A low and slow day today.

 Two approaches into Rangiora today, 29-04-2011. Above is Fred Bull's Piper PA18 Cub ZK-BKX , c/n 18-4684. This was originally a Nelson Aero Club aircraft back in the mid 50 to 60's. It has been with either/or both Fred Bull and/or John Ogilvie of Sheffield since 1981.

Dropping in for a cuppa was Jock Montgomery in his Australian Aircraft Hornet STOL ZK-JCM , c/n 023.
Some earlier pics of ZK-JCM can be seen at the following links :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2009/09/question-time-68-resolved.html

http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2009/09/west-melton-today-27-09-2009.html

Question time # 125

What aircraft type and model do we have here ?

Big time storage at Christchurch

 Two of the ANZ Boeing 747-419's are currently withdrawn and parked on the "Antarctic Apron" at Christchurch Airport due to lack of space at Auckland. Their London run now being done by the 777's.
ZK-NBW c/n 29375 arrived on April 19th (pic above taken on the 21st) and ZK-NBV c/n 26910, arrived on the 26th. (Pic taken today -28th).

Panther on the Prowl

Piper PA31 ZK-LTD has been a NZ resident since 1993 and has spent most of its life at Hamilton.  It has been with Avia Air Charter (http://www.avia.co.nz/) since June 2007 and underwent a Panther conversion (http://www.colemill.com/Conversions/Panther1.php) a couple of years ago which included a repaint, which has since been changed to the current livery, and a modernised interior including leather seats.

It can often be seen around NZ provincial airports providing engineering transportation for Eagle Air hauling engineers and parts and today it was dispatched to Hokitika with support for Beech 1900D ZK-EAB which was unservicable.

I don't believe there are any other Panther conversions in NZ currently but going back to the late '80s a then Australian resident, N7XB owned by Boyd Munro who won the Singapore-Christchurch airrace in his example http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=N7XB was a regular visitor to our shores.

Different offices

Two different cockpits seen at the Woodbury gathering on 23-04-2011.
Above is a Pterodactyl Ascender and below is an Alpi Pioneer 300.
Both are microlights.

Auckland Gliding Clubs 80th birthday this Saturday

If you have an interest in gliding then check out the following link regarding this celebration.

http://www.glidingauckland.co.nz/?q=node/64

Displays from 11am.

Photo above is of the Auckland Gliding Clubs PZL-Krosno KR-03A Puchatek ZK-GOX , c/n 03-07.

Pic by Andy Heap.

Business jets at Ardmore

Seen at Dennis Thompson's Ardmore base today, parked out in the rain, two Cessnajets.

Citation Mustang ZK-MOT/2 is registered to Acernus Aero Ltd. of Wellington






Following the closure of Air National Corporate, Citation I SP ZK-NBR has been registered to Dennis Thompson International Ltd. on 21April2011.



According to the DTI website both of these aircraft are for sale.
http://www.dtiaircraftsales.com/index.cfm

Mothers Day present anyone?

Dashing Times

Air New Zealand has recently introduced the Bombardier Q300 operated by Air Nelson on four flights per week between Christchurch and Hokitika to fill the gap left by the grounding of Air National who provided services on behalf of Eagle Air between the two centres and to cater for the growing demand for air travel to and from the West Coast.  ZK-NEQ operated the scheduled service today, 27 April. 

Finals for 04 at Hokitika from the residential part of town.

And the airport is so close to town you can get there quickly enough to get it taxiing in!

Anderson Helicopters have been a part of the Hokitika Airport scene for a number of years now with the principal owner having flown fixed wing top dressing activity over the years and then branched into rotary operations.  The family company has operated Bell 206 ZK-HSG for many years and in 2002 put Squirrel ZK-HKA into service.

Two more from Woodbury 23-04-2011

Two views of the David Scott Eipper Quicksilver MXL 11 ZK-JBV , c/n 00441. Of 1993 vintage, having had owners in Kaiwaka, Warkworth and Te Puke before moving south in late 2008.

 Below is the Delore Skytrike/Mega ZK-JQC2  , c/n DRA001 , listed to, but not flown by, Doug Anderson. It joined the register as late as 21-08-2006. What was it in its previous life ?

I am wondering if there is a drill of vital action in case of a wasp ingestion up ones shorts !

Sunny Skies

As much of New Zealand hunkered down to gale force winds, rain or cloudy conditions, the South Island's West Coast basked in glorious sunshine on 26 April, although the winds from the east would have no doubt produced a rough ride in the lee of the hills. 

At Hokitika resident Cessna 185 ZK-DPE was outside and later conducted some circuits while visiting overnight was Cessna 185 ZK-DWE with Cessna 180 ZK-TSM arriving late morning.

Sportstar Plus ZK-MAC was on the ground early afternoon, this smart machine from Nelson Pilot Training Ltd.

Rans 19 at Woodbury

 Three more aircraft as spied at the Woodbury gathering over the Easter/ANZAC Weekend.
Above is the Rans S-6ES Xoyote 11 ZK-KBJ ,c/n 1292407 . First registered on 07-05-1993 it moved down to Grant South of Geraldine in July of 2009.

 Rans S-6S Coyote 11 ZK-DIG2 , c/n 01041543 , is based on this strip with Gavin Coulter. 

Up from Cattle Flat - out of Gore - was the Rans S-7 Courier ZK-JNK , c/n 1019157.

Hughes 369D ZK-HRF

Spotted in the Winery's front yard just before to turn off into Omaka on Saturday the 23rd by Bargeld01 was the Hughes 369D ZK-HRF2 , c/n 119-0627D. Built in November of  1979 it went to Japan in 1986 before coming to NZ for Rotor Flite NZ Ltd on 11-07-2005. Operators include Gisborne Helicopters, Helicopters Hawkes Bay, Heavy Jet then Wairarapa Helicopters before joining Precision Helicopters at Urenui on 01-01-2011.

Woodbury

 Memorial Microlight Rally Easter 2011. South Canterbury Microlight Club. Waihi Bush Woodbury.

A small gathering of microlights have been at the Waihi Bush airstrip over this Easter Weekend.
There are about fifteen aircraft currently in the air (241030) heading towards Mesopotamia Station (but I suspect they will return after a northwesterly thrashing).
Above is the Morgan Aero Works Sierra 100 ZK-LLS , c/n 21-54 , of Flylite Ltd up from Gore.

Bush Caddy ZK-LIL

Noted at Ashburton on 22-04-2011 was the Bush Caddy R-80 ZK-LIL , c/n CA-001-117 , of Graham Johnson.

Also lurking about was the airframes of De Havilland DH104 Devon "INST214" which is ex RNZAF NZ1804 , c/n 04304, with the Fokker F27 Friendship ZK-BXG , c/n 10189 in the distance.

I remember when

I remember when there where five Douglas DC-3's parked in rotten row at Christchurch Airport in 1979 - 1980.
Here is a shot of one of our not so well known DC-3's, ZK-ERI c/n 16965/34225 taken on 02-03-1979.
This was ex NZ3553 with the RNZAF until joining the NZ civil register on 06-12-1978.
It ended up with the South African Air Force and was converted to turboprop.
I believe it ended its days rotting in Mozambique as ZS-LJI.
  


Additional info added 21-04-2011 supplied by QW.
Check out the link below for more details and later pics
http://www.dc-3.co.za/dc-3-individual-aircraft-history/cn-34225.html

Thanks QW.

First Flight...............

Well, not quite first flight..... but it is since the aircraft returned to NZ earlier this year.  Ex RNZAF Strikemaster NZ6370, now registered ZK-STR, took to the skies of Ardmore for the first time on 20 April concluding a longer than anticipated rebuild ex shipping from Australia which included an unexpected engine change.  Absolutely awesome to see this warbird back in our skies!!  Congratulations to everyone involved in this project.

More on the Tomahawk

Curtiss P40C ZK-TWK had additional markings added in the last couple of days plus this morning, 20 April, a ferry tank was installed.  This afternoon the aircraft conducted a local flight including an air-to-air photo sortie over the Hauraki Gulf.

Is this destined to become ZK-???

Eurocopter A365N2 Dauphine JA6641 has been resident in the Oceania hanger since early this year and today, 20 April, it was outside conducting engine runs.

Birth Notice.

 Subject: Birth notice
On Saturday 16th to the Gore Aero Club at 3:45pm a healthy baby arrived weighing in at 1200 pounds MAUW, 30 ft 4 inches wide, 20 ft 9 inches long and 6 foot high.

The yellow and black stripped youngster named ZK-COJ2 very quietly slipped into the circuit to show itself off. The suppliers and assembler are proud of what they have produced, though the pilot did have a problem, as his grin extended right around to the back of his neck.

The baby has a few hours to fly off so that it can prove itself as worthy as its stable mate Cessna 172N ZK-WHY.

COJ wishes to make a good impression on all and will make itself available to those who wish to make a closer inspection.

Ratings are available for those who indulge in GA and microlight licenses to those who wish to "slip the surly bonds of Earth and dance the skies on laughter-silvered wings".

Thanks to :-

 Ray Bremner - Otago Aero Club.

John Ibbotson - Gore Aero Club.

Craig Miller of Custom Aircraft for top pic.

Astro Physics

 Ellesmere Helicopters Robinson R44 Astro ZK-HKH3 , c/n 0577 , at work this morning (19-04-2011) in the Okuti Valley on Banks Peninsula. Precision flying and fascinating to watch.

Beech 200C ZK-FDR

Beech 200C Super King Air ZK-FDR2 , c/n BL31, captured this afternoon as I was passing, and without that fence in the way.
It is a 1981 model which was registered to Garden City Helicopters Ltd of Christchurch on 23-09-2009 and carries Garden City AirExec and NZ Flying Doctor titles.

Curtiss Buffalo Hawk 81A-3 (P40C) Tomahawk Takes Flight

After a massive rebuild operation at Ardmore's Avspecs, the extremely rare Curtiss P40C Tomahawk c/n 14777 AK-295 registered ZK-TWK took to the skies of Ardmore 17 April alighting from runway 21 at exactly 1700 for a 18 minute test flight conducted under grey, showery skies.  What an awesome experience to be on hand to witness the first flight since 1942 for this particular machine.....

Airborne for the first time since February 1942.

Two Tomahawks........................

Fantastic!  Well done Avspecs.

Foreigners at Ardmore

Beech Baron N254F has been part of the Ardmore scene since October 2009 and today, 17 April, it flew a trip to Wanaka and back.

Previously mentioned on this blog was the arrival of 2011 edition Cirrus N102NZ with it slated to become ZK-FMN.  It was out and about today also and noted across at Pauanui.