DQ-FJG "Island of Kadavu", Boeing 737-8X2 Next Gen - MSN 29968 (ex N1786B )
DQ-FJN, Boeing 737-808 Next Gen - MSN 34969 (ex D-ABBX Airberlin)
Tuesday, 30 June 2015
Fiji Airways flies into Wellington
Last Thursday saw the commencement of direct flights between Wellington and Nandi. There are to be two flights a week, Sunday and Thursday arriving at 12.15pm and departing an hour later. The four Boeing 737-800's will do the duty and hopefully we may get to see their 737-700 once in a while. I was lucky enough to catch the first flight into Wellington from a distance and the departure to Nandi on Sunday.
Ex Australian Air Force Tiger Moth for Sale at Tauranga
Back in February 2012 I posted about an ex-Australian Air Force Tiger Moth coming together at Pacific Aero Coatings at Tauranga see: www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/tiger-moths-at-pacific-aero-coatings.html. In the post I identified the Tiger as A19-58 which drew a somewhat grumpy comment from Anonymous advising that A17-58 was VH-PCG at Byron Bay, NSW and had never been to New Zealand. Grumpy Anonymous wanted to know where I got my information from. I got my information from Pacific Aero Coatings but I did not take it further at the time.
However in the interests of historical exactitude I must now advise that I was in error and in fact the Tiger Moth at Tauranga is A17-59, - hey! one number off is not that wrong!. A17-59 is shown in the photo below from Trade Me where it is currently for sale (the auction closes on 3 July at a starting bid of $140,000).
Trade Me advises the following details about the aircraft: "1940 ex RAAF complete restoration by Ray Windred of Luskintyre NSW. Final paint by Pacific Aero Coatings of NZ. GMH Gipsy Major zero timed engine. New wood and fabric throughout. New Invincible prop, new tyres, new fuel tank and aux tank. Carbon steel flying wires, brakes and tailwheel, 406 ELT, cockpit and prop covers, fire extinguisher. On Australian export C of A,. Holds reserved NZ 'A' reg'n. Ready for final assembly and C of A, (at buyer expense) or export".
It would be nice if it stays here.
However in the interests of historical exactitude I must now advise that I was in error and in fact the Tiger Moth at Tauranga is A17-59, - hey! one number off is not that wrong!. A17-59 is shown in the photo below from Trade Me where it is currently for sale (the auction closes on 3 July at a starting bid of $140,000).
It would be nice if it stays here.
Monday, 29 June 2015
Tri-R Technologies KIS TR-4 Cruisers of New Zealand
The next type of sport aircraft to be registered in New Zealand was the Tri-R Technologies KIS TR-4 Cruiser.
Tri-R Technologies was a company formed by Richard Trickel of Oxnard, California to develop composite homebuilt aircraft kits, and grew from manufacturing components for other aircraft manufacturers such as Lancair. Their first design was the KIS TR-1 which first flew in 1991 (of which we have had one example, see www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2014/12/tri-r-technologies-kis-tr-1-of-new.html ). KIS stands for Keep It Simple (Stupid!).
The TR-4 was developed from the TR-1 and was introduced at Oshkosh in 1994. The aircraft is a conventional low wing 4 seater with a tractor motor of between 150 and 200 HP. Like the TR-1 it has neat gull wing doors, but they are much bigger in the TR-4. Length is 25 feet (7.62 metres), wingspan is 29 feet (8.84 metres) and the wing area is 135 square feet. Empty weight is around 1,550 pounds (700 Kg) and MAUW is 2,425 pounds (1,134 Kg). With a Lycoming O-360 engine of 180 HP cruise is 165 mph.
We have had three KIS TR-4s in New Zealand to date.
ZK-TEL2 (c/n 4017) was the second TR Technologies aircraft from Roger Ramsay, Peter Elwood and Geoff Sheehan, following their earlier TR-1 ZK-KIS. It was first registered to Scientific Management New Zealand Ltd of North Shore on 17/2/99. It first flew on 3/3/99 and is photo'd above at the 2000 SAANZ flyin at Matamata, showing its large gull wing door.
As can be seen in the above photo taken at North Shore on 13/12/13, it has not changed during the ensuing years, althought ownership transferred to Scientific Management Associates (Vic) Pty of Whangaparaoa on 28/6/00. Somewhere along the line it acquired the rather unflattering name of " Sheep Shagger IV " .
ZK-TUF (c/n 44) was built by Laurie N Tuff of Christchurch and was first registered to him on 10/4/00. It was first flown on 20/4/00 and has been owned by Laurie ever since, although it has been advertised for sale for some time. It was photo'd above at Rangiora on 20/5/11.
And our third TR-4 Cruiser ZK-PLN (c/n 4009) was built in South Africa by David P Bullen-Smith and registered there as ZU-BLN on 22/12/97 (It is therefore our oldest TR-4). David Bullen-Smith imported the aircraft into New Zealand and registered it as ZK-PLN on 24/4/04. However it does not seem to have been active here as I only ever saw in in the back of a hangar at Ardmore as photo'd above in 2004. It is still owned by David Bullen-Smith at a Whangaparaoa address.
Tri-R Technologies was a company formed by Richard Trickel of Oxnard, California to develop composite homebuilt aircraft kits, and grew from manufacturing components for other aircraft manufacturers such as Lancair. Their first design was the KIS TR-1 which first flew in 1991 (of which we have had one example, see www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2014/12/tri-r-technologies-kis-tr-1-of-new.html ). KIS stands for Keep It Simple (Stupid!).
The TR-4 was developed from the TR-1 and was introduced at Oshkosh in 1994. The aircraft is a conventional low wing 4 seater with a tractor motor of between 150 and 200 HP. Like the TR-1 it has neat gull wing doors, but they are much bigger in the TR-4. Length is 25 feet (7.62 metres), wingspan is 29 feet (8.84 metres) and the wing area is 135 square feet. Empty weight is around 1,550 pounds (700 Kg) and MAUW is 2,425 pounds (1,134 Kg). With a Lycoming O-360 engine of 180 HP cruise is 165 mph.
We have had three KIS TR-4s in New Zealand to date.
Saturday, 27 June 2015
ZK-CBS update
Below we have a "new" pic of ZK-CBS in its Ag set up from Allan Wooller.
Below I have re-produced the earlier post done on CBS :-
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SUNDAY, 23 JANUARY 2011
Cessna 185A ZK-CBS
Cessna 185A Skywagon ZK-CBS , c/n 185A-0398 , was allocated the US registration N4198Y, and it is my guess that it never carried these marks as it was test flown using Cessna's "test registration" of N11B before shipping to Rural Aviation at New Plymouth. I have it as first being registered as ZK-CBS to Mount Cook Air Services Ltd of Timaru on 05-09-1962 and first flying in NZ on 10-07-1962. It followed the Company name changes with a move to Mount Cook & Southern Lakes Tourist Co Ltd on 18-07-1973.
The shots above and below are at Wellington on 28-04-1964.
It then appeared in Mount Cook Airlines scheme as fleet number "23" as seen above at Mount Cook on 31-12-1977. Ownership title changed to The Mount Cook Group on 07-02-1978.
It then spent a period in what looks like the carrot dropping role.
Photo below taken at Queenstown on 09-09-1978.
Then two fine pics below from Dave Bates depicting CBS "carroting" out of Luggate on 06-08-1979.
Another name change on 30-06-1998 had it with Tourism Holdings Ltd of Pleasant Point from 30-06-1998.
It latest change was to Aoraki Mount Coo Ski Planes Ltd of Mount Cook on 16-01-2002.
Above and below we see her at Mount Cook on 15-08-2006. Now minus its fleet number but still retaining the ranunculus (Mt Cook buttercup) on its tail
Below as seen at Masterton on Friday with ski racks underwing and also what I assume is part of its Kiwi tracking kit protruding forward on each wing.
It is said to be the highest houred 185 in country.
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In more recent times it has been employed in the parachute dropping role on "The Coast" at Waiho in about 2010
Below we see her near the end of her ski flying days at Mt Cook on 24-11-2014.
Below we see her near the end of her ski flying days at Mt Cook on 24-11-2014.
It was officially transferred to Patchett Ag-Air Ltd at Omaka on 15-02-2015.
And below it was spotted at Omaka on 27-02-2015 in a modified paint scheme
And below it was spotted at Omaka on 27-02-2015 in a modified paint scheme
The fuselage stripe has been altered but the Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus lyallii) still remains on the tail.
Check out this recent report from the MArlborough Express Newspaper.
Photo below shows ZK-CBS at Work as taken from the Marlborough Express link above.
ZK-CHS Update
ZK-CHS
We have some more pics from Anonymous, Dave Paull and Allan Wooller of the Cessna 185D Skywagon ZK-CHS (c/n 185-0793).
This 185 was first listed with Cessna at Wichita in Kansas as N5893T.
As a useless snippet of information the last two numbers of the c/n and the last two numbers of the US registration on these earlier Cessna aircraft where normally the same.
It was imported and registered by the NZ agents Rex Aviation (NZ) Ltd at New Plymouth as ZK-CHS on 22-02-1965 and then moved over to Rural Aviation (1963) Ltd from 11-03-1965.
Here we have two shots from Allan Wooller showing ZK-CHS in its Rural Ag set up in 1967.
The above shot was taken at Hood, Masterton.
Whilst lower view is at Feilding.
The above shot was taken at Hood, Masterton.
Whilst lower view is at Feilding.
At the end of its Ag days it was listed to General Finance Acceptance on 17-09-1968.
In the mid to late 60's General Finance had about thirty aircraft on their books - mostly leased out.
ZK-CHS was leased to the Rex Flying School at Paraparaumu and then to the Taupo branch from late 1967.
ZK-CHS at the Oamaru strip
As captured at Taupo in September of 1969.
On 18-08-1971 it was listed to the Taupo Flying School and Air Services.
Seen naked at Wellington on 07-12-72.
Back at Taupo on 09-06-73.
Taupo again - date unknown.
Air Central Ltd of Taupo feature from 30-01-1976 and it was painted up in Fred Ladd's colour schemes for his Dynamic Volcanic SnoFlites.
Above a 1977 shot from Allan Wooller of CHS at Taupo.
At North Arm in January 1978.
Below we have a better angle showing the paint scheme for Fred Ladd's "Dynamic Volcanic SnoFlites Service.
From 08-03-1979 it was under the Taupo Air Service Ltd name.
A few days later - 19-03-1979 - it crashed alongside the Desert Road near Rangipo with the loss of all six lives.
It was previously briefly mentioned at :-
Fixed Wing visitors at Ardmore
Air Parts (NZ) Fletcher FU24 MKII ZK-CZA has been at Ardmore for the last few weeks having engine maintenance carried out. It was conducting an engine run in the rain on the afternoon of 26 June.
Blue Bus has the following to add:
Blue Bus has the following to add:
Fletcher
FU24 MkII ZK-CZA was an Air Parts
(NZ) Ltd assembled aircraft, being registered on 09-09-1969 and went down to
Wanganui Aero Work in October that year. Its last flight under its 300hp was on
17-11-1975 when it had a structural failure. It was then morphed onto a
Fletcher 950M. Now jump forward to December 2008 when it was listed to Central
South Island Helicopters Ltd. Near the end of the year (2014) it was
transferred to Hallett Griffin of Kairanga Aviation.
Still wearing the markings applied by its previous owner, ex TV weather presenter and New Plymouth Airport cafe operator Jim Hickey, is the Yak 52 ZK-ZAH. It is seen here departing Ardmore 26 June and departed via the downwind leg of the circuit heading east. An ownership change to Blue Fifty Two Ltd of Hamilton took place in April this year.
Friday, 26 June 2015
AACA Historical - Jodel D 11 ZK-DGA
And here is Robbie with his D 11 outside his hangar at Masterton in 1977.
You can see more on the history of ZK-DGA and some other of our Jodel D 11s at: www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/jodel-d-11s-of-new-zealand-2.html
Thorp ZK-EDF and ZK-EDF junior
A recent AACA Historical post by Sir Minty showed the Thorp T18 ZK-EDF (c/n AACA/43/2) as captured in flight by Allan Wooller.
Peter Campbell noted the posting and was reminded of a pic taken in Invercargill late in the 1970s. Sorry no exact date.
It was some sort of an Aero Club gathering and ZK-EDF came down.
At some stage a local modeler arrived with his creation and the two posed together.
ZK-EDF was also mentioned previously at :-
Since March of 2007 it has been listed with Kevin Foster of Whenuapai.
P.S. The Maurice Paton Special ZK-MPS is now in safe storage at Fernside near Rangiora.
MBB BK117 ZK-HQB
Following on from a post earlier this week, another recent helicopter addition to the NZ register is this very smart BK117 B-2 ZK-HQB/2.
Sources indicate it is destined for Papua New Guinea and like ZK-HNP from the earlier post it is now designated the 850D2.
Our register oracle Blue Bus offers this extensive insight:
Sources indicate it is destined for Papua New Guinea and like ZK-HNP from the earlier post it is now designated the 850D2.
Our register oracle Blue Bus offers this extensive insight:
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm has been producing fine rotary wing flying machines since around 1960 and Kawasaki has been doing similar since 1952. Between them they have produced the MBB & BK117’s since 1979. These 117’s all need maintenance, refurbishment, rebuilds or upgrades as the calendar or flying hours require. To this end Airwork (NZ) Ltd has been toiling away by importing machines from offshore, carrying out the required service and then, in most cases, sending theses helicopters back offshore again. The latest import is an MBB-BK117B-2 which was registered on 12 May 2015 as ZK-HQB2 This was built in Germany as D-HSSS and listed to the manufacturer on 21-10-1992 before being passed to DRF Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht (Air Rescue Service) at Manheim in February of 1993. In mid-June of 2010 it transferred to similar duties with Flacks DRF Luftambulance at Roskilde in Denmark under the OY-HLT registration. It returned to the German register as D-HHLT in about April of 2014 and is now with Airwork (NZ) Ltd at Ardmore receiving due attention. The original ZK-HQB registration was applied to a 1976 built Hughes 369HS which served in NZ from early 1980 until being cancelled in 2011.
Thursday, 25 June 2015
Slepcev Storches of New Zealand (and a Ragwing)
The original Fiesler Fi 156 Storch (Stork) first flew in 1936 in Germany and during WW2 several thousand were built in many countries including Germany, Romania, Czechoslavakia and France, The design was provided to Russia before the war and was also built by Morane Saulnier in France from 1944 for the French Armee de l'Air. It had amazing STOL performance with full span slats and slotted flaps and ailerons. It also had an interesting amount of undercrraige travel - it is worth googling to see a Storch do a short landing!
The Storch had such amazing performance that it has spawned several copies (mostly 3/4 scale) as in the Slepcev and Ragwing aircraft below, and the Pazmany PL9. I understand that Murray Belfield of Tokoroa (who built his Jodel D 11 many years ago) is well advanced with building a Pazmany Storch for bush flying.
The Slepcev Storch was designed by Nestor Slepcev, a Yugoslavian who emigrated to Australia. It is modified for simplicity but still has the full span leading edge slats and Fowler flaps, which gives it an amazing STOL performance - quoted figures for takeoff and landing are 30 to 50 feet and it is claimed that the Slepcev Storch can fly at 22 mph with full flap and 30% power!! I wonder when one will show up at the Healthy Bastards competition? Length is 6.8 metres (22 feet 4 inches), wingspan is 10.0 metres (32 feet 10 inches) and the wing area is 160 Square feet. Empty weight is around 290 Kg (640 pounds) and MAUW is 544 Kg (1200 pounds). Engine power for the microlight version can be from 65 to 100 HP but models are available for more powerful engines in the Super Storch model. Kits are available from the factory at Port Macquarie, NSW and from Novi Sad in Serbia.
We have had three Slepcev Storches in New Zealand as follows:
Our first Storch was a demonstration example that was bought to New Zealand and demonstrated by Nestor Slepcev at the 1998 SAANZ flyin at Matamata, where it is shown in the above photo. ZK-JPH (c/n 036) was owned by Jim Hazelton of Turners Flat, NSW and was first registered here on 3/2/98. I remember Nestor Slepcev giving the most amazing handling display at the SAANZ flyin including 180 degree turns within the confines of the airstrip. It was marked as a "Slepcev Storch Muster". After further demonstrations in New Zealand it was cancelled on 19/3/99 and returned to Australia where it became 19-3061.
Our second Storch came the other way, from Australia to New Zealand. ZK-WAZ (c/n SSUL097) was previously 19-3690 and still wears thos marks as well as WAZ. It was imported by Gavin Ladbrook of Timaru and was first registered here on 11/7/03. It is photo'd above at Timaru on 1/7/10.
And here it is at Russel Brodie's Rangitata Island airstrip on 18/12/11, now with big tyres.
ZK-STO (c/n 157) was built by Angus Robson of Matamata and was first registered on 26/3/14. It looks quite authentic and a lot of work has gone into the canopy glazing. It is photo'd above at Ardmore on 16/10/14.
As we are on the subject of Storch replicas I will include our only example of the Roger Mann designed Ragwing RW19 Storch. ZK-RWB (c/n RW19) was built by Wayne Wilson of Christchurch and was first registered on 2/7/04 and first flew with a Subaru motor with a belt reduction unit. The dimensions and MAUW are the same as the Slepcev Storch but the quoted stalling speed is 15 mph!
ZK-RWB was sold to Ivan Campbell of Loburn Abbey, near Rangiora, on 18/3/10. Ivan has refurbished the aircraft and has installed a Rotec R 2800 7 cylinder radial engine of 110 HP. Campbell Aero Classics are the local agents for Rotec radial engines. It hasn't flown with the Rotec yet but it will be a very interesting aircraft to see when it gets going. It is photo'd above at Loburn Abbey on 8/2/15.
The Storch had such amazing performance that it has spawned several copies (mostly 3/4 scale) as in the Slepcev and Ragwing aircraft below, and the Pazmany PL9. I understand that Murray Belfield of Tokoroa (who built his Jodel D 11 many years ago) is well advanced with building a Pazmany Storch for bush flying.
The Slepcev Storch was designed by Nestor Slepcev, a Yugoslavian who emigrated to Australia. It is modified for simplicity but still has the full span leading edge slats and Fowler flaps, which gives it an amazing STOL performance - quoted figures for takeoff and landing are 30 to 50 feet and it is claimed that the Slepcev Storch can fly at 22 mph with full flap and 30% power!! I wonder when one will show up at the Healthy Bastards competition? Length is 6.8 metres (22 feet 4 inches), wingspan is 10.0 metres (32 feet 10 inches) and the wing area is 160 Square feet. Empty weight is around 290 Kg (640 pounds) and MAUW is 544 Kg (1200 pounds). Engine power for the microlight version can be from 65 to 100 HP but models are available for more powerful engines in the Super Storch model. Kits are available from the factory at Port Macquarie, NSW and from Novi Sad in Serbia.
We have had three Slepcev Storches in New Zealand as follows:
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
BK117 ZK-HNP and LongRanger ZK-HYR
A couple of recent additions to the NZ register were noted flying at Ardmore 24 June.
Registered to Airwork in March this year is the BK117 ZK-HNP2
It was first designated a BK117-A4 but modified to a B2 however the script on the vertical tail fin denotes it as a BK117-850D2.
Thanks to Bluebus for the following insight:
MBB-BK117 A-4 ZK-HNP2. Built as an A-1 model and registered to Messerschmidt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) as D-HBKS in May of 1984 –it was retained as a demonstrator and as such appeared at the Farnborough Air Show in September of 1984. In 1990 it moved to the States and became N317RM with Advantage Aviation Inc of Greenville South Dakota on 23rd August, and then on to Rocky Mountain Holdings LLC at Provo Utah on 06-04-1995. A change of registration to N951AM took place on 09-01-1996– Still with Rocky Mountain. On 26-12-002 it was damaged during start up on the roof helipad of the Albany Hospital when a wind gust caused the rotor blade to strike its vertical stabiliser. From mid-April of 2005 it was based at Englewood, Colorado and then had another ID change on 31-01-2006 to N365CH, and then to N627AM on 25-04-2007 – still in Rocky Mountain ownership and still in the EMS role. The first issue of ZK-HNP was to an Ecureuil initially with Helicopter (NZ) in 1982 and then to John Funnell from 1984 until being withdrawn early last year.
Bell 206L-4 LongRanger ZK-HYR is the third helicopter to wear these markings and it was registered to Oceania on 09 June. As is clearly evident, this machine most recently worked for the police force in Japan.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kanagawa-Prefectural-Police/Bell-206L-4-LongRanger/1465772/M/
Registered to Airwork in March this year is the BK117 ZK-HNP2
It was first designated a BK117-A4 but modified to a B2 however the script on the vertical tail fin denotes it as a BK117-850D2.
Thanks to Bluebus for the following insight:
MBB-BK117 A-4 ZK-HNP2. Built as an A-1 model and registered to Messerschmidt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) as D-HBKS in May of 1984 –it was retained as a demonstrator and as such appeared at the Farnborough Air Show in September of 1984. In 1990 it moved to the States and became N317RM with Advantage Aviation Inc of Greenville South Dakota on 23rd August, and then on to Rocky Mountain Holdings LLC at Provo Utah on 06-04-1995. A change of registration to N951AM took place on 09-01-1996– Still with Rocky Mountain. On 26-12-002 it was damaged during start up on the roof helipad of the Albany Hospital when a wind gust caused the rotor blade to strike its vertical stabiliser. From mid-April of 2005 it was based at Englewood, Colorado and then had another ID change on 31-01-2006 to N365CH, and then to N627AM on 25-04-2007 – still in Rocky Mountain ownership and still in the EMS role. The first issue of ZK-HNP was to an Ecureuil initially with Helicopter (NZ) in 1982 and then to John Funnell from 1984 until being withdrawn early last year.
Bell 206L-4 LongRanger ZK-HYR is the third helicopter to wear these markings and it was registered to Oceania on 09 June. As is clearly evident, this machine most recently worked for the police force in Japan.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kanagawa-Prefectural-Police/Bell-206L-4-LongRanger/1465772/M/
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