Auckland Aero Club at Mangere

Departing for the south yesterday,  nice to see that the Auckland Aero Club has now been commemorated in the Auckland airport domestic terminal.

The three Moths mentioned would have been ZK-AAE ZK-AAT and ZK-AAU

A Couple from Galatea

The Hairy Mole Rat travelled down to Galatea on 31 August to a mainly gyro gathering, and photo'd a couple of old school 2 seat microlights in the hangar:

Our one and only Indy Aircraft T Bird II ZK-BRD2 is registered to a Murupara owner.  The first ZK-BRD was NAC's first Viscount.

and Quicksilver MX II Sprint ZK-UMC is registered to a Raglan owner.  There are 10 Quicksilver microlights of various models still registered.

RV6 ZK-VGS

The very smart RV6 ZK-VGS was noted at Pauanui for the first time today.  Based at Ardmore it was originally registered back in 1999 before departing to Australia as VH-VGS in mid 2003.  It returned as ZK-VGS in January this year.

Dyn Aero MCR 4S (Only One) of New Zealand

I have posted the history of our only Dyn Aero MCR 4S as an addendum to the Dyn Aero MCR 01 of which it is a direct descendent. However I will post it again in date order as it was first registered here on 17/6/11.

The four seat MCR 4S features an increased fuselage length over the two seat MCR 01 and also has large slotted slats rather than the flaperons of the MCR 01.  It is a quite remarkable aircraft that can carry its own empty weight.  Construction is of a carbon fibre monococque fuselage and the wing has a carbon fibre spar and ribs with pre-formed aluminium skins glued on.  The prototype first flew on 14/6/00.

The specifications for the MCR 4S are:  length 6.72 metres (22 feet), wingspan 8.66 metres (28 feet 5 inches) and the wing area is 87.7 square feet.  Empty weight is around 350 Kg (771 pounds) with another 20 Kg (44 pounds) for a ballistic recovery parachute, and MAUW is 750 Kg (1,653 pounds).  With a 100 HP Rotax the performance is impressive with a cruise speed of around 140 mph, and the stall speed with the big slotted flaps down, is around 52 mph.  And this peformance is achieved on around 20 litres per hour, giving a range of around 1,400 miles.

Our only MCR 4S to date is ZK-PSA (c/n 104) which was built by Peter Armstrong from an advanced kit that he initially built over several trips to the Dyn Aero factory in France.  The aircraft was shipped to New Zealand arriving in July 2008 and it was registered to Pestar Holdings of Auckland on 17/6/11.  Its first flight was from Ardmore on 27/7/11, flown by Norm Bartlett.  It is powered by a 120 HP turbocharged Rotax 914 and has a very advanced (for its time) avionics fit out with an all glass cockpit.

It is photo'd above arriving at the 2013 Black Sands flyin at Raglan on 2/11/13.

It had a forced landing adjacent to Alexandra airport on 6/3/16 but it was repaired.

It is photo'd here at Kaipara Flats airfield on 19/1/19 after Peter Armstrong dropped me off from a trip to Dargaville for the Saturday lunch.

In the above photo you can see the large flaps and quite small ailerons.

And below Peter heads for home at Ardmore.

Peter Armstrong has written a good article on his MCR 4S for Sport Flying magazine, and a link to this is:  http://www.saa.org.nz/magazine_pdfs/SpFly%20Spr11%20pgs%2020%2021%2022.pdf

Christchurch with the long lens today

A quick whiz around the the perimeter of NZCH today (all 14 km of it) trying out the long lens.

 The Vans RV 6A ZK-VIA (c/n 23401) visiting again and at the western tie downs.

 Pilatus PC-12/45 ZK-PLT (c/n 379) doing todays run. 

 Three Canterbury Aero Club  Piper PA-38 Tomahawks and an Airbus.

 Todays A380-861 was A6-EUL (c/n 224) with a few sheep in the foreground and the incomplete Novotel building behind and the Memorial Avenue overbridge 'welcome to Christchurch' arch on the left.

Hercules 83-0491 (c/n 382-5010) has been lurking outside the ANZ hangar for a few days.

Note the unusual under wing attachment ?

Tuesday at Wanganui

A few days ago I was able to spend some time at Wanganui airport.
Currently, the most active organisation based there is the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy.
This is a local Council owned flying training school that has grown out of the Feilding-based Flight Training Manawatu, and which has inherited some of that organisation's aircraft plus a few later acquisitions.

While I was there, the following were out and about:

Cessna 152 II ZK-FCQ has had a long history since starting with the Napier AC in 1983.
This is an ex-Fielding aircraft

Aerobat ZK-ELC dates from 1978, when it joined the Reefton AC.
It also was at Feilding

Diamond DA20-C1 ZK-FIY/2 saw use in Canada prior to arriving in NZ

Cessna 152 ZK-MDF/2 (no, not made of particleboard) came from Feilding to Wanganui via a few months with Air Hawkes Bay of Hastings

ZK-MDK is another ex-Feilding Cessna 152

Partenavia ZK-MYF is ex-ZK-ERA, and arrived in 1978 to spend a few years with the Auckland Aero Club

Cessna 152 II ZK-NEI came to NZ via Canada in 1991

 Cessna 152 ZK-TOC flew in the USA for many years before arriving here in 2008 to become ZK-NPN for the New Plymouth AC. Blown over while parked New Plymouth 14Jul2013, it was rebuilt and became ZK-TOC in 2019

Diamond DA42 TwinStar ZK-WUA arrived in NZ as ZK-YZX before joining the NZICPA fleet in October 2018

Cessna 172R ZK-WUB saw previous service with L3 CTS at Hamilton as ZK-OEM

Of the balance of the NZICPA fleet, Aerobat ZK-EJV was at Feilding under maintenance and
PA38 ZK-JBX is still parked out at Ardmore.
There was no sign of 152s ZK-MDO ZK-NFO and 172s ZK-WUC ZK-WUD at that time.

At the Kaikoura Hop

The annual 'Kaikoura Hop' took place last weekend at Kaikoura.

It is an annual event around a classic car show, with fun, food and entertainment for all.

CMM was on the spot and did his duty and offers these photos of the aeronautical portion of the weekend.

 GCH Aviation had their Robbie R22 simulator on site.

 South Pacific Helicopters (2016) Ltd were offering rides in their Bell 206B Jetranger ZK-HBO2  c/n 570.  Note the flotation devices on the skids.

 They also had their Eurocopter EC 120 B ZK-IFR2 (c/n 1312) on the job.

 On static display was the 'First Light Retreats' Just Aircraft Highlander ZK-JKO2  (c/n JA312-08-13).

As was the Kaikoura Aero Club's Aeropro EuroFox 3K ZK-TUG2 (c/n 38213).

A couple from our travels

A couple of aircraft seen along the way in our travels back to Auckland were the Aerospread Cresco ZK-LTE at Napier,  now repainted and heading out before the weather packed in

And a surprise at Taupo in the rain and wind the Cessna demonstrator Grand Caravan EX N522EX c/n 5522 which departed Lord Howe Island on September 21 en route NZ

MD Helicopters 600N ZK-HVH

Tussock Creek (north of Invercargill) based Southland Helicopters earlier this month registered three MD Helicopters 600N(otar), all imported from the UK. The first machine, ZK-HVH/4 MSN RN060, was rolled out of Oceania Aviation's Ardmore hangar 24 September 2019. 

Ardmore 24 September 2019 

NEXT NEST S 76

Toby Lakin photo'd the Northland Emergency Services Trust's Sikorsky S 76C ZK-HQC5 at Whangarei recently, working up for its entry into service.

Thanks for the use of the photo Toby.

Waipukurau

A visit to Waipukurau airfield today revealed a reasonable amount of activity for a Monday including the rarely seen Champion 7GCBC ZK-CRT which is registered to a Napier owner,  and was imported way back in 1967

Visiting from Wanganui was the nose wheel Maule MXT7-180 ZK-JQY,  imported in 2007

 Repainted in a smart new scheme Rans S6S Coyote ZK-KIX,  registered to a Dannevirke owner

And the unique Sea & Sky Cygnet ZK-PWG which the new owner has had for 4 months and advised that he has thoroughly enjoyed his flying adventures with it so far

Maungaturoto on 21-9-2019

At Murray Hargeaves strip just North of Maungaturoto on Saturday afternoon, the blast from the past 400 HP Fletcher FU 24-950 ZK-EGK was parked outside:

As you can see it is still painted up in its full Wanganui Aero Work colours and is named "Mangawhero" (click to enlarge).  Ownership changed to M Hargreaves Ltd on 17/8/18.

AOPA from another lens.

Tony McFarlin visited Charlie's strip somewhat later than Bluebus and offers these pics.

 The David Blair and Rex Moore Partnership's Rans S-7S Courier ZK-CAB3 c/n 0707475 was up from Taieri.

 Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 ZK-RJV c/n 296 is Wanaka based these days with Geoff Rogers.

 Peter McKellow's Warszawa-Okecie PZL Koliber-150 ZK-RTB is c/n 03930056 is from the Greta Valley and uses the initials of its first NZ owner Ross T Blackmore as its registration

 Murphy Elite ZK-WRM c/n 578E gets its registration letters from Will and Rob's Murphy - the male portion of the Maxwell Morris Syndicate

Charlie Draper's strip as seen by a 'higher being' with just over half of the AOPA visitors on site.

AOPA visit Mesopotamia

Matt Hayes was at Mesopotamia Station yesterday and caught these visitors - part of Charlie's AOPA flyin/out to the back country strips.

Magic country. 

 No apologies for shots of aircraft seen in the earlier post.

 Cessna 182P ZK-EJO. It came in from the UK in late 1976.

 Cessna 172M ZK-FGV of 1975 vintage, arriving in NZ in 1984 from the US of A.

 Cessna T206H ZK-NOK2 was a factory new delivery flown in  by Rob Leach, reaching Auckland on 6 June 2005 to replace the earlier Cessna U206G which was re-listed to ZK-NOC in March of 2005.

 ZK-SID2 is Cessna 182T model  first listed in NZ as ZK-KBL2  in October of 2006. 

Sid purchased it in August of 2015 and re-registered it as ZK-SID2 on 2 December of 2015 - replacing the earlier Cessna 172S ZK-SID which was re-registered to ZK-PRK.

The 1953 model Cessna 180 ZK-WGT c/n 30012 of George and Wendy Thompson of Otorohanga.

This was the 12th production Cessna 180 - making it the oldest in NZ.

It didn't join our register until January 2007.

Charlie's AOPA strip fly in #2

More from Charlie Draper's AOPA fly in/out from his Darfield strip.

 From up Otorohanga way came the Cessna 182P ZK-EJO c/n 18261063 of Bruce Johnston.

 New to the register in mid-July - ex USA - was the Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-HWJ4 c/n 1124 of Sunset Aviation Ltd.

 Nokomai Ltd's Cessna T206H Stationair TC ZK-NOK2 .c/n T206098524 sounding sweet.

 Air Rangitata's Cessna 172K ZK-PAM c/n 17258484 was up from down Arundel way.

And from Timaru came Sid McAuley's Cessna 182T ZK-SID2  c/n 18281825.