Thursday 29 April 2021

Mosquitos Multiplying at Kaipara Flats 29-4-2021

A lovely afternoon for a flight today saw me heading out to Kaipara Flats airfield to a big surprise of two Innovator XE Mosquito helicopters on the field:

Joe Veza's as yet unregistered example has a 2 cylinder Hirth 2 stroke engine of 65 HP.  he has done a very nice job.  Later on Joe did some engine runs.

At the same time when I arrived Bruce Stevenson also had his Mosquito ZK-HWV4 out flying.


Then Joe and Bruce pushed Joe's Mosquito into its purpose built trailer.  Joe told me the trailer was an adaption of an existing trailer (because it certainly does not need 3 axles for the helicopter!)


Pauanui

Visitors to Pauanui airfield this week have included the Tauranga based Cessna 180J ZK-RAD which is now in a new paint scheme.  This was imported from Australia in 2019.

And from Rotorua came the Vans RV12 ZK-VGT which was first registered in 2020.


 

Tuesday 27 April 2021

ZK-NPF NS - MS and return 27th February.

 Leon Fenemor flew the Altitude Aviation Ltd's Cessna 172N ZK-NPF (c/n 17268923) from Nelson to Masterton and return on February the 27th.
Below are three photos from that flight.

Above crossing Cook Strait.

ZK-NPF parked at Masterton.

On the return to Nelson flying over the Hira Forest.

Monday 26 April 2021

Sud Aviation Gardan GY-80 Horizon ZK-CFT at Foxpine 25-4-2021

Back in the air again after a long time hangared at Hastings is the Gardan GY 80-150 Horizon ZK-CFT:

Phil Gottlieb of Foxton acquired the Horizon on 10/3/21 and Simon Hills photo'd it at a flyin at Foxpine airfield yesterday 25/4/21.  Phil Gottlieb also owned Horizon ZK-CLK at one stage and I understand that he ferried it to Australia back in 1999.

ZK-CFT is the only remaining Horizon of the three that were imported by Clyde Engineering in the 1960s, see:  https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2010/06/sud-aviation-gardan-gy-80-horizon.html

Thanks for the photo Simon.

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ANZAC Day parade at Rangitata Island. More Photographs.

A last minute briefing before the parade.

Russell Brodie who very generously provides the setting for the days memorial service speaks to the gathering.


ANZAC Day parade Rangitata Island

LEST WE FORGET



Sunday 25 April 2021

ANZAC day at Rangitata Island.

 There were twenty two visitors noted at Rangitata Island for ANZAC day service today.
More photos to follow from Aaron.

New Zealands Newest Bizjet



 Two photos of Cessna 510 Mustang N2WG msn 510-0459 taken at Ardmore on 22-4-21. This 2015 model Mustang arrived into Auckland from Sydney on 19-4-21 at the end of it's delivery flight from the States and proceeded to Ardmore later the same day. It is being operated by Brookby Quarries Ltd who also operated Bell 505 ZK-HTI

Saturday 24 April 2021

Helicopters & Others at CHC

A visit to CHC International today offered the EC130B4 ZK-IWS which was added to the GCH Aviation fleet in May 2020.   It was originally imported from Canada in 2016.

Visiting from Kaikoura was R44 II ZK-IJM.  It was acquired by Muzzle Farming Ltd in 2016, being originally imported new in 2008.

And registered to Lumsden based Ryan Farms Ltd is Cessna A185F ZK-DMX2.   Acquired by the company in 2018 it was originally imported from the US in 2007.


 

A New Type in Our Skies - a Folland Gnat!

On Wednesday 21 April Red Arrows Ltd of Auckland registered a Folland Gnat in New Zealand.  It is a rare occurrence for a new ex-military type to be registered here and it will be great to see it in our skies!

Folland Gnat T1 ZK-RAJ (c/n FL 594) is ex N7CV and is painted in the colours of the Red Arrows, and I would be pretty sure the RAJ stands for Red Arrows Jet.  It is photo'd above being unloaded at Tauranga in February 2021.


Friday 23 April 2021

Helicopters in Otago

A visit to Central South Island Helicopters' base at Herbert in Otago revealed their 2 AS350 helicopters in residence.   One of these was 350BA ZK-HGO2 which has been with the company since 2012,  being originally imported from Japan in 1982.     The other was ZK-HDB which was depicted on our Wanaka blog last week.

Up the road at Oamaru a large proportion of the HeliVentures fleet was in residence including Schweizer 269C ZK-IED2 which was imported from Switzerland in late 2020.

Also added to their fleet in 2020 was MD520N ZK-IEN,  this being originally imported from Canada in 2013.


 

Thursday 22 April 2021

Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk ZK-HKU

 Zac Yates was at Masterton on 26-02-2021 to capture these photographs of the Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk (Pickering) ZK-HKU3 (c/n 70-1132) as operated by Kahu NZ Ltd of Whakatane.

Below is what the NZ Aviation News Magazine said about it after it was registered in NZ on 13-01-2020.

"In January 1972 the U S Army initiated a request for proposals for the Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) as a replacement for the Bell UH-1 Iroquois. At the same time the Army initiated the development of a ‘common turbine’ engine for its helicopters which would become the General Electric T700. One major requirement was that it must be able to be carried in the Lockheed C130 Hercules. Boeing-Vertol submitted their YUH-61A whilst Sikorsky submitted three prototypes of their S-70 design which the Army designated as the YUH-60A in March of 1976. The Sikorsky was selected and the first deliveries of what became the UH-60A Black Hawk were made in October 1978. A large number of variants have been built with over 4000 units produced to date. Kahu NZ Ltd of Whakatane has sourced an EH-60A model from the States for heavy lifting duties. This airframe was allocated the US military serial of 86-24572 and is known to have served from 1987 with the U.S.Army. It was noted at the Corpus Christi Army Depot at Corpus Christi, Texas in May of 1991 following storm damage the previous month at Fort Head in Texas. By August 2000 it was with the U.S. Army Aviation Centre at Fort Rucker, Alabama. It then spent time with their Warfighting Centre and then the Centre of Excellence – still at Fort Rucker. By 11 May 2018 it had just over 7900 airframe hours and was sent to Science & Engineering Service LLC at Huntsville the following month for the removal of military equipment and made ready for civil disposal. Interestingly it still retains much of its military fitments, including the cold exhaust diffusers, which may well be removed to improve performance. It entered the US civil register as N160PA with Pickering aviation Inc of Corinth, Texas on 29 August 2018 for civil conversion. Purchased by Kahu NZ Ltd it was shipped to NZ on the Cap Capricorn ex Long Beach, California and reached the Ports of Auckland and then Ardmore on 12 June 2019. It flew on its US registration until certified as ZK-HKU3 on 13 January. Its first flight as such should take place at Whakatane as we go to press. The first ZK-HKU was a Hiller UH-12E followed by an Aerospatiale AS 350 D as ZK-HKU2."



Check out Kahu NZ Ltd's site 




Thanks Zac

The Warbirds Albatros D Va Replica Has Flown

I noted from Facebook that the NZ Warbirds Albatros D Va replica ZK-ARS2 was made its first flight at Ardmore recently, flown by Frank Parker:

This aircraft was built in Canada and  is powered by a Ranger in line engine that looks quite authentic.  It was registered C-GIVT but did not fly in Canada.  So its first flight here was its maiden flight.  I am not sure exactly what the date was for its first flight - maybe the 19th of April?  Can anyone confirm the date?


Wednesday 21 April 2021

My week of it # 3

 A visit to Rangitata Island on the 18th found the Rans S-7 Courier ZK-SRB (c/n 0904375) of East Canterbury Aviation Ltd in the late afternoon sunshine.

First registered on 11-2-2020 with the registration of SRB being the initials of Struan Ross Brodie.

On Monday the 19th I poked around at Ashburton and found the Piper PA-22-150 Caribbean/Pacer ZK-PCR (c/n 22-6716). Of 1959 vintage it has spent time in The USA, UK and Australia before joining our register on 14-02-2017. Its first visit to NZ all the way from West Australia was in July of 2014 as VH-BRG3.


The very nicely presented Cessna 172 taildragger ZK-BSU (c/n 29604) of Alpine Aviation Ltd about to go on a local flight. It is powered by an ex Hawk XP engine and awaits the fitting of extended wingtips.

Go well Howard.

My week of it # 2

 At Timaru on the 18th I found these aircraft of interest.

I just had to include the delightfully ugly Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 ZK-XIT2 (c/n 653).

The Cessna A185E Skywagon ZK-WXY (c/n 185-1335) ferried in from Australia in August of 2019 for NSK Farming Ltd over in the Hakataramea Valley. A first sighting for me and the blog.

As mentioned in a recent posting the South Canterbury Aero Club took delivery of two Alpha R2160's from the Canterbury Aero Club late last year. Below we see ZK-VCF (c/n 160A-07013).                                  The South Canterbury Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk ZK-JHO has now gone to the Canterbury aero Club.


Outside the Aero Club was the Cessna 172N ZK-JAF2 (c/n 17272632) recently listed to a private Timaru owner.

My week of it #1

 At Taieri on the morning of 16-04-2021 it was pissisting down. 
Parked out was the Fletcher FU24-950M ZK-CZA (c/n 151) as listed with Otago Airspread Ltd

Recently re-listed to the Otago Aero Club's fleet on was the Cessna 152  ZK-EKM (c/n 15280954).

Down at Momona on the 15th the Beechcraft B200 Super King Air ZK-SDH2 (Southern District Health) (c/n BB-1643) had just arrived back from Invercargill.

And parked was the Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk ZK-EQX (c/n 38-80A0009).


Tuesday 20 April 2021

Robinson R44 II ZK-HRO

Overflying the Nugget Point lighthouse late today was the Robinson R44 II ZK-HRO4 registered to Mike Hurring Logging of Balclutha.   Imported new back in 2006 this hasnt been blogged here before.



 

Pelorus Air Airvan ZK-PEL

 Jordan Elvy photo'd Pelorus Air's Gippsland GA 8 Airvan ZK-PEL at Paraparaumu recently:

It now carries Pelorus Air titles on the engine cowling, although they are a bit hard to see.


Monday 19 April 2021

Beech B200 ZK-SDH

The latest addition to the Skyline Aviation's fleet is Beech B200 ZK-SDH2 which flew in from Australia in late 2020.   This is a 1998 model which is operated for the NZ Air Ambulance Service and is based at Dunedin Airport.   It is seen here at Invercargill today.


 

Saturday 17 April 2021

Cessna 172P ZK-FGJ at Kaipara Flats

A long way from home at Kaipara Flats today was the Central Hawkes Bay Aero Club's Cessna 172P ZK-FGJ :  (The weather wasn't as good as it looks but was OK for a bit of engine maintenance)

This aircraft has been owned by the Central Hawkes Bay Aero Clun since it was new in August 1984 and it bears their name on the cowling although it is hard to see in the photo.



ZK-IMD


Registered in March 2021 to a Queenstown private owner was Hughes 369HS ZK-IMD2.  Built back in 1971 it spent many years in Indonesia before migrating back to the US.  It is seen here at Queenstown Airport.


 

Thursday 15 April 2021

Squirrels in Wanaka

A visit to Wanaka showed there had been a number of changes to the local Squirrel population starting with AS350B2 ZK-HAA3 which moved from Alpine Helicopters to Wanaka Helicopters in December 2020 and in the process acquired a smart new paint scheme.  This was originally imported from the US in 2014.

Also acquiring a new paint scheme is Wanaka Helicopters' AS350B2 ZK-HFF4 which has been with the company since 2017

A new arrival in early 2020 for a local private owner was AS350BA ZK-HDB8, being imported from Australia

Up the Matukituki Valley at the Aspiring Helicopters' base was their latest Squirrel acquisition, AS350B3 ZK-HGR2,  which was imported from Malaysia in 2019.