A Look Back at Beaver ZK-BMF

Back in July I posted the history of Beaver ZK-BMF as part of my series on topdressing Beavers in New Zealand.  In that post I posted a black and white photo of ZK-BMF as a Hawker Siddeley demonstration aircraft which I said was painted with a blue fuselage stripe with a dark blue lower fuselage.  This was corrected in a comment where Anonymous advised that the lower fuselage was painted maroon.

To confirm this, Murray Kirkus has sent in a colour photo of ZK-BMF taken at Rongotai in October or November 1959.  Thanks very much for the photo Murray.

I have gone back to my original post and corrected it and inserted this photo.

DC 3 ZK-JGB Heading North

I just saw the Airscapade DC 3 ZK-JGB flying quite low North over Warkworth.  I wonder what that is about?

Armistice Day Remembrance 2024

Armistice Day  marked the end of World War 1 back on 11th of November 1918.  Given the rich New Zealand history in WW 1 including the recent rise of the WW 1 original and replica aircraft here, it is appropriate to mark the 106th anniversary:

One of the Allied types that was in service at the end of WW 1 was the Sopwith Snipe.  This accurate replica of an early model of Snipe was built by The Vintage Aviator for Kermit Weeks and was registered as ZK-SBT back on 8/8/11.  It is powered by an original Bentley rotary engine.  It is now in Kermit Weeks collection in Florida as N6313S.

Pietenpol Air Camper ZK-BZY

I was talking to Paul Waterhouse yesterday and telling him about the blog.  Try searching for ZK-BZY I told him so he did and came back with "it's not there!"  Dang!  So I asked Paul for a nice pic of it and here it is:

Paul made a really nice job of his Pietenpol ZK-BZY2 (c/n PCW001) which he registered on 13/12/21.  Unfortunately Paul suffered a whoopsie on landing and overturned on John Hansen's strip near Te Awamutu on 26/3/22 but he is rebuilding the aircraft with learnings from the whoopsie, and he told me it is nearly ready to fly again.

Paul's Pietenpol should really be the first ZK-BZY I reckon but there is an interesting story about the first issue of ZK-BZY.  That was an Enzeduce 1 which was a man powered aircraft that was designed by B Little and F Lindsey of Auckland and the registration ZK-BZY was allotted on 20/3/61.  But building was never commenced and it was cancelled on 3/10/69 as Construction Abandoned.

Thanks very much for the photo Paul.  Welcome aboard.

Two new Tecnams at Oamaru.

A quick drop into the New Zealand Airline Academy at Oamaru Airport found their two latest Tecnam P2008 JC's in Action.

Above is ZK-NYF which is c/n 1330.

Below is ZK-NYG with c/n 1331.This brings the Academy's fleet up to18 aircraft.

Acro Sport ZK-YKS at Ashburton.

 Hartz Super (EAA) Acro Sport N19ED     Update

 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.

He moved to New Zealand, and I believe had a farm in the Te Anau area, where he built a hangar and airstrip for this aircraft. A change of address to Te Anau was listed on 15-07-2017.

 I don't believe he flew it all that much in NZ.

N19ED above in its hangar at Te Anau about mid 2021.

Ed's other and perhaps more active hobby was as an amateur (ham) radio operator, gaining his ticket in 1961 - I think as K8VIR. 
He continued this hobby mainly as ZL41R up until his passing in March of 2021. He was also an avid fly fisherman.
The aircraft was reported as sold on 30-09-2022 and was cancelled from the US register on 02-12-2022 and is now in the hands of Kevin Langford at Ashburton for its NZ certification for a 'Private Owner'.

The photo below was taken at Ashburton by roving reported CMM on 22-07-2023.

It was registered as ZK-YKS on 20-10-2023.

**********************

Below.

I caught up ZK-YKS at Ashburton on Sunday the 3rd whilst it was having a compass swing.

Now proudly displaying its NZ 'YKS' markings and still carrying its old US markings of N19ED on its rudder minus the national letter 'N'.

It also has the US flag on the rear fuselage and 'Snoopy' on both sides of the upper rudder.

NICE.

Mustang ZK-TAF is now VH-TF8

Hot off the press from the Pay's Aviation Facebook page is that the ex Graham Bethell Mustang ZK-TAF arrived in Australia yesterday after having been flown across the Tasman by ferry pilot Steve Death.  We have reported that this was happening HERE

The Mustang is now registered VH-TF8

Cessna 150H ZK-TOK

The Tokoroa and Districts Aero Club held a flyin at Tokoroa on Sunday 3 November.  There was a reasonable number of sport aircraft in attendance despite some higher winds.  There was one new aircraft there, being the Aero Club's appropriately newly re-registered Cessna 150H ZK-TOK:

ZK-TOK (c/n 15068325) was registered to the Tokoroa and Distracts Aero Club (Inc) on 3/5/24 after having been re-registered from ZK-CSQ which has been in New Zealand since July 1969.

Thanks for the photo Mark

Australia Post Airbus 321 into Christchurch on 03-11-2024

Airbus A321-231 (P2F) VH-XF5 c/n 2799 cruised into Christchurch International on November the 3rd from Auckland and then departed for Sydney.

It returned to Christchurch early on 05-11-2024.

First flown on 29-05-2006 as D-AVZP before moving on to G-MEDM for British Mediterranean Airways followed by British Midlands Airways before returning to Germany as D-AATD.

It became VH-XF5 on 19-04-2024 and is operated by Express Freighters Pty Ltd for QANTAS Freight and carries Australia Post titles.

All three of the Mid Canterbury WASSI Tomahawks

 On Sunday all three of the Mid Canterbury Aero Club Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawks were lined up at their home base of Ashburton.

All three are 1979 models with ZK-JRS being c/n 38-790896. ZK-MAJ with c/n 38-790517 and ZK-NJT being c/n 38-791139.

All three are owned by the Walsh Aviation Support Society Inc and are on line at Ashburton. 

They all carry WASSI titles on their fins.

See more about WASSI HERE

ZK-JRS has been on line with the Club since 05-12-2023.

ZK-MAJ joined the Club from 16-04-2024.

It had also just arrived back in Ashburton following a repaint.

ZK-NJT has been listed with the Mid Canterbury Aero Club since 01-07-2024.

The Club also operates the Piper PA-28-181 ZK-EBZ c/n 28-7790262 - and has done since 25-05-1990.

And the Jabiru J150 ZK-JRW c/n 0102 since 25-03-2016.

Some Useful Things Just Look Ugly

 While prowling around Wellington airport last week I came across this item.

Apparently it's constructed from an old grain silo- with add-ons, and was set up near the Execujet hangar at the airport in February this year. A training aid for the airport fire crews.

It was created by Quality Machining Ltd. , hence the 'registration' ZK-QML See their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/qualitymachiningLTD/posts/after-months-of-hard-work-we-have-finally-completed-our-aeroplane-fire-simulator/916189650507963/

And Another WASSI Tomahawk

Photo'd recently at Omaka is the latest Walsh Aviation Supporters Society (Inc) Tomahawk to appear in their colour scheme - ZK-MAJ: 

ZK-MAJ was registered to the Mid Canterbury Aero Club at Ashburton on 16/4/23.

Tomahawk ZK-NJT at Ashburton

 The Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk ZK-NJT c/n 38-791139 was snapped at Ashburton on 02-11-2024.

It was listed to the Mid Canterbury Aero Club on 01-07-2024 thanks to the Walsh Aviation Support Society (Inc).

The WASSI insignia still on its fin.

For more on this airframe see our previous post HERE

C-GDWM passing through for another Antarctic season

The Aerospatiale AS 350 B2 C-GDWM6 was noted local flying around the Canadian Helicopters base at Les Cedres, Montreal, Canada on 27-09-2024.

I next noted it flying out of the Auckland area direct to Wanganui and then to a spot south of Nelson on 22-10-2024.

Yesterday, 02-11-2024, it flew out of the Nelson area across to Omaka and then down to the Antarctic compound at Christchurch International Airport where it was photographed by Tony McFarlin.

It was here last season but was shipped out through Lyttelton. 

For more details about is previous identity and its last years visit see HERE

About to be loaded aboard the Italian Air Force Lockheed C130J Hercules "55.31" for its ride to Terra Nova Bay.