Piper J 3C Cub ZK-AHD at Masterton on 29-12-2024

Also while I was at Masterton Aerodrome a couple of days ago, Bevan Dewes pulled the J 3C-50 Cub out of the Legend Aviation hangar and prepared to head off for a picnic on the coast.  It was a great day for it with the weather being blue skies, a light wind and it was hot!

ZK-AHD was first registered in New Zealand in April on 1939 and it was stored during the war thus keeping its original registration.  After many years with the Sport and Vintage Aircraft Society its ownership transferred to Legend Aviation Ltd of Masterton on 3/7/24.

Taxying out with the doors open for ventilation, from old to "new".

Then a leisurely take off and climb out, but not too bad for 50 HP with 2 up!

Rutan Long Eze ZK-LEZ at Masterton on 29-12-2024

Lapo Ancillotti was at Masterton yesterday getting re-acquainted with his Long Eze.  He told me he hadn't flown it for a year having been based in Auckland working on the design of the Aviation Composites AC-2 composite cargo aircraft (the same company that produces the Furio kits).  Lapo pulled his Long Eze out from the shade for a photo (it was 28 degrees) and started it up and taxied across the aerodrome to wash it.  He had flown it in the morning.

First wind the nosewheel up and then jump in.

ZK-LEZ Was built by Chris Hoskins at Tauranga and was first registered in June 1986.

But it still looks very futuristic.  Thanks very much Lapo.

Todays Nelson pics.

Two executive jets were noted at Nelson today, the 30th, by Lord Nelson.

Bombardier BD-100-1A10 N300NZ c/n 20397 arriving in from Queenstown.
I believe it retains the same owner/operator as previously listed. 
See a previous post on N300NZ HERE

Cessna 680 Sovereign ZK-ZEK c/n 680-0012 arrived in from Auckland yesterday.

It was first listed in New Zealand to Airlift New Zealand Ltd of Auckland on 23-08-2023. 

It was transferred over to Air OPs Jet Ltd, Wellington from 18-04-2024.

For earlier history on ZK-ZEK . See HERE

Squirecraft Cavalier SA 102 ZK-JJF at Masterton on 29-12-2024

There were a few aircraft flying at Masterton when I visited, one of which was the very nice looking Squirecraft Cavalier ZK-JJF2:

ZK-JJF2 was built over an extended period by John Fraser of Wellington and it was registered to him on 11/9/13.  Ownership transferred to R A Fraser of Wellington on 14/7/22, keeping it in the family, and it has been based in Masterton for all of its life.

(H)another Hood Hangar

 While I was in hangar observational mode at Hood aerodrome, another example caught my attention:

A tidy little number and I was impressed by the caricature above the door.

I reckon it is a great idea to have an image of the aircraft residing inside, especially as you can't typically see through the door seals of modern hangars.  In this case it is the second iteration of the Just SuperSTOL ZK-DKL3 (I assume).

A Humungous Hangar at Hood!

I was fortunate to be able to travel over to the Wairarapa today, and I wanted to see the huge new hangar that The Vintage Aviator (Peter Jackson) is building at Hood aerodrome.  I was not disappointed:

Here is the hangar with Tiger Moth ZK-BEW taxying past (in the foreground!).  I was told it is 50 metres by 50 metres and it has no windows or light panels in the roof to better protect the Irish linen of TVAL's aircraft.  I was also told that it will eventually house a WW 1 reproduction bomber!

Zenair Monno-Z CH-100 UL ZK-RTI

 Before we get to ZK-RTI we must start with the amateur built Zenair CH-100 Mono-Z ZK-FSH1 c/n AACA/609 which was built by Neville Read and Hans Nagelkerke of Christchurch and registered on 16-02-1989.

ZK-FSH at Christchurch on 03-08-1991 From Bob Kerr

We see it above at a Rangiora fly in on 19-02-1993.
Below it was at Ashburton on 07-02-1997. Note it has a small letter 'I" inserted between the registration letters.

Note also the Rolls Royce badge on the forward fuselage

ZK-FSH was cancelled as stored on 07-05-1999.

 Dave McDonald was the next owner but it remained in storage.

It was purchased in December 2014 by Stewart Bufton, Peter Collins, Doug Anderson, Roger Read and Tony Hanson with the intent to convert it to a glider tug for Youth Glide New Zealand.

Work began on it immediately at Rangiora in the Peter Collins hangar and below we see it in a new paint scheme and the unofficial "DME" registration letters applied.

By November 2017 (below) it had acquired a new engine mount and nosewheel undercarriage.

The RR O-200 engine was replaced with a Honda Jazz L15A turbo from a damaged motor vehicle. 

It has been tweaked to run on 100LL petrol and puts out north of 150hp to a Autoflight 3G gearbox onto a specially built Bolly propeller.

It had its first engine run on 27-10-2018.

On 16-01-2019 it was registered as ZK-RTI to Peter Collins.

A week later we see it above with Peter Collins in his trademark cap and gaiters tinkering about.

ZK-RTI's first flight was carried out by Stew Bufton on 28-05-2020. 

Above we see Peter Collins giving the engine a run on 14-08-2020.

Below wing mods include the addition of slats (to make slots) and wool tassels to study airflow at different airspeeds.

It was parked out during an open Day at Rangiora on 01-04-2023 and carried the info sheet below on its fuselage side.

I believe engine cooling and associated drag has been an ongoing issue with various solutions tried.

Aaron Murphy captured it out in the fresh air doing static engine runs on Tuesday the 24th of December.

As you can see above it has manually retractable steps at the trailing edge.

Jason's question to you.

 Hi Dave,

My name is Jason and I just came across your blog post regarding the P-40N Kittyhawk 

ZK-CAG.   See HERE

My father took me to the 2000 and 2001 Whenuapai air shows when I was a kid. 

He had a friend called Mike (he can't remember his last name) who knew someone at Ardmore/involved with the P-40, who allowed us to sit in the cockpit while it was on display.

I recall the Whenuapai air show being around a week later in 2001. 

This was the first cockpit I ever sat in so it holds a special place.   

I always thought it was a Spitfire we sat in, mainly because we also purchased a copy of this Spitfire drawing by Kelvin? Andrews on the day - https://i.imgur.com/SI5lFcU.jpg 

My father is adamant it was a P-40 (his memory is likely better than mine as I was only about 10 years old, however unfortunately its not as good as it once was). 

From what I've read, the only Spitfire around in NZ in 2000/2001 was TB863 (the Spitfire in that drawing), and it apparently wasn't at Ardmore at the time and therefore didn't perform at Whenuapai's airshows (it wouldn't make sense for a Spitfire to be at Ardmore and not perform at Whenuapai).  

Based on your photos it looks like you were around those airshows and open days during that time. I was hoping you might be able to confirm:

1. Ardmore didn't have a Spitfire at its open day's in 2000/2001, and therefore:

2. It only had ZK-CAG on display.

This would confirm that it was ZK-CAG we sat in. 

If that's the case, and its probably not likely as they aren't in your post, but did you have any photos of ZK-CAG from Ardmore's open day in 2001, or know of any floating around on the net?

Apologies for the long email. Any additional info would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Jason 

Boeing 737-400 Freighter ZK-TLL at NZAA on 24-12-2024

 Here is a grotty shot of the Airwork 737-400 freighter ZK-TLL at Auckland airport on Christmas Eve:

You can see that it is now devoid of TOLL titles so has it been sold?  And how would we know? (hint to CAA).

And you can also see the toll that being an air freighter has taken on its fuselage cleanliness.

Christchurch Boxing Day arrival.

 The Gulfstream GIV-X (G450) B-3253 c/n 4301 departed Hong Kong for Port Morseby on December the 22nd, moving on to Auckland on the 23rd. It then passed through Rotorua before arriving at Christchurch International on Boxing Day the 26th.

      Built as N901GA and listed with the Wilmington Trust Co Trustee of Delaware from 15-10-2014.

It transferred over to the 'B' register of China, Hong Kong and Macau as B-3253 on 10-04-2017 with Yunan Zhonghao Real Estate.

I believe it is operated by Deer Jet Beijing Co Ltd

At Nelson

 The Dassault Falcon 2000EX ZK-OCB2 c/n 0110 arrived into Nelson on December the 24th and is seen here having engine intakes covered.

Photo above from Bill Mannix.

Previous posts on this aircraft can be found  HERE

Photo below from Lord Nelson taken on the 26th.

Cessna A185F ZK-TLO (c/n 18503658) began life back in late 1978 as N8332Q and served briefly with Aviation Activities Inc of Valparaiso, Indiana before moving on to Australia where it became VH-TLO on 01-03-1979 with Stawilton No110 Pty Ltd at Wynyard Tasmania.

Then followed three further operators.

By 1999 it was with Wilderness Air of Strahan Tasmania having spent some years as a floatplane in Victoria.

 Its final Australian operator was Matthew Triffet of Vincentia, NSW. It was ferried out of Coffs Harbour to Lord Howe Island on 27 May 2019 then into Kerikeri and Mercer on the 28th and then on to Nelson on the 29th and became ZK-TLO with Todd Agri Air Ltd of Murchison from 19-07-2019.

NZAA on Christmas Eve

We flew from Auckland to Wellington on the afternoon of 24 December and as we knew that the airport would be very busy we got there early, so I had an hour or so to photograph some of the passing airliners:

American Airlines Boeing 787-8 N883BM heading off to the US.  The quality of photos is not helped by the heat haze and by shooting through glass.

Fiji Airways Airbus A 330-343 DQ-FJW off to Fiji,

And the brilliantly colourful Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787-9 F-OMUA "Fakarava" headed off to Tahiti.

Aero Gare Sea Hawk ZK-SEA at Scotts Landing

Martin Farrand has a lot of experience with amphibian aircraft, having owned a couple of Coots and also the unique Seaflight Shearwater, all of which he has flown off Scotts Landing, which is at the mouth of the Mahurangi River.  Now he has another one!

Ownership of ZK-SEA transferred to Martin on 23/4/24 and he is now flying it regularly off the water.  In spite of being registered way back in March 1987 I don't think it has flown off the sea until under Martin's ownership.

Thanks for the photo Martin.

Zenair CH 750 STOL ZK-EAS on the West Coast

Seeing Dave Paull's post on the Kitfox VII ZK-ROX at Rangiora, I observed that it now has half its original colour scheme with the forward fuselage all red.

Here is another sport aircraft with "half a colour scheme", being the Zenair CH 750 ZK-EAS2.  The photo is from a Zenair Facebook page and is I assume on a river bed on the West Coast.

Have a look at how it used to be HERE

 

A new resident at Rangiora is the SkyStar Kitfox VII ZK-ROX (c/n PFA 172D-14024).

It is now with Wayne Godfrey who has on sold his Kitfox IV's ZK-CGT2 and ZK-KIV.

There have been several post on ZK-ROX.   See  Here

Seareys in Their Elements

The Mahurangi area is super picturesque to fly over with so many bays and interesting marine environments.  That makes the area a great playground for amphibian aircraft.  Last weekend the weather proved spectacular for flying and Rodger Coleclough told me that when he woke up real early and saw the glassy sea, he had to head off to North Shore Airfield and get his Searey out for some fun.  And somewhere along the line he linked up with Craig Vickery in his Searey:

Seareys ZK-SRY and ZK-FSH2 on the beach at Prospect Bay which is on the Southern side of the Tawharanui Peninsula looking out over Kawau Bay.

Back in the air Rodger took these photos of Craig in his Searey with his cellphone camera.

Thanks very much for the photos Rodger

Another off shore arrival.

 Another exotic visitor captured by Tony McFarlin on finals for Christchurch International today.

Airbus A319-115 (ACJ) B-54111 c/n 5792 arriving in from Port Moresby, having departed Shanghai on the 20th.

Built as D-AVXJ by Airbus Deutschland at Hamburg and first flying on 29-10-2013, with a registration and title change to F-WTAD for Airbus Industries at Toulouse on delivery on 07-11-2013 for cabin configuration.

Next noted on delivery to Eva Air as B-54111 on 14-08-2015.

90th Anniversary Flight Celebrations at Inchbonnie

Inchbonnie is a small farming settlement 16 kilometres West of the Otira Gorge, and it was from an airfield here that New Zealand's first scheduled air service took off 90 years ago.  Captain Bert Mercer of Air Travel (NZ) Ltd  flew in to the Inchbonnie airfield on 18 December 1934 to pick up two passengers who had come from Christchurch by train and who had alighted at the nearby Inchbonnie Railway Station, Messrs G B Christie and H Worrall.  They then flew to Hokitika and on to Franz Josef on the first scheduled airline service in New Zealand, returning later in the day in time to catch the train back to Christchurch.

On 18 December 2024, 90 years later,  a commemorative flight was carried out over the original route with an over flight of Inchbonnie.  Amazingly the flight was carried out by the same aircraft that flew the original flight - the DH 83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI which is owned by the Croydon Aircraft Company but is painted in its original Air Travel (NZ) Ltd colours.  The above photo is from the Grey District Council's Facebook page.

A couple of recent Christchurch visitors from Tony McFarlin.

 Two interesting Christchurch visitors from earlier this week.

This Gulfstream Aerospace G650 c/n 6107 was manufactured as N617GD in the earlier part of 2013 and became 4K-A188 from 18-03-2015 and is operated by Azerbaijan Airline. 

It arrived in from Hobart on the 14th and departed for Sydney on the 18th.

Airbus Industries A321-231 4K-A188 c/n 1695 first flew out of Hamburg as D-AVZA on 27-02-2002 and went on to become B-HTG followed by a return to the German register as D-AATC in May of 2013 at end of lease. 

It was registered as VH-XF4 on 15-02-2024 for operations by Express Freighter and as can be seen carries SANTAS'FREIGHT titles.

It arrived from Auckland and departed for Sydney on the 15th.

Turbulent ZK-CWE Flies Further North

Druine Turbulent ZK-CWE has recently been purchased by Maurice Honey of Haruru in Northland.  Maurice is an experienced glider pilot and also owns PW-5 Smyk glider ZK-GWW.

Maurice Honey got Peter Garlick to make the delivery flight to Kaikohe from Whangarei, where the Turbulent has spent all its life after being built by Bruce Shepherd (who also built Turbulent ZK-BWE).  In spite of not having flown for some years everything checked out well.

So Peter took off and climbed overhead then set out  for Kaikohe.  That is Whangarei Airport down there.

And here is ZK-CWE safely on the ground at Kaikohe where Maurice will hangar it.

Thanks for the photos Peter - keep them coming!

Airtrainer ZK-JMV at North Shore on 14-12-2024

As I was staying on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula over the weekend and it is quite close to North Shore airfield, it would be rude not to make the trip down there.   While I was there the NZ Aerospace CT/4B Airtrainer ZK-JMV arrived from Tauranga on an interesting mission:

ZK-JMV ex NZ1935 outside Stan Smith's hangar.

Here is a close up photo of the logo on the tail.  There must be a story to this - can anyone assist?

Seen Flying Over the Whangaparaoa Peninsula

 

I have spent the weekend dogsitting at Stanmore Bay on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.  The weekend weather was great and I was amazed at how many aircraft flew over in all directions including lots of helicopters and scheduled services to and from Great Barrier (FR24 was working overtime).  But in the early evening on Sunday this guy cruised down the peninsula then cruised back about a half an hour later.  I reckon he would have been under 1,000 feet and I know he would have been getting great views!

It certainly qualifies as civil aviation, just not as we know it!

PW-5 Smyk ZK-GVF at Kaipara Flats Today 14-12-2024

Continuing with the long(ish) wing aircraft, a surprise arrival at Kaipara Flats today was the PZL -Swidnik PW-5 Smyk glider which made an outlanding from Whenuapai:

ZK-GVF (c/n 17.08.006) was registered to the RNZAF Aviation Sports Club (Gliding Section) of Waitakere on 4/11/97.  It has not appeared on the blog previously.

Then later on in the afternoon the cavalry arrived to retrieve the glider.

Thanks for the photos Rob.