The last new type of sport aircraft to be registered in 2004 was the Hatz Biplane, of which we have had a lone example.
The Hatz CB 1 Biplane was designed by John Hatz of Merrill, Wisconsin in 1968 and was modelled as a smaller version of the Waco Series F biplane. As can be seen in the photos it is a tandem 2 seater and it has dual controls. It has a steel tube fuselage and wooden wings as was pretty standard for that era of amateur built aircraft. It has spawned several derivatives including the Hatz Classic, the Kelly D and the Hatz Bantam, which is a good sign that it was a nice aircraft.
The Hatz CB 1 has a length of 5.74 metres (18 feet 10 inches) and a wingspan of 7.72 metres (25 feet 4 inches) with a wing area of 178 square feet. Empty weight is among the lightest for a 2 seat biplane at around 386 Kg (850 pounds) and MAUW is 658 Kg (1,450 pounds). Engines can be from 100 to 150 HP with commensurate performance, cruising in the 80 - 100 mph range, and stalling around 40 mph. Several overseas examples have been fitted with radial engines which look great.
ZK-PEC (c/n 245) was built by Peter E Carpenter of Auckland and was first registered to him on 29/11/04. It is photo'd above at the 2006 SAANZ flyin at Tauranga on 5/2/06 where it was one of the first "registered colour scheme" aircraft that I had seen (with no registration painted on). On 23/2/09 ownership changed to M E Vodane of Ardmore.
And then on 25/1/10 it was purchased by John C Martin of Tauranga. It is photo'd above in John's hangar at Tauranga airport on 11/2/17 where it now wears "Buzzard Airlines" script (along with John's other aircraft (see http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2017/02/buzzard-airlines-at-tauranga-11-2-2017.html ).
We may not see any more of these neat little aircraft here, although I have an idea that one was being built in the Waikato. However kits and plans are still available.
The Hatz CB 1 Biplane was designed by John Hatz of Merrill, Wisconsin in 1968 and was modelled as a smaller version of the Waco Series F biplane. As can be seen in the photos it is a tandem 2 seater and it has dual controls. It has a steel tube fuselage and wooden wings as was pretty standard for that era of amateur built aircraft. It has spawned several derivatives including the Hatz Classic, the Kelly D and the Hatz Bantam, which is a good sign that it was a nice aircraft.
The Hatz CB 1 has a length of 5.74 metres (18 feet 10 inches) and a wingspan of 7.72 metres (25 feet 4 inches) with a wing area of 178 square feet. Empty weight is among the lightest for a 2 seat biplane at around 386 Kg (850 pounds) and MAUW is 658 Kg (1,450 pounds). Engines can be from 100 to 150 HP with commensurate performance, cruising in the 80 - 100 mph range, and stalling around 40 mph. Several overseas examples have been fitted with radial engines which look great.
We may not see any more of these neat little aircraft here, although I have an idea that one was being built in the Waikato. However kits and plans are still available.
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