Friday, 12 May 2023

Helicopters at Motueka

Spotted on Wednesday (2023.05.10) at Motueka Aerodrome were three choppers receiving maintainence at Argus Aviation on the north side of the aerodrome.


MD 520 NOTAR - ZK-ISO (cn LN-006)


This bright red machine, was originaly built in September of 1991 as N526FB (LN006). It first saw service with the City of Phoenix Police Department of Phoenix, Arizona.
In May of 2006, N526FB was sold off to Germany, and became D-HABF of Hahn Helicopter Flight Services Gmbh, Germany. Whilst in Germany, it operated for just under 4 years and took on the bright red scheme.
During January 2010, the airframe was listed for sale.
Eventaully, purchased by New Zealand customer Faram Aviation Group Ltd of Hastings in August of 2013, the aircraft joined the New Zealand register as ZK-ISO. Coast to Coast Helicopters of Blenheim purchased the machine in October 2018, where it still resides.

ZK-ISO was previously featured on the blog here.




MD 520 NOTAR - ZK-IEG (cn LN-016)


Built in April 1992, this machine first saw service with Heli-Max of Ontario, Canada as C-FMYW (LN-016). On February 13th 2006, C-FMYW was purchased by Heli-Transport of Trois Rivieres, Canada. LN-016 first saw New Zealand skies in 2011 after being purchased by Reid Heslop Helicopters Ltd of Wakefield, as ZK-IJW (Previously mentioned here). ZK-IJW had multiple different operators in the South Island over the next 5 years before being purchased by Heliventures NZ Ltd of Oamaru in December 2016. Heliventures NZ re-registered the machine as ZK-IEG in January 2017 before being sold off to Hanmer Springs Helicopters (Amuri Helicopters Ltd), of Hanmer Springs on the 14th of September 2018 where it remains. The Amuri Helicopters logo can be noted on the tail boom.

ZK-IEG was previously mentioned on the blog here.



Aerospatiale AS350FX ZK-HJM (cn 1671)


A second Hanmer Springs Helicopters (Amuri Helicopters Ltd) machine was next to ZK-IEG (pictured above), ZK-HJM, an Aerospatiale AS350FX (c/n 1671). 
ZK-HJM flew from Twizel to Motueka on the 27th of April 2023 with a flight time of just over 2 hours. It remained in Motueka for two weeks before travelling to the West Coast the day after being photographed above.

ZK-HJM has been featured on this blog here.
 

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