Wanaka kitsets !

A month ago (08-10-08) I passed through Wanaka and these two Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Rata's lay in a dismantled state on the hangar floor.

Nearest is White 9 (ZK-JIN) and beyond is Red 34 (ZK-JIO). On the left of the top pic and right on the lower pic is the Polikarpov I-153 Chiaka Red 10 (ZK-JJB).

Anybody any idea whats happening here ?

And a pic of Red 10 (ZK-JJC) on 08-10-08.

A year earlier (11-10-07) Red 34 was in much the same state - but note in the background the I-153 White 75 (ZK-JKM) with wings crated alongside. This is still on our register listed to Parc Aeronautic De Catalunya c/- Carlos Martini, Alpine Fighter Collection.

Have a look at the site below to see John Lanham flying it in Spain on Oct 2nd.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thundershead/sets/72157607729695419/

Question time # 24 resolved.

It comes to those who wait - so they say.

A note from a contact at Blenheim provided the following :- Fairchild 24-C8C, N18617, with the c/n 2605. Powered with a Warner Scarab 145hp (at 2050 rpm) seven cylinder radial.

It belongs to Trevor Collins who already has the Helio H-250 Courier II ZK-TCE and the Porterfield 35-70 ZK-POR.

I can add that this F24 was built in 1934 as NC31 for the US Bureau of Commerce. One of 130 of this model built by the Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company at Hagerstown, Indiana (I think). They being a division of Fairchild Corporation.

A three seat aircraft, with the rear seat foldable for freight etc. 36 foot 4 inch span and AUW at 2150 pounds.

It is still currently listed on the FAA files to Ed Miller of Omaha, Nebraska.

Question time # 25

Whats this then ?
What type of aircraft does this belong to ?

The Duke N60TE.

Beech B-60 Duke N60TE , c/n P361 , has been a regular site around NZ since it arrived here from Oakland on 14-07-2008. It is still listed on the US register to Nolan Aviation LLC of Broomfield, Colorado.

It is now based at Momona (Dunedin) and operated by George Glaister who also operates the Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six ZK-OMT (ex ZK-ECV) c/n 32-40927.

N60TE photographed at Momona 17-10-08. ZK-OMT at Wigram 05-02-08.

Robinson ZK-HXR. Lost Lake Wanaka.

Robinson R22A Alpha ZK-HXR c/n 0459 was lost in Lake Wanaka on the evening of 01-11-2008 whilst on a positioning flight to Wanaka for expected frost protection duties that night. The pilot is still missing, a great loss to the NZ aviation fraternity.

Pic taken at Rangiora on 10-05-2007.

Zlins down south.

The above two Zlins as seen at Taieri on 17-10-2008. Nearest is ZK-DOZ3 , c/n 010, pretty much time expired. They are only certified for 3000 flying hours.
The partially dismantled green machine behind is trying to become ZK-BOC2. I believe it has not flown in NZ.


These three fuselages sections as seen in the open hangar at Alexandra on 08-10-2008.
From left to right we have c/n 015 which was ZK-RJI. It was damaged at Pukekohe East on 29-04-2005: Central airframe is c/n 011 which to my knowledge has not reached our register. On the right we have C/n 040 which was ZK-RZN and originally ZK-RDZ. It was damaged near Mangaweka on 16-11-07, it still has the engine & bent prop attached.


Now a few pics of some of them in better days.


The green beast . c/n 008 as seen at Taieri on 14-01-07. At this stage it was trying to become ZK-KRB. Now it is working on ZK-BOC but its paper trail is still incomplete.


ZK-DOZ c/n 010 at Rangiora on 20-11-06 before being withdrawn from use, time expired.

ZK-WLO c/n 020 at Taieri on 18-08-2006. This one is still active out of Balclutha with Willow Air. (ZK-PJO c/n 004 is also still active with Kairanga Aviation).

ZK-RZN c/n 040 at Feilding on 11-02-07.

Scene @ Kaikoura

On 30-10-2008 I photographed these two helicopters at Kaikoura.
Above is Robinson R22 Beta ZK-HJJ2 c/n 2249 at the Kaikoura airstrip south of town. This was a Skysales import in late 1992 which served with Garden City Helicopters until late January 1997 when it moved to Nelson with Wilkins & Field Developments Ltd. On 01-03-2003 it was listed to Coast to Coast Helicopters at Nelson. It is currently resident at Muzzle Station among the Kaikoura Ranges with the Nimmo's.

At the Kaikoura Railway Station was Robinson R44 Raven II ZK-HLD5 c/n 12261 in its definitive paint scheme. First registered to Skysales on 16-06-08 and to Kaikoura Helicopters on 14-07-08.

Unknown AA1 at North Shore

This trailer, presumably a promotional tool, was noted at North Shore Airfield on 16-03-2008.
Any one know the identity of this aircraft ?

Robinson R22 Beta ZK-HGQ

My first sighting of ZK-HGQ4 at Christchurch on Friday 31-10-08. Robinson R22 Beta , c/n 1438 , was built with the manufacturers test registration of N40030 before delivery to Peru as OB-1632P in September 1995. As such it arrived in Nelson in the last week of August 2003 and was stored before becoming ZK-HYT3 on 07-12-07 for Tim Douglas-Clifford.
Rick Lucas Helicopters (Helipro) of Palmerston North became the listed owners from 14-03-08.
This pic shows ZK-HYT3 at Heli-Maintenance, Christchurch on 28-11-07 - before becoming officially registered.

Earlier - 01-03-2007 to be precise - Rick Lucus registered a Kawasaki BK117 B-1 , c/n 1030 , as ZK-HGQ3 , ex JA9941.

Pic above shows the BK117 B-1 JA9941 coming together to be ZK-HGQ3 at Palmerston North on 11-02-07.

Whats all this leading up to ?

For reasons unknown to me, Rick wanted the BK117 registerd as ZK-HYT and the Robinson to be ZK-HGQ. To do this the Robinson was re-registered as ZK-IIZ on 13-05-08 very briefly, thusly freeing up the ZK-HYT marks, then the BK117 took up these vacated marks;. Once that was done the Robinson then moved to take up the freed up ZK-HGQ marks.

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Aero L29 ZK-JRF really does exist.

Aero L-29 ZK-JRF , c/n 892851, was observed today in the rear of the Wairakei Holdings hangar at the western side of Christchurch Airport.

Compared with others of its type in NZ that I have observed, this is a really tidy unit.

It is stored in John's hangar along with his EC 120 ZK-IFR.

It has been registered in NZ since 30-10-2007. Previously being #2851 with the Czech military.

It will shortly be joined by the NA78 Harvard ZK-XSA, which is moving in from Forest Field.

The tidy office has many "Western" instruments.

....