Unregistered But Not a Microlight - Chris Henry's and Warwick Vaile's 1912 Curtiss Pusher Replica

Over the years there must have been many hundreds of guys who sat in their sheds and dreamed of building their own aircraft.  And a lot of them did just that by joining the Amateur Aircraft Constructors Association (AACA - the fore-runner of SAANZ) and starting on building their aircraft.  Back in those days (the 1960s and 70s) in New Zealand building an aircraft was very regulated. 

There were only certain types of aircraft that were approved for homebuilding and once you had your set of plans you had to get them stamped and registered with the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport and then you were appointed a Stage Inspector by the AACA, who had practical experience with aircraft building.  Actually when you got past the bureaucracy this was a really great system and your stage inspector, who was a volunteer, became a mentor and encouraged you along.  You had a building log that needed to be signed off by your stage inspector at certain points, for example before you glued the back face on a box spar after which it could not be seen inside again (all the homebuilt aircraft were wooden in the beginning, until welded steel tube fuselages came along).  Also you had to always use release-noted aircraft grade materials which even included the spruce timber that you used.

I can imagine that some guys would prefer to just do their own thing and build their aircraft however they wanted it, and that is what a small but unknown number of aircraft builders in New Zealand did.

This was the case with a couple of young motorcycle racers from Cambridge, Chris Henry and Warwick Vaile.  Chris Henry part owned a motorcycle shop in Cambridge with his brother in the 1970s and they were the North Island agents for Ducati motorcycles. 

 I have not been able to find out why, but sometime in the 1970s Chris Henry and Warwick Vaile started building a replica of a 1912 Curtiss Flyer aircraft.  Obviously this didn’t fit in with the strictures of the homebuilt aircraft system but they went ahead and started building anyway.

I have heard reports from around that time that they built their aircraft in a workshop near to the motorcycle shop from outlines drawn in chalk on their workshop floor (shades of how the Jodel D9 was hatched), and also that there were lots of aircraft parts around the motorcycle shop over various times.  I don’t know if they ever approached CAD at the time but I suspect not as their aircraft was never registered, (and anyway I know what the answer would have been!)

 The aircraft must have been finished by late 1976/early 1977 as there is a photo on the internet of Warwick Vaile flying it which is dated March 1977.  I understand that both Chris and Warwick flew it from at least 2 farm airstrips near Cambridge.  This was after both having no prior experience of flying!  I guess that shows that Glenn Curtiss’s machine was pretty well behaved.

Warwick Vaile (above) and Chris Henry (below) flying their magnificent creation.

Now we shift our attention to Tom Krippner’s airstrip at Ngahinapouri where Chris and Warwick assembled their Curtiss Flyer, probably in 1977.  We can date this because there are home movies of it taxying there with a young Ivan Krippner in the movie aged around 5 years old.  The movies show the aircraft being taxied with verve up and down the airstrip.  Ivan’s brother Paul recalls that this spirited taxying went on over many months of weekends and led to hops (flights?) down the runway with various Waikato homebuilt aircraft pilots such as Max Clear dropping in to observe progress.  Obviously quite a few locals knew about it. 

At Krippner's Strip at Ngahinapouri, obviously on a colder day!

Sometime, probably later on in 1977, Chris and Warwick were operating the Curtis Flyer off the Ngahinapouri airstrip and a local TV crew was there.  They captured the aircraft flying but on its final flight there was a fuel pressure problem which caused a loss of power and the aircraft came to rest in the top of some tall trees beside the airstrip (shades of Richard Pearse!).  Ivan Krippner’s home movie compilation shows it in the trees and didn’t appear to be damaged much.  A crane was called from Hamilton and Paul Krippner relates that the crane operator didn’t want to come but was enticed with “you will be on TV” so the crane eventually turned up but by that time the TV crew had gone home! 

The Flyer perched at the top of the trees

And being craned down, largely undamaged.

Another contact remembers seeing this adventure on local TV and I understand that the Civil Aviation Division called round to see the boys and issued a cease and desist notice (shades of Geoff Williams who built 4 unregistered aircraft at Dunedin between the 1960s and 1990s).  However in this case notice was taken of CAD and the Flyer ended up at MOTAT.

 It was hung up at MOTAT for quite a few years where Peter Lewis saw it and he said everyone referred to it as “the MOTAT biplane” without knowing anything more about it.  The last information I have about it was when it was on display at a motor racing meeting at Pukekohe raceway in the mid 1990s, and then MOTAT seems to have lost it.  Does anyone out there know where it might be today?

Thanks to Warwick Vaile who supplied the above photos to Dave Homewood in 2024. 

Two Canterbury Sunday shots.

Douglas DC3A N8336C c/n 7313 is seen below returning to Christchurch International following a Sunday jolly out West around the Mount Hutt area.

Its history has been previously mentioned HERE

Meanwhile at Rangiora the Alpi Pioneer 300S ZK-RMV c/n 36 is having a wash down.ZK-RMV is actually our oldest Alpi 300. It was first registered in Florida as N121AA on 4-04-2001.

Its US registration was cancelled on 23-01-2004 and it was registered to Rudi K Wenk of Petone on   04-03-2004, using his initials, to become ZK-RWK.  

Pioneer Aviators acquired it from 11-05-2005 and re-registered it as ZK-RMV on 16-05-2005.

It then went to the RMV Syndicate of Rotorua, on 21-02-2013 with whom it is still current, but with a move to Rangiora from 13-03-2021.

Merlin Labs Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-MLQ

 The latest Cessna 208B Grand Caravan for Merlin Labs NZ Ltd's fleet ZK-MLQ is c/n 208B1035.

I first noted it listed as N421YC with the Cessna Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas and then certified to Station Management Inc of Dallas, Texas on 21-10-2005. Its US registration was cancelled on 21-10-2005 and was delivered to Storth Pty Ltd of Milton, Queensland for registration in Australia as VH-ZGS2 on 28-10-2005.

 It was operated by Austrek Aviation of Moree, NSW before being moved on to Lip-Air Ltd at Cairns from 12-09-2006. They re-registered it as VH-WZY2 on 14-09-2006. A couple more owner/operators included West Wing Aviation at Townsville from April 2009, Skytrans Pty Ltd of Stratford, Queensland from November of 2016 and Peter Collings Holdings Pty Ltd of Townsville from mid 2025. 

It was noted departing Gold Coat for Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands on 09-01-2026 and then on to Auckland the following day.

It became ZK-MLQ for Merlin Labs NZ Ltd of Kerikeri in mid-February this year.

It flew from Kerikeri to Ardmore, where Errol Cavit captured it before it moved on to Paraparaumu on Saturday the 1st of August.

On the tie downs at Christchurch International today - Saturday August 1st 2026

 On this mean chilly Saturday lunchtime, I found these three aircraft on the tie down wire near the Canterbury Aero Club.Cessna 185D Skywagon ZK-CKP is c/n 1850796 and has been with the Cameron family at Otematata Station sine late 1987 after its seventeen years previously as a ski plane with Mount Cook.

The Cirrus Design SR22 GTS ZK-PGU is c/n 1639 came into NZ from Australia, where it had been VH-PHU2, in May of 2021 for the NZ Agents B B Aviation of Feilding.

It moved to WHG Management Ltd of Cromwell in September last.

Cessna A185F Skywagon ZK-TWZ is c/n 18502289 has been with Glenbrook Station (2010) Ltd out of Omarama since arriving here in 2021.

Some of its previous history can be seen HERE

Both Cessnas arrived via the Mackenzie Basin, Hokitika, Karamea, Takaka and Motueka, whilst the Cirrus flew direct from Wanaka.

In the helicopter park was the oft noted Hughes 369D with the c/n 1280415D.

It used to visit reasonably frequently when it was ZK-HUW with Coastwide Helicopters and other operators. 

It joined the Alpine Group Ltd 09-12-2020 and had a re-registration to ZK-HOT8 on 18-12-2020.

As seen above it carries the 'alpine helicopters ltd' titles.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Unregistered Birdman Flying!

Yesterday I posted about Wyn Eggleston's unregistered Birdman TL-1A Birdman with a story about its unhopeful first flight and I asked the question "Can any blog reader add anything to this story?  Did Wyn's Birdman ever fly again?"

Well, we hit the jackpot when Kim Twentyman emailed that he had successfully flown the Birdman several times and he even had a photo of it flying! (from a newspaper article).

Kim wrote:  "I flew the Birdman of Wyn's 4 or 5 times over a short period and the trick was to get it on the step otherwise it would drag its back end and not climb out of ground effect.  Once you had mastered this it zipped along quite well and would climb at a fairly slow rate.  Finally, the discovery that the lack of propeller thrust over the tailplane resulted in no elevator control (and white knuckles).  This finished the flying of the Birdman.  It sat for years in the Yaldhurst Museum at Harewood and may still be there.  Wyn became the local agent for TEAM Aircraft and completed a Hi Max for himself powered by a 1/2 VW engine which I test flew and it was a lovely aircraft."

Thanks very much for the information Kim.

New Tecnam P 2012 Traveller Arrives

 We should mark the arrival of the first example of the Tecnam P 2012 Traveller in New Zealand:

Traveller T7-NZL arriving at Ardmore on 29 July after flying from Italy the long way around and clearing Customs.at NZAA.  I understand it will become ZK-JTK2.  For more photos and information head across to our sister blog 3rd Level New Zealand HERE 

Live wire work With ZK-IEJ

  Yesterday the Airbus Helicopters AS 355 NP ZK-IEJ2 c/n 5801 of Heliventures NZ Ltd of Oamaru   was carrying out live wire work at the Islington Substation, Christchurch.

Facinating occupation ?

Originally listed as F-WWPO to Airbus Helicopters in 2017 it went to the UK to become G-PERX on 02-05-2017 with Airbus Helicopters UK Ltd at Kidlington and to Heligroup Operations Ltd for an Aston Martin luxury fit out and then to Wycombe Helicopter Services Ltd of Reading from 14-09-2017.

On 25-02-2019 it was re-registered as G-TIJL to Wycombe Management Services LLP of Reading until cancellation on 30-07-2024 for export to New Zealand.

It was listed to Heliventures NZ Ltd on 02-08-2024.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Wyn Eggleston's Unregistered Birdman TL-1A

The Birdman TL-1 was a VERY light microlight aircraft that weighed only 130 pounds empty! (59 Kg).  It was marketed by its designer Emmett M Talley III in 1976, but its gloss faded somewhat with Talley's death during a demonstration flight in the prototype at Anaheim, California in May 1976.  Like many of the early microlights it was underpowered with a 10 HP Chrysler engine but it was an elegant design.  It had a length of 20 feet 3 inches (6.15 metres), a wingspan of 34 feet (10.36 metres) and a wing area of 144 square feet.  The photo below is of a Birdman, probably in Australia.

Christchurch man Wyn T Eggleston built a Birdman TL-1A and it was completed in 1982.  The Birdman was never registered but had a constructors number of MAANZ/41.  It made at least one flight and here is a description of that flight written in 1983 as provided by Janic Geelen:

"About a year ago an attempt was made to fly this very light machine which is powered by a 10 HP Chrysler motor.  Bruce Bonner, well known test pilots for homebuilt (aircraft) was to have the honour of first flight.  Extensive ground tests proved all was OK, especially in the power department.  Fears had been expressed as to the minimal amount of power available but according to the flight manual 55 pounds thrust was sufficient for flight.  Static tests on Wyn's plane was 72 pounds, plenty said Wyn.  

With Bruce on board, on an absolutely still morning at Claxby, the "Birdman" was wound to full throttle, the Chrysler motor buzzing out all its mighty 10 HP.  The plane trundled sedately across the airfield, eventually lifting off at what seemed a ridiculously low speed.  After gaining an altitude of  4 feet climbing ceased  and the boundary fence was cleared by inches.  After an amazing flat turn (what else at that height?) it disappeared behind some trees still travelling at little more than running pace.  A few seconds more and the buzzing abruptly stopped.  The expression on Wyn's face would have to be seen!  I hastily leapt aboard my Scout and flew across to find the Birdman sitting unharmed about 2 paddocks away from the airfield with Bruce standing alongside.  "It just wouldn't climb" he said.  "I obviously wasn't going to get back to the airfield so I landed".

The Birdman was dismantled and put back in the special trailer that Wyn had constructed to house it, and has remained thus ever since.  However a recent discussion with Wyn reveals that he still has plenty of enthusiasm and firmly believes the Birdman will fly properly.  There seems no reason that it should not, if the figures quoted in the flight manual are accurate.  Another attempt to fly the Birdman will be made in the near future".

Can any blog reader add anything to this story?  Did Wyn's Birdman ever fly again?

New Tecnam P-Mentor ZK-LZB with the Canterbury Aero Club

 Spotted today outside the Canterbury Aero Club engineering hangar was their new Tecnam-Mentor ZK-LZB c/n 1182.

Sierra ZK-TZS parked up at Christchurch Tuesday the 28th

After arriving in from the deep south on Tuesday the Tecnam P2002 Sierra RG UL ZK-TZS c/n 304 is parked up near the Canterbury Aero Club minus its nosewheel.

See Here   and  HERE for previous mention of this aircraft.