There were six there to my knowledge. ZK-PTS. ZK-LDJ. ZK-FRJ. ZK-STX. ZK-PUG and ZK-JFD.
Monday 31 July 2023
Aerobatics at Omaka on Sunday 30th
There were six there to my knowledge. ZK-PTS. ZK-LDJ. ZK-FRJ. ZK-STX. ZK-PUG and ZK-JFD.
Pitts S 1S ZK-MPM Returns
Pitts S 1S ZK-MPM was built by Maurice McGruer of North Shore as a 35 year homebuilding project and it was first registered on 6/8/10. It did not fly much and ended up stored near Kaikohe. I understand that it was going to be parted out and its engine used for another project until David Wilkinson heard of it and decided that wasn't going to happen. So he bought it with Andrew Hope and transported it back to his hangar at Ardmore where they refurbished it and now it is flying again. A great save David!
It was registered to the MPM Syndicate of Drury on 15/6/23. Here it is along with Pitts S 1 ZK-JFD at Matamata over the weekendSunday 30 July 2023
Guimbal Cabri's times Five
Saturday 29 July 2023
Pauanui
And the Zenair CH601HD ZK-ZKP which was completed back in 2021.
Up from Taranaki was a group of 4 aircraft including the 1951 vintage Cessna 170A ZK-OCC which has had its registration position revised to a small ZK on the tail. This was imported into NZ from Canada back in 2008.
Also from Taranaki was Cessna 182Q Skylane II ZK-JSB2 which has a new smart paint scheme. This was imported from the US in 1996 and has been with its current Waverley owner since December 2022.
The latest addition to the Tauranga Aero Club fleet is Cessna 152 ZK-TAG2 which was acquired this month from Air Hawkes Bay where it was registered ZK-TOE.
Friday 28 July 2023
A New Zealand Connection to a Modern Day German Fokker Triplane
I recently found this photo of a newly completed Fokker Dr 1 Triplane in Germany:
There is a New Zealand connection to this aircraft as the rotary engine is a CAMS Gnome that is manufactured at Omaka. It is fortunate that the photo is with the cowling off so you can see the rotary in all of its glory.Thursday 27 July 2023
Airbus Industries AS 350 B3 ZK-HDQ
Captured on camera at Christchurch Helicopters today was the Airbus AS 350 B3e ZK-HDQ3 c/n 7721.
Photo below shows it as an Airbus H125B3e.
Tuesday 25 July 2023
Way back when ! Piper Cub ZK-BJZ
Hartz Super (EAA) Acro Sport N19ED
The EAA Acro Sport N19ED c/n 18 was built by Edwin H Hartz of Green Valley, Arizona and registered as a Hartz Super Acro Sport on 17-07-1978 and gained its Airworthiness certificate on 27-05-1980.
Ed was very active in aerobatic competitions in the early years with the aircraft.
Monday 24 July 2023
Precision Helicopters Hokitika
And hangared on a nearby farm is Bell 206B ZK-IRC2 which was imported by Precision from the UK back in 2015 and now repainted in the fleet red colours.
More on the Sad Endings at Whangarei
Back in early June I posted about the sad ending of Pioneer 200 ZK-CIR at Whangarei. There were several other airframes in behind of which several people wondered what they were. Now thanks to Pete Garlick we have details and photos of them:
Cessna 172K ZK-NCA2 crashed at Whangarei in July 2010 due to suspected carb icing and was cancelled on 22/5/13. It hasn't been posted on the blog previously so this is all you are going to get.Cherokee 140 ZK-CNN was withdrawn from use and cancelled on 10/1/11. It also doesn't seem to have appeared on the blog previously.
And finally this is also where the Morane-Saulnier MS 880B Rallye ZK-CKK has met its end. This has had a long and recently not very happy history, having been damaged at Ardmore in December 1989 and eventually being cancelled in August 2000. It then underwent a long rebuild being registered again on 1/2/07. It sat outside at North Shore for a long time during which time water leaked through the canopy and caused irrepairable damage to the main spar. So it was cancelled again on 20/6/23. There are photos of it on the blog if you want to go back and have a look.
Saturday 22 July 2023
More helicopters from Wanaka
Privately owned in Cromwell Robinson R22 ZK-HPU2 was originally imported new in 1990 as ZK-HDD2. It was rebuilt following an accident in 1991 becoming HPU in late 1993.
Following the take over of the Back Country Helicopters operation at Makarora earlier this year AS350B2 ZK-IPG has joined the Wanaka Helicopters fleet. This was imported from the USA in 2014.
Friday 21 July 2023
Some new helicopters at Queenstown
Over the other side of the Airport at the Heliworks base was EC130T2 ZK-ICH3 which was acquired from Australia in March this year.
Thursday 20 July 2023
Life Flight Beech 200 ZK-LFL at Wellington
Life Flight now have their third Beech 200 King Air, ZK-LFL on line for medical duties out of Wellington. This follows ZK-LFA and ZK-LFI. Tim Gorman photo'd it recently on arrival to Runway 34 at Wellington International:
ZK-LFL (c/n BB1814) was registered to Air Freight NZ Ltd of Palmerston North on 23/8/22. It was imported from Australia where it was VH-MWV.Wednesday 19 July 2023
Couple of Tecnams & a Cabri
Over at a very sunny Wanaka was our sole example of the Tecnam P92 taildragger, ZK-TBJ, which was imported new back in 2019 and is currently registered to a Tauranga owner.
And visiting from the Waitangi Station, Kurow, was their Guimbal G2 Cabri ZK-HDS4, which was imported new back in 2014.
Monday 17 July 2023
Some helicopters in Canterbury
Down the road at Mt Hutt Aviation near Methven was MacKenzie Helicopters, Tekapo AS350BA ZK-HBX2. The was originally imported from the USA in mid 1996 as ZK-HYP2, becoming HBX a month later.
And the only active helicopter at a very windy Mt Cook was AS350B2 ZK-HBT6. Originally imported from Australia in 2006 this is currently registered to High Country Helicopters, Riversdale but is being operated by Inflite/Mt Cook Skiplanes & Helicopters.
More on Super Cub ZK-BQX
It was one of a batch of fourteen imported which covered the registration from ZK-BQN to ZK-BQZ (minus ZK-BQR as the last letter "R" was not issued in this time period).
It was registered to Airwork on 07-05-1957, received its NZ CofA on 26-06-1957 and was delivered to Omaka for the Marlborough Aero Club on 02-07-1957.
During the next six or so years it was hired briefly to the Nelson and Wellington Aero Clubs, and from 26-04-1964 joined Bob Sinclair at the Sinclair Flying School at Paraparaumu.Above - as seen at Wellington on 08-05-1964 with some unreadable script at the top of the rudder.