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:

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.