Airdrome Aeroplanes Morane Saulnier Model L Replica ZK-MSP

In a hangar at Te Kowhai last week, I spotted Frank Price's Airdrome Aeroplanes Morane Saulnier Model L replica ZK-MSP.

Unfortunately this is the best angle I could get for a photo.  I understand that it has not yet flown.

Europa Aircraft Europas of New Zealand (2)

This next group of Europas complete our Monowheel aircraft fleet (to date).

ZK-TIM2 (c/n 292) is a Classic model that was built by Tim Ward of Christchurch and first registered on 9/3/04.  It suffered an undercarriage collapse at Wigram on 14/6/04 but was repaired.  It is photo'd above at the 2013 Black Sands flyin at Raglan.

ZK-ZEB (c/n 198) is a Classic model that was built by Peter Austin of Whitianga and was first registered on 11/2/08.  It is different in that it is powered by a 3 cylinder Wilksch watercooled diesel engine that is both supercharged and turbocharged.  It is also photo'd at Raglan, at the 2009 Black Sands flyin.

ZK-EPA2 (c/n 355) is a XS model that was started as a project in Christchurch in 1997 and finished by Gavin Lee of Auckland, who first registered the aircraft on 25/9/08.  It has a Rotax 912S engine powering an Airmaster propellor.  It is photo'd above at Ardmore early on in its life, on 27/2/09.

ZK-MEE (c/n 613), an XS model,  was built by Keith G Hickling of Dunedin and was first registered to him on 11/3/09.  It is photo'd above at the 2014 SAANZ flyin at Hastings.

ZK-MOF (c/n 130) has an interesting history in that it has been around the world with its builder and owner.  You can see from the c/n that it is an early Classic model, and it was mostly built in Wellington by John Bampfylde.  I remember from Sport Flying magazines that this aircraft was quite advanced and I understand that it was allocated the registration ZK-PKA, but that was not taken up.  I expected it to be our first Europa to fly, but John transferred to America where the aircraft was registered as N1960J on 29/11/99 to JSW Bampfylde of Wilmington Delaware.  It did fly in America but was cancelled from the US register on 10/9/02 when John took the aircraft with him to Australia where it became VH-JXN from 23/1/03 and later 19-7327 from 23/11/09.  It was cancelled from the Australian register when John returned to New Zealand and it was registered ZK-MOF on 7/3/13.  It is photo'd above in a hangar at Rangiora on 8/2/15 but may not now be there as John has moved to Upper Moutere.
.

ZK-OWN (c/n 240) is an example of an aircraft was never officially registered, although as photo'd above it was painted as such at Rangiora on 5/5/10.  It was a Classic model that was built by Dick Owen of Christchurch.  I understand that it had some construction issues and it never flew as ZK-OWN.

In December 2013 it was sold to Wayne Lindebaum of Christchurch.  He remedied the construction issues and registered the aircraft as ZK-SBZ on 26/8/14,  Its first flight was at Rangiora on 20/6/15 in the hands of Mike Small.  The above photo was taken at Rangiora on 10/5/15.

And here it is photo'd arriving at the 2015 Black Sands flyin at Raglan on 7/11/15.

I wouldn't be surprised to see more Europas registered in New Zealand in the future as it is a very capable and fast aircraft.  (And of course we still have several tri-gear Europas to post).  Watch this space.

ZK-KTT at Tauranga today

Seen today undergoing maintenance at Tauranga was the De Havilland DH104 Devon/Dove ZK-KTT (c/n 04324).

This airframe became NZ1808 and was one of thirty Devons used by the RNZAF.

NZ1808 was ferried out from the UK by an RNZAF aircrew and arrived at Wigram on November the 20th 1952. 

As far as I am aware it had a pretty routine military career and was known to have had the radio call sign of ZM-ZKJ.

It was sold by tender to the Northland Districts Aero Club 06-11-1984 after being in storage at Woodbourne from May of 1980.

It was registered as ZK-KTT on 06-11-1984 to Barry Keay, Jim Trewin and J E Taylor of Paparoa. The KTT registration being the surname initials of the three owners. 

It went through several syndicate changes until 02-07-1996 when it was re-registered as ZK-CBK with Chris Bellamy and Barry Keay of Ponsonby. 

During the 1990's it was painted with N Z Warbirds script and is seen below at Glentanner on 14-10-2000

This became the Devon 08 Syndicate from 03-04-2001

It reverted back to its original ZK-KTT registration on 11-04-2002 by which time Chris Timms is a prominent Syndicate member.

Title changed to the NZ Historic Aircraft Trust of Papakura on 16-03-2007 with the aircraft being based at Tauranga from about 2010.

It is seen below at the Solo Wings hangar at Tauranga in its late RNZAF colour scheme with is civil ZK-KTT registration on the fin fillet.

Colin at Solo Wings has taken up the challenge to get KTT back flying again. 

ZK-JQK at Fox Glacier

Tanya Salter Anderson has once again provided us with a few nice shots from the 'Coast".

The Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-JQK (c/n 118) was captured operating out of the Fox Glacier strip on the 23rd of this month.

 ZK-JQK first flew at Hamilton on 27-04-2005 after having been registered to Pacific Aerospace Corporation Ltd on 05-04-2005. 

After an ownership change to the Hinton Skydiving Centre of Hinton in North Hants in the UK on 12-05-2005 it headed off to Lord Howe Island on 10-06-2005. It then moved on to Toowoomba and Broome, passing through Cocos Island and ended up in the UK remaining on the ZK register.

 Its spot at Hinton was taken by ZK-KCE in January of 2013 with ZK-JQK ferrying out via Wick in Scotland to Vagar in the Faeroe Islands, then to Iceland, Greenland, Canada and the USA where it was noted as being for sale in June 2013 at Davis, California.

 Title changed to Tandem Skydiving (2002) Ltd of Taupo on 05-12-2013 and it duly ferried out from Davis and Santa maria on 10-12-2013, Hilo on the 11th, to Pago Pago and into Hamilton on the 15th.

Finally a pic from Hinton.

Starduster ZK-SDI revisited.

The Stolp Starduster SA100 ZK-SDI (c/n 14) was noted at Rangiora in mid 2007 and gained a mentioned in an earlier post at:-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2008/01/stolp-starduster.html

A new recent comment has prompted this update.

This first photograph above shows it as N73R at Rangiora on 10-05-2007. Its US registration visible at the top of its fin.

Then below we have five views of it out in the sunshine on 21-11-2007.

 In the upper and lower pic the figure '3' of its US registration is still on its fin.

If entered the NZ Civil Aircraft Register on 22-01-2008 as ZK-SDI with Alan Ryde.

Above we see it on 28-05-09 with its SDI markings on its fin.

 And again - but on 29-10-2013.

Alan Ryde sold it to a family friend from 25-06-2015 and it now resides at Fernside Fields - to the West of Rangiora - along with the Cessna A185F ZK-DSO with Greg Ward.

I caught up with it at it new abode on 20-03-2016

For more on this CPO chevron and 'Adorimini'  see :-

http://www.vfa2.navy.mil/flyingchiefs.htm

Recent pics at Christchurch International.

A couple of quick whiz's around Christchurch International caught the following.

 At Garden City Helicopters Ltd three of their BK117's were on hand.

Above is the MBB BK117 B2 ZK-HGU5  (c/n 7229) just departing to head out over the city; whilst below the Kawasaki BK117 B2 ZK-HJC3 (c/n 1061) is about to settle onto its trolley.

At rest was the MBB BK117 850D2 ZK-IVB (c/n 7061).

All three of these BK's have featured on these pages previously.

The Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-IIF (c/n 1088) as listed with Collective Support Holdings Ltd of Whakatane is parked out at Pacific Helicopters Ltd and wears its full ZK marks.

This has also featured before.

Outside the ANZES hangar is the new ATR72-212A ZK-MVL (c/n 1328) which arrived on delivery on the 22nd.

See more at:- http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/atr72-212a-600-zk-mvl.html

Europa Aircraft Europas of New Zealand (1)

The all composite Europa was designed by Ivan Shaw in the early 1990s with the prototype first flying in England in September 1992.  The Europa was designed as a very efficient two seat tourer with a high cruising speed and good fuel economy and is built from a kit.  But its point of difference is the single retractable mainwheel with outrigger wheels that also retract in flight.  This leant itself to the aircraft having removable wings like gliders do, and the aircraft being trailerable for easier storage.  A tri-gear version appeared later.

The original Europa "Classic" model was constructed using a pre-formed fuselage and glass over foam construction for the wings.  An upgraded "XS" model was introduced in 1997 and featured a molded-shell wing manufactured in the factory.  There is also an interchangeable 13 metre glider wing available but we have not have had any of these in New Zealand to date.

The Europa is commonly powered by a Rotax 912/914 engine but several other engines have also been used by builders including the 3 cylinder Wilksch diesel as in one example in New Zealand.  With a Rotax 912 ULS engine cruise speed is quoted as 155 mph (250 kph) for the monowheel version.  The Europa's length is 19 feet 2 inches (5.84 metres), wingspan is 27 feet 2 inches (8.28 metres) and the wing area is 102 square feet.  Empty weight is around 780 pounds (354 Kg) and MAUW is 1,370 pounds (623 Kg).

We have had 9 monowheel model Europas in New Zealand plus another 3 tri-gear models.

ZK-UBD (c/n 144) is a Classic model that was built in Australia by Hank kauffman of Noosa Waters, Queensland and was registered as VH-UBD on 3/4/97.  It was cancelled from the Australian register on 28/3/00 and shipped to New Zealand where it was registered to Aero Trading Ltd of Auckland (Tony Kryzewski) on 29/3/00.  It first flew here on 24/6/00.  It was used by Tony Kryzweski as a test bed for his Air Master propellors, and ownership changed to Airmaster Propellors Ltd of Auckland on 19/2/01.  It suffered damage in a ground loop at Ardmore on 16/1/05 (this is a common type of ocurrence with Europas as there is no differential braking with a monowheel).  It is photo'd above at the old Pikes Point airfield.

ZK-RJL (c/n 239) is a Classic model that was built by Russell J Lister of Timaru and was first registered on 5/3/02.  It is photo'd here at the 2015 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton.  It has not changed much at all over the years.

ZK-CHV2 (c/n 456) is an XS model built by WG (Bill) Sisley of Katikati and was first registered on 28/3/02.  It is photo'd here at the 2004 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga.  On 29/7/02 it rolled severely to the left on take off from Waihi Beach due to a stone being caught under the rudder pedal.  It landed adjacent to the airfield where it hit and killed a cow with substantial damage to the aircraft but no injury to the pilot.  It suffered substantial damage but was rebuilt and is still current.

ZK-RPR (c/n 406) is an XS model built by Richard P Robertson of Whakatane and it was first registered on 19/5/03.  It is also photo'd here at the 2004 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga, the first time I had seen a Europa.  It suffered a ground loop on 18/7/03 at Whakatane with damage to its prop and wingtip.

It was sold to Patrick R Driessen of Auckland on 22/7/10 and I believe he repainted the aircraft in the above colour scheme.

Most recently it was sold to the DMR Partnership of Timaru, on 9/5/15.  They re-registered the aircraft as ZK-DMR on 29/7/15 as in the above photo taken at Rangitata Island.on 20/9/15.

The Great Aussie Flying Adventure Makes it to Oz

I didn't mean to leave their progress hanging in suspense but I was busy last Thursday.

On Thursday 26 May the four intrepid airmen - Bill Luther in RV 7 ZK-WLL, Dave and Don Wilkinson in RV 8 ZK-WLK, and Peter Merwood in RV 6 ZK-VRV flew from Norfolk Island to Lord Howe Island and onto Port Macquarie.  Congratulations guys!

The following photos are cadged from their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/crossingtheditch/

 Bill Luther refuelling at Norfolk Island showing the ZK markings.

 And ZK-WLK's Spidertracks plot from Lord Howe Island to Port Macquarie.

Today they are off to Narromine, then onto Broken Hill then Arkaroola for the night... About  5 hrs in total.  You can follow them on Spidertracks at  https://go.spidertracks.com/public/acrosstheditch#/flying

Trip to Taumarunui Today 26-5-2016

I flew from Te Kowhai to Taumarunui today with Noel Bailey in Neil Ashton's Sierra RG ZK-SRG2, which is ex ZK-SJS.  It sure beats the two and a half hour drive.

 Warming the engine at Te Kowhai...

 Some of the weather was a bit challenging...

 But Taumarunui airfield appeared on the nose.

 ZK-SRG2 in the sun with a typical Taumarunui backdrop.

 Kevin Vine's locally based Cessna 172N ZK-EJS.

And on the way driving back to Auckland I called into Mercer Airport where Cessna 172P  ZK-MAG was tied down.  It is owned by the Auckland Flying School of Pokeno (just up the road).

A new hangar is being built at Mercer Airport to house the Catalina.

Same day & time, different photographer!

As Sir Minty has previously posted, we spent a few hours enjoying the late afternoon sun chatting and photographing. Here is my take of the comings and goings at WLG

Golden Bay Air's  Piper PA 34-200T Seneca ZK-ZAG

Quantas Boeing 737- 800 ZK-ZQE "William Pickering", while in the background is  Qantus Boeing 737-800, ZK-ZQF "Abel Tasman"

Life Flight's British Aerospace Jetstream 32, ZK-LFW

Jetstar Bombardier Q315, VH-TQD off to Nelson

Air New Zealand Airbus A320-232, ZK-OXG departing to Auckland

An enjoyable time indeed!