Helicopters at Motueka

Spotted on Wednesday (2023.05.10) at Motueka Aerodrome were three choppers receiving maintainence at Argus Aviation on the north side of the aerodrome.

MD 520 NOTAR - ZK-ISO (cn LN-006)

This bright red machine, was originaly built in September of 1991 as N526FB (LN006). It first saw service with the City of Phoenix Police Department of Phoenix, Arizona.

In May of 2006, N526FB was sold off to Germany, and became D-HABF of Hahn Helicopter Flight Services Gmbh, Germany. Whilst in Germany, it operated for just under 4 years and took on the bright red scheme.

During January 2010, the airframe was listed for sale.

Eventaully, purchased by New Zealand customer Faram Aviation Group Ltd of Hastings in August of 2013, the aircraft joined the New Zealand register as ZK-ISO. Coast to Coast Helicopters of Blenheim purchased the machine in October 2018, where it still resides.

ZK-ISO was previously featured on the blog here.

MD 520 NOTAR - ZK-IEG (cn LN-016)

Built in April 1992, this machine first saw service with Heli-Max of Ontario, Canada as C-FMYW (LN-016). On February 13th 2006, C-FMYW was purchased by Heli-Transport of Trois Rivieres, Canada. LN-016 first saw New Zealand skies in 2011 after being purchased by Reid Heslop Helicopters Ltd of Wakefield, as ZK-IJW (Previously mentioned here). ZK-IJW had multiple different operators in the South Island over the next 5 years before being purchased by Heliventures NZ Ltd of Oamaru in December 2016. Heliventures NZ re-registered the machine as ZK-IEG in January 2017 before being sold off to Hanmer Springs Helicopters (Amuri Helicopters Ltd), of Hanmer Springs on the 14th of September 2018 where it remains. The Amuri Helicopters logo can be noted on the tail boom.

ZK-IEG was previously mentioned on the blog here.

Aerospatiale AS350FX ZK-HJM (cn 1671)

A second Hanmer Springs Helicopters (Amuri Helicopters Ltd) machine was next to ZK-IEG (pictured above), ZK-HJM, an Aerospatiale AS350FX (c/n 1671). 

ZK-HJM flew from Twizel to Motueka on the 27th of April 2023 with a flight time of just over 2 hours. It remained in Motueka for two weeks before travelling to the West Coast the day after being photographed above.

ZK-HJM has been featured on this blog here.

 

Andy Heaps photos # 1

 ZK-HDQ

 ZK-HEX

 ZK-HEX

 ZK-HFF

 ZK-HHB

 ZK-HHF

 ZK-HJI

 ZK-HJM

 ZK-HKA

ZK-HNC.

Amuri spraying

Not far from Engineers Camp at the bottom end of the Lewis Pass I caught the Aerospatiale AS 350FX ZK-HJM4 (c/n 1671) at work spraying gorse. Unfortunately I did not get to the spraying site but got a few pics at the loading spot and then back at their Hanmer base to watch the spray gear being removed so that it could take some hunters into the hills.
Above HJM is away with another load, and below it is back for more.

The bottom three shots show the spray tank being removed - a simple one man operation.
First view the spray booms and pump have already been removed and the front of the tank has been lowered onto it its ground handling wheels which are already fitted, and the rear wheel is just being plugged in.

 Lower the back end of the tank onto its wheel.

 Then trundle the tank to its storage area.

An earlier blog on this helicopter is at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2008/02/amuri-helicopters-as350ba-zk-hjm.html

Overflow.

I dropped into Amuri Helicopters at Hanmer last Wednesday - just to be nosey - and picked up this shot of the Aerospatiale AS 350BA/FX ZK-HJM, c/n 1671, about to do some bucket spreading tests.

We have featured this helicopter before. See:-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2008/02/amuri-helicopters-as350ba-zk-hjm.html

Their two R44's were also on site.

Outside Hangar One at Christchurch yesterday was the Boeing 737-33A ZK-NGP , c/n 27459, bereft of engines and ANZ markings.

It carried out its last revenue flight on the 14th. 

Also yesterday at Hangar One but with just its nose extending beyond the buildings was Boeing 737-8FE VH-VOM ,c/n 33794, "Little Blue Peep".

 Looks like a frost covered fuse - but too late in the day !

Amuri Helicopters.

 We went for a squirt with Amuri Helicopters out of their Hanmer Springs base the other day using the Aerospatiale AS 350 FX ZK-HJM4 (c/n 1671).

The intention was to get up to Mount Mahanga but the meteorological Gods had other Ideas. Here we sit weather bound at Lake Tennyson.

An earlier post on HJM is at :- http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/amuri-spraying.html

Amuri Helicopters also operate two Robinson R44 Raven II's - ZK-IJT (c/n 10188) [which was originally ZK-IMP]; and ZK-HTF5 (c/n 11990) as seen below in this early morning shot.

Mission successful the following day.

Amuri Helicopters AS350BA ZK-HJM

I got a pic yesterday of the "new" Amuri Helicopters AS350BA ZK-HJM/4.

c/n 1671, sitting outside its hangar near Hanmer.

Can anyone tell me exactly what an AS350 FX is ? (as seen on the tail boon).

Aerospatiale AS350FX ZK-HJM

Amuri Helicopters Aerospatiale AS350FX ZK-HJM was spotted a fair way from home when it popped into Ardmore briefly 22 January. It is seen here alighting from the Oceania Helicopters facility before making its way southbound.

Million dollar mouse.

Soon to take place is the Million Dollar Mouse Project which is the eradication of mice from the Antipodes Islands

 Two helicopters will be supplied for the baiting operation. 

One from Amuri Helicopters based in Hanmer and one from Southern Lakes Helicopters based near Te Anau.

Amuri Helicopters will provide their AS 350BA (350FX) ZK-HJM (c/n 1671). 

A practice of the helicopter and ship operations took place in Timaru on the 24th and 25th of March to practice and prove the movements of helicopters aboard.

See https://www.facebook.com/milliondollarmouse/videos/1067886439934893/

   Tony Michelle from Amuri Helicopters/ Island Aerial Solutions will be the Chief Pilot. 

 Darron McCully will pilot the second helicopter (ZK-HMD) which took part in a sample loading and seeding exercise at the Levels Raceway near Timaru Airport recently.

See https://www.facebook.com/milliondollarmouse/videos/1067788739944663/

There is a dedicated blog page for this operation at :-

http://milliondollarmouse.org.nz/

Into the hills again.

 Oh blast !  I hate it when this happens. Snow down my neck again.

Transport home from Mahanga in the Spencer Mountains on the 25th was the Amuri Helicopters Aerospatiale AS 350 FX ZK-HJM4  (c/n 1671).

 Last August we did the trip in the Coat to Coast MD Notar ZK-ISO (c/n LN-006).

Much more snow then - mind you it was later in the season.

Above pic taken at the Amuri Helicopters base near Hanmer Springs.

Million Dollar Mouse progress.

There was a snip on TVNZ news tonight covering the Million Dollar Mouse eradication project on the Antipodes Islands.

Below is ZK-HJM being readied to go ashore.

See  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2wzOGeuhLE

Below three snap shots from the TVNZ item.

An earlier post is at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/million-dollar-mouse.html