Vans Aircraft at Kaipara Flats for the Tiger Moth Flyin

The lovely weather over the weekend and the attraction of a lot of Tiger Moths brought several Vans aircraft to Kaipara Flats:

A surprise was RV 8 ZK-VAF from Omaka which arrived on Friday and accompanied the Tiger Moths.

On Saturday another RV 8 ZK-SST flew in from North Shore.

As did RV 7 ZK-JPH4 which now has a new Auckland owner.

RV 6 ZK-VNZ  flew up from Ardmore.

And RV 3 ZK-WHO flew down from Whangarei.

All of these RVs have been covered on the blog previously

ZK-JOY in Nelson.

 The Cessna 182Q ZK-JOY2 c/n 18265177 flew into Nelson ex Christchurch, and via Lake Station on Saturday. Today (Sunday the 8th) it departed for Masterton and home base at Tauranga.

This 182 flew into Auckland from the USA as N7386S on 12-11-1976 and became ZK-EJC from 18-01-1977 for delivery to K.V.C Holdings. 

By October of 1994 it was with Joy Leslie of Dunedin.

Joy re-registered it as ZK-JOY2 in September of 1995.

It has been listed with current owner Skytrack Aviation of Mount Maunganui since May of 2012.

Diesel powered Cherokee warrior ZK-LYD.

The latest addition to the Tie-Upp Aviation fleet at Rangiora is the Piper PA-28-162 Warrier II ZK-LYD c/n 28-8316038.

A 1983 production aircraft initially listed in the States as N4292D. 

It came to New Zealand to become ZK-MBF for the Massey University school of Aviation at Palmerston North from 29-06-1990.

In December of 2010 it passed to Eagle Flight Training until being acquired by Oceania Aviation in May of 2016.

It has been re-engined with a Continental 155hp CD-155 diesel engine ( see here ) and fitted with a three bladed prop - re-registered as ZK-LYD on 15-12-2025 - and now purrs quietly in the skies around Rangiora.

Airways Corporation Cheyenne at Nelson.

 Nelson Airport on Friday the 6th.

Bill Mannix photographed the Airways Corporation's Piper PA-42-1000 Cheyenne 400LS ZK-FIS c/n 42-5527019 as it powered up to Generation Global, having arrived in from Christchurch.

It departed for Paraparaumu and Auckland on the 7th.See here for a short previous post on this aircraft.

More Tiger Moths at Kaipara Flats Today 7-3-2026

After yesterdays influx of Tiger Moths, two more flew in this morning to make a total of 15 Tiger on the airfield - the biggest gathering of Tiger Moths for many years according to John King (and he should know)

Rob McNair flew in from Ardmore in his spectacular black and gold ZK-AUD.

Then Dave Phillips arrived in his East Coast Air Services marked ZK-BEN, flown from his farm airstrip near Clevedon.

And here is an aerial view of Kaipara Flats showing the 14 Tiger Moths and one Thruxton Jackaroo (which started its life as a Tiger Moth in 1939).  A couple of other DH aircraft on the airfield were Bevan Dewes' DHC1 Chipmunk (top right) and the NZ Warbirds DHC2 Beaver (at the bottom).

Tiger Moths (and a Jackaroo) at Kaipara Flats Today 6-3-2026

The weather was excellent across the North Island today as eleven Tiger Moths and a Jackaroo arrived at Kaipara Flats airfield from North and South.  I tried to get photos of them arriving:

Jim Schmidt's ZK-CCQ is a local Kaipara Flats resident.

ZK-BFF is based at Whitianga and was flown by Peter McVinnie.

Alan Coubray flew in in his and Martin Farrand's ZK-ATM2.

ZK-ASV is based at Drury and was flown by Wayne Thomas..

John Pheasant flew in from Tauranga in his Jackaroo ZK-PHZ.

Woodsy flew the NZ Warbirds ZK-ATN from Ardmore.

Jerry Chisum flew the Darton Field Flying Syndicate's ZK-BAL.

Amanda Rutledge flew in in Ace Edwards' ZK-BEC which is based in the Pukekohe area.

Wayne Tantrum flew his newly restored ZK-AJH from Omaka via North Cape.

ZK-BEF is based at Wanganui and was flown by Darren Luff.

Carl Jackson flew the Omaka Real Flying Club's ZK-BER from Omaka.

And John Bayne flew his recently acquired ZK-BMY from Gore via North Cape.

With Bruce Lynch's ZK-ASM hangared on the airfield that made 12 Tiger Moths and the Jackaroo, and more Tigers are expected tomorrow

Tiger Moths at Whananaki on 4-3-2026

The Tiger Moth Club is currently running a Northern Safari with 9 Tigers landing at Whananaki airstrip on Wednesday.  Tomorrow they start arriving at Kaipara Flats for their competitions and open day on Saturday, and AGM on Sunday.  David Signal flew up for the BBQ at Martin Farrand's place and he photo'd the 9 Tigers on the airstrip from his Foxbat:

Thanks for the photo David.

"New" PA-18-150 Super Cub ZK-KYU

Kynan Yu of Cromwell has owned a series of aircraft including the Savage Cub ZK-LAP which he sold some time ago.  Now he has gone one better by imported a Super Cub which he has registered ZK-KYU (it works well with a 2 letter Chinese surname!).  Now he has introduced it to social media by posting one of his nice Facebook videos, from which I took this screenshot:

ZK-KYU (c/n 18-8275) is a 1965 model Super Cub which was first registered in Australia on 24/9/65 where it had 12 owners over the years.  It was registered here on 3/2/26.

Corporate arrivals into Christchurch today 03-03-2026

 Once again Tony McFarlin was on site to capture these two corporate jets that arrived at Christchurch Airport today.

The Dassault Falcon 7X N997X c/n 144 began its career in France with the factory test registration of F-WWVY before moving to F-GYBJ with Dassault Aviation from march of 2012. 

Then it went to China in November that year as B-8206 followed by a move to the USA as N656FN in February 2018 for Fosun Investments, then to Dassault Aviation SA in April of 2022. 

It was re-registered as N997X to Toorak Investments Ltd from 08-08-2023 but is now hidden within the TVPX empire.

Then we have the Gulfstream GVI (G650ER) VH-SGA3 c/n 6446 which joined the Australian register on 20-05-2021 with SG Aviation Pty Ltd and is operated by Business Aviation Solutions Pty Ltd.

This is not its first visit to NZ.

It was originally flown as N646GA at Gulfstream Aerospace.

Isaacs Fury 19-2246 in Australia

Last week a nice Isaacs Fury popped up in my Facebook feed.  It looked familiar so a quick check revealed that it was an ex New Zealand aircraft:

The Isaacs Fury is now registered as 19-2246 in Australia.

But prior to that it had been registered VH-UCO from 31/3/99.

However, prior to that it had been registered as ZK-RFC (AACA/310/2) for Russell Woods.  It was first registered in New Zealand on 8/11/79 and it first flew at Christchurch on 24/11/79.  It is photo'd above at the 1981 AACA flyin at Mt Hutt.  On 21/4/86 it was sold to DG and LC Simpson of Auckland and it was flown as part of a 3 aircraft Isaacs Fury team at various airshows around the country (the others were ZK-DMN and ZK-JHR).  On 16/11/98 it was cancelled and sold to Australia as VH-UCO.  

Two at Wellington on Sunday the 1st.

 Allister Jenks snapped these two at Wellington on Sunday the 1st.

Gulfstream Aerospace GVI (G650) N838MF c/n 6042 trundles in on the Western side of Wellington Airport. This one was initially registered as N604GD to the manufacturer in Savannah, Georgia on 24-05-2012 and became N838MF from 19-12-2013. It is currently listed with Wells Fargo/CSC Delaware Trust etc, and I believe operated on behalf of R Perelman an American banker, businessman, investor, and philanthropist. Perhaps best known to us for Revlon products.

The Nanchang CJ-6 ZK-WOK c/n 2132042 was doing some local flying. 

This was taken up by the Wellington Aero Club - arriving from Omaka on 18-12-2025 where it had been based since joining our register back in 1996.

The Club also lists the Nanchang ZK-MAO - but this appears to have been flown back to Omaka after the delivery of ZK-WOK in December.

Dreamliner N24988 arrives from San Francisco

 Captured by Tony McFarlin at Christchurch International Airport this morning 01-03-2026 was the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N24988 direct from San Francisco.

With the c/n 37449 it first flew on 20-10-2024 and was delivered to United Airlines on 11-11-2024 in the special colour scheme and with 'The Future is SAF' on its engine cowling.
I believe its departure flight back to San Francisco was cancelled this afternoon.

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

But wait there is more.

Back in 2009 another N24988 arrived in NZ.

This was a Cessna 152 c/n 80497 which was cranked out in about September of 1977.

It is seen below at Long Beach on 10-10-2005.Its last US owner was Hayden Halsted.

He shipped it to Peru - cancelling the US registration from 15-04-2009. 

It was not assembled there but shipped to Rangiora and assembled and certified at Rangiora Aircraft Engineering facility. 

Above it is coming together at Rangiora

It first flew here on 04-12-2009 having been registered to Hayden as ZK-KDP on 24-06-2009.

Above as seen at Rangiora on 01-12-2009.

And Below on finals at Rangiora on 05-12-2009.

It did not stay here very long. Being cancelled on 16-04-2010 as exported back to Peru.

There it became OB-2006

The only ownership details I have is of it being listed to P A Cabrera of Lima, Peru from 15-05-2012.

The photo below shows it as OB2006 on 24-09-2022.

Recent Christchurch visitors. From Tony McFarlin.

 Tony McFarlin has again been busy capturing the recent foreign comings and goings at Christchurch International Airport earlier this week.

On the 23rd of February.

The Cessna 750 Citation X+ c/n 750-0508 was built as N747RX in 2014. It was delivered to Lewis Aeronautical Ventures LLS (Lewis Energy Group) of San Antonio, Texas on 09-09-2014. 

In late March of 2021 it moved over to Flt Investments LLC of Huston and by November of 2020 had disappeared into the TVPX Aircraft Solutions system. 

It was re-registered to N750XC on 01-10-2025.

Interesting video clip HERE

On the 24th.

Bombardier Global 7500 N369WW (BD-700-2A12) c/n 70103 was originally registered as C-GVFO on 31-08-2021 to the manufacturer - until its shift down to Bombardier Aerospace USA on 06-05-2022 to become N369WW.

It was delivered to Gentle hunter World Ltd of Hong Kong on 03-06-2022 and then went to the TVPX listings a few days later.

Also on the 24th.

Another Bombardier arrival was this model 6000 (BD-700-1A10) Global Express B-8105 c/n 9510 of Asia United Business Aviation.

Built as C-GPIW and listed on 24-07-2012 it was delivered to China on 09-12-2013.

And also on the 24th.

The Gulfstream G550 (GV-SP) B-5999 arrived. This was listed with the Beijing Red Cross Medical Center and delivered on 11-07-2018.

Originally built in Canada as N560GD around May of 2017.

Skywork Squirrel ZK-HQQ

While I was out at Kaipara Flats airfield last Saturday a Skywork Squirrel flew into the circuit and practiced some autorotations so I fired off a quick photo.  It was ZK-HQQ and a check back on the blog showed that it had been posted before, back in 2016.  But all was not what it seemed!  

In fact the earlier photos were of the first iteration of ZK-HQQ which was also a Skywork Squirrel! (an AS350BA model c/n 2240 that went on to become ZK-HNX4), and the ZK-HQQ I photo'd was ZK-HQQ the second which is an AS350B3 model c/n 9232).

ZK-HQQ2 was registered on 24/5/22 to Skywork Helicopters Ltd of Warkworth and hasn't been posted on the blog before.

A Fiordland Pterodactyl Ascender - ZK-NLC

I guess one of the Pterodactyl pilots to have a serious amount of fun would be Bruce Reay who flew his Ascender ZK-NLC extensively around Fiordland and South Westland in the 1980s.  He also took quite a lot of photos of his adventures which he has posted on Facebook, and here are some of them:

Murray Hagen flying ZK-NLC on floats very early on in its life.

Lake Te Anau 1983.

Maybe the most photogenic backdrop for a microlight photo? (above and below)

Bruce's Ascender could also be operated as an amphibian I assume as in this photo.

A couple of spectacular aerial photos taken by Bruce in Fiordland and South Westland.

In its second element on Okarito Lagoon.

 

After an accident at Franz Joseph on 14/2/89 where it lost power on take off and mushed into some trees, it was rebuilt and had new covers with new registration letters as in this 1989 photo on the beach at Okarito Lagoon.  It flew on and was withdrawn in February 1992.