Another Friday Rangiora visitation.

 Sitting pretty and awaiting is passengers today was the Pelorus Air Ltd's Cessna A185F Skywagon II ZK-PRM c/n 18504414. 

This ferried into Auckland from Pago Pago as N45738 on 27-11-1983 via Motor Holdings (Aviation) Ltd at Ardmore. It was registered to them on 14-12-1983 and delivered to new owner P & G Meads of Rotorua nine days later.

Current owner Cliff Marchant listed it from 26-10-1989 trading under the Sounds Air name, transferring to the Pelorus Air offshoot on 20-01-2014.

ZK-PRM is about to be back on its amphibious floats again very soon.

Why don't you have a look at the Pelorus Sounds facebook page HERE

One we have not seen on this blog previously is the Rotor Flight Dynamic Sub 4 Tandem Dominator ZK-RCY c/n EA81 418402 which was registered to Ian and Sonya Crook of Invercargill on 

08-05-2001.

This has a Subaru EA81 engine with Neil Hintz mods and 28 foot Dragon Wing blades and was first flown at Manapouri by Bill Black on 28-06-2001.

Ownership changed to David Shaw of Christchurch in April of 2008.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Goldwings

I reckon that the Goldwing was a really interesting microlight, as it was of different construction to the tube and sailcloth microlights that preceded it.  It was designed by Craig Catto and was inspired by Burt Rutan's Vari Eze.  Like the Vari Eze the Goldwing is a canard with swept wings and winglets and was of composite construction with the wing being of foam and aluminium covered by a glass fibre skin.  It was provided as a kit by Goldwing Ltd of Jackson,  California, and the construction time was stated to be around 200 hours.  The New Zealand agent was Ian Todd of Rotorua who was also a leading light in MAANZ.  (Click twice on the photos below to enlarge them to read the text better)

We have only had three Goldwings registered in New Zealand as below:

Missing a bit of tape from the E.

ZK-FDE (c/n MAANZ/126)

Registered 8 Sep 1982 to Ian R. Todd, Lake Okareka, Rotorua, then 29 Nov 1983 H. W. A. Barr, Whangarei, then 29 Jun 1988 D. M. Moynihan, Whangarei, then 7 Jul 1994 M. J. Douglas, Whangarei, then 27 Sep 1998 K. W. Sample, Hikurangi and Kawerau, then 6 Aug 2000 Donald F. R. McMillan, Kaikohe, then 27 Jan 2003 Neil M. France, Auckland, then 30 Sep 2005 Russell K. Brodie, Temuka.    Cancelled 2 Oct 2008 as withdrawn from use.  It is currently preserved at Rangitata Island.

ZK-FDV (c/n MAANZ/151)

Registered 11 Oct 1982 to Ray A. Stonehouse, Rotorua, then 13 Nov 1987 Ian F. Heappy & ? Watt, Ohakune @ 25 hrs FT, then 4 Jun 1993 Robert M. Payne, Te Awamutu, then 6 Sep 1997 A (Tony) R. Wood, Wellington.  Cancelled 10 Aug 2000 as destroyed.  The demise of this aircraft is a mystery as no accident was ever reported.

ZK-FKD (c/n MAANZ/292)

Registered 8 Nov 1984 to Ian Todd Marine & Sports Ltd, Rotorua (First Flight Waharoa 26 Jan 1985), then 24 Mar 1993 P. H. Cook, Patea, then 6 Jul 1993 M. J. Harre, Stratford. Cancelled 6 Nov 2000 as withdrawn from use (seen at Rotorua).

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Rotec Rally Brochures

Two weeks ago I posted about Rotec Rallys in New Zealand and you can see that post HERE.

Now Russell Brodie has sent in several brochures about them including details of the local agents:  (you can click twice on the images to enlarge them to read them better if you want).  Thanks Russell.

Airbus VH-VHD ice bound this morning.

 Snapped this morning departing Christchurch International Airport, bound Antarctica, was the Australian Airbus A319-115LR VH-VHD c/n 1999.

Poor weather conditions at McMurdo saw it return (Boomerang) to Christchurch

"Snowbird" has been operated by Skytraders of Victoria Australia since February of 2007 and has been a regular visitor to Christchurch.

NOTAR ZK-HWH again.

 An interesting catch at Rangiora today - Tuesday the 22nd - was this McDonnell Douglas MD520 NOTAR ZK-HWH2 c/n LN098.

It is now in a new colour scheme and carries "Garden of Eden Helicopters"  "Red Bull"  "MOBIL1" and "BOSS" signage.

This is somewhat different than its scheme as seen below in February this year in almost the same spot.

Rangiora antics Saturday the 20th.

 Strongish fickle winds at Rangiora today produced some puckering landings.

The not so often used vector 21 seemed to be the best choice.

Best noted landing was that of the Piper cub ZK-CXC following an overshoot from another vector.

I won't mention who managed the worst arrival.

Most interesting looking take off was on vector 29 from the Hanmer Springs based Cessna T206H N63PH c/n T20609737.

The only taking off today for the Cessna 182Q ZK-SDX c/n 18265565 was its paintwork 

See HERE for an earlier post on this aircraft.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Kasperwings (3) - Steve Grossruck in NZ

Back in June I did a post on the Development of the Kasperwing microlight aircraft and you can see that post HERE  In that post I noted that one of the developers of the aircraft was Steve Grossruck and he visited New Zealand in the 1982 as in this photo: 

Steve Grossruck with Bob Hoult's Kasperwing in April 1982.

A Tale of Two Squirrels

I was down at North Shore airfield yesterday when a black Airbus Helicopters Squirrel helicopter was pushed out of its hangar and hover taxied across to the fuel pumps for some Jet A1.  I didn't take too much notice of it as a black Squirrel is a black Squirrel, but when I was talking to Stan Smith it lifted off and I took a long shot of it.

It did, however, turn out to be confusingly different:

ZK-HTS4 (c/n 9791) AS350B3 was registered to Stormbird Ltd of Auckland on 9/10/25.

But wait, I hear you ask - didn't Richard Currie take a photo of ZK-HTS at North Shore and post it on the blog back on 28 December 2022?  Yes he did, but that was ZK-HTS3 (c/n 9189) AS350B3, also registered to Stormbird Ltd.

Confused?  Well ZK-HTS3 was re-registered as ZK-HYY4 on 11/6/25 this freeing up the registration to be used on the almost identical looking black AS350B3 Squirrel of today.

The Rans S-7 Courier ZK-TKB

 Below we have a recent photograph of the Rans S-7 Courier ZK-TKB2 c/n 0707466 taken in the Upper Rakaia River region by Steve Gunn showing its modified colour scheme.

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Below we have a selection from previous posts on this aircraft.

First registered on 15-05-2013 the Rans S-7 Courier ZK-TKB (c/n 0707466) was listed to Phil Meredith of Christchurch.

And as you can see - it is no ordinary S-7 Courier.

 At the front end is a port and polished Lycoming O-235 engine giving around 130hp and spinning a Brent Thompson propeller. It has a Toyota starter motor and alternator; P mags and Light Speed electronic ignition.

 It has removable aluminium cockpit sides and clear full length doors.

The office is adequately equipped.

 A home designed STOL kit is fitted with control gap seals and wing fences plus high to low pressure guides to redirect the air flow over the flaps. 

The flaps are 40% larger than the standard S-7 and the ailerons are 20% larger, and the wing tips are modified.

It has a Fat Boy tail wheel with a reinforced double spring and a keel beam in the lower fuselage.

A 1.98m long fibre under fuselage pod can be fitted.  

New fuel tanks are mounted one wing bay further out giving a total of 37 US gallons.As can be seen in the photo (taken at Rangiora on 14/4/13), it has Roberts Bush Gear with big tires and it also has large wing fences.  Power (as already mentioned) is from a Lycoming O-235 of 130 HP which potentially gives it plenty of get up and go. The wider engine cowling shows up well in the shadows.

 Back on March the 14th 2025 I spotted ZK-TKB2 doing circuits at Rangiora.

Note the under fuselage pod and that the outer wing fence has been moved to become wing tip end plates.

It also appears to now have a Sensenich propeller.

New owners were recorded in March of 2025 as Innovative Aviation Ltd of Rangiora.

The ex John Smith DH 98 Mosquito Taxies at Omaka

Not actually a civil or a military aircraft, the ex John Smith Mosquito has taken another step forward by taxying under its own power at Omaka on Saturday 12 September with Al Marshall and Deane Baunton in the cockpit.  Zac Yates was there and videoed the occasion and also sent the photo below:

And here is a screenshot of a video posted on the Marlborough Lines Classic Fighters Facebook page.  They stated that the Mosquito will be taxied at Classic Fighters 2027 so that will be something to see.

Meanwhile at Ardmore the next Mosquito is very close to being completed!