NZ Civil Aircraft
A blog on New Zealand Civil Aircraft.
Saturday, 10 June 2023
A stopover at Kaikoura today
Cessna 172R ZK-NAO
It first flew here on 29-10-1998 and was taken on by the Massey Aviation School of Aviation at Palmerston North from 12-05-1999.
Friday, 9 June 2023
Two New Bristells at Gordonton
A couple of much delayed Bristell NG 5s have arrived in New Zealand and been registered to the New Zealand agents Anderson Aviation NZ Ltd (on 27/4/23). Thanks to Martin Henton we now have photos of them at Gordonton:
ZK-NGO (c/n 655/2023) is Martin Henton's demonstrator so you will see it around. Both of the new NG 5s have Rotax 915 power.Thursday, 8 June 2023
Hawker Siddeley 748 ZK-CWJ.
Following the 1957 Defence White Paper the UK Ministry of Defence terminated almost all manned military aircraft development. This prompted Avro in 1958 to concentrate on the civil market.
With the Vickers Viscount already in service Avro worked on a design for the regional airline market and came up with another 'Douglas DC-3 replacement'. Also with the Fokker F27 Friendship already in service it was decided to build a more rugged aircraft with short field performance if required. It was a low wing aircraft with a sturdy undercarriage and twin Rolls Royce Dart engines.
This lead to the Avro 748 design being publicly announce on 09-01-1959 with the prototype first flying on 24-06-1960.
Also around this time there was a Government push to rationalise the aviation industry in the UK with Avro becoming part of the Hawker Siddeley Group. This changed the designation of the Avro 748 to that of the Hawker Siddeley 748 (later to British Aerospace and BAe Systems).
Mount Cook Airlines first 748 Series 242 was construction number 1647 and first flew on 05-09-1968 from Woodford, Manchester and was allocated the New Zealand registration of ZK-CWJ on 16-09-1968,
It was on show during the 1968 Farnborough Air Show as seen in the photo below.
Note it has "NEW ZEALANDS" above the MOUNT COOK AIRLINES titles.Above as seen at Farnborough 21-09-1968.
Wednesday, 7 June 2023
Kitplanes for Africa Explorer ZK-MSC
Recently registered was this Kitplanes for Africa Explorer ZK-MSC, photographed at Solo Wings in Tauranga by Mark Pattenden:
ZK-MSC (c/n 159-01-12) was registered to UGO Earthworks of Te Puke on 1/6/23. It was previously registered ZU-MSC in South Africa so it wasn't very hard to apply its new rego.Tuesday, 6 June 2023
AS350B2 ZK-IWE
Monday, 5 June 2023
A Sad Ending at Whangarei
Across the airfield from where I was at Hangar 10 at Whangarei there were the sad remains of an aircraft that will probably not be there much longer as it is destined to become a practice for the Airport Fire Service:
I reckon it is the remains of Alpi Pioneer ZK-CIR which I understand ditched in the Whangarei Harbour and was cancelled from the register on 22/6/18.Zlin Savage ZK-ZSC at Nelson
Zlin Aviation Savage ZK-ZSC c/n 281 was an import by Tim Harrison of Sports Aircraft New Zealand Ltd of Wellsford and registered here on 23-10-2014. Initially sold to Michael Gordon of Tauranga from February 2016 and then to private owners from December of 2017.
Air New Zealand Old and NEO at Whangarei
When I was at Whangarei last week, and after the fog had lifted, an Air New Zealand Q 300 arrived and landed:
Saturday, 3 June 2023
A couple of helicopters at Pauanui
Also visiting from Mechanics Bay was the Heli Me EC130T2 ZK-INX which is now in an all black scheme. This was originally imported new in 2017 as ZK-HJW5, becoming INX in 2022.