Kawasaki BK117B-1 ZK-IRD 3

Calling in very briefly to Pauanui airfield today was the very recently registered BK117B-1 ZK-IRD3.  Registered to an Auckland owner this was imported from South Korea where it was operated by Aero Peace from their base in Gimpo.

 

A couple of Pitts

Amongst the visitors to Pauanui airfield today were a couple of Pitts Specials down from Auckland,  being S2S ZK-ELI and S1S ZK-MPM.     Their histories have already been well documented on this Blog but ELI was originally registered back in January 1981 and MPM in August 2010.

 

Wanaka Friday 29th. My pick of the day.

 My pick of the day had to be the Mosquito.

What a fabulous noise.

Followed by the L-39 American Eagles.

Fantastically tight formation flying.

Surprise for the day was Don Harts' Transavia PL-12U Airtruk ZK-DMZ c/n G356.

Back from its time as a Museum exhibit at Ashburton.

Corsair at Wanaka

The Goodyear FG-1D Corsair ZK-COR / NZ5648 c/n 3205 was active today (Thursday the 28th) at Wanaka with Frank Parker.

Corsair ZK-COR just after start up this afternoon.

Note the two underwing tanks.

Note also the intruder sneaking across the background.

(Actually it is not an Intruder but an F-16 Falcon).

The other intruder is none other than our regular contributor CMM.

Below

On the roll.

Koromiko back on 18-3-2024

Thanks to my mate Neville (great choice of aircraft), we travelled to Blenheim for a nice meal at Wither Hills Winery.  Of course when you travel from Picton to Blenheim you drive past Koromiko airfield which is the home base of Pelorus Air:

Most of their fleet was there in the sun.  Here is the Gippsland GA 8 Airvan ZK-PEL with their newly converted Cessna A185F ZK-PRM amphibian ZK-PRM behind.

As well as their converted Cessna 172 taildragger ZK-MGR

Then Mark Miller arrived overhead and landed in his Miller M-1 Superchamp ZK-MMJ which is now based at Omaka.

Also Heading for Wanaka - Mosquito at Nelson 26-3-2024

The Avspecs Mosquito ZK-PWL/NZ2308 has arrived at Wanaka.  It flew from Ardmore yesterday and stopped for fuel at Nelson where Grant Newman had his camera ready:

The Yak herd at Ashburton

 Eleven Yak 52's have spent a few days at Ashburton working on their nine ship display for Wanaka.

Above is ZK-YAK2.

ZK-YAC2.

ZK-PTE2.

ZK-DSJ2.

ZK-BJK2.

ZK-YKA.

ZK-YNZ.

ZK-YRA.

ZK-ZAH.

And ZK-ZAY.

Taieri from the Train 16-3-2024

It was frustrating to get a different view from the Taieri Gorge train back on 16/3/24.  There were a few helicopters and aircraft out that I could see, but the only photo available was of these two Piper twins who had seen better days:

The PA 31-350 Navajo ZK-FOP is still registered, to Paterson Aviation Ltd of Mosgiel.  I did not record the registration of the Seneca and there was also another ex Mainland Air Seneca also parked up.

DHC 1 Chipmunk ZK-CHP/3 at North Shore 24-3-2024

I was delighted to be able to get some hangar shots of Vaughn Davis's "new" Chipmunk ZK-CHP3 at North Shore yesterday.  It had been flying quite a lot earlier in the day but it was back in Stan Smith's hangar for a bit of engine fettling (Stan said all Gipsy Major engines leak oil!).

DHC 1 Chipmunk Mk 22 ZK-CHP3 (c/n C1/ 0895) was registered to Vaughn Davis of Auckland on 13/12/21.  It was originally taken on charge with the RAF on 4 June 1953 and served until October 1975 after which it became N67269 and then N895WP in the US.  It has a registered colour scheme as WZ865.

Vaughn's Chipmunk is a very authentic restoration and he told me that its colour scheme is relatively rare.  The original dayglo paint had a very short life so the orange paint has been colour matched according to the RAF Historic Flight advice.

The crest on the fin is that of the Glasgow University Air Squadron RAFVR.

Vaughn plans to have his Chipmunk at Wanaka.

CMM. Still in the Mt Cook area.

 

Up at the Mount Cook Airfield on the 20th was the Airbus AS 350 B2 ZK-HDG3 c/n 7863 which was first registered in NZ on 28-09-2022 and has been with Inflite Ltd since December 2023.

The following were all taken at Glentanner, about 18 clicks down the valley from the Mt Cook strip.

CMM wishes to thank the Helicopter Line Crew at Glentanner for access and their time.The Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ZK-HSM3 is c/n 3529 and joined The Helicopter Line Ltd on 07-06-2011.

ZK-HSM4 is c/n 3986 and went on line with The Helicopter Line in February 2015. 

Both were imported via Heli Support New Zealand Ltd.

The Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ZK-HWG2 c/n 2816 is listed with Heli Support International Ltd and carries The Helicopter Line signage.

ZK-IDM is a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 with c/n 9026 which has been with The Helicopter Line since September of 2015.

A stray in the form of the Hughes 369D ZK-IKL c/n 800753D from Mackenzie Helicopters Ltd has been working the area dealing with wilding pine trees.

A Couple of Different Airbuses at NZAA

Now we are back home and connected to Wifi I thought I would post a couple of aircraft from Auckland International back on 7 March.  I expect they will still be plying their trade there today.

The Wamos Air Airbus A 330-200 EC-NCK is being leased again by Air New Zealand for Auckland to Perth flights.  Our sister blog 3rd Level New Zealand has featured this aircraft in more detail HERE

And Airbus A 321-200 NX VH-OFV in the latest Jetstar colours, pushing back for Sydney.

We followed an hour or so later in Air New Zealand's A 321-200NX ZK-NNF.

Black Hawk ZK-HKU in town.

 Noted at the Christchurch Heli Centre yesterday was the Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk ZK-HKU3 c/n 70-1132.

 It had been working in the "Remarkables" out of Queenstown for several days and arrived in Christchurch back on Wednesday the 20th.

This helicopter has been previously mentioned HERE

Mt Cook by CMM

 Traveling enthusiast CMM called into Mount Cook Airfield yesterday (18-03-2024) for a Squirrel shoot.A bit of a line up at Mt Cook yesterday.
From the right we have ZK-IDE, ZK-IEB, ZK-HMD and ZK-IDE.

Aerospatiale AS 350 BA ZK-IFX c/n 2190 in its Southern Lake scheme.

Another AS 350 BA, ZK-IEQ is c/n 2164 with Inflite Ltd.

ZK-IEB is an AS 350 B2 model, c/n 4208 listed to Precision Helicopters of Hokitika.

ZK-IDE above is a B3 Squirrel c/n 4544 with Southern Lakes Helicopters - as is ZK-HMD4 c/n 2782 below,

Mosquito NZ2308 / ZK-PWL first flight today 18-03-2024 at Ardmore.

Wayne Grant reported from Ardmore this afternoon.

Hi All,

The latest Mossie out of AVspec's (No 4) flew for the first time this afternoon with well known warbirds pilot Steve Hinton and the controls and Wal Denholm in the right hand seat. 

 AVspecs latest De Havilland DH98 Mosquito T.43 ZK-PWL2 - probably better known known as NZ2308 first flew today, 18-03-2024, at Ardmore.

Very few words are required.

Full noise.

Airborne on first flight.

Back home.

Touchdown.

Taxi back.

Wal Denholm and Steve Hinton.