More History of the Amphibious Savannah ZK-CEE/2

Following my previous post on the newly registered amphibious Savannah ZK-CEE2 (see HERE), we have been contacted by the new owner Fergus Watts who has sent some more information on its history:

Fergus advises that the Savannah is a 2016 factory built example that was flown out of Nusatupe Island in the Western Solomon Islands, which is South of Bourganville in the Solomon Sea, and also about 400 km East of Port Moresby in New Guinea.  Nusatupe Island is pretty much all airstrip and was constructed by the Americans during WW2 by flattening two islands and joining them together using the excavated material.  It was redeveloped in 2013 under a New Zealand aid programme and is now Nusatupe Airport, and this is where Bishop Capelli based I-C664 in the hangar photo'd above.

Don Luciano Capelli was the Bishop of Gizo Diocese in the remote Western Solomons.  The Savannah features his own personal coat of arms, designed when he was appointed Bishop in accordance with Catholic and Vatican heraldry tradition, and that has been kept for ZK-CEE2.  The above photo shows him pointing out details of the crest.  He retired in August 2023 and left the Solomons in 2025 after which Fergus Watts acquired the Savannah and recovered it to New Zealand.

Fergus told me that although the Savannah was registered to a Napier address in the medium term it will be flown out of Whangarei by him and Steve Cull.

N8336C "Spirit of Douglas" at Christchurch.

 The Douglas DC-3A (C-53) N8336C c/n 7313 "Spirit of Douglas" flew into Christchurch International Airport on 17-03-2026 and has been based at the GCH Aviation facility.

Since arrival it has required an engine change and is now back in the air.

As you can imagine this aircraft has an extensive story to tell since its construction in mid 1942.

Far too much for me to include here.

A search of GOOGLE will produce screeds of information.

HERE is a good place to start.

It has also been briefly mentioned previously on this site see HERE

Below is a partial history of the airframe.

Tony McFarlin captured her returning to Christchurch following a local flight.

Well done Tony.

Our Flight to Te Kowhai in Sling 4 TSi ZK-DBV/2

I have done a couple of posts from the Chipmunk 80th anniversary flyin at Te Kowhai last Saturday, but I thought it might be interesting for some blog readers to hear about our flight down there from Kaipara Flats.

First off, Arjen Visser's Sling 4 TSi ZK-DBV2 is a very capable aircraft that is equipped with pretty much all the bells and whistles with an all Garmin screen set up as well as an autopilot.  For example when we were flying the display tells you what airfields you are in gliding range of in case of an engine failure (but it doesn't go all the way and automatically land the aircraft which is a feature that can be had in the US).

As part of the safety briefing (and because I am in the right hand front seat) Arjen tells me that in the extremely unlikely event of him becoming incapacitated I should push the Level button to bring the wings level, then turn off both ignition lanes, and then pull the big red ballistic parachute handle!  Of course if we are over the water then first glide to land if you can before initiating the procedure

Arjen programmed the autopilot to fly over Parakai and then in a direct line to Te Kowhai.  We took off from Kaipara Flats airfield with 3 POB and the weather was less than ideal with very grey skies and areas of low cloud.  We got across the hills to the Kaipara Harbour and the visibility was OK but there were lots of low clouds down past Parakai.  We could see the coastline but Arjen made a decision that we would go over the top of the clouds.  He could do this because he has a transponder and ADSB so he can fly in controlled airspace.  So Arjen set the autopilot to climb at 95 knots and to level out at 8,000 feet.  Then just before we climb into the Auckland Approach controlled airspace he calls them up on 124.3 and they quickly approve the request to enter controlled airspace.  Then we are up in controlled airspace with all the Air New Zealand and other airlines' planes (We don't worry about the poor pilots scrabbling around in the murk on 119.1!)

We are now flying serenely above the clouds at 8,000 feet on autopilot and I am reminded of flying on the airlines! (except I can see ahead where we are going - more clouds).  Seemingly all around us are Air New Zealand flights on the screen and at one point Auckland Approach asks us to change heading to 090 as there is a (probably ATR 72) coming our way.  After a while we are told to re-head for Te Kowhai which the autopilot calculates for us.  After a brief handover to Bay Approach our read out shows that we are about 12 nautical miles from Te Kowhai.  Ahead there is still cloud but off to our right is a gap so we head for that and descend in the clear to find we are just North of Raglan.

If you click to enlarge this photo twice you can see lots of cars parked on Raglan Airfield which was closed by NOTAM as they are running a shuttle bus from the airfield to the World Surf League surfing contest that is being held at Manu Bay, South of Raglan (at the top right).

Then we head back to Te Kowhai under the clouds in VFR passing the Te Uku wind turbine farm and find the airfield straight ahead so we descend and join on the non-traffic side and proceed to land on Runway 05 just after the "Chipmunk Blue" 4 ship Chipmunk flight has landed.

As we were descending to Te Kowhai we got a good view of earthworks progress on the new Airpark, Stage 1 of which will consist of 35 to 40 larger sections.  And that is a Chipmunk on roll out, bottom left (click to enlarge).

Thank you Arjen for the eye opening flight!  We arrived much fresher than I have in the past when I have flown my D9 down there at around 1,500 feet.  However on the flight back the weather had improved so we flew back up the coast at 2,000 feet (and as required below 1,500 feet across the Manukau heads when an Air NZ A320 flew right above us).  This was all flown manually.  Such an easy plane to fly and all the while in armchair comfort!

I am tempted to say "It is flying Jim, but not as we know it!"

Wellington sightings today 24-05-2026

 Allister Jenks was on site at Wellington Airport today and offers these photographs of some of the activity from the Western side.

The Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter ZK-HES4 arrived in from New Plymouth with a patient transfer - then departed back to its home base

This MBB MBB-BK117 B2 / 850D2 with the c/n 7205 was initially registered in Germany as D-HIMV in 1992 and operated in the EMS role. It moved up to Norway and became LN-OSY2 before returning to Germany in 2008 as D-HBAY4 with ADAC. It was converted to an 850D2 model and joined the New Zealand register as ZK-HES4 with Airwork (NZ) Ltd on 18-09-2017. 

It has served in the EMS role at several locations since then under the Search And Rescue Services title since October of 2019 - and is currently the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter based at New Plymouth.

Its HES registration letters are cunningly hidden behind the winching gear.

The classic Cessna 172 ZK-BVP c/n 36582 harks back to March of 1958 when it was listed by Rural Aviation Ltd at New Plymouth. After a multitude of owners it was taken up by Avskills in 2011 and passed to Nicola Marchant of Amberley in April of 2014. It dropped into Wellington from the family property in the northern Marlborough Sounds.

Grumman American AA-1B Trainer ZK-DKX c/n AA1B-0198 was one of a batch of GA aircraft imported by NZ Aerospace Industries at Hamiton in the '70's. It has lived in the Takaka - Nelson region since 1980 - currently listed to Gallett Properties Ltd of Nelson. 

It popped into Wellington on its way to Paraparaumu today.

A recent addition to the EMS fleet in NZ is this MBB BK117D-2 ZK-IGB2 c/n 20247. 

Built as D-HADY9 for delivery to REGA in Switzerland as HB-ZQM in February of 2019.

It was listed to GCH Aviation Ltd at Christchurch as ZK-IGB2 on 14-11-2025 and first flew at Christchurch as such on 10-03-2026.

On a quick flight from Christchurch to Wellington and back to Christchurch today.

A Couple of other Aircraft from Te Kowhai Yesterday

As well as the Chipmunks there were quite a few other sport aircraft visiting Te Kowhai yesterday.  Two that were new to me and the blog were as follows:

Vans RV 7 ZK-JDS2 (c/n 73662) is one of our newest Vans aircraft.  It was registered to the JDS Syndicate of Hamilton on 23/5/25.  I don't think it is based at Te Kowhai as it departed soon after us.

And arriving back at Te Kowhai just before we left was the B 22J Bantam ZK-JSW2 (c/n 07-0316) which has very recently been re-registered from ZK-ZAF for John S Wilson of Hamilton.

De Havilland DHC 1 Chipmunk 80th Birthday Celebrations at Te Kowhai Today 23-5-2026

To further celebrate the 80th birthday of the first flight of a Chipmunk in Canada on 22 May 1946, several local examples gathered at Te Kowhai today.  There were six Chipmunks on the airfield:

Six Chipmunks and two Tiger Moths lined up.  Rob McNair flew his Tiger Moth down from Ardmore later to make 3 Tiger Moths on the airfield.  The Chipmunks were:

The Brookland Syndicate's ZK-ARL from Waipukurau, flown up by Jerry Chisum.

Neil McHugh's Te Kowhai based ZK-UAS which didn't have far to come!

Doug Norman's recently acquired Walter LOM 332 powered Chipmunk ZK-LOM.

After an abortive attempt at some formation flying which was thwarted by the weather around midday, three of the Chipmunks launched again at 2 pm.  First off was the NZ Warbirds ZK-RFS, owned by Vintage Wings of Auckland

The Chipmunk Syndicate's ZK-SAX was next.

And last off was Pro Flight New Zealand Ltd's ZK-CHP2 flown by Vaughn Davis.  Later he flew a solo aerobatics routine.

The De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk is eighty years old today 22 May 2026.

 First Flight of the De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk on 

May 22, 1946 at Downsview, Ontario. 

The Chipmunk was the first post World War Two aviation project by De Havilland Canada. 

The design and construction, from inception to first flight took less than a year. It was designed as an all metal, two place, tandem primary trainer, powered with the 'in house' Gipsy Major engine.

De Havilland Canada built 217 aircraft, with De Havilland UK building 1000, and OGMA in Portugal a further 66 airframes.

The Chipmunk served with the Canadian Air Force, the Royal Air Force and at least twelve other military groups.

The UK built aircraft were for the military so it was the Canadian versions which joined the NZ civil register first with ZK-APN (c/n 021) being listed on 29-07-1947 to the De Havilland Aircraft Company at Wellington Airport and then to the Wellington Aero Club. Then followed ZK-ARL (c/n 061) also for the Wellington Aero Club. 

Our first two "Chippies" - The Poor Mans Spitfire.

Five additional preloved Canadian airframes came from India in the 1990,s - three of then entering the NZ register as ZK-ARM, ZK-CVM2, and ZK-DHC2, with the two others in storage somewhere.

Sixteen ex UK military have been entered onto the NZ register, with ZK-BSS and ZK-BSV appearing in 1957. The others arriving post 1974.

ZK-CPY and ZK-XUK at Ashburton on 25-01-2014.

ZK-CVM with the Canadian blown canopy.

There is also one US registered Chipmunk flying regularly in NZ as N861WP with 

Bevan Dewes.

Earlier Chipmunk posts can be found HEREAs seen on ZK-CPY 40 years ago.

A Couple More Spanning the Years at Ardmore

It was a fabulous weather day last Tuesday when I called into Ardmore to have a look at what was at Avspecs.  It was also very quiet flying wise however I did manage to photo a couple of planes that were out in the sun:

The lovely Ryan ST-3KR (is it a PT 22?) ZK-RYN was out sparkling in the sun by the Warbirds hangar so I thought I would be a bit arty and take the photo into the sun as it sparkled off the aircraft.  It is painted in US Army colours from 1942.  Nice!

Then down at the Avspecs end, David Cranna taxied out in his also spectacular Extra Flugzeugbau GmbH EA 300/LC ZK-XLX (the C stands for Carbon Fibre).  This was the first time I had seen this aircraft so I was pretty pleased to photograph it.  

Later it occurred to me that both the Ryan and the Extra are low wing tandem taildraggers but they are worlds apart in their construction and performance.

Cresco ZK-JOF working from Nelson.

 The Pacific Aerospace Cresco 08-600 ZK-JOF c/n 032 of Otago Airspread Ltd ((Nelson Division)) arrived into Nelson via Taieri and Twizel on the 15th and has been busy working the area to the west since.

In the above photo, from Bill Mannix, it has just arrived back at Nelson at the end of a long days work.

It is hard to believe that this airframe is coming up to 25 years old. In fact the early Cresco's were hatched in the very early 1980's.

ZK-JOF was officially registered on 01-07-2002 to Lonaoks Pty Ltd c/o Pacific Aerospace of Hamiton. It first flew on the 11th and was ferried from Hamilton to Lord Howe Island on 07-08-2002 - then on to points further west. Presumably as a demonstrator. 

It did not join the Australian aircraft register and was ferried beck to NZ on a ten hour flight from Coffs Harbour to Napier on 06-09-2002.

It took up with Andy Stephenson under his Farmers Air label from Gisborne from 13-09-2002. 

Life for it has not been all aerial application work.

ZK-JOF above as seen at Taupo on 03-03-2008.

It spent some time in the meat bombing role. **

Note the large open door, the fuselage side windows., the rear vision mirror, the hand hold rail above the door and the large step below the door.

 Title was officially transferred to the Farmers Air Ltd name from 07-01-2011.

Super Air Ltd of Hamilton took it over on 04-03-2014 until it was bought by Des Neill of Otago Airspread Ltd of Mosgiel after they took over the SuperAir/Phoenix Aviation business in Gore in late 2024. 

The Phoenix Fletcher FU24-400 ZK-EGI, the PAC XL750 ZK-PNX and the modified Fletcher FU24 ZK-CBA went up north to SuperAir and the Cresco ZK-JOF went south in return. 

ZK-JOF is normally Gore based and piloted by Ryan Neill, son of Otago Airspread owner/pilot Des Neill.

It is actually in the Nelson area covering the unserviceable locally based Ravensdown Cresco ZK-LTW which is in the Generation Global hangar receiving some tlc.

** meat bombing is another way of saying parachuting.

Tuesday at Rangiora.

I found three strays at Rangiora on Tuesday last (19th May).

Outside Aerofix was the Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-HPP3 c/n 1082 - over from Karamea.

The Rans S-6EC Coyote II ZK-KOT c/n 06081887-ES came in from the Kokonga region via Timaru.

 It was acquired by Petre Innes back about March of 2025 and replaces his Zenair CH701               STOL ZK-MIZ2. 

Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 Hawk iS ZK-TGB c/n 370 up from Timaru. It has been in the hands of Graham Smith since new. 

It carries the script "Pilot - Graham" and "Copilot - Margaret" on their respective side of the canopy.

All three have been covered previously in these pages.