Dimona ZK-GCB at Rangiora

Early in the month a stray turned up at Rangiora in the shape of the Hoffman H36 Dimona motor glider ZK-GCB2 c/n 3537. It had powered down from Drury and Omaka on the 2nd.

It is pictured above having just been tied down following a flight from Rangiora out to the Springfield ridges and return.

The following day it went out to the Puketeraki and Torlesse Ranges and return.

It has been mentioned several times previously on this site.

SEE  

HERE

A Glider at North Shore!

On a trip down to North Shore yesterday afternoon for some Avgas, I didn't expect much action but I was gobsmacked to see a glider on the airfield.  I have never seen a glider there in all my visits:

The Glaser Dirks DG300 Elan ZK-GCB2 (c/n 3E-3) had made an outlanding at North Shore, not being able to make it back to Whenuapai after a cross country flight up North.

Of course I went to take a closer look, and while a was there the Eagle 150 ZK-XAB landed and taxied past making a nice contrast of fibreglass flying machines.

And another nice surprise was Stan Smith's DH Dragon ZK-AXI arriving, from the Warbirds event at Ardmore I guess.  Unfortunately it was into the afternoon sun.

Then the sun came out for a nicer photo.  The DG300 has been owned by K S Jasica of Orewa since 9/3/23.  He was planning an aerotow back to Hobsonville but I couldn't wait for that as the Australian Grand Prix was beckoning.

Pauanui

A fine Saturday on the Coromandel encouraged a number of interesting aircraft to visit the Pauanui airfield,  including several not noted here before.

Registered to Auckland Air Charter Limited is the immaculate1966 model Piper PA24-260 Comanche ZK-DAA,  which is not often seen out and about.

From Drury came the Hoffmann H36 Dimona powered glider ZK-GCB

And from much further airfield, the Hanmer Springs based 2010 model Cessna T182T Skylane TC ZK-ZZR

Todays Pauanui choice

Todays choice from Richard Currie at Pauanui.

 Captured on departure was the Tecnam P92 Echo Classic ZK-TCM as listed with Stanley aviation Ltd of Rotorua.

 In its somewhat different scheme was the Cessna 172M Skyhawk ZK-DXJ (c/n 17265810) from the DXJ Syndicate.

A Cherokee that brings back a load of good memories from its Southland Aero Cub days is the Piper PA-28-235 ZK-CIS (c/n 28-10630) which has been with David Irving of Hamilton since February of 1986.

 The Stephen MacIntyre Robinson R44 Raven II ZK-HOY2  (c/n 11565) is Tauranga based.

 The GCB Syndicate of Drury has operated this Hoffman H36 Dimona motor Glider ZK-GCB2  since 

June of 2011.

This is a 'warbird' in disguise.

Check this out.

 Jodel D.1 ZK-KCD is c/n AACA/1086 and is listed to a Private Owner.

See early history Here

North Shore Today 29-10-2016

I went up to North Shore this afternoon to catch up with Gordon Lindsay and his new Starlet.

ZK-YGL (for Yvonne and Gordon Lindsay) has been a 30 year labour of love.  Gordon was doing the weight and balance today helped by Don Wilkinson (ZK-TOY) and UK Starlet builder Steve Stride (G-ILSE).

Ian Williams flew up from Drury in the Hoffman Dimona motorglider ZK-GCB2.

While local Bolkow Junior ZK-CJL of the Bryant/Worley Syndicate had an engine run.

Omaka picks

Bruce Drake's demonstrator Aerospool Dynamic WT9 ZK-DYTug (c/n DY502/2014) was listed to Drake Aviation Ltd on 24-04-2014.

 This Hoffman H 36 Dimona ZK-GCB2 (c/n 3537) is listed to the GCB Syndicate of Drury. So it was a good distance from home. This ex Thai military motor glider first came on the NZ register for Dave McMillan on 20-03-2004.

See earlier post at :-  http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/search?q=gcb

 Robinson R22 Beta ZK-HWS3 (c/n 3760) was first registered in NZ on 04-09-2008 to Helicare Maintenance Ltd at Nelson before joining David Dillon in November that year.

From up the Hurunui River came the Beckenham Hill Ltd's Helio H-250 Courier ZK-TCE (c/n 2503) which was imported and registered to Trevor Collins of Blenheim on 31-08-2004.

An earlier post on this aircraft can be seen at :-
http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/helio-courier-zk-tce.html
Can anyone confirm its African history - I have conflicting details on this ?

Just about back in the air is the De Havilland DH82A ZK-BER (c/n 844) of the Omaka Real Flying Club of Blenheim. 

It was built in Australia and originally destined for the Royal Rhodesian Air Force but was retained in Australia as A17-712

It entered the Australian civil aircraft register as VH-BEX in May of 1954. It became ZK-BER on 17-08-2004.

A Drury visit on Saturday the 24th #1

Magnaman visited Drury on Saturday the 24th.

A selection of his photographs appear below.

Firstly the power brigade.

 The Piako Gliding Clubs Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee ZK-BZA (c/n 25-2168) was on site. This Pawnee went direct from being assembled and registered to Airwork on 12-11-1962 to Aerial Farming (Holdings) Ltd at Palmerston North after its first flight in NZ on 20-03-1963. On 09-04-1968 it was with the Piako Gliding Club.

The Limbach L2000 powered Hoffman H-36 Dimona ZK-GCB2 (c/n 3537) has a military history.

See :- http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/hoffman-dimona-zk-gcb.html

Grob G109 ZK-GOC (c/n 6145) is from the 109 Syndicate of Auckland. This motor glider came onto the register initially as ZK-BDR with Drake Aviation on 22-12-1982 and became ZK-GOC on delivery to the Club on 13-07-1983.

After bringing the Otago Club to its knees it went to Omarama Enterprises Ltd from 03-07-1986 and then to its current owner on 06-09-1989.

The Slingsby T61C Falke was registered to Slingsby Sailplanes on 07-02-1973.It gained its NZ CofA as ZK-DOI on 18-07-1983 with the Auckland Gliding Club and first flew on the 28th. I believe there were two test pilots. Bryan Cox for the power side and Graham Player for the gliding side.

The engine was the Pieper Stork-Stamo 1500/2.

Ownership passed to Paul Schofield on 18-10-2007 with its registration being revoked on 26-08-2008.

I believe an engine change and upgrade was under way from 2011.

 ZK-PZM (c/n 140542) is a PZL-104 Wilga 35 which spent its first ten years in the UK as G-BJAU and following refurbishment in Poland it became ZK-PZM for Dougal Dallison of Auckland on 11-05-1992. I believe the NZ Police had a play with it before it was delivered down to Norm Davis of Waimate in late January of 1994. Here it picked up the name "Drag N Fly" which it still wears today. From February 2001 it had three Auckland owners followed by the RNZAF Base Auckland Aviation Sports Club from 21-03-2014.

Following refurbishment by Aero Tech at Ardmore it was delivered to Whenuapai on 28-06-2014.

 Peter Robson built this Europa Monowheel XS ZK-RPR (c/n 406). Rotax 912 powered it was registered on 19-05-2003 and sold to Pat Driessen of Auckland on 22-07-2010. Interestingly Pat also has the Europa XS Tri Gear ZK-VMC which he imported in late 2011, and the glider Schempp-Hirth Ventus cT ZK-GOP.

Finally we see the Aeroprakt A-22LS ZK-LFB (c/n 221) of Lite Flight Green NZ Ltd.

First Post from Black Sands Flyin 2014

A great day at Raglan today for the Black Sands flyin 2014, which was the 10th Black Sands flyin to be hosted by the Waikato Chapter of SAANZ. There were plenty of the usual suspects among the 80 or so aicraft that attended on the Saturday but some new aicraft attending caught my eye as follows:

I haven't seen many Tiger Moths at Black Sands flyins, so ZK-BLI from Ardmore was a welcome sight.

Grob G 109 motor glider ZK-GOC was an exotic visitor.

As was the Hoffman H 36 Dimona motor glider ZK-GCB. 

Both the motor gliders were from Drury.

Cessna O 1G Bird Dog ZK-DOG arrived from Ardmore and parked in a photogenic spot.

There will be more from Raglan to follow, from myself and others.

Hoffman Dimona ZK-GCB.

The Royal Thai Air Force purchased ten Hoffman H36 Dimona motor gliders in 1983 as cadet pilot trainers. They were disposed of in 1993. One in particular, C/n 3537, had been withdrawn from use in late February of 1992 (I believe it had been damaged).  It went to and was stored in Australia. This motor glider had the Thai serial number 537 (which was the last three numbers of it c/n) and is pictured below.

This airframe was obtained by Dave McMillan of Greymouth and was registered on 20-03-2004 as ZK-GCB2.

It came with a newly overhauled Limbach L2000 engine which drives a three position Hoffman propeller. It sat for some time at the rear of its Greymouth hangar until being purchased and listed to the GCB Syndicate of Drury on 30-06-2011.

With restoration now complete it flew for the first time in twenty three years at Drury on 14-06-2014.

It is the forerunner of the Diamond range of aircraft and is still manufactured as the HK-36 with a 100hp Rotax.

Photos supplied by Ian Williams.

 There is one other Dimona in New Zealand, ZK-GPH2 (c/n 3667) owned by Laurence Mathewson at Ranfurly Otago