A couple of stays at Rangiora today 16-08-2024

 I came across two unexpected visitors at Rangiora today.

Cessna 180A ZK-BVG c/n 50056 popped in briefly.

It is not long off a major magnificent rebuild by West Aero Engineering at Mercer.

I fear my photos do not do justice to its finish. 

On the fin is the WestAero motif.

 ZK-BVG was thought to have been allocated N9700B but was test flown as N11B (a well used Cessna test registration) and became a Rural Aviation Ltd of New Plymouth import in late 1957.

 It was granted its NZ CofA on 21-03-1958 and was listed to James Aviation (RO) Ltd from 28-03-1958. It had an altercation with the Ercoupe ZK-AQX at Rotorua on 20-12-1964. It was transferred to the Rotorua Aero Club from 30-08-1966 and was damaged at Rotorua on 30-06-1968. 

After repair it went to Guyserland Airways Ltd on 21-01-1969 and was fitted with floats. 

Title changed to General Acceptance Finance on 03-11-1969 and it was leased back to Guyserland Airways only to be damaged on Lake Rotorua on 12-12-1969.

 It also broke away from its mooring at least twice - on 17-09-1970 and again on 15-05-1973.

It was cancelled on 29-08-1973 and went to L W Sutherland and E S Martin of Pukekohe

who put it back together again for it to be re-registered to them on 19-11-1976.

On 27-07-1987 it was listed to Frank Pike of Auckland and I believe it was set up for night sky advertising.

Its next listed owner was Bill Innes of Coromandel who took it on from 12-11-2015. 

The BVG syndicate of Waiuku took the title from 25-06-2018 and it has been a long term restoration by West Aero Engineering at Mercer.

The R& B Bearhawk ZK-ADZ c/n 1441B was a real surprise.

This was built by Simon Nicholson of Hamilton and was originally registered as ZK-MGO3 on 05-07-2021 to the Nicholson Syndicate and first flew as such at Rotorua on 17-11-2021.

It had a change of registration to ZK-ADZ2 on 15-03-2024 - still listed with the Nicholson Syndicate.

And still carries the name 'Aidan'.