Ardmore of late

At Ardmore 24Jul was this Hastings based Champion which has been on the registered since 1981!


Duchess ZK-FIC has taken on a new identity from 25Jun as ZK-SMI


Appears that Jetranger ZK-HOP has adopted a modified scheme.


Hughes 500D ZK-HRI from Masterton arrived at Oceania 24Jul.

New Trislander for GBA

Great Barrier Airlines took delivery of Trislander G-RHOP back on 12Apr this year with the aircraft arriving at Auckland from Lord Howe Island. It has since been noted at North Shore marked as ZK-CJS albeit not yet registered.

At North Shore on 23Jul, Steve Lowe photo

Unknown Cessna ID

Can anybody help me out with a positive identity for this Cessna 172.
Seen at Thames on 18-03-2000. It may include the numbers "55" in its c/n.
I'm thinking maybe ZK-FSI. Any better answers out there ?

Question time #15

Easier one this time !
All I need to know is what sort of aircraft do we have here ?
(yes it is NZ Civil).

One and the same ZK-ICJ

Bell 47G VH-UTQ , c/n 3337 , was registered to Helicopter Utilities in 1965 and served in Fiji as VQ-FBN and DQ-FBN. It returned to Mascot, Sydney in 1976 and is shown here parked outside the Airfast Helicopter Hangar on 25-11-1976.

And blow me down; here it is again. This time as ZK-ICJ at Tauranga on 10-02-2007. It was first listed in NZ to Clark & Jolly at Taupo on 01-10-2002. Then to Helilink on 17-02-04; Harbour & Gulf on 30-06-05 and now with Kiwi Kopters Tauranga Ltd from 15-12-05.

Patrille goes fencing #2

Ive been unpacking boxes of photographs recently and sorting them into some sort of order and came across this one which shows the damage done to the C180 Patrille (better known to most of you as ZK-BJB) when the driver pulled back on the control column as the fence approached. This off course gives up elevator but also places the elevator balance horns below the level of the tailplane handy for the #8 wire to hook onto. Note there is a significant length of #8 still attached to the tail wheel and extending out to the bottom left of the pic (taken 21-04-1969 at Invercargill).
I hope the pilot purchased a Art Union ticket.
The aircraft is still alive and well with Tony Mackle out of Tea Pot Valley.

Question time #14 Answer

What you are looking at is the overhead panel in the cockpit of the Cessna 180E , c/n 51144 , now ZK-TUA. I believe this was a local Aussie mod.
It was delivered to the Australian Army on 30-08-1962 having briefly been tested using the US registration of N2644Y. Interesting to note here that in earlier days Cessna used to register their aircraft using the last two numbers of the c/n as the last two numbers of the US registration.
In a similar vein the Australian military use the last three numbers of the c/n as the last three numbers of the military serial number - preceeded by a type number (98 for the Cessna 180) and the letter "A" for Australia.
In the case of this C180 it became A98-144. Its colour scheme in the early 1970's was full military scheme.
This particular C180 joined the Queensland Police Force in 1975 as VH-PFT, followed by a fist full of private owners until by 1992 it was with the Western Australia Skydiving Academy. In October 1994 it ended down in the mangroves near Broome.
It was shipped to NZ and over a four year period was rebuilt by Kim Christophers and registered as ZK-TUA on 24-09-1998 and first flew on 27-09-98. Why "TUA" well the next owner from 10-11-98 was Tim U Austin.
Hugh & Sam Bethell became the listed owners from 17-03-06, but when they both obtained C185's it moved on to David Sinclair of Balclutha from 25-10-2006.
No winner. Pic taken at Christchurch in November 1998

Sidewinder location !

Anybody tell me where this Sidewinder is now located ?
I took the above shot of N50VL , c/n 55 , at Wanaka on 22-01-2002.
The FAA lists it as a Martin Van Lieden Sidewinder with an airworthiness date of 20-05-1987.
Also a sale reported to K A A F Museum Pursuit Inc. Still currently listed, but staus unknown.

Question time #14

What are we looking at ?
What type of aircraft is it ?
What colour scheme did it wear in 1972 ?
What is its registration ?

I am sorry but I have had to re-introduce the Word Verification process to deter the rubbish
responses.

Omaka on 16th July

I seem to have the infinite capacity to have aircraft flock off before I get into a good position to photograph them. However today Robinson R44 Clipper ZK-HDD/4 c/n 0299 kindly turned across my nose. It is listed as being with Skyline Trust Ltd of Nelson.

Beautifully finished Rans S6S Coyote II of Chris E Reid uses his initials for its registration of ZK-CER. c/n 11021465. A real slippery machine with many small personal mods to ease its passage through the air. Here it is having adjustments made to its Warp Drive prop.

Absorbing the UV's in the late afternoon sunshine was the Fleet 16B ZK-AGC/2. With a c/n of 668 it started life in the Royal Canadian Airforce in March of 1941 as #4793. It later entered the US civil register as NC128H and later to N128H. It arrived at Omaka in May of 2004 for Graham Orphan and joined our register on 11-05-2007.

The things we do.

Annual Servicing of DOC outpost on Stephens Island

Tuesday had me pottering around on Stephens Island watching Helipro's AS355F1 Twin Squirrel ZK-HYN , c/n 5286.
At work lifting supplies up from the barge to the station at just over 600 feet above sea level; and back loading retro.

Sidling in towards the heli-pad close to the light house and auto weather station.In less than two hours all the lifting was done. This used to take yonks when supplies arrived at the landing rock on the east coast of the island by boat and lifted by crane (before the crane was decommissioned) and then loaded manually onto a very steep railway line. At the top of the railway items were then handled onto a trailer for dispersal as required. It is all much quicker, safer and probably cheaper these days.

Pics from Auckland

Britten-Norman BN2A Mk111-1 Trislander ZK-LOU c/n 322 in Great Barrier Airlines scheme at Auckland on 13-07-08. Interesting life this has had. I recall seeing it at Cairns in about 1976 in Bush Pilots scheme before becoming Air Queensland in 1982. It all began as G-51-322 back in 1972 with the manufacturers to become G-BAFF(still with the manufacturers) on 17-10-1972 for delivery to IAS of Lakembla NSW on 05-12-72. It then went for a short lease as DQ-FBY with Fiji Air Service from Feb 1973. By 29-06-1973 it was VH-BGS with Barringer Surveys of Sydney and was fitted with a tail magnetometer (MAD tail) and underwing fuel tanks for mineral survey work. After its Air Queensland duties it moved up to PNG and became P2-DNX for Douglas Airways out of Port Moresby in August of 1983. About mid 1995 it retuned to Australia (I think using the trade plate registration of VH-CYC) and became VH-MRJ and served mostly in West Australia with Murchison Relines and Bushstar Pty Ltd. It was crated into North Shore in December of 2003 and carried out its first GBI service on 22-10-2004.

BAe Jetstream Srs 3200 Model 3201 ZK-ECI with c/n 946 at Auckland on 13-07-2008. This has an even more convoluted history. Briefly:- it was G-31-946 then N946AE in 1991 and flew into Wellington on 26-02-1999 to become ZK-REY on 24-03-1999 with Rex Aviation (NZ) who traded as Ansett Regional. On 30-08-2000 it was re-registered as ZK-TPC with Tasman Pacific Regional Airlines. When this Company fell over the aircraft was stored at Woodbourne and then Nelson before being taken on by Origin Pacific Airways on 12-12-2002. On this same date it was re-registered to ZK-JSU and served until being withdrawn on 11-05-06 and stored at Wellington. It was picked up by Air National Corporate on 18-07-06 and became ZK-ECI and began the new CH-OU-CH service for Eagle Air on 06-08-06.

BN2B-26 Islander ZK-DLA c/n 2131 also at Auckland on 13-07-2008. Built in 1982 it was delivered as G-BLOO to Taiwan to become B-12222. By April 1998 it was VH-ISL and toiled with several outfits in Queensland until it arrived in Auckland on 26-05-2006 for Sounds Air Travel & Tourism Ltd of Korimiko on 07-06-06. on 07-05-07 it was listed to Commercial Helicopters Ltd who trade as Mountain Air. Here it is in its latest re-branding of "Fly My Sky".

All three photos provided by Keith Morris.

Ah, Can't you just hear it !

There is an olde nostalgic saying "Ah De Havilland"
But wot about "Agh ha Pratt & Whitney and Hamilton Standard"
Oh sweet memories - Can't you just hear it.
1941 was a good year for building North American Harvards. (ie, 67 years young).
Here we have ZK-XSA burning up some carbon credits and stimulating the ear drums as it heads back to its home strip.

The "Canadian" Fleet

Fleet 80 Canuck (pronounced Canook) CF-DQM , c/n 065 of 1946 vintage is flying.

Yak Yak Yak

The Yaks came out to graze in the sun at Rangiora today (Sunday 13-07-2008)

Yak 52 ZK-JPW from the Ashburton Yak Syndicate on short final and about to quench its thirst.
Yak 55M ZK-YKV arrived back at NZRT a couple of minutes later. I imagine that with the pending Wigram closure it will be back to stay.
And the resident Yak 52 ZK-YRA of BDH Investments (Brian Hall) came out to puff some smoke.

New batch of Robinson Helicopters at Skysales

The two latest Robinson R22's via Skysales Aviation at Christchurch.

ZK-ISX c/n 4320 taken on 03-07-08 and ZK-IHC c/n 4317 taken today
Behind ISX is the all blue Robinson R44 ZK-HLD5 , c/n 12261, soon to be off for painting in its new operators scheme.

Rangiora news.

Further to the earlier blog. The Fleet 10 Canuk CF-DQM has come together at Rangiora.

New to the field is the Hughes Australian Light Wing GR-582 ZK-JLG/2.

This aircraft was flown across the Tasman (the first two stroke to do so) from Mallacoola to Haast 02-12-1999 by Ben Buckley and was registered to Ben Stimpson at Kawerau on 23-01-2000. It transferred to Westport at the end of 2000 for the Brunning's and then to Allan Brizzell in October 2007.

The Canterbury Recreational Aircraft Clubs Rans S-6ES Coyote II ZK-JOR joined the register on 03-10-2006 as a tail dragger. (above)

Following an incident on 25-10-2007 it was decided to convert it during the rebuild to nose wheel status. This is now almost complete. (below)

Other gossip includes the order for two more Karatoo's for local aviators.

The Pober Pixie is coming along nicely and should be flying near years end.

The two Best Off Skyrangers are making fast progress.

Plus lots more...

And with the pending closure of Wigram airfield in a few months time- watch Rangiora grow even faster.

Squirrel ZK-HYS & Lama ZK-IRA go offshore.

ZK-HYS at Queenstown 16-08-2008

Aerospatiale AS350B2 Squirrel ZK-HYS/3, c/n 2447 , was imported from Nepal for a re-work by Heliquip International (just out of Nelson) and registered to them on 05-07-2000 before delivery and listing to Southern Lakes Helicopters. It moved over to Heli-Works Queenstown Helicopters In May 2002.

It was cancelled as exported on 17-06-2008.
Photo by Glen Reid of Skysales Aviation - lifted from an earlier blog on 16-12-2007.

Also going offshore is the Sud-Est SA315B Lama ZK-IRA , c/n 2555 , from Gisborne Helicopters.

It was an Oceania import during 2005 and joined our register on 10-11-2006. It was cancelled on 24-06-2008.

Final destination of both machines is unknown (to me) at this stage.

ZK-EWD cancelled

Pic at Feilding 11-02-2007.

Cessna 172P Skyhawk II ZK-EWD c/n 17275009 was imported new by Dalhoff and King Aviation of Ardmore and came on the register on 25-08-1981 for delivery to the D&K Flying School.
Following a period with Motor Holdings Air Services from 1982 - 1985 it moved to the Southland Aero Club. In August of 1991 it joined the Napier Aero Club and then to Flywrite at Feilding in February 1996. It was registered to Air Charter Manawatu in November 1998.
On 25-10-2007 it crashed into a river bed near Omaka (I believe) after clipping a fence during an overshoot following an attempt at a downwind landing.
It was cancelled from the register on 18-06-2008.

Question time #13

All I need is:-

the aircraft type and registration.

Registration pending !

Spied today at Heli Maintenance at Christchurch was the Hughes 369D ZK-IQQ.
It carries the "Double Hill Station" titles on its tail boon and on the engine cover below the rotor head it has "Operated by Mt Hutt Helicopters".
This is ZK-HYY (without all of its previous Star Wars art work) in its new ID.

The first Fletcher ZK-BDS

The prototype Fletcher Fu24, c/n 1, registered as N6505C to the Fletcher Aviation Corporation flew for the first time from Pasadena, California on 14-06-1954.
It joined the NZ civil register as ZK-BDS on 09-09-1954 for Robertson Air Services Ltd at Hamilton and first flew here on 24-09-1954.
At this stage it had an open cockpit and was powered with a 225hp Continental O-470E.
By September 1956 it had an enclosed cockpit.
It had several engine upgrades over the years. In December 1960 it had a 240hp O-470N; In May 1967 a 260hp IO-470D was tested and in December 1975 it was up to a 300hp IO-520F

The above picture shows ZK-BDS in Robertson Air Services colour scheme at Hamilton on 03-09-1979 carrying the number "1" on its rudder and "Prototype" on its engine cowling.

It first flew with the 400hp Lycoming IO-720 on 21-12-1981 to become a FU24-950M.The final engine fitted was the turbine Walter 601D and it flew with this on 08-06-1999.

Here it is at Whakatane with its Walter engine on 16-03-2000.

On 20-09-2003 it was munted when it struck a hill in adverse weather at Matawai and was finally deregistered on 30-06-2008.

Patrille does some fencing.

20-04-1969 Patrille took off from Wrights Bush, Southland and argued with the fence.
This pic taken with my old Kodak 620 in the days before I could afford telephoto or zoom lenses, shows the 180 on short final at Invercargill.
Obviously a little lighter. The port undercarriage left behind, and if you look at the horizontal tailplane you will note a change in dihedral. In fact the complete left elevator is missing and a portion of the right elevator was also missing. All turned out ok and the aircraft is still with us today.
As usual this pic is a digital photo of the original, which doesn't help the clarity in any way.
I stumbled over this pic in a heap of my unfiled ZK-B## photos whilst looking for a suitable photo for the next blog topic.

Question time #12 Far too easy

Yep. Cessna Caravan pilots steps. ZK-PDM at Koromiko.

Question time #12

No particular question this time. I just need an answer.

Hiller FH-1100 ZK-HCI

This old trusty stead came to town the other day (to Skysales at Christchurch 29-05-2008).

A one owner machine since its arrival in NZ and first flight here on 12-03-1968.

It has off course been raced, rolled and rallied over these years.

It was cancelled in mid 1991 but was rebuilt and came back on the register in December 1995.

It has some claims to fame :-

By my count, of the eight FH-1100's that reached our register, four are still around.