A couple from Ardmore

Imported mid year by United Pacific Aero was the Kawasaki BK117C-1 ZK-HXM4 which was previously operated by the Japanese Police as JA6816.

And now featuring a partial repaint with red striping added is the Napier based PA46-500TP ZK-ROW3.

 

Airbus AS 350 B3 ZK-HTL

A lucky catch at Christchurch on Monday the 11th was the Airbus AS 350 B3 ZK-HTL5 c/n 8572 as listed with Claridges Helicopters Ltd of Christchurch - having recently been re-registered from ZK-ILO2.

A couple of helicopters at Ardmore

Noted at Ardmore this morning was John Key's EC130B4 ZK-IJK4.   This was the former Inflite ZK-HBZ4 reregistered in early 2025 to the personalised "IJK",  and replacing his former Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-IJK3 which was exported to the USA.

And test flying at Salus Aviation was the latest Grassroots Trust Palmerston North based rescue helicopter ZK-IIX replacing ZK-IPT.   Since importation from Papua New Guinea in 2018 IIX has been operated as a rescue helicopter in Hamilton, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and more recently Gisborne.

 

Pilatus PC-6 Porter ZK-SEX

Our latest Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter ZK-SEX2 (c/n 1005) was registered to Inflight Ltd on 02-07-2025. 

ZK-SEX was initially registered in Switzerland to Pilatus on 21-08-2015 as HB-FBP2 and first flew at Stans on 28-08-2015. It then became B-10FU on 04-05-2016 with Asian Express General Aviation Wuxi Co Ltd. (see note below). This Chinese registration was cancelled for its move to Australia where it became VH-82B from 02-04-2025 with Gerard Lappin of Morwell, Victoria. As such it ferried into Darwin from Balikpapan Airport on 10-06-2025. The following day it moved on to Coolangatta, and then a direct 12 hour 23 minute flight to Auckland on the 12th.
Following formalities, it then flew from North Shore to Motueka and on to Pukaki (Twizel) on 25-06-2025.

Note - Pilatus Aircraft created a joint venture, as Pilatus Aircraft Industry (China) Co, with Beijing Tian Xing Yu Science Co in Chongqing, China to produce PC-6 Porter components and sub assemblies including fuselage sections and wings. These were shipped back to Pilatus in Stans, Switzerland for assemble with the finished product being registered on the Swiss aircraft register to Pilatus. Many of them were then returned to China.

The first Chinese fuselage (c/n 991) was completed on 11-12-2014 and following full assembly at Stans became HB-FBC2 on 09-05-2014 and was returned to China to become B-0401 from 24-10-2014.

Above is a photo of ZK-SEX as VH-82B passing through Ho Chi Min City on 08-06-2025.

A Quickie Update - Quickie 1s of New Zealand

Back in May 2012 on the blog I covered Quickie 1s of New Zealand as part of my seemingly never ending series on our homebuilt and sport aircraft.  The link to that post is HERE and I posted about five of them.  I had thought that would be it for our Quickie 1 population but in the best traditions of "you don't know what you don't know" I have recently become aware of another one and there are even photos of it!

ZK-LIN (c/n AACA/637) was built by Barry W V Charlton of Waitati near Dunedin and it was first registered to him on 30/11/94.  Dave Paull photo'd it above and below in an open hangar at Taieri on 7/12/98.  It was cancelled as withdrawn on 23/08/99.  By the c/n it may have been built with another Dunedin Quickie 1, ZK-MAC, that had the c/n of AACA/636.

Barry Charlton went on to own the Kolb Twinstar ZK-FVK and then the RAF 2000 gyrocopter ZK-RCS which is still currently with him.

I should point out a couple of corrections that commenters made on my original blog post.  The Quickie 1s fuselage was not formed in 2 halves like the Q2, but was formed from straight foam blocks shaped as required and fibreglassed on the inside with bulkheads and also on the outside to form the finished fuselage shape.  And the builder of the first Quickie 1 to fly here was apparently Nicolas Silyn-Roberts (not Neil).

But Wait! - there is more!

Fast forward well into the 21st Century when another Quickie 1 appeared in Chris Hoskins hangar at Tauranga, and it eventually was registered ZK-CBW2 (c/n 463) on 17/02/20 to H Miller of Tauranga:

Mark Pattenden took this photo in October 2022.  As I understand ZK-CBW2 has a much more powerful engine so it should go like a rocket! but I do not think it has flown yet.  If anyone has any more info on this Quickie we would love to hear it.

At the end of my previous post on Quickie 1s of New Zealand I boldly stated that 5 Quickie 1s was probably our lot, but now I will not make a similarly bold claim!

Redwood Library display.

 The St Bedes College in Christchurch currently has a small art display from year 11 students in the Redwood Library.

This work of art and blurb caught my eye in passing.

Robinson R22 ZK-IVV at Rangiora.

 A recent addition to High Country Fencing Ltd of Darfield is this Robinson R22 Beta II ZK-IVV c/n 4042.

A February of 2006 listing as N468SH to the Robinson Helicopter Company at Torrance, California for delivery to Silver State Helicopters at Tulsa, Arizona from April of 2006.

It had a bit of a whoopsie at Shiatock, Oklahoma in September 2008.

Its US registration was cancelled on 04-12-2008 after it came to NZ to be sorted out by Doug McFarlane to become ZK-IVV from 11-12-2008.

Reid Heslop Helicopters Ltd of Wakefield started paying the bills from December 2010 until a change to Reid Helicopters Nelson Ltd took place from September 2011.

Then Chris Deroles of Winton took it over in August 2013 until its recent move to Geoff Rogers at Darfield.

Power Line Survey with JetRanger ZK-HOC

  Another good catch at Rangiora on 07-08-2025 was the Beck Helicopters Ltd Bell 206B JetRanger                                                                      ZK-HOC3 c/n 1227.

It carries a camera and LiDAR sensing equipment below and electronics wizardry in the rear. 

Because this is a reasonably low level flying activity it wears 'POWER LINE SURVEY' script on the lower fuselage.

It has been used in this role for some years now.

Below a note from the Beck Helicopter Facebook page.

We have received many inquiries regarding our ongoing activities.

Currently, we are conducting low-level power line survey for power companies.

This operation is executed under the guidance of a contracted team located in the helicopter, ensuring the accurate collection of data.

The helicopter is equipped with both a camera and a LiDAR system.

The camera is programmed with GPS coordinates to target specific points, primarily concentrating on cross heads and hardware.

Meanwhile, the LiDAR, which is mounted on the belly of the helicopter, employs light detection and ranging technology to utilise lasers for distance measurement and the creation of 3D maps.

Aerospool WT9 600NG Dynamic ZK-ALL/2

 A pleasant surprise yesterday at Rangiora was the fixed gear Aerospool WT9 600NG Dynamic         ZK-ALL2 c/n DY-860D which was registered to Aero Leasing Ltd of Prebbleton back on 04-11-2024.

Here we see John McCallister carrying out some checks.

As you can see - it is powered with a Rotax 916 which has proved to be a very useful glider tow plane.

MD Helicopters 369FF ZK-HPX 5

Noted at Ardmore today was the newly registered MD Helicopters 369FF ZK-HPX5.   This is a recent production model being built in 2023 as N340TM and exported to NZ in mid 2025 to become HPX with Advanced Flight Ltd, Auckland.

 

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Early Unregistered Microlights - Murray Hagen

I have posted previously about the microlight aircraft situation in New Zealand between the years 1978 and 1981, after which the Microlight Aircraft Association of New Zealand (MAANZ) was formed and microlights had to be registered (well in theory).  I asked for any information on these early years of microlighting here but I was not inundated with information....

To recap what I posted previously - "We can infer that there must have been some microlights (flying in New Zealand) because the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport introduced a rule that if a flying machine was less than 150 Kg empty a would-be microlight pilot needed only to apply for a Students Pilot License (a paper form only with no practical testing) and then go flying with no rules about instruction and also not even having to register his flying machine!"

Many of the pilots of those days have passed on (some sadly in microlight crashes) so our opportunity to gather stories from those early days is diminishing.  But all hope is not lost!  There are stories still out there and I have managed to track a few of them down which I will post on the blog.

The first of these involves long time microlight pilot Murray Hagen, now of Te Anau but who has farmed in Southland over many years.  I have spoken to Murray many times and he is a mine of information about the early microlighting days with lots of interesting stories.  Like most of the original microlight flyers Murray came from a hang gliding background and he told me he started hang gliding in 1972.  He visited America in 1978 looking at ultralight aircraft over there and got enthused.  He was interested in the weight shift Fledgeling ultralight which was developed from the Manta Fledge hang glider by Jack McCornack and which was later developed into the Pterodactyl Ascender of which we have had many in New Zealand

Murray imported his Pterodactyl Fledgeling kit in 1979 and it arrived fitted with a 38 HP Cuyuna engine (the original in the US had a 16 HP Xenoah engine), and with a How to Fly handbook!  When he first tried to fly it in September 1979 he struggled with the yaw and roll which were poor, and the aircraft was tail heavy with the heavier engine and he ended up bending several axles.  Later he added a factory canard which turned the aircraft into an Ascender model which only needed a small amount of weight shift as the canard controlled the pitch.  Eventually Murray found that if he put his feet down he could fly the Fledgeling reasonably confidently but he still had a problem with the carburettor.  This was solved by a mechanic in Invercargill and then he gradually built up experience. 

Murray flying his Pterodactyl Fledgeling in 1979.

 Soon after this, in January 1980, the organiser of an airshow to be held at Te Anau saw Murray flying his Pterodactyl and convinced him to fly in the airshow.  To publicise the event Murray flew his aircraft down the main street of Te Anau on the Friday at a few hundred feet, waving to the crowds that came out to watch and causing a traffic jam.  Then disaster!  The engine stopped!  Murray had to make a very quick decision and he stall turned to the left where there was a small park which he managed to dead-stick into and before the crowds arrived he hid in some bushes!  Later he emerged and found that in his enthusiastic waving he had knocked the master switch off!  So with the engine going again he took off from the park, only just making it over some tall trees, and took part in the airshow the next day.

Murray with his then unregistered Fledgeling in 1979.

Thanks very much for the stories and photos Murray.

JMB Aircraft VL-3TE-916 LSA ZK-JMB /3

 The latest JMB Aircraft VL-3 was noted marked up at Rangiora as ZK-JMB3.on 14-07-2025.

It is designated as a JMB Aircraft VL-3TE-916 LSA (Light Sport Aircraft) with the c/n of VL-3-613.

It is the new Rotax 916iS powered demonstrator for the NZ agents, JMB NZ Ltd of Amberley.

It is seen here having its electrics checked before its initial engine run at Rangiora.

This is the third allocation of the ZK-JMB registration.

ZK-JMB1 was a 1978 Cessna 172N which came to NZ via Canada and the USA. It was withdrawn in February 2022 and I believe went to the Manawatu Polytech.

ZK-JMB2 was the demonstrator VL-3E-1 UL (Ultra Light) model which has been re-registered as ZK-VLE. 

King Air VH-DXE upgraded at Napier to ZK-RFB.

 The Beechcraft 200D VH-DXE2 c/n BL-154 is currently being upgraded at Napier for its pending NZ air ambulance role.

This Hawker Beechcraft B200C Super King Air first graced the US civil register as N6354F with the manufactures at Wichita in Kansas in early November of 2009.

It then ferried out to Australia to become VH-ZKA2 from 30-04-2010 with VAA Pty Ltd at Mascot to be operated by Pel-Air Aviation Pty Ltd of Brisbane. A change of registration to VH-VAD took effect from 20-04-2011 to the same owner and operator, followed by another re-registration - this time to VH-DXE2 from 03-01-2025 for Air Partners Pty Ltd of Cudal, NSW and brief operations by Regional Express - and then listed with Dovetail Electric Aviation Holdings from 03-04-2025.

It ferried from Toowoomba to Coolangatta and into Napier on 21-06-2025 and was listed with Skyline Aviation Ltd at Napier on 23-06-2025, remaining on the Australian register.

It became ZK-RFB on 09-07-2025 with Skyline Aviation Ltd of Napier.

Vans RV 4 ZK-RVH at Hastings on 3-8-2025

The Hawkes Bay and East Coast Aero Club held a Dawn Raid at Hastings yesterday and Jordan Elvy and Simon Hills made the effort to be there.  Jordan reported that not many aircraft attended (I know the Wairarapa was clouded in so no planes could come from there).  However one sport aircraft of interest was pushed out to the flight line:

Vans RV 4 ZK-RVH has been repainted in a new colour scheme.  It has been owned by the GMH Syndicate of Napier since 13-5-22.

Thanks for the photo Jordan.

Hamilton Airport West Side

The Western side of Hamilton Airport seemed a bit down at heel when I visited there on Friday 1 August.  There were 737s from Airwork Flight Operations Ltd (in receivership) and some aircraft from Farmers Air Ltd (in liquidation) and an Air Tractor 601 without a propeller.

Boeing 737-400 ZK-PAQ of Airwork Flight Operations Ltd looking a bit sad.

While 737-400 ZK-FXM2 was parked out on the long abandoned CTC Aviation area.  It was cancelled from the register in November 2024 as withdrawn.

750XL ZK-UTE/4 at Hamilton Yesterday 1-8-2025

A trip down to Hamilton yesterday to visit No 2 grandson and fiance.  They live conveniently close to Hamilton Airport so I popped down for a quick visit in the afternoon.  Not much was going on but a 750XL parked out proved to be newly registered:

PAC 750XL ZK-UTE4 (c/n 118), ex Kiwi Air, was re-registered from ZK-XLK in June 2025 and is registered to Andy Stevenson Aviation Ltd of Gisborne and I understand will be used as the company "ute".

Random Rotorcraft - McCulloch J-2 ZK-RCK

I have never seen this gyrocopter but it has been registered here since December 1999.  I was talking to my mate about early microlights and he sent me some photos, with this one also.  It was taken at Tauranga in the early 2000s.

ZK-RCK (c/n 073) is ex N4363G.  I had not seen a photo of it in this colour scheme and more modern photos of it show it in a 1970s factory colour scheme.  It is still registered and is in storage in Auckland I believe, and the owner intends to get it flying again sometime.

Thanks for the photo Ralph.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - A Call For Information About Microlight/Ultralight Flying During the Period 1978 to 1981

Following Pete James' Easy Riser heroics in 1977/78 and Richard Brett's twin pusher biplane there must have been other want to be microlight/ultralight flyers in New Zealand.  The hang gliding scene was quite strong from the late 1960s and the New Zealand Hang Gliding Association was formed in 1974 and some of these people would have been candidates.  

I don't know what types these earliest powered microlights would have been but they could have included the Australian built Skycraft Scout which was introduced in Sydney from 1976, or from the US the ultralights that would have been available included the Kasperwing (introduced from 1976), the Chiota Weedhopper and the Pterodactyl Fledgeling  (both introduced from 1977), the Goldwing (from 1979) and the Mitchell Wing (from 1980).

We can infer that there must have been some microlights here because the the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Transport didn't want to know about them, but did introduce a rule that if a flying machine was less than 150 Kg empty, a would be microlight pilot only needed to apply for a Student Pilots License (a paper form only) and then go flying with no rules about instruction and also not have to register his flying machine!  This was the situation in New Zealand between 1978 and late 1981 when the Microlight Aircraft Association of New Zealand (MAANZ) was formed.

So my question to readers of this blog is:  What can you tell me about microlight flying in New Zealand between 1978 and 1981?  You can send your answers as Comments to this post, or by email to the blog boss, Dave Paull paulldj@xtra.co.nz  You can keep any comments as Anonymous if you want but if you have any information I would love to talk further about it.  Over to you!

Could we have had an unregistered Chiota Weedhopper in New Zealand? (Photo of a US machine).

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Richard Brett's Twin Pusher Biplane

In my earlier post on Pete James’ powered Easy Riser microlight, I quoted Pete as saying that “he thinks he was the first to fly a powered microlight aircraft in New Zealand and that was in late 1977 although he does know of another guy who was experimenting with powered microlights at Raglan around the same time”. 

After quite a bit of sleuthing it turns out that the guy at Raglan was Richard (Dick) Brett who had built his own design of microlight that was pretty amazing for that time (around 1977).  Of course that was at the time when microlight aircraft did not have to be registered and CAA didn’t really know what to do with them. 

Richard Brett came from England in 1919 when he was 16 and studied at Flock House near Bulls.  He later married during the depression and the family moved to the East Coast where he helped with building a mill.  He was a self trained engineer and blacksmith and he served during WW2 with the RNZAF as a driver/mechanic.  He was interested in aircraft early on after the war and in Gisborne in the early 1950s he built a gyro glider that was registered ZK-GAO in November 1954.  It was the first gyro glider to be registered in New Zealand.  I was particularly interested in the rotors which were built up like an aircraft wing with a spar and many ribs – this was pioneering stuff.  It is listed in the CAA records as a Rotating Wing Glider.  A gyro glider is towed behind a car on a tow rope after the rotor blades are first manually rotated.  However due to pilot error (there was no-one to teach the pilot how to fly a gyro glider back then), ZK-GAO was badly damaged on one such tow (maybe its first tow?) when the blades hit the ground and it was written off and cancelled from the register in July 1957. 

Richard Brett later moved to Raglan where he built his second flying machine in the mid 1970s.  Remember this was in the very early days of microlight aircraft and I think it is pretty remarkable what he came up with.  At that time people like Pete James were going down the route of fixing an engine onto an existing hang glider design which was probably more likely to succeed but Richard Brett really pushed the boat out! 

The aircraft he came up with was like a small regular taildragger but it was a biplane with twin pusher motors!  I understand these engines were Briggs and Stratton 2 stroke lawn mower engines and you can certainly see in one of the photos that they blew a lot of smoke!  I am not sure what he covered it with but I have heard a report that it was quite loose but tightened up in the sun! 

The history of the aircraft flying is a bit hazy.  I know it was assembled at Te Kowhai sometime in the late 1970s, and attempts were made to fly it.  It did make some hops in ground effect as I understand and possibly ended up in a hedge.  Can anyone add anything more to this? 

Richard Brett’s twin engined pusher biplane microlight at Raglan in the late 1970s I think.

An engine start of one of the 2 stroke Briggs and Stratton engines.  That is Richard Brett in the blue jersey.  It is a pity that we don’t have a better photo of him.

I have contacted Richard Brett’s family and they have lost track of what eventually happened to the microlight.  Never the less this was a pioneering attempt at very early microlight flying in New Zealand, and Richard Brett deserves recognition for his work. 

Thanks to Dale and Dave Brett, and Graeme Stratton for their help with this post, and for the photos. 

The magnificent Stinson ZK-STN

 After an overnight stop at Kaikoura on Friday, the Whitianga based, Stinson 108-3 Flying Station Wagon ZK-STN c/n 108-3585 cruised quietly on down to Rangiora yesterday (Saturday the 26th) .

This is a really nice piece of kit from 1948.

With its Franklin engine on display.

And with a couple of mod cons fitted.

After lunch at the CRAC Club House they headed on down to Alexandra.

A lovely flying machine.

My late Friday Pie Run.

 I dropped into Rangiora today - Saturday the 26th - for my Friday Pie Run and found a couple of aircraft worthy of more attention.

Surprise catch was the Roy Hill Fletcher FU24-950 c/n 241 ZK-EGS. 

Rumours from the 'Club House' are that it has been sold to a North Island operator.

See Here for more on this Fletcher.

Over from Hokitika for the day was the Robinson R44 Raven II ZK-HLI8 c/n 13075.

This came in new to NZ to become ZK-IZA from 24-11-2010 - with a re-registration to ZK-IWF on 09-05-2012. As such it joined Buttle Properties 05 Ltd of Darfield from 10-10-2016.

They re-registered it as ZK-HLI8 a week later. 

From 20-02-2019 it changed from the Company name to Charles and Susan Buttle.

Current operator, Henry Adams Contracting Ltd of Hokitika took it on from 30-11-2023.

Tie-Upp Aviation's latest addition is this Cessna A152 Aerobat ZK-TIE c/n A1520917 which joined them on 28-01-2025 after importation from the USA.

I believe it has a full IFR instrument fit out.

See a previous mention HERE

Queen Air ZK-CIA still on duty.

 The Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air ZK-CIA2  c/n LD-430 was photographed by 
Antonio McDonald yesterday. 

 - proof that ZK-CIA is 'alive and well'........

Well - in a paddock at least.

Now at Roy's Hill, SH.50, Hawkes Bay.

It has previously spent time at a property up the Napier-Taihape Road and when no longer needed, it was moved to its current location.

ZK-CIA2 has had a previous mention HERE 

A Flight to Pauanui on 24-07-2025

The lovely weather over the country due to the mid-winter high also attracted several members of the Northern Aviators Club for lunch to Pauanui yesterday.  Neil Wright had a spare seat in his Allegro 2000 ZK-DCU and so we set off just after 10am from Kaipara Flats airfield in spectacular conditions.  We headed in a fairly direct course around the Eastern tip of Waiheke Island and across the Firth of Thames - that is a lot of over water flight but as usual the Rotax didn't miss a beat.  It was the first time I had flown into Pauanui and it is very scenic:

Downwind around the Tairua Hill, which I see is actually Mt Paku with Pauanui behind.

Then line up on Runway 25 over the beach.  I had arranged with Richard Currie and it was nice to catch up with him briefly.  I guess all the aircraft there were old hat to him but it was nice for me to see some different aircraft that had flown in for lunch.

Bill Izard had flown up from Taupo in his Falco ZK-TBD in 37 minutes!

It was the first time I had seen Gary Thorne's RV 12 ZK-VGT, up from Rotorua.

It is a while since I have seen a Tecnam Astore, and we only have 3 of them.  Here ZK-RGH in spectacular metallic blue.

And the highlight of the day!  A Jodel, being Barry Divehall's D 11 ZK-KCD up from Tauranga.

Thanks for the great flights Neil.

At Nelson today 24-07-2025

 From Bill Mannix at Nelson today we see that the Cessna 182P Skylane ZK-MGU c/n 18263111 was in town from Rangiora.

This Cessna 182P Skylane ZK-MGU (c/n 18263111) is a 1974 model, initially listed in the USA as N7327N It immediately moved to Australian skies as VH-MHH from September 1974 until ferrying into Christchurch via Auckland and Norfolk Island on 19 and 20-09-1994.

It was registered to Gordon MacPhee as ZK-MGO on 01-11-1994. Gordon re-registered it as ZK-MGU on 11-08-1997 before selling it to the E C Mackintosh Trust of Taumarunui from 21-09-1998.

It was on sold to its current owner Tony Antonievich of Auckland on 30-01-2001.

Hopper Developments of Orewa then took it on from 20-12-2016, followed by Kevin Mills of Warkworth from 19-05-2021.

Current owner Don Laming listed it from 29-11-2023.

Savannah S ZK-PIG/4 at Paraparaumu Today 24-07-2025

Jordan Elvy was at Paraparaumu airport around lunchtime today when the Omaka based Savannah S ZK-PIG4 dropped in for lunch.  It has not featured on the blog previously:

ZK-PIG4 (c/n 21-05-54-0783) was registered to A P Black of Blenheim on 22-08-23.  Thanks for the photo Jordan.

Microlight Aircraft of New Zealand - Pete James' Easy Riser

 

Like all of the early ultralight aircraft in the US, the Easy Riser was developed from a hang glider, in this case the Icarus 1 which was designed by the teenage Taras Kiceniuk Jr in the early 1970s.  It differed from other early hang gliders which used flexible Rogallo wings, in that it was a rigid swept biplane wing design and like all the others it was foot launched off a convenient hill.  John Moody of Wisconsin bought an Icarus kit but there weren't many convenient hills there, so in 1975 he bolted a 10 HP go cart engine onto his Easy Riser and he was away!  Here is a good video about the Easy Riser ultralight:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFwU9O1wjgQ&t=25s  

I think the first powered microlight aircraft to fly in New Zealand was Pete James’ Easy Riser which was powered by a two stroke McCulloch 101 engine out of a go cart.  I saw Pete attempting to fly it at Te Kowhai in late 1977 when he started the engine and then ran down the runway and raised his feet before sinking back onto the ground on his knees some distance later.  I did not appreciate the historical significance of these hops at the time and it would be fair to say that I was not that impressed.  Many years later I had the opportunity to talk to Pete and he explained to me that these hops were when he was experimenting with making his own propeller, and he eventually was successful and flew quite successfully at Te Kowhai.

I also remember that day having a great feed of mussels that Max Clear had bought back to Te Kowhai after flying out to the West Coast near Raglan and gathering them from the rocks.  Yum!

Pete told me that he was originally a hang gliding enthusiast and he attended a hang gliding contest at Stanmore Park in Australia in 1976 where he saw a factory built Easy Riser flying with an engine and he took photos of it which guided him in his own engine installation.  Back in New Zealand he bought a damaged Easy Riser and rebuilt it, and then fitted the engine. 

Pete thinks he was the first to fly a powered microlight aircraft in New Zealand and that was in late 1977 although he does know of another guy who was experimenting with powered microlights at Raglan around the same time. 

After successfully flying locally around Te Kowhai Pete flew his powered Easy Riser cross country to Raglan and return in early 1978.  But disaster struck on his return to Te Kowhai when he was unsettled by a thermal and his weight shifted backwards resulting in him entering a multiple turn spin.  Fortunately he was spinning with a low descent rate like a sycamore seed and he came down near the hangars at Te Kowhai.  Onlooker rushed across to help but remarkably Pete extricated himself and walked away!  Pete then rebuilt the Easy Riser, which was not badly damaged, but the same thing happened when he was flying it off the Kaimais and this time the machine was badly damaged and not repaired.

However Pete was not deterred from microlight flying and some years later in the late 1980s he bought a factory built UFM Easy Riser off a Dutch gentleman from Christchurch which had a 7.5 HP Hirth engine.  He registered it as ZK-FWA on 13/2/90  and fitted with a tricycle undercarriage and it photo'd below at Waitohi the early 1990s.  It was cancelled from the register as withdrawn on 30/8/96 then re-registered on 8/4/97, then cancelled again (finally) as withdrawn on 10/11/05.  It is now on display at the South Canterbury Aviation Heritage Centre at Timaru airport.

Pete James was a pioneer in the fledgling microlight movement in New Zealand and he now works as the Queenstown Base Chief Engineer for Salus Aviation (who purchased the helicopter division of Airwork).  He is an IA and LAME and has worked in the aviation industry for 50 years.

Thanks to Pete James for the early Easy Riser photos.  They are photos of photos and quite enlarged, so the quality is not very good.  Does anyone out there know of the original photos so we can get them in better quality?