Pitts S 2 Specials of New Zealand - Imported Aircraft (2)

This next batch of Pitts S 2's, all imported in the 1990's, have all been used for tourist flights in Queenstown and Wanaka.

The photos are from the Keith Morris collection unless otherwise noted.

ZK-FXT (c/n 2126) is a 1978 Aerotek built S 2A model that is ex N84FS. It was imported by the Ashburton Aviation Syndicate and was first registered in New Zealand on 13/2/91. It arrived with a damaged engine. Ownership transferred to the Rotorua Aero Club on 24/9/92, and it was then owned by a succession of owners in the Queenstown area: P R Clarke from 18/1/95, Over the Top Ltd from 9/9/99 and Actionflight Ltd from 12/8/04. The above photo was taken at Queenstown by Blue Bus on 10/9/05.

Ownership was transferred to Jagair Ltd of Wellington (Ray and Amy Mudgeway) on 25/8/06 and the registration ZK-FXT was cancelled on 20/11/06. It was re-registered as ZK-JAG on the same day. The above photo was taken at Queenstown on 24/2/08, where it still operates tourist flights.

ZK-PTO (c/n 2182) was a 1978 Aerotek built S 2A model that was ex VH-WEB. It was imported into New Zealand by Grant Bissett of Ashburton and was first registered in New Zealand on 6/11/92. Ownership transferred to Biplane Adventures at Wanaka in 1994 where the above photo was taken by flyernzl at the 1998 Wanaka Airshow. Tragically it was involved in a fatal accident at Wanaka on 15/12/00 killing the pilot and passenger. This was the second fatal Pitts accident at Wanaka, after ZK-ECO 15 years before. ZK-PTO was cancelled on 23/3/01.

ZK-KHM (c/n 5090) is a 1985 Christen built S 2B model that is ex N86TW. It was imported by Mitchell Aero Holdings of Pleasant Point and was first registered in New Zealand on 25/11/97. It also was then owned by a succession of owners in Queenstown: Actionflite Ltd from 17/2/04, Over the Top Ltd from 23/7/04 (briefly), then by Actionflite Ltd again from 12/8/04. On 12/6/09 it was sold to ST Trust of Christchurch (C/- Sam Stephenson) but I think it continued to operate tourist flights out of Queenstown. The above photo was taken by Blue Bus at Queenstown, on 16/8/06.

Finally it was sold to Aerostunts Ltd of Christchurch on 19/1/10 and the registration ZK-KHM was cancelled on 22/1/10 and re-registered on the same date as ZK-STX. The above photo, also by Blue Bus, was taken at Rangiora on 14/3/10. It has returned to Queenstown to operate tourist flights in association with the Wakatipu Aero Club, and a website shows that it is now operating without the Red Bull signage.