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.