The ACH125 ZK-HZS at Queens Wharf today.

 Tasman Helicopters Ltd's Airbus AS 350 B3 ZK-HZS4 c/n 9366 was noted on Queens Wharf at Wellington today by Allister Jenks.

It arrived from in Nelson via the top of 'The Sounds' and returned to Nelson the same way.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Aerodyne Vector 610s

After the distractions of the last couple of weeks, it is time to get back to microlights of NZ.

The next type of microlight to be registered in New Zealand was the Aerodyne Vector 610 which was descended from the Klaus Hill designed Humbug and developed through the twin 9 HP Chrysler Power-Bee powered Vector 600 by the Vector Aircraft Corp, and Vector Aircraft was bought up by Aerodyne Systems Inc of Millers Falls, Massachusetts in 1982.  The Vector 610 first appeared at Sun N Fun at Lakeland, Florida in March 1982.  It was powered by a 22 HP Zenoah G25B engine (2 stroke of course)

As can be seen in the above brochure, the New Zealand (Australasian) agents were Airsports Ltd of Tauranga which was the company formed by Arch Haddow who was a foundation member of MAANZ.  You can click once or twice to enlarge the above photos to read them more easily.

We have had five Vector 610s registered in New Zealand:

ZK-FDP (c/n MAANZ/144)  Registered 29 Sep 1982 to Haddow Investments Ltd, Tauranga (Arch Haddow) t/a Airsports Ltd, Tauranga, then 21 Aug 1984 R. A. Emms, Opotiki, then 13 Oct 1989 Alan R. Graham, Mount Maunganui. then 15 Jun 1994 N. F. Bartley-Berry, then 25 Sep 1994 Neil M. France, Auckland.   Cancelled 31 Oct 1995 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-EXJ (c/n 1314 and MAANZ/165)  Registered 19 Oct 1982 to J. F. Meijer, Tauranga, then 23 Mar 1988 Andrew A. & M. J. Jasper, Greymouth.   Cancelled 28 Mar 2012 registration revoked.

ZK-AMV (c/n 1316)

Arrived in NZ and test flown at Ardmore 1982.  Registered 21 Jun 1984 to B. A. J. Hirtzell, Auckland Last flown 1988 & stored.  Cancelled 8 Nov 1994 as withdrawn from use.

ZK-FJC (c/n MAANZ/260)

Registered 16 Jun 1984 to Hillary Bell, Waiomu (near Thames) then later Waipukurau ,  Cancelled 28 Jun 2001 registration revoked.  Stored with Ron Day at Waipukurau.

ZK-VEC (c/n 1312 and MAANZ/141)

Registered 1 Oct 1982 to Haddow Investments Ltd t/a Airsports Ltd, Tauranga.  In this model the nosewheel cants during flight and must be centered before landing. This was not done and consequently the nosewheel broke off on landing at Tauranga 1 April 1983.  Then 5 Jun 1984 Brian D. Umbers, Matamata, then 18 Apr 1990 J. F. Bayliss, Te Puke, then 5 Aug 1992 G. R. Faulkner, Tauranga.  Cancelled 18 Sep 1998 as withdrawn from use.  

Another shot of ZK-CBS

Photo courtesy of Hunter Weir from the "Marlborough Aviation Group" Facebook page.

A new colour scheme for ZK-CBS

 Lord Nelson grabbed this long shot of the Patchett Ag Air Ltd's Cessna 185A ZK-CBS c/n 185-0398 in its new paint scheme.

Nice to see it retains a small "Mount Cook Lilly" on its fin.

SEE HERE for more photos of ZK-CBS.  Just keep scrolling down.

A Couple More from Ardmore Yesterday 1-10-2026

Yesterday I was with a group of MOTAT volunteers led by Flyernzl who were interested to see a couple of Mosquitos in the flesh.  In between Mosquitos we had lunch at the Ardmore cafe at a reserved table on the deck.  It was quite neat to be able to sit there with my camera handy while a succession of aircraft came and went.  Here are a couple of them:

The Embraer EMB 500 Phenom 100 ZK-PHN taxied out and took off.  This is a 2011 model that has been operated by owners in Odessa in the Ukraine, Tbilisi in Georgia and in Guernsey before coming to New Zealand in December 2020.  It was registered ZK-PHN on 8/12/20 to Pouaki Investments Ltd of Auckland and it is operated by Pacific Jets Ltd of Ardmore.

And somewhat incongruously an ag helicopter arrived, being Helisika's Airbus AS 350 B2 Squirrel equipped as a sprayer ZK-IDJ3.  Helisika Agricultural Ltd have only owned it since May 2026.

And on the Mosquito front there is good progress on both the B IV series 2 bomber DZ542 at Drury (this is for sale and you can find out more about it on the net), and also the FB Mark VI TE881 at Avspecs with engine runs not too far away I reckon.  More exciting times!

Northern Rescue Helicopter's Leonardo AW 169 ZK-IHB/2 at Ardmore Today 1-10-2026

The latest Northern Rescue Helicopter's Leonardo AW 169 was out at Ardmore today.  This is the fourth Leonardo AW 169 in their upgraded fleet:

ZK-IHB2 (c/n 69062) is a 2018 model built by Leonardo Helicopters spA in Milan, Italy.  It was registered as SE-JSI on 1 Feb 2018 to Vertical Aviation No.2 Ltd, Dublin, Ireland and was operated as an air ambulance in Sweden.  It was cancelled on 15/11/24 and shipped to New Zealand.

It was registered as ZK-IHB2 on 19/2/25 to Northern Rescue Helicopter Ltd of Whangarei, but it has only recently been restored to airworthy status.
 

King Airs rule the roost at Nelson September 30th.

Bill Mannix snapped these three Beechcraft King Airs at Nelson yesterday 30-09-2026.

The locally based King Air B200 of the New Zealand Flying Doctor Service ZK-FDT2 c/n BB-1934 entered service on 12-12-2023.

A more informative post on this airframe can be seen HERE

In the background above is the King Air B200 ZK-LFL c/n BB-1814 as registered with Air Freight NZ Ltd and operated by Life Flight.

As mentioned previously HERE

Above we have ZK-SDH2 c/n BB-1643 - also a King Air B200, registered to Skyline Aviation of Napier but operated by Southern Districts Health out of Momona (Dunedin).

This was first noted in the USA in late 1998 as N23356 with Raytheon for delivery to the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Jandakot, West Australia as VH-LWO from July of 1999.

From November 2010 it was with two private operators before being ferried from Gold Coast, through Norfolk Island to reach Napier on 29-08-2020.

It became ZK-SDH2 with Skyline on 01-10-2020 - with the SDH registration inferring

Southern Districts Health.

PAL XL 750 Falco 3000 ZK-PNX at Hamilton

The Super Air Pacific Aerospace Ltd XL 750 modified to Falco 3000 configuration ZK-PNX has been wheeled out by Part 66 Maintenance at Hamilton in a spectacular new colour scheme:

ZK-PNX in its new Super Air scheme which features the logo of parent company Ballance Agri Nutrients prominently.  This scheme might be a one off although Super Air do operate another Falco 3000 being ZK-JBC.  The photo is a screen shot from the Part 66 Maintenance Facebook page.

Piper PA18-95 Super Cub ZK-BSK

After being hangared at Whitianga airfield for some years the acquisition of Super Cub ZK-BSK by new Whitianga syndicate owners has seen it return to flying.   Originally built in November 1960 it first flew at Ardmore in March 1961 before delivery to the Wellington Aero Club.   Today it flew down to Pauanui airfield for coffee with 6 other Whitianga resident aircraft.

 

Vans RV 7 ZK-JMX at Mercer

I recently came across a photo of Ken Watters' new RV 7, taken by Ken at Mercer:

ZK-JMX (c/n 70423) is a long term project of Ken's and was registered on 14/10/21.  It has not flown yet and Ken is working through the list of to do jobs before it is ready for final inspection.

Thanks for the photo Ken.