Whangarei yesterday (16-12-2015) and photographed these three gyros.

 The Celier Xenon ZK-XJE (c/n CAK 03371S) was first registered to Gyrate NZ Ltd of Mount Maunganui on 29-01-2008. It went to Jared Thomas of Taupo from 31-05-2010 and to the Robinson Family Trust, its current listed owner, from 23-11-2013.

 The Neil Hintz Tandem Dominator ZK-RCE2 (c/n 010) was receiving some technical assistance. First listed with Allan Sheat of Lumsden on 07-04-2005 before transferring to Mark Biddle of Whangarei from 02-09-2013. 

That will be Rusty Russell's very active AutoGyro Europe MT03 Eagle ZK-KIW in the background.

Tony Marsden's Neil Hints Tandem Dominator ZK-RCV (c/n 009) was out aviating.

This one was first noted with Gary McLachlan of Ahipara back in October of 2004. 

Its registration was cancelled in April 2008 but it came back with Tony Marsden of Warkworth from 30-11-2012. 

Yesterdays sightings

I caught a couple of strays in my patch yesterday.

At Rangiora was the Kawasaki Hughes 369HS ZK-HBS3 (6622) from Glacier Country Helicopters of Franz Josef. It has been in the area for some days now.

 Sitting on the edge of the airstrip up behind the Balmoral Forest was Richard Geary's - Helicopters South Canterbury 2015 Ltd's Robinson R44 Raven II ZK-IGR c/n 12262).

 One that I see nearly every day is the Rangiora based Ravensdown Aerowork Ltd's PAC Cresco 08-600 ZK-LTB (c/n 022). This was the original ZK-PKB from 1998. 

Who nose # 2

Jean210 advises -

Both 737 noses are ex United Airline.
This is the scheme.

Which is elderly.

All of their unsold 737-200/-300/-500s were scrapped in the USA.

Below is a zoom in.

Mount Hutt Helicopters

I had a real quick visit to Mount Hutt Helicopters base near Alford Forest early this afternoon.

In their neat hangar was their latest arrival - the Aerospatiale  AS 350BA ZK-IMK2 (c/n 1213). 

It was first registered in NZ on 01-10-2015.

Below is what NZ Aviation News Mag said about it.

Another Eurocopter arrival is the AS 350BA now listed as ZK-IMK₂ with the Kershaw Aviation Group Ltd of Methven. First noted in 1980 as an Aerospatiale AS 350D Astar and registered as F-WZKD it quickly moved to Canada and became C-GRGU with Maple Leaf Helicopters of Kelowna British Columbia before moving on to Kasaan Holdings Ltd, also at Kelowna in September of 1982. By April of 1985 I noted it with Okanagan Helicopters at Richmond BC, now as an AS 350B model. It transferred over to Canadian Helicopters Ltd in September of 1989 before being used briefly in Alaska where it became N7172H with Temsco Helicopters Inc at Ketchikan Alaska. It returned to Canadian Helicopters and was upgraded to BA status in around 1996. 

It was transferred over to the Mount Hutt Helicopters name on 10-11-2015 and carries the script "Operated by Mount Huutt Helicopters 2013 Ltd' along the bottom of the doors, and a large stylised 'BA' on the engine cowling.

Also to be seen was their Aerospatiale AS 350B2 ZK-HDQ2 (c/n 1932) which has been with them since May of 2013.

Also on hand was the Robinson R44 Raven II ZK-IRW (c/n 11696). 

This originally operated as ZK-ISL from 2007 through until February 2012 when it became ZK-ISP. It took up the ZK-IRW marks on 11-09-2012 and joined Mount Hutt Helicopters on 17-01-2014.

The NOTAR ZK-HBC is now up working with Helicopters Hawkes Bay 2006 Ltd.

Thanks to Mount Hutt Helicopters for access to their hangar.

More Boeings at Christchurch. ZK-PAK.

Captured at Christchurch today by Bargeldo1 was the Airwork Flight Operations Boeing 737-476 ZK-PAK (c/n 24444).

Its history is well covered at:-  

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2015/12/boeing-737-400-n944nz-zk-pak.html

Who nose ?

A day for Boeing noses.

About six weeks ago I spotted a Boeing nose section on a property along Maddisons Road Weedons, southwest of Christchurch

Today I popped in an was given the OK to photograph said nose.

Alas its identity was not known.

 Below is a view from the other side which shows the Star Alliance symbol behind the cockpit.

Also today - but taken in Upper Riccarton by Bargeldo1 was this Boeing nose section on a trailer.

Different nose.

Same scheme !

Any thoughts ??

Bargeldo1 at Christchurch today

Bargeldo1 did some drive by shooting at Christchurch International Airport today and offers these three shots.

The Raytheon 1900D ZK-EAG2 (c/n UE-430) on finals.

Parked up at the Garden City Helicopters facility was the Aerospatiale AS355F1 ZK-HKY2 (c/n 5123) in the Helilink Ltd's "Inflite" scheme.

Out in the pasture. Boeing 737-3K2  ZK-NGK (c/n 26318) is now parked on the western side of the airport. Its nose section is touring the country as part of Air New Zealand's 75th display.

Aerobatic Monoplanes of New Zealand (5) - Zlin Z-50

The Zlin Z-50 was designed in 1973 by Czech designer Jan Mikula as a replacement for the earlier Zlin 26 series (of which we have had one Z 326 and one Z 526 - both types of which were flown to victory in the World Aerobatic Championships).  The Z-50 is of all metal construction and has two section full span ailerons for a fast roll rate.  The original aircraft was designated the Z-50L (L for Lycoming) and it was powered by a 6 cylinder AIO 540 Lycoming of 260 HP.  Later the Z-50LS was developed with a AEIO 540 engine of 300 HP and this version was flown to victory in the World Aerobatic Championships in 1984 and 1986 (a Z-50L was flown to victory by a Czech pilot in the 1978 championship).

The Z-50's length is 6.62 metres (21 feet 9 inches), wingspan is 8.58 metres (28 feet 2 inches) and the wing area is 134.5 square feet.  Empty weight is 570 Kg (1,257 pounds) and MAUW is 800 Kg (1,760 pounds).

We have one Zlin Z 50LS in New Zealand:

ZK-ZSO (c/n 0070) was built in Czechoslovakia in 1992 as was registered as OK-WRN.  On 26/8/92 it was registered to SAAB Nyge Aero in Sweden as SE-KMY.  It returned to the Czech Republic in 1995 as OK-XRG and was operated by the Letecke Akrobatice Centr/  It was damaged in August 2002 and was repaired by Moravan.  Then it was exported to New Zealand where it was first registered on 20/10/03 to David G Cranna of Papakura, with whom it is still current.

It is photo'd above at the 2011 Bryan Langley memorial aerobatic competition at North Shore on 15/1/11, where unfortunately it did not compete because it was unserviceable.