Three more Guimbal Cabri G2's registered today.

Noted at Pacific Aircraft Services Ltd at Christchurch this afternoon was the Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-HFL5 c/n 1016.

This is a 2010 version starting on the French register as F-WWHX moving on to Germany as D-HATC and then to Norway as LN-OKR.

And just across the road was the brand new ZK-HIR5 c/n 1301 as listed to P & E Ltd of Darfield.

All three were placed on our register today 30-06-2022.

Below we have ZK-HIA3 c/n 1299 as registered to D C Leasing Partnership of Kaikoura.

Yes - it is an overall grey in colour.

     With thanks to Christchurch Helicopters.

Taylor Monoplane ZK-DQG Restored

Alan Butler test flew the DQG Syndicate's Taylor Monoplane ZK-DQG at Ardmore on Sunday afternoon 19 June:

ZK-DQG was built by Cliff Craigie of Auckland and it was first registered to him on 24/4/75.  It was damaged in a taxying incident at the 2016 Black Sands flyin at Raglan, and ownership changed to the DQG Syndicate of Papakura on 30/9/19.

There are still six Taylor Monoplanes on the NZ register, however I reckon that only three of them are flying, being ZK-DQG as above and also ZK-CPC flying at Kaikohe with Steve Moor and ZK-CZH at Stratford having just been purchased by B C Washer of New Plymouth on 1/6/22.  Of the others ZK-CRS has been under repair in Auckland for many years, ZK-JOE is languishing in a hangar at Norfolk Road in Taranaki I think, and I understand that ZK-FNR was damaged in a forced landing in the North Island some years ago - does anyone have any details of this?

A Short Lived (in NZ) Shock Cub ZK-EUP/2

I came across this nice photo in my records the other day, and I thought I would share it as the only other photo we have posted of it was in a hangar at Kaipara Flats.  This photo was taken at the factory in Italy during test flying of the aircraft.

ZK-EUP2 (c/n 338) was registered to Sports Aircraft NZ Ltd of Wellsford on 27/2/17 and it was sold to Australia as 23-1232, being cancelled from the NZ register on 30/10/17.  You can see the previous post on ZK-EUP2 HERE

Auster J5 ZK-BQL/NZ1701 Flies to its New Home

The immaculately restored Auster J5 ZK-BQL, wearing its RNZAF identity NZ1701, flew from its re-birthplace of Malibu Park near Nelson to its new home at Waipukurau last Thursday 23 June.

The Auster outside the Central Hawkes Bay Aero Club hangar at Waipukurau.  This makes several historic aircraft based at Waipukurau including Ron Day's Piper J2 ZK-AGD and Ross McDonald's Porterfield 35-70 ZK-POR.

Thanks very much for the photo Ron.

For those that might have missed Dave Paull's recent posting on the history of this aircraft, have a look at: https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2022/06/auster-zk-bql.html

Bombardier BD-700 9H-VIC at Christchurch

Arriving into Christchurch from Seletar via Kota Bharu today was the Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500 9H-VIC c/n 70058 of Vista Air.

It was first registered as C-GNJY to the manufacturer on 17-03-2020 and was canceled on 29-03-2021 to become 9H-VIC.

New Bristell ZK-KKK at Parakai

Bryn Lockie of Leading Edge Aircraft Maintenance at Parakai has recently assembled the "new" BRM Aero Bristell LSA ZK-KKK2, and he has sent the following photo:

ZK-KKK2 (c/n 309/2018) was registered to R Scott of Kumeu on 10/5/22.  It was first registered in Australia on the AUF register as 23-1150 on 19/9/17, then it transferred to VH-YVR in May 2020 and then back to 23-1150 in May 2021, before being exported to New Zealand.

Thanks very much for the photo Bryn.

ZK-DPP into Rangiora today

A surprise visitor into Rangiora today was the Percival P28B Proctor 1 ZK-DPP2  c/n K.305 as captured by John Wagtendonk.

See an earlier post here :-

https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2011/07/percival-zk-dpp.html

Couple more helicopters at Ardmore

A visit to Ardmore today offered up ACH145 ZK-IJL2 which is our latest EC145/BK117D-3 import, bringing our total to 3  (the other two being Advanced Flight's ZK-ITF4 and Helicopters Otago ZK-ICU2 ).

IJL will be based at North Shore airfield with Airlift NZ Ltd.

Refurbished and repainted is Uber Air's R44 II ZK-HCY3.   This was originally imported new in 2005 as ZK-IGS,  moving onto ZK-HLD4 in 2006 and ZK-HCY3 in 2007.

 

Beechcraft King Air ZK-APL

 Beechcraft B300 Super King Air 350 ZK-APL2  c/n FL-415 was built at Wichita as N36715 and registered to Raytheon Aircraft Company in October 2004.

In January 2005 it went into hiding within the Well Fargo Bank Northwest books.

I next noted it in Australia in 2011 still  on its US registration with Sundown Pastoral Co Pty Ltd of Bonogib, Queensland until becoming VH-NSI on 17-04-214 to the same operator.

It was flown from Brisbane to Wellington on 28-04-2022 and became ZK-APL2 with Apollo Air Ltd of Christchurch on 10-05-2022.

 Photo above taken today at Nelson by Cody Forward.

Waihi Beach comes to Pauanui

Taking advantage of a spell of settled winter weather a group of three flew up from Waihi Beach to Pauanui for lunch today being the BYG Flying Co Cessna 172B ZK-BYG,  RV12 ZK-EAA3 and the latest Waihi resident,  ICP Savannah S ZK-MRJ,  previously based at Whanganui.

 

Christchurch last Thursday.

 A couple from my Thursday the 16th visitation to Christchurch International.

Cessna 510 Mustang ZK-VXM c/n 510-0347 was built a N9043L at Independence, Kansas, USA back in 2010 and by 02-12-2010 was VH-SQJ with the Singapore Flying College Pty Ltd at Marcoola, Queensland. It went to Aeromil Pacific Pty Ltd from 05-11-2014 to be operated by Flight Operations (Australia) Pty Ltd.

Ferried into Auckland on 29-01-2015 it became ZK-JAK2 with Air Hawkes Bay Ltd at Hastings.

It transferred to JAK Air of Rotorua on 31-08-2016 until being re-registered as ZK-VXM on 12-12-2016 still with JAK Air.

Skyline Aviation of Napier took it on from 17-07-2018.

The Canterbury Aero Clubs latest addition is the Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II ZK-EQE c/n 28-7916584, a recent purchase from Refrigeration Solutions NZ Ltd of Wanaka.

First noted on the Club tie downs on 18-05-2022.

EC120B ZK-HCA 4

Currently for sale on Trade Me is a smart EC120B Colibri helicopter ZK-HCA4.   Originally built in 2000 this was imported in 2019 from the US where it was operated by the City of San Jose Police Department in California.

 

P51D Mustang ZK-SAS Dove of Peace Flies Away

Yesterday 17 June saw Mustang Flights of Wanaka's P 51D Mustang ZK-SAS depart from Wanaka direct to Kerikeri and on to Norfolk Island for the night and today will carry on to Coolangatta and the Wangaratta for its new owner Doug Hamilton.  It was cancelled from the New Zealand register on 14/6/22.  The Mustang was piloted by experienced long distance delivery pilot Steve Death.

It can be seen that it is registered VH-LUI. 

The images are screenshots from a video posted by Twenty24 Ltd.

ZK-PNX at Nelson

Pacific Aerospace 750XL Falco ZK-PNX3 c/n 131 as listed with Super Air Ltd of Hamilton but still in Phoenix markings was snapped at Nelson Airport this morning by Bill Mannix. 

It flew in yesterday from Balclutha. 

Below a note from an earlier post on 05-07-2021.
  Phoenix was been acquired by Super Air with both ZK-PNX3 and FU24-950 ZK-EGI transferring to Super Air ownership The FU24s ZK-JSW and ZK-WLN were cancelled as withdrawn in June 2021. Operations will continue at Gore under the Phoenix brand.

If you cast your mind back you will recall that this was originally listed as ZK-JNH2 before becoming ZS-AIL and A2-POM and returning to NZ as ZK-ASA2 with Kiwi Air Ltd at Gisborne in August of 2017.

It joined Phoenix in June of 2018 and was re-registered to ZK-PNX2 on 24-08-2018.

A few helicopters at Ardmore

A brief visit to Ardmore today revealed the Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-HVU5 wearing Auckland Helicopters script.    This is part of the Advanced Flight Group and the G2 was imported from the UK in mid 2020.

Over at Airwork the BK117B-2 ZK-HEP3 was doing test flights.  This was imported from Spain in 2018 and is registered to Search & Rescue Services, Taupo.

Also at Airwork was the former Over the Top Queenstown EC130B4 ZK-IVP2 which was imported from Panama in 2018,  and was returned to Airwork subsidiary, Helilink in February this year.

 

Fletcher FU 24s - Then and Now

Thanks to Zac Yates, I was reminded that today is the 68th anniversary of the first flight of the Fletcher FU 24 in Los Angeles back on 14 June 1954.  That first Fletcher FU 24 was registered N6505C and it became ZK-BDS with Robertson Air Service Ltd.  I see from looking back on the blog that we often do a Fletcher FU 24 post around the time of the anniversary of its first flight.  Here is a post from 5 years ago:  https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2017/06/first-flight-63-years-ago.html

This is what it looked like when it arrived in New Zealand, here during testing at the old Rongotai Airport in late 1954.  It was fitted with a 225 HP Continental O-470E engine.

The original 225 HP Fletchers were underpowered and so over the years the engine power was upped and the original design was modified and strengthened to take an increasing payload.  It would be interesting to see the number of different engine types that the Fletcher FU 24 has flown with over the years, and it would be plenty.  Maybe that can be the subject of a future post.

Fast forward to 2022  and on 26 May Fletcher FU 24 ZK-EUC took to the air at Gore behind another new engine type - a 500 HP Red AO3 V 12 diesel manufactured by Red Aircraft GmbH in Germany.  This has been a long term development by Bill Sutherland.  This is a screenshot from a video of its first take off.

Here is a better photo of it, taken on 5/7/19.  You can click to enlarge the photo to see more detail of the engine installation.

Update on the Various ZK-VNMs

Back in May I posted about a Trio of Venoms in which I detailed the histories of our three NZ registered Venoms, all of which have been registered ZK-VNM.  The link to that post is:  http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2022/05/a-trio-of-venoms.html  Since that post I have been contacted by Zac Yates who has advised of a couple of factual inaccuracies, so I will now correct them as follows:

1.  The remains of the first ZK-VNM came as a package with the second ZK-VNM when John Luff purchased it, and are stored on the family farm near Wanganui.

2.  The second ZK-VNM never went to Brett Emeny after its accident at Masterton.  It is still owned by John Luff and is on long term loan to the Classic Flyers Museum at Mt Maunganui, where it is photo'd below by Richard Currie:

(And don't be fooled by the Fletcher hanging above in the photo - it is wrong in many details).

Scene at Hastings yesterday 08-06-2022.

 Des Smith was at Hastings yesterday and captured this Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ZK-IDJ c/n 3366.

It is still listed with Bryan Comerford the importer.

As N233LA it served with the City of Los Angeles, LAPD Air Support Unit from mid-2001, with a change of registration to N886KA in 2020.

It became ZK-IDJ on 20-09-2021.

Helicopters in the Waikato

A trip around the helicopter facilities in the Waikato was rewarded with a number of machines in residence starting with Tararua Heliwork's Bell 206B ZK-HPK3 arriving for attention at Rotorcraft Hamilton.     This was originally imported from Japan for the company in 2001 as ZK-HBD3,  being reregistered HPK in 2002.   Despite now being registered to Wairarapa Helicopters it remains in service with Tararua Heliwork.

At Rotor Work's maintenance base at Kihikihi was their sole AS350B2 ZK-HAN2.   This was imported for them in 2013 from the USA.

And over at Heli Ag Waikato's base at Te Pahu their Bell 206B ZK-HFE3 was resident.   This was imported from Japan in 2006 initially for Paihia based Salt Air,  moving onto Heli A1 in 2011,  Precision Helicopters in 2012 and then Heli Ag in 2018.

The company also operates R44 sprayers ZK-HSY2 and HUB2.

 

Auster ZK-BQL

 The Auster J5 NZ1701 c/n 2094 was the first of seven purchased by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It was purchased without its engine which was supplied by the RNZAF supply from stock ex the Tiger Moth production.
It was assembled at Ohakea in 1947 and served until being listed as surplus on 17-01-1956.

Above a view of NZ1701 at Rongotai.

and below on floats.

Sold through the Government Store Board on 27-02-1956 it went to the Piako Aero Club to whom it was registered as ZK-BQL on 30-05-1956. 

It was overhauled by Charlie Liddell at Waharoa and first flew as ZK-BQL on 31-03-1958.
The Club sold it to F B Thurlow of Balfour in August 1961 who in turn sold it on the Keith Mitchell and G D Murray of Timaru from 17-12-1969

Above - in the hangar at Omaka 15-04-1973

And back at Timaru 25-04-1973.

At Timaru on 17-12-1973 with a pronounced list to port.

Noted as Ashburton on  07-05-1984 with the enlarged rudder and mud guards.

From 23-01-1985 it was listed to F W & Laurie B Prouting at Camden  in the Awatere Valley.

Spied at Christchurch 16-08-1988 with slightly meatier registration letters.

And then at West Melton 22-02-1996 with a blue registration letters.

A less than perfect photo at Wigram 09-05-1999

From 04-07-2001 it was listed with Malcolm Prouting at Mesopotamia Station in the upper Rangitata.

Above and below at Mesopotamia 19-06-2003

On 20-03-2009 it suffered a power loss on take off from Omaka and struck a fence.

The damaged aircraft was acquired by Lindsay Williamson (ex Christchurch Motorcycles) who sold it on to John Kelly from 30-08-2010.

John trailered the aircraft to his workshop -

At John Kelly's 09-02-2014

- and carried out an extensive rebuild over the next eleven or so years.

Photo Barry Tod at John Kelly's via WONZ.

Above and below are photos from Malibu Airfield with ZK-BQL back in its original RNZAF NZ1701 scheme but with the John's Kiwi and 'stick thingi' on the cowling thanks to Andy Heap.

A Grant Newman photo of NZ1701/ZK-BQL at Malibu Park some 65 years later.