Thursday 30 December 2010

Question time # 119 update

For an update see the original blog below.

Still some unresolved pics there.

Wednesday 29 December 2010

Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-KBG

Arriving at Ardmore from Hamilton on the morning of 29Dec was Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-KBG (171).  The XTOL machine is soon to cross the Tasman on export to a Western Australian customer.



All photos Mike Condon

Friday 24 December 2010

Christmas Eve Question time # 119

Eleven photographs.
Name the aircraft types.
For question six : I also need the aircraft registration.
1. What aircraft type ?
RESOLVED : BELL 206 ZK-HTO


2. What aircraft type ?
Unresolved to date. Homebuilt yes.

3. What aircraft type ?
RESOLVED : AERO L39 ZK-CCP


4. What aircraft type ?
UNRESOLVED : Helicopter yes.


5. What aircraft type ?
UNRESOVED  : SOUTHAIR HANGAR YES


6. What aircraft type and registration ?
RESOLVED : CESSNA 175 ZK-BCR

7. What aircraft type ?
                                  RESOLVED : PITTS ZK-PIT

8. What aircraft type ?
RESOLVED : EUROCOPTER EC130 B4
ZK-HAC


9. What aircraft type ?
RESOLVED near enough :
AUTO GYRO EUROPE CALIDUS FERN
ZK-OTM

10. What aircraft type ?
RESOLVED : FLETCHER FU24 ZK-CZA


11. What aircraft type ?
RESOLVED : JURCA MJ-8 ZK-YKZ
 I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for following this blog during the year.
A special thanks to those that have contributed with photographs and comments.
Go Well & Safe journey.

Thursday 23 December 2010

Eagle Grows

Ardmore's Eagle Flight Training fleet had a major growth spurt this month with the addition of three ex Massey Piper PA28-161 aircraft, ZK-MBF, MBH and MBJ.  These three aircraft have spent over 20 years in service with Massey at their Palmerston North facility and were replaced last year by Diamonds.

Eurocopter ZK-IRS

North Shore Helicopters have operated Eurocopter EC130B4 c/n 4665 since May 2009 when it was initially registered ZK-IMR.  It changed its marks to ZK-IRS on October this year and was photographed outside Eurocopter at Ardmore 23Dec.
Mike Condon photo

Ownership change for Maule ZK-DWR

ZK-DWR at Rangiora on 04-12-2010.
Maule M5-235C Lunar Rocket ZK-DWR , c/n , 7234C , was a late 1978 production aircraft that operated as N5629H in the US until imported by Rob Leach and Associates and registered as ZK-DWR on 01-09-1980.  The registration letters DWR being the initials of the new owner Don W Ross of Ben Dhu Station (near Omarama). It has remained  with the same owner until 15-07-10 when it was sold to Pegasus Aviation of Rangiora.




Wednesday 22 December 2010

A change of hats for ZK-FJH

Wilderness Wings now has a new owner. An ownership change listed today but effective from 09-12-201 shows the Cessna P206E ZK-FJH, previouosly with Manuka Air of Manuka Point Station, now listed to Wilderness Wings of Hokitika. Photo taken taday on the western grass at Christchurch.

ZK-FJH at Milford Sound on 16-12-2010 in its new script.
Photo by Matt Hayes.
(Added to blog 23-12-10)

Squirrel ZK-IMB and Hughes 500 ZK-HIB

Joining the Salt Air fleet in the Far North is Squirrel AS350BA ZK-IMB recently imported from the Philippines as RP-C1951 by Oceania Helicopters.  It departed Ardmore 22Dec and will be repainted in 2011.

Lifting from Oceania, Mike Condon photo
Ralph Shultz Helicopters Hughes 369HS ZK-HIB has been on the register since March 1993 and has worn a number of different schemes and decals.  Today it was it at Oceania with whom it was once registered (Jan 99-Sep01).

Mike Condon photo

Tuesday 21 December 2010

B & F Technik Vertri FK 14B !!

Thanks Mike for posting the extremely long named B & F Technik Vertri FK 9 Mk IV ZK-RDW at Ardmore today. I wonder if the Vertri should be Vertriebs but this was too long for the CAA register forms?

It occurred to me that this is not the only B & F Technik Vertri aircraft in New Zealand, and to round the picture off here is the other one. ZK-RFD is a B & F Technik Vertri FK 14B, owned by Polaris Air Ltd of Mt Maunganui (as is ZK-RDW). Both were first registered in New Zealand on 3 February 2009. Thanks to Blue Bus for the photo which was taken at the 2009 SAANZ fly in at Ashburton.

B & F Technik Vertriebs GMBH is a German company based in Speyer that manufactures the FK series of sport aircraft that are popular in Germany. The range also includes a FK 12 biplane.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all readers of the NZ Civair blog a blessed Christmas and I look forward to a New Year of interesting posts.

B & F Technik Vertri FK9 Mk IV (!!) ZK-RDW

Well, what an odd name for this tidy little two place microlight!  The Vertri FK9 Mk IV ZK-RDW has been on the NZ register since early 2009 with Polaris Air of Tauranga and was a visitor to Ardmore today, 21Dec.


Departing runway 03 at Ardmore, Mike Condon photo

Squirrel ZK-HSE

Stewart Island Helicopters AS350B Squirrel ZK-HSE/4 was noted parked outside the Rural Aviation hanger at Ardmore on 17Dec.
Wayne Grant photo

also see http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2010/05/second-citation-510-mustang-to-wear.html

Monday 20 December 2010

Aero L-39C Albatros ZK-CCP

 A couple of shots of the Albatros ZK-CCP as seen at Wanaka about a month ago. It still carries the number 7 from its air racing days in the US. I believe it was flown for the first time about the middle of November by Grant Bissett.

A Turbulent for Christmas anyone !

Turbulent ZK-CVX at Mount Iron  1973.(Wanaka) in January
ZK-CVX at Rangiora on 31-08-2008.
                                     Now on the market.
 Check out the earlier blog giving the history of the NZ Druine D.31 Turbulents at :
http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2010/05/druine-turbulents-of-new-zealand-6.html

Yet more Cessna 180's

On the tie downs on the western grass at Christchurch today was Cessna 180A ZK-MDL , c/n 32882 , up from Mosgiel. This was an import from Urugauy in 2007.
The world tourer Cessna 180K N6TK tied down at Rangiora today. this is c/n 53186 and it listed to Thomas Kane of Florida.
Another Cessna 180A, ZK-TSM , c/n 32678 , photographed at Dunedin International back on 11-11-2010. A product of 1957 it went to Australia in 1962 and then to PNG in 1985. It was damaged in july 1990 and the damaged airframe went to the UK for a rebuild. It re-appeared in July 1991 as G-BTSM.
Using the last three of these letters it became ZK-TSM on 30-07-2008 to M J & M G Parks of Tapanui.

In one months time there will be the 50th anniversary gathering of the Cessna 180/185 owners at Masterton.

First King Air 350 for NZ Register arrives

Arriving at its new Nelson home on the afternoon of 19Dec for Golden Wings Ltd was Beechcraft 350i King Air N80427, soon to be registered ZK-MMM/2 replacing King Air C90GTi of the same registration that was only in NZ for a few months earlier this year.   It was flown to NZ by Range Flyers and was noted flying Broome to Sydney 18Dec then to Auckland and Nelson 19Dec.  It arrived at Hawker Pacific's Ardmore hanger on the morning of 20Dec for certification and associated work.

In addition to the arrival of ZK-MMM, there are apparently two additional twin Beech variants due for delivery to our shores within the coming weeks.
Peter Campbell photo

Above and below Ben Carmine photos.  Is that a FLIR type setup on the nose for a HUD?

A couple more Cessna 185 movements

ZK-CMV at the Rangiora pumps on 15-12-2010
Cessna 185B ZK-CMV2 has has a long and distinguished career in PNG and Australia before flying across the Ditch in April of1993 for Airflight South at Taieri for ultimate delivery to J G & M  M Stewart of St Heliers. In 2005 it became a Texas Skyways conversion - this involes (from memory) the installation of a Continental IO-540 and a three bladed Hartzell propeller, plus wing tips. An ownership change in February last year saw it move from Kim McKay to Paul and Kate Macdonald and the Tilmac FamilyTrusts of Christchurch. More recently it has spent some time helping out at Fox Glacier.
ZK-MDC with weight in its skis. Tasman Glacier 28-06-2007. Driver is Alex Miller.
Photo stolen from Andy Heap.
Replacing CMV at Fox is the Cessna A185F ZK-MDC , c/n A185F-04372 , which until its recent change to private ownership, has been with Aoraki Mount Cook Ski Planes. This aircraft previously operated as ZK-MCU - but that is another story.

Sunday 19 December 2010

Ownership change & a foreigner in our midst

Captured on my home turf at Rangiora on 04-12-2010 was this Cessna 172N Skyhawk 11 ZK-EJU , c/n 172N-69149 . This was one of the batch imported by Dalhoff and King in 1977 and was delivered to the Fiordland Aero Club that December. Some seven operators later it went to Puketoki Farms Ltd of Pokeno on 16-03-2007 until its recent ownership change on 08-11-2010 to Murray Reed of Tuakau.

The surprise for the day however was this US registered 1966 Cessna 150 N5JP , c/n 65872. I believe it also belongs to Murray Reed and has evidently been in storage in NZ for about ten years.

Saturday 18 December 2010

More ZK-AYU

Following on the previous posts, I can add two more early photos of this Aiglet.

I do not know the date or location of the first one, but the aircraft looks new and I suspect that it was taken soon after assembly and probably on arrival at the Southland AC. Note that it is fitted with wheel spats, which presumably did not survive very long.



This second photo was taken at the old Fenton Street airfield in Rotorua on 9 March 1963.
Under ownership of the Southern Districts AC at that time.
Colours noted were silver with black lettering and anti-dazzle.

Friday 17 December 2010

Glaser-Dirks DG-400 ZK-GPL the second.

DG0400 C-GPLS in its native land. It is now ZK-GPL2
A relatively recent import from Canada is this Glaser-Dirks DG-400. This is c/n 4-285, which makes it one of the last to come off the production line before the factory fire halted production at airframe number 290. It went new to Canada and became C-GPLS on 28-05-1992 with GPLS Ltd of Guelph, Ontario (hence the registration). My understanding is that this was a syndicate which included Bruce Findlay, then Paul Nelson of Arthur, Ontario and Tim Harrison. With less than 300 airframe hours it was inported int NZ by Tim and registered to Sports Aircraft New Zealand Ltd of Wellsford on 19-10-2010 as ZK-GPL2 - retaining the middle three letters of its Canadian registration.
Confusingly for future aviation historians the first issue of the ZK-GPL marking was also on a DG-400 - This was c/n 4-100 and had the personal "PL" registration for Peter Lyons of Hastings. This went to Australia in October of 2009 and became VH-IPL.
Also confusing could be that we now have two Tim Harrisons with NZ gliding connections, although "Timbo" who operated ZK-GMF, ZK-GLP and ZK-GTM mainly from Omarama is currently inactive due to business commitments.

Even more mechanical mice from down south.

 A recent ownership change for this RAF 2000 GTX SE ZK-RCW , c/n H2-97-8-285 , sees it now at Rangiora with Peter Collins. It is pictured above in the Woodley Aircraft Services Hangar on 15-12-2010. It was imported by Rob Sanders and registered to Peter Wootton of Reikorangi on 27-08-1997. It then went to the South Canterbury Sport Aviation Group in April of 2000 and then to Neil Winslow at Alexandra in September of 2004. In August of 2009 it was based in Nelson with Philip Jordan.
Robinson R44 Raven 11 ZK-HOH3 , c/n 10902 , is pictured here at Wanaka on 19-11-2010. A Skysales Aviation import listed on 25-10-2006. It went to Lowburn Holdings Ltd of Queenstown breifly from 04-11-2005 until moving to James Scott of Fox Glacier on 14-12-2005.
It is shown here wearing Makarora Helicopters marking.

Thursday 16 December 2010

REX-1

ZK-ROR at Tairei in its early form on 09-10-2007.
 Rex Telfer built up his Rex-1 ZK-ROR , c/n R118 , and registered it on 05-11-2003.
It was flown by Tony Unwin but it was declared to be too heavy.
A major redesign and rebuild has taken place and it is currently undergoing engine runs to check out its new carburetors and modified manifold on its EA81 engine. It also has a new body, lightweight wheels and a new aluminium tail - just to mention the more obvious features.

ZK-ROR in its current form at Taieri on 09-11-2010.


Another export : Aerospatiale AS 350 BA ZK-HDE

A recent view of ZK-HDE2 at Queenstown on 16-11-2010.
Aerospatiale AS 350 BA ZK-HDE2 , c/n 1491 , was cancelled as exported on 07-12-2010.
It was built in 1981 and went to Mexico as XA-MOZ before moving up to the US to become N54498 in July of 1988.
It had been imported by McAlpine Helicopters and assembled at Dairy Flat (North Shore)and then registered for M R Evans [North Shore Helicopters] of Auckland on 21-04-1989. On 02-07-1999 it was transferred to Helicopters (NZ) Ltd of Nelson. It has served overseas for H/C (NZ) in Loas, and several trips to the Antarctic with the German, Italian and Korean teams.
It had a brief ownership change to Helicopters Queenstown from 27-08-2010 but returned to H/C (NZ) Ltd on 21-11-2010.

"New" De Havilland Devon graces the register

Popping up on the ZK register on 13/12 was De Havilland D.H. 104 Devon C.1 ZK-DVN/2   with the Central Flying School (RNZAF) at Ohakea. 

This example has languished at RNZAF Woodbourne as an instructional airframe since October 1981 as INST215 having being shipped to NZ back in September 1953 and used as a communication aircraft.  It moved to Whenuapai's number 40 squadron in 1977 and to number 42 squadron at Ohakea in 1980. 

Does anyone know the future for this aircraft?  I presume it will join the DH82 and Harvard at Ohakea, but why put on the civilian register?

I caught up with it and several other Devon's outside at Woodbourne in 1991:
Woodbourne 29 May 1991, Mike Condon photo

Welcome back to Auster J1B ZK-AYU # 2

ZK-AYU at Paraparaumu on 27-02-1971.
This photo of the Auster J1B ZK-AYU was first posted on the original blog welcoming AYU back.

See

I have just received some good news from Gerry Draper

" She has done all her test flights and waiting for final sign off. Here she is in final stages of work in progress"

See the link below for thirty plus new photos .

Piper Seneca ZK-BJM

Piper PA-34-220T Seneca  , c/n 34-48048 ZK-BJM2 ,with an interesting presentation of its registration, was sighted at Omaka on 08-12-2010.
ZK-BJM at Omaka on 08-12-2010. (photo supplied by " White Beaver").
Built as N9249N mid 1994 later becoming N21GP and was listed to BSM Leasing Inc of Wilmington, Delaware in February of 2006.
It registered to Ridgeair Ltd of Nelson on 23-11-2010.

FYI. The original ZK-BJM was a Lockheed 18 Lodestar with Fieldair and Airland between 1955 and 1963.