Cessna 172B ZK-BZS Has Been Reborn at Whangarei!

Peter Garlick has sent in this very recent photo of the venerable but now reborn Cessna 172B ZK-BZS:

It has had a complete strip down and repaint by Northland Aero Maintenance that has transformed it, and it has been registered to them since March 2025.  Peter says it flies really well and is a genuinely good honest aircraft.

As the ZK-B registration indicates, the aircraft is quite old and in fact it was first registered in New Zealand on 16/2/61 which makes it more than 64 years old!  Dave Paull has nicely detailed its history in New Zealand in a blog post in 2015 with lots of photos including a couple by the late Jean210.  You can find that history HERE

N2WG pops into Christchurch on the 6th.

 The New Zealand based Cessna 510 Mustang N2WG msn 510-0459, as operated by Brookby Quarries Ltd, on long finals into Christchurch on Friday the 6th.

After a brief stopover it returned to Ardmore.

Brookby Quarries Ltd also operate the Robinson R66 Turbine ZK-HNG9..

Phenom N227SL on the prowl

 The Embraer Phenom N227SL c/n 50500305 was captured at Nelson on Wednesday the 4th of June by Bill Mannix.
It had flown Sydney to Christchurch on the 3rd.
The up to Nelson on the 4th.

Then it dashed down to Christchurch where I captured its approach (below) into the southerly that day.

From Christchurch it then proceeded to Masterton, Wellington, Sydney and then to Brisbane.

For history and a previous visit to NZ about a year ago SEE HERE

The Latest Air NZ Airbus

A photo taken from the internet shows Air New Zealand's latest Airbus, A 321 NEO ZK-NNH (c/n 12513) in a hangar at Hamburg.  It was registered as such on 30/5/25 and was test flown as D-AYAJ:

Look out for it at a main trunk airport near you, as I understand that it is going to be used on short and medium haul international services.

A Shark in its Element

Bruce Stevenson has sent a couple of air to air photos of him flying his Shark ZK-SAS2 near Thames yesterday (you sure wouldn't be flying up North today!):

You can really appreciate its lines in the air.

But the silver colour scheme is sometimes hard to see.

Thanks for sending the photos Bruce.

 Tony McFarlin was on the spot yesterday, June 2nd, to capture this image of the Alpine Group Ltd.'s Hughes 369D ZK-HOT8 c/n 1280415D parked outside the hangars on the Western Grass at Christchurch International Airport. This has been active in NZ since 1985 initially as ZK-HUW.

Over at the Christchurch Helicopters facility was their latest Airbus AS 350 B3 ZK-HWD4 c/n 8857 which was listed with them on 19-02-2025.

ZK-HWD now has a slightly amended paint scheme, compared with the 14-03-2025 photo.

SEE HERE for more on this airframe.

More Slings at Kaipara Flats on 2-6-2025

Following the early morning arrival of Alex Kaandorp in his demonstrator Sling 4 TSi and the successful test flight of Arjen Visser's Sling 4 TSi yesterday, in the afternoon Andrew Dix arrived in his Sling 4 TSi, so a photoshoot was in order!

All of New Zealand's flying Sling 4 TSi's:  ZK-DBV2, ZK-SLN and ZK-MKV2 lined up.  And our other sling, Darran Price's Sling 2 ZK-SLG was tucked up in a nearby hangar.  All of the Sling 4 TSi's have ZK markings I guess to reflect their potential international range.

The Test Flight for Sling 4 TSi ZK-DBV/2 Today 2-6-2025

After flying through Arjen Visser's test flight schedule in ZK-SLN, there was nothing holding Arjen back from test flying his brand new Sling 4 TSi ZK-DBV2:

Repeat the pull out procedure...

Engine warming up before heading down the ramp.

There was a light breeze right down Runway 25 so after all checks it was line up and lift off.

And after a flawless test flight it was back into the circuit looking really stable,

To touch down for a greaser of a landing!

After 4 years of work on his Sling, Arjen has good cause to look pretty happy!

Congratulations Arjen!

The Pre-Test Flight for Sling 4TSi ZK-DBV/2

After getting sign off from CAA for his Sling 4 TSi last week, Arjen Visser had to wait a few days for suitable weather.  Today 2 June was the day!  Alex Kaandorp flew his demonstrator Sling 4 TSi ZK-SLN up from Feilding in 1 hour 40 minutes, leaving at 7 15 am to cast a final second set of eyes over ZK-DBV2 before they both went for a flight in ZK-SLN to fly through Arjen's test flight regime.

The weather was near perfect with nice early lighting for lots of photos! 

Alex's Sling 4 TSi demonstrator ZK-SLN looking glorious in the sun.

Then electrically raise the hangar door for introductions!

Two equally shiny Slings.

After a thorough duplicate pre-flight inspection pull ZK-SLN out for the pre-test flight flight.

Down the ramp onto the airfield for a flight of 20 minutes or so over the airfield at around 3,000 feet.

ZK-IGH at Rangiora

 A really nice catch at Rangiora on Saturday was the Rotorway Exec 162F ZK-IGH2 c/n 6632.

Below is a long distance shot of it hovering during a test flight on the far side of the airfield.

                                                 Above and below. Approaching the fuel pumps.

It has been mentioned several times previously HERE

This is the first time I have seen it committing aviation.