Pauanui

A very interesting visitor to Pauanui today was the smart vintage Stinson 108-3 ZK-NCC up from New Plymouth

From Action Aviation Rotorua came Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP ZK-CBM which was imported from Australia in August 2017, and hasnt been blogged before

Queenstown

Further to the blog below of new additions to the Queenstown based tourist fleets, another added to the True South fleet was spotted today being PA32R-300 ZK-SLP which was imported from Australia in August 2017.

Wanaka Helicopters

Wanaka today was a hive of activity with preparations for the Easter Warbirds airshow but amongst all this some helicopters not previously blogged were noted.

At the top is Alpine Helicopters' Eurocopter EC120B ZK-HAM which was imported from Australia in November 2017.

Also with Alpine Helicopters, but registered to  Minaret Station, is R22 ZK-HDI was imported back in January 2009

And lastly Rotorwork Wanaka's R22 ZK-IMM imported in September 2006

With an hour to kill.

With an hour to kill between other mission this afternoon (Tuesday 27th) I zotted around to the Christchurch International Airports western boundary fence and tried to gain some enthusiasm towards some larger aircraft.

 Two ATR's got in the way of my lens. Above is ZK-MVI (c/n 1306) and below is ZK-MVJ (c/n 1319).

 Then the biggest of them all - as in Emirates A380-861 A6-EUH ( c/n 220).

 Above I found this little 'non civil' critter parked up with a colleague at the US facility.

Lockheed F-16C Fighting Falcon [Block 50P] s/n 92-3884 (c/n CC-125/126) awaiting starters orders for Wanaka this weekend.

 And two Airbus A320's to finish off the hour.

Above is ZK-OJM (c/n 2533).

And below ZK-OJR ( c/n 4884).

That is the GCH facility in the background of these two pics.

Passing through Ashburton today.

Passing through Ashburton today - Wanaka bound - were two Harvards from up north.

Out to greet them was the locally based North American NA88 Harvard ZK-ENE (c/n 88-14672) [ex NZ1066] as listed with BDH Investments Ltd (Brian Hall) of Christchurch.

 The visitors were ZK-ENA (c/n 88-12036) [ex NZ1037] as listed to ITL Aviation Ltd (Brendon Deere) of Palmerston North. Feilding based I believe.

Then we have ZK-RNZ2 (c/n 88-9272) [ex NZ1015] from the Royal New Zealand Air Force historic flight at Ohakea.

Note the new control tower in the background.

Queenstown

Some of the additions in the last year to the local tourist flight operators fleets were evident on a visit to Queenstown Airport today.

Two Eurocopter AS350B2 added to The Helicopter Line fleet were ZK-ICZ in April 2017,  and ZK-IDB from Brazil in January 2018.

On the other side of the main terminal Heli Tours added AS350B2 ZK-IDR in July 2017 from the UK.

The latest addition the Air Milford fleet was Cessna 208 ZK-SKY imported from the US in December 2017

And imported from Australia in November 2017 for True South was Gippsland GA8 ZK-SLD

Some changes at Ardmore 8-3-18 to 25-3-18

Eurocopter AS350 B2 ZK-HCW  msn 4805 of Advanced Flight Ltd of Onehunga seen at Ardmore on 8-3-18. Ex VH-KEB it became ZK-HCW on 10-1-18

Eurocopter AS350 B2 ZK-HOP msn 4857 of Ardmore based Helisika Agriculture Ltd seen at Ardmore on 17-3-18 in an all white livery.

Seen taxing out for a further test flight at Ardmore on 21-3-18 is ZK-PPK msn 007 a Falcomposite Furio LN27 RG registered to P.P Krieger of RD 1 Waitoa, Hence the registration.

MBB BK117 B-2 ZK-HNP msn 7017 of Helilink Ltd, Auckland seen at Ardmore late in the evening of 22-3-18 wearing rather crudely applied ''Experimental'' titles.

Ardmore based Maule M-5-210C ZK-SLS msn 6188C at Ardmore sporting its new livery on 25-3-18

ZK-HWD

Noted among the recent cancellations was the Hughes 369HS ZK-HWD3. (c/n 64-0606S).

This c/n indicates that it was built in June of 1964 but the first registration I can find for it is P2-PHL from 16-09-1975 with Pacific Helis of Goroka P.N.G.

It then entered the Australian register on 14-01-1982 as VH-PHL with W T Waterhouse of St  Marys, NSW.

Ballarat and Western Victoria TV Ltd of Ballarat took it over from 21-09-1983.

It is seen below at St Marys, NSW on 08-05-1983 via Tony Arbon.

 Below as seen at Ballarat on 07-03-1984. Via Tony Arbon.

 And below on 10-11-1984 by Tony Arbon.

 Below at Mangalore, Victoria on 07-04-1985 by Daniel Tanner and Airliners.net

Then it moved to Lamigo Pty Ltd of Cherry Gardens, South Australia from 20-12-1989, followed by

Mount Eliza Pharmacy Trust of Mansfield, Victoria from 12-12-1991.

Below as seen in December 1991 from Tony Arbon.

Its Australian registration was cancelled on 19-10-1993 and it popped up on the NZ register as ZK-HJA2  on 29-10-1993 with Southern Lakes Helicopters Ltd of Te Anau.

It is seen below at Te Anau on 18-05-1994 -  now on long legs.

Less than a year later it was back in Australia as VH-PHL but with M Mauric of King Island, Tasmania from 23-09-1994. 

Its VH registration was cancelled in August 1998 and it then appeared on the US register as N759M with Mike Green an Associated of Austin, Texas from 21-08-1998 until being stuck off on 09-10-2011 to appear back on the NZ register - but this time as ZK-HWD3 with Oceania Aviation Ltd of Ardmore on 12-10-2001.

Then followed a succession of owner/operators including R M Cotton out of Te Anau from October 2001; Heli-Flight Wairarapa Ltd of Masterton from June  of 2002 - which became Heli-Flight (NZ) Ltd from 09-09-2003.

Then we have Bill Hales at Hanmer Springs from 05-08-2004. 

Seen below at Christchurch on 17-11-2005. On short legs.

 Christchurch again - on 17-05-2006.

 and on 07-08-2007.

Then there was Northstar Helicopters Ltd of Wanaka from 30-10-2007 and Coptersouth Ltd of Christchurch by 12-06-2008; 

Seen at Garden City Helicopters facility at Christchurch on 19-08-2008. Back on long legs.

 Two shots at Heli Maintenance Christchurch on 10-08-2010

 And below another at Heli Maintenance on 16-03-2012.

Mountain View Helicopters Ltd of Christchurch took it on from 28-08-2012;

Noted below at Rangiora on 13-09-2013.

 And below at Heli-Maintenance on 28-01-2015.

It was relisted to Combined Helicopter Services of Christchurch from 27-02-2016.

 Two views on 07-09-2016 at Heli Maintenance.

And finally it was listed to Heli-Skills Parts Ltd from 31-03-2017.

Its registration was cancelled on 15-03-2018.

Mt Cook

The Inflite helicopter operation were busy today at Mt Cook Airport with their 2 Euroocopter AS350B2 ZK-HBT and ZK-HOI,  while a 3rd fleet member, ZK-HGQ,  remained hangared.

Heliworks were operating AS350B2 ZK-HYS transporting trail bikers and all their equipment across the river

Grounded for some days due to the weather were the members of the Inflite SkiPlanes fleet  of Turbo Porter ZK-MCT and Cessna A185F ZK-MCV.   In a 2nd hangar resided Turbo Porter ZK-MCN.

ZK-HBC

Not featured before under this registration is Eurocopter EC120B ZK-HBC,  which was acquired by North Shore Helicopters in October 2017,  and is seen at Ardmore today.  Imported in 2008 and initially ZK-IFE,  it became ZK-HJW in 2015 before moving in recent times to ZK-HBC.