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 

Pending changes to the Civil Aircraft Register.

A facebook post on pending developments is running on Facebook.

Click this link

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1280057468715727/permalink/27601609782800470/

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.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - A Photo of Pete James' Powered Easy Riser

Back in July 2025 I posted about Pete James' powered Easy Riser which I think is the first microlight to fly in New Zealand.  You can see that post HERE  In that post I mentioned that I had been at Te Kowhai in late 1977 when Pete was attempting to fly his machine and I have regretted ever since that I did not take a photo of it at the time.  However good things come to those who wait!  When I was at Russell Brodie's place at Rangitata Island recently he got out his shoe box of old microlight photos and Viola!

Here is the photo I wished I had taken!  It is the powered Easy Riser on that day at Te Kowhai on 5/11/77.  I have gone back to my original post and added this photo to it.

Thanks very much for the photo Russell - I suspect it might have originally come from Pete James.

ZK-STX into Nelson today

 The Pitts S-2B Special ZK-STX c/n 5090 did some local flying at Omaka this morning (Monday the 27th) and then popped over to Nelson in fifteen minutes early this afternoon and is seen below outside the Nelson Aero Club Hangar. 
After a couple of hours on the ground, it then took seventeen minutes to get back on the ground back at Omaka.

Initially flying in the US as N80TW in late 1985 it entered the NZ register as ZK-KHM with Keith Mitchell of Pleasant Point on 25-11-1996. 

After six more owner/operators it was re-registered by Aerostunts Ltd to ZK-STX on 22-01-2010. 

Some five more owners later it was taken up by The Flying Saucer Partnership of Blenheim from September of 2017. It has undergone a serious rebuild and is now with Mark O'Sullivan od Fighter Pilots Ltd at Omaka.

It has been mentioned several times previously in these pages.

Piper PA 28-161 Cherokee ZK-MBH at Omaka 1-7-2026

On my recent flight South Honey Bebe was hangared overnight in the Marlborough Aero Club hangar beside Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II ZK-MBH which is now in different colours from those previously posted on the blog:

ZK-MBH was built by the Piper Aircraft Corporation at Vero Beach in Florida in 1985 as N25621 and after s couple of US owners it was imported into New Zealand for the Massey University School of Aviation at Palmerston North being registered on 29 June 1990.  On 20 May 2016 ownership changed to Oceania Aviation Ltd, Ardmore, then on 2 June 2017 to Lindsay H. Mason, Blenheim and then on 21 June 2024 to Mrs. F. McCullagh of Blenheim.