Wings Over Wairarapa 2021 - Trojan Display Team

I think that the one new display team at Wings Over Wairarapa was Brett Emeny and Peter Vause flying their near identically painted T 28 Trojans.  They were scheduled to fly at Warbirds Over Wanaka in 2020 but Covid put paid to that.  So I reckon this was their first public display.  Jordan Elvy took the photos:

A nice tight formation takeoff - even the propellers were in formation!

In this shot Brett is flying his T 28C ZK-JGS 563 in the foreground with Peter in his T 28B ZK-TPV 973 off to starboard.

And both Trojans now have smoke systems.

Wings Over Wairarapa 2021 - the B 52!

I was at Wings Over Wairarapa in 2019 when the flyover by a USAF B 52 was cancelled, and everyone was so disappointed.  The 2019 airshow also flirted with bad weather and the Sunday flying programme was cancelled.  This was after the whole 2017 airshow was washed out....

So Wings Over Wairarapa 2021 was eagerly anticipated by many and it was great that the efforts of the organisers and the US Embassy resulted in the appearance of a B 52 in our skies on Saturday 27 February.  Jordan Elvy was there are took the following photos of the huge bomber as it made several low passes.  Thanks for the photos Jordan.

And then came the news of the latest Covid lockdown in the Wairarapa to Level 2 which forced the organisers to cancel the Sunday flying programme - I reckon that makes 2 practice days and 2 airshow days over the last 3 airshows (out of a possible total of 6 airshow days).  Bummer!

The B 52 was Serial Number 60-0059 and it flew from Guam and back to Guam with air to air refuelling out of Brisbane.  It was quite low and video showed it to be going quite quickly.  It also left an old school smoke trail from its 8 engines.

Impressive!

Corbys at Springhill Yesterday 27-2-2021

I was not able to be at the Northern Aviators flying at Springhill yesterday until around 1.30 pm when the food was eaten and some of the aircraft had left.  However there still were quite a lot of sport aircraft there including a nice lineup of Corbys and a muscular newcomer cousin.  I am always drawn to neat little single seater sport aircraft so they were well worth a few photos as they left: 

Dave Campbell-Morrison in Starlet ZK-TNT.  This aircraft has recently been sold to Lloyd Morris who once owned our original Starlet ZK-DEO and also owns the Glastar ZK-MPO and his recently completed Vans RV 7 ZK-LDM.

Gordon Lindsay in his Starlet ZK-YGL.

And Don Wilkinson in his Starlet ZK-TOY.

Next was Scott Montagu in the Corby Kestrel ZK-SJM.

David Wilkinson has upped the ante with his new Rihn DR 107 One Design ZK-EZG2 and it sure tore up the sky and steaked past the Starlets with its grunty engine!

David told me that Dan Rihn took some inspiration from the lines of the Corby Starlet when he designed the DR 107.

Northern Aviators Club Flyin at Springhill Today 27-2-2021

Springhill airfield just South of Wellsford has been closed for several years following the death of its previous owner and the machinations of the Overseas Investment Office who eventually approved the sale of the wider property to Chinese interests who propose to site a landfill nearby, much to the displeasure of the locals.

However the airfield is not part of the landfill site and due to the efforts of Tim Harrison the airfield has now been re-opened as a private airfield, and the Northern Aviators Club held the first post opening flyin and BBQ at the nice facilities today. Please note if you want to use the airfield you need to get prior permission from Tim Harrison.

There was a great turn out of around 25 aircraft to celebrate the occasion and the scones with jam and cream, and the BBQ went down a treat:

Peter Armstrong taxying out past the clubhouse in his Dyn Aero MCR 4S ZK-PSA, bound for Ardmore.

And last to leave was Ian Chapman in his Vans RV 6 ZK-VNZ, bound for North Shore.

Tandem Dominator ZK-RCV at Kaipara Flats 26-2-2021

When I was out at Kaipara Flats airfield yesterday Tony Marsden arrived in his Tandem Dominator ZK-RCV

Approach...

... and flare.  The earthworks are for a new road for the to be built hangar houses.

Tony now bases his autogyro at Kaipara Flats airfield.

Two heavies in the sun.

 These two heavies were noted parked in the heat of the day at Christchurch International today (32 degrees C). 

I am afraid the heat haze across the blacktop has not helped the photo clarity.

The Boeing C17A 01-0187 (c/n P87) from the USAAF 62nd Air Wing based at McCord Airbase arrived back from McMurdo about midnight last night.

In from Hong Kong via Sydney is the Boeing 747-867 Freighter B-LJD (c/n 39241) of Cathay Pacific Cargo.

A few more from Thames Wings and Wheels

It was great to see a couple of lovely Waco reproductions at Thames:

Keith Skilling arrived in his recently acquired Classic Aircraft Waco YMF ZK-CFL2.

And Marty Cantlon was there in his NuWaco T-10 Taperwing ZK-WTW.

A few more from Mandeville

Some more photos from the Mandeville fly-in comprise Cessna A185F ZK-WSB from Wanaka which was reregistered from ZK-WOS in 2006 and has been with its current owner since 2016.

High Country Helicopters had 3 helicopters on hand for scenic flights including AS350B-3 ZK-IDQ which was acquired by the company in 2014.   This was imported new in 1999 as ZK-IPV2 and reregistered in 2014.

Also with High Country is AS350B-2 ZK-HBT6 which was formerly part of the Inflite fleet and acquired by High Country in August 2019.

And over from Wanaka the 1963 model Cessna 172D ZK-CFD which has been refurbished since its current owner acquired it in 2016.

 

Kaipara Flats Today 20-2-2021

 

A great day for a working bee at Kaipara Flats today.  The Aero Club hangar has the beginnings of a new colour scheme, and the inside looks super clean and tidy in preparation for some new hangar mates for Honey Bebe.

Alas no flying as we were all too stuffed!

Mandeville - 100 years

This weekend was set aside by the Croydon Aviation Co to celebrate 100 years of aviation activity at Mandeville and today some 40 aircraft and helicopters paid a visit to the airfield.   Some of these are below with more to follow.

The Pioneer 300 Griffon is a brand new example registered in January 2021 to a Wanaka owner.

From Dunedin came Zenair CH701 ZK-STK2 which was imported in 2012 from Germany.

From Alexandra came Magni Gyro M16 ZK-RAM4 which was imported in 2009 and acquired by its current owner in 2017.

And owned by a Dunedin syndicate since October 2020 is Vans RV12 UL ZK-DMB2,  originally registered back in 2016.

 

Canberra WT346 Arriving at Ardmore 20-2-21

English Electric Canberra B(I)8 WT346 arriving at Ardmore from the RNZAF Museum at Wigram

Close up of Cockpit

 

Arriving at the New Zealand Warbirds maintenance hangar and it's new home

The crane getting ready for the lift.

The lift happening.

 Safely on the ground.

Reflecting on Te Anau

A still 28deg afternoon in Te Anau saw the Wings & Water Te Anau fleet of Cessna U206G ZK-DRI2 and U206C ZK-DRH reflecting on the lake awaiting their next customers..

 

Rangiora Thursday lunchtime.

 No pie today - just a large belgian biscuit and a cuppa tea with the Zenair Mono-Z CH-100 UL ZK-RTI (c/n AACA/609) parked  just out the door.

You may note the modified leading edge slats and the tufts of wool on the wing surface.

Passing through from Rangitata Island with its new owner Neville Sutherland and heading for its new home at Omaka was the Jodel D.9 ZK-CTW (c/n A9-18).

Just in and out for a quick pit stop was the PAC Ceasco ZK-LTB (c/n 022) of Ravensdown Aerowork Ltd.

From Wanganui was the Kienan Trusts Cessna 172M ZK-KMC (c/n 17263524).

Southern Travels

Continuing our travels in the lower South Is the activity was mainly helicopter starting with Wanaka Helicopters' R22 Beta ZK-ISX which was imported new in 2008 and acquired by the company in 2012.

The new High Country Helicopters' base on HWY 94 between Lumsden and Gore offered their Kawasaki Hughes 369D ZK-HCM6 which was imported from Japan in 2004, and acquired by the company in 2012.

Te Anau-Manapouri Airport was a hive of movie activity with a fleet of Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters AS350B being kept busy,  but otherwise in for maintenance were a couple of HeliOps Southland helicopters from their Otautau base.  These were Bell 206B ZK-HRS2 which was imported from Japan in 2000 and joined their fleet in 2016

And R44 II ZK-HXM3 which was imported new in 2005 and added to their fleet in May 2020

Visiting Te Anau from Darfield was Cessna A185F ZK-TLV which was imported from Australia in 2019.