Te Kowhai

I called in a couple of times to Te Kowhai on my way South and North.  It is always a welcoming coffee stop, and I met up with Peter Lourie who is the Airfield Manager there.  He kindly opened a couple of hangar doors for me to photograph a few local microlights.

This Jabiru powered Bantam B 22J (c/n 06-302) ZK-ZZZ2 is about as far as you can go in the New Zealand civil aircraft register. and has not been posted on the blog previously.  I found it sleeping in the hangar that is now used for social events.  It is owned by NZTE Operations Ltd who I think are the operators of Te Kowhai.

While over in the Waikato Microlight Club hangar, their Rand Kar Xair ZK-JCK2 (c/n 751) was parked at the front.

And at the back was the Quad City Challenger II ZK-MHK (c/n CH2-0291B-0644/MAANZ/467) (!)  It is registered to an Opunake address so it is far from home.  It has not been featured on the blog previously.

Rather jammed in was the locally owned Foxcon Terrier 200 ZK-SOD(off).  I post this photo because it shows off the brown aspect of its colour scheme instead of the blue colour I have posted previously (See https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2017/03/foxcon-terriers-of-new-zealand.html ).

And finally, parked outside on Thursday was the Jabiru SP ZK-JJR.  It is registered to a Paraparaumu owner but I understand that it may have been bought by a new owner.

In the background you can see the historic James Aviation DC 3 topdresser ex ZK-AZL, that now has steps up to the open door so you can walk inside.

Helicopters in Queenstown

There have been a number of additions and changes to the fleets of the Queenstown based helicopter operators over the last year or so and these include AS350B2 ZK-ICX of The Helicopter Line now repainted in their fleet scheme

Local privately owned Schweizer 269C ZK-IHS imported from Germany back in 2016

The addition of 2 brand new AS350B3 to the fleet of  Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters,  ZK-ILO in September 2018 and ZK-INT in August 2018

Over the Top added an EC130B4 ZK-IVP in September 2018

And AS350B2 ZK-IVW now wears Vantage Helicopters script

This week at Christchurch

 Not a civil machine but the C-17A Globemaster III 02-1106 (c/n 50114) has been parked up for most of the week at Christchurch. Photographed here on the 26th.

 Two Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair's were noted yesterday (30 Aug 2019).

Above is ZK-JWH (c/n T20609703) from Opiki Cropping Ltd.

Below is the locally based ZK-TDO (c/n T20608358) from the James Burn Trust.

 Two aircraft retired from the Air New Zealand fleet and minus ANZ livery are - above the ATR72-212A ZK-MCX2 (c/n 687) which flew its final revenue flight on  08 Aug 2019.

And Airbus A320-232 ZK-OJC (c/n 2112) departed yesterday in its new markings of RP-C7937 for Cairns bound for Pan Pacific Airlines in the Philippines. 

Its last revenue earning flight was on 20 June 2019.

All the 'civvies' have appeared on these pages previously.

Jodel D9 ZK-KMM at Stratford 28-8-2019

The reason I did a quick trip to Stratford was that the weather forecast looked really good, and the aerodrome surface was great to fly off (given it is still winter).  The plan worked well but after pulling my D9 out of the aero club hangar (it was number 4 in), and topping up with Avgas, the weather wasn't really playing ball with quite a strong South-Westerly (cross wind for both runways 09/27 and 16/34), instead of the forecast light Westerly breeze. 

Then with all the best intentions we flooded the carb which resulted in non starting in spite of lots of trying including squirting into the carb throat with a can of magic start.  However when Wayne Richmond turned up he sorted us out by taking the top off the carb and partly draining the bowl and re-assembling, whereupon the VW burst into life after about four swings, and we were able to run it on the ground for half an hour (we are still running the engine in after new rings and bearings).  Thanks very much to Wayne and Nick Furmage for their help.

Then late in the afternoon the wind dropped so it was time to go flying!  Thanks also to Nick for recording and videoing proceedings.

Pulling ZK-KMM out onto the grass in the late sun.

Take off into a VERY low sun!

Climb out...

and overhead before a landing around 5.30pm.

I was very chuffed!

New Caravans and an agplane at Queenstown

A number of new Caravans have been added to the fleets of the various Queenstown operators over the last year or so,  starting with ZK-MCS which was imported from the US in March 2019 for Milford Sound Flights

The first Caravan for GA8 operator True South is 208B ZK-SLA which was imported from the US in July 2019

Down the road at the Skydive Queenstown base the latest fleet addition is 208B ZK-PDZ imported from Australia in December 2017,  and featuring a smart new paint scheme

Also operating from the parachute base was Otago Airpsread's Cresco 08-600 ZK-OAL

Norfolk Road on 28-8-2019

After an overnight with No 2 grandson at Te Kuiti, and early start on Wednesday saw me at Norfolk Road just after 8.30.  It was quiet with only a couple of Cessnas parked in the morning sun.  But what a backdrop!

Blenheim owned C U206F ZK-VQU,

and Hawera Aero Club's C 172N ZK-EOS.

ARHT AW169 ZK-IZB at NZAR 27-8-2019

A quick trip down to Stratford on Tuesday afternoon saw an even quicker side trip off the Southern Motorway to Ardmore.

Not much was new but the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust's Leonardo AW 169 ZK-IZB was parked out in a nice position for a long shot from the end of the runway.

More from Wanaka

Further aircraft of interest noted at  a busy Wanaka included the locally based Beagle B121 Pup ZK-CYP,  just back from a local flight

Added to the Classic Flights fleet in late 2017 was Cessna 172N ZK-ETA,  repainted in a new scheme

Both the Hughes 369E ZK-HMW & HNW acquired from Australia in late 2018 by Alpine Helicopters have now been refurbished and repainted in the company's scheme.  HNW only emerged from this yesterday afternoon.

Locally based Super Cub 150 ZK-UCR has changed its amphibious floats for wheels

Imported from Australia in November 2018 and added to the Southern Alps Air fleet is the Gippsland GA8 Airvan ZK-WMF

And not actually at Wanaka but at Pukaki airfield en route was the Ashburton based Cessna 172N ZK-SLT

Helicopters at Wanaka

Always a hive of helicopter activity Wanaka hasnt disappointed this week and those that are new to this blog were Wanaka Helicopter's Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-HAK,  acquired new by the company in July 2018

Also with Wanaka Helicopters and now carrying their titling is AS350BA ZK-HBX

Only registered on Monday this week is Heli Support NZ's AS350B3 ZK-HGR,  imported from Malaysia

Alpine Helicopters also added a new Cabri G2 in January 2019 in the form of ZK-HOT

Another Wanaka Helicopter's fleet member from January 2019 is R44 ZK-ITT

And lastly Western Pacific Helicopters R44 ZK-IWT

Canterbury shots from Matt

We have a few more photos from Matt Hayes for you.

Taken on various recent occasions.

 The Canterbury Aero Club's Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow II ZK-DUY (c/n 28R-7535019) at Manuka Point.
 This has been with the Club since new in October of 1974.

 The better than new Cessna U206F Stationair II ZK-DWV (c/n U206F-02585) at the Jellicoe Hut.

Not long off a comprehensive rebuild by Richard McKay at Momona.

 This had been with Peter and Anne Presland at Minaret Station since late 1978.

 The Canterbury Aero Club's Piper PA-28-151 Warrior ZK-EBS (c/n 28-7715056) in its new colour scheme at Mesopotamia Station.

EBS was mentioned recently HERE.

 The Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II ZK-LJD (c/n 2842308) is seen at the Jellicoe Hut.

And the Cessna U206G Stationair 6 ZK-PJB (c/n U20605776) is on the edge of the Growler strip.

More from Mt Cook

Day 2 at Mt Cook dawned to an even more spectacular day and this brought the entire Inflite fleet outside and busy with tourist bookings.

Pilatus PC6B2-H4 skiplanes ZK-MCN and ZK-MCT were occupied with glacier flights

While the company's other AS350Bs were occupied with a variety of tasks,  with AS350BA ZK-HBR now repainted in the Inflite black colour scheme

And emerging from the depths of the hangar AS350B2 ZK-HGQ