Homebuilt Helicopters of New Zealand - Rotorway Exec 162F Models

In 1990 Rotorway Aircraft underwent a reorganisation and a name change to Rotorway International, still based at Chandler, Arizona, and the updated Rotorway 162F helicopter was developed.  The was powered by an improved RW 162 engine which produced 162 HP when fitted with a FADEC electronic engine management system.  

The Exec 162F model appeared in New Zealand from the mid 2000s and we have had nine of them registered here to date as follows:

ZK-HUD3 (c/n 6838) was built by Wayne R Cook of Christchurch and was registered to him on 14/7/05.  It is photo'd above at the 2017 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton on 5/2/17.  It is still current.

ZK-HUR3 (c/n 3216) has a long and somewhat convoluted history.  It can be seen from the c/n that it is an early kit and it was built by Orville R Neissing of Vacaville, California and registered to him as N42830 on 24/2/92 as a Neissing Exec with a c/n of 001. It was cancelled from the US register on 4/11/96.  It then languished for many years and was partly dismantled for conversion to a turbine engine, which never eventuated.  It was purchased as "partly dismantled but flyable" in 2007 in the US by Bruce Burdekin of Christchurch who had it shipped to Christchurch.

Bruce registered his Exec 162F as ZK-HUR3 on 20/3/07.  However Bruce found that the helicopter was far from flyable and he set about a total rebuild which involved a new airframe and eventually it did make a short test flight but this proved the engine was not up to the task.  Then a new engine was fitted , but this caused problems with the CAA in respect of non-existant logbooks proof of age of calendar and hours limited items.  So Bruce went back to the US  for the Exec helicopter he had always wanted.  I understand the helicopter may still fly again sometime in the future, possibly in the microlight category, and it is still registered.

 

ZK-IOH (c/n 6119) was built by Lars J Fellman of Espoo in Finland and it was first registered to him there as OH-XOH.  Lars emigrated to New Zealand in 2007 and bought his helicopter with him, and it was registered ZK-IOH to him, at North Shore, on 26/10/07.  Lars based ZK-IOH at his property on the South Head of the Kaipara Harbour, and it is photo'd above not far from there, at Parakai, on 1/3/09.  After Lars sadly passed away, ZK-IOH was sold to Dean M Hill of Helensville, with whom it is still current.

  

ZK-IVR (c/n 6358) is another US import, but more successful, as it was the Reserve grand Champion in the Rotorcraft category at Oshkosh in 2000 and also won a Silver Lindy award.  It was built as N8270U by Gerald D and Linda D White of Richmond, Indiana and was registered to them on 7/12/99.  It was cancelled from the US register on 20/9/07 and sold to New Zealand, and it was registered ZK-IVR to Ryan J Fitzmaurice and Valma P McGowan of Greymouth, on 11/3/08.  It is photo'd above at a flyin at Charlie Draper's strip at Darfield on 17/4/18.  It is still current.

ZK-HUO2 (c/n 834) was built by Grant R Brown of Rakaia and it was registered to him on 14/8/09.  He later moved to Blenhiem and ZK-HUO was damaged in a forced landing following a loss of power at Seddon on 13/10/13.  It wa cancelled as destroyed on 23/5/15.  It is photo'd above at the 2011 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton, on 5/2/11.

ZK-HSW5 (c/n 6998) is also an import, but this time from Australia where it was built by Kevin Lunn of Airlie Beach in Queensland.  It was first registered to him as VH-LUN2 on 4/4/06 and then sold abroad as YJ-CO7 in November 2007.  It returned to Australia to become VH-YHC with Stephen Winteringham of Cooloola Cove, Queensland on 6/9/10.  The it was cancelled from the Australian register again on 9/10/12 for export to New Zealand.  It was registered here to (Ivan) David Deaker of Reidston near Oamaru on as ZK-YHC on 10/10/12.  But this was an error and it was re-registered in the New Zealand helicopter section of the register as ZK-HSW5 on 14/11/12.  The above photo was taken from Trade me.  It was re-registered as ZK-HGA3, still to David Deaker of Reidston on 13/7/21 and it is still current with him.

Now, returning to Bruce Burdekin's Exec helicopter story.  Bruce travelled to the US in 2013 in search of another Rotorway Exec and he purchased N16696 (c/n 6171).  N16696 had been built by John R Stephens of Ailey, Georgia and it was registered to him on 24/5/06.  Ownership changed to Hickory Creek Aviation Inc of Wilmington, Delaware on 3/4/11 and it was cancelled from the US register on 17/9/13 for export to New Zealand.

ZK-HYQ2 (c/n 6171) was registered to Bruce W Burdekin of Christchurh on 28/11/13.  Thankfully all went well this time and Bruce is enjoying flying it.  It is photo'd 2 above at the 2015 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton, on 7/2/15, and above in Bruce Burdekin's back yard on 15/7/22.  Thanks for the photo Bruce.

The most recent Rotorway Exec 162F to be registered is ZK-HHN4 (c/n 6973) which was built by D S Buchanan of Wellington and was registered to him on 24/10/17.  It is photo'd here at Masterton on 7/7/19.

To be continued...