Mojave ZK-WTH

Spotted on the Christchurch Western grass near the Canterbury Aero Club this afternooon (08-04-2011) was the Piper PA-31P-350 Mojave ZK-WTH , c/n 31(-8414003 , of Air Wanganui Commuter Ltd.
This aircraft is not long off major maintenance at Palmerston North.
The Mojave uses the Piper Cheyenne 1 pressurised fuselage, the wings from the PA-31-353 Chieftain 11 and Chieftain tail. The engines are Lycoming TIO-540's of 350hp.
This is a 1983 model which came to NZ on Anzac Day of 1987 for registration to Wanganui Aero Work Ltd on 03-06-1987. WTH I believe stands for Warnock Trawlers Harding. It was are-listed to Air Wanganui Commuter on 15-06-1989.

Same lunch - different aspect.

Same airfield, same helicopter, same take off - same scene - different interpretation - different (better) camera - different (better) photographer.

Better results of Bell 206L LongRanger ZK-HMJ3, clearing Rangiora 08-04-2011.
Photos by Andy Heap.

Todays Rangiora lunch stop.

Friday the 8th April stopover lunch break at Rangiora found these two flying machines. Above is the Nostalgair N3 Pup ZK-FSK , c/n Streetair NZ001 , This hit the register on 06-12-1988 and has been with Jeff Rogers since mid 2000. It isin Woodley Aircraft Services hangar having its Permit renewed and its wingtip repaired after some hangar rash. It is powered by a two cylinder Mosler engine.

Departing for the North after refuel was this Bell 206L LongRanger ZK-HMJ3 , c/n 46616 , of  Mares Properties (NZ) Ltd.

Moving up.

 Back in September of 2008 Colin Chalmers of Mosgiel purchased the Aerochute Dual ZK-JCH3 from John Hyndman. This was sold to Mark Thom also of Mosgiel on 17-07-2009. This was replaced two days later by the Micro Bantam B22J ZK-WBB , c/n 00-0184 , which Colin went into partnership with Jonathon Elliott. It was ferried south through Rangiora on 26-07-2009 (photo below).  WBB was first registered on 02-11-2000 to the Waihi Beach Bantam Syndicate - hence the ZK-WBB letters.
They sold this on to Ian Galloway of Wanaka on 30-06-2010, having earlier (17-03-2010) purchased the Tecnam P92 Echo ZK-MIC2 from M & J Brenstrum of Dargaville. Photo of ZK-MIC taken at Ashburton on 05-02-2011.
This Echo was initiall ZK-KMA1 with Ken McKee of Napier from 12-06-1998 and was re-registered as ZK-PKT1 on 01-02-2002 when it was sold to P H & K A Thompson. In March of 2003 it was sold to the Northern Wairoa Aero Club (Inc) and re-registered on the 30th as ZK-MIC2.

P & K Thompson received a new Alpi Pioneer 200 XL on 31-03-2006 and registered this as ZK-PKT2 , c/n SN97.  This they sold on to Rex and Colleen Swenson in late 2008 who in turn transferred it to the Alpi Aviation NZ Ltd late in 2009. The Chambers Elliott duo have now purchased this aircraft as from 15-03-2011. Pic below of ZK-PKT2 at Ashburton on 02-04-2007. Since then they have exported the Tecnam P92 ZK-MIC2 with it being cancelled on March 25th.

Robinson R22 Beta ZK-IXR

Sad news on Wednesday 06-04-2011 when Robinson R22 Beta ZK-IXR , c/n 2196 , crashed in the Mathias Valley, a branch of the upper Rakaia River, claiming the life of its owner and injuring the passenger.
This airframe was built in September of 1992 as N2344K. It went to Japan and became JA7896 in December of 92.  It was returned to the US in June of 1996 and took up its old N2344K registration - I presume for a factory 2200 hour rebuild, before returning to Japan again as JA7896. It moved to Indonesia in late June of 2004 and became PK-AVU and ultimately to New Zealand to become ZK-IXR on 20-11-2007 with Heli-Pest Ltd of Haast. Ownership changed on 29-02-2008 to Shooters Supplies Ltd of Christchurch.
Top photo shows it as PK-AVU on 09-11-2007 in the Christchurch Helicopters hangar, whilst the lower pic shows it as ZK-IXR on 22-11-2007.

Nelson Ag changes

 The Fletcher FU24-550GT Crusader ZK-DDX , c/n 160 , arrived at Nelson via delivery pilot Glen Claridge from Oamaru on 31-03-2011. After checking out the local Wanganui Aero Work pilot James Ormond on the aircraft he ferried Cresco ZK-LTV , c/n 015, back to Wanganui. From there he picked up Cresco ZK-LTS (recently off a long term rebuild) and flew it back to Oamaru. The Walter turbine engine for ZK-EML (parked up at Nelson) is on its was back from Prague, so EML should be flying again about May. [Top photo at Nelson on 01-04-2011 by Sibbie]

 [Photo of ZK-LTV at Nelson on 16-02-2011 by Dave Paull]

 [Photo of enginless and horizontal tailless ZK-EML at Nelson on 16-02-2011 by Dave Paull]

Just for interest sake I have included a shot of the Manufacturers plate of ZK-DDX. So it is just over 40 years young.

Thanks to Sibbie for the Nelson update.

Clipper ZK-IJA

Above : At Pacific Aircraft Services at Christchurch on 20-12-2010 and not long out of its box is the Robinson R44 Clipper N893LH, fresh in from the US and not too long out of Indonesia where it had been PK-JCB sinceearly 2001.

Below we see it feeling for the ground at the Christchurch Helipro base as ZK-IJA , c/n 0893 , now wearing the Jasra Helicopters titles

Lunch stop at Rangiora 01-04-2011

 Aero Designs Inc Pulsar XP ZK-KDP , c/n 294 , was constructed in Durban, South Africa by Keith Palmer. Rotax powered and with a GSC inflight adjustable propeller and a well equiped panel and a sliding canopy.  Above we have a view of it in a car park in Durban prior to painting.

It has been in Rangiora for some time now and has had extensive work done on it. Above is a more recent view of it taken on 22-10-2010 at Rangiora still showing its ZU marks.

It officially became ZK-MIV on 13-01-2011 to Savco Ltd. Seen above on Friday 01-04-2011.

Gliding in Progress at Drury

Cruising north from the Waikato region another detour from State Highway 1 to the gliding strip at Drury was made without an expectation of seeing anything due to it being a weekday.  However on arrival this changed to a a time spent watching 5 glider launches undertaken by winch, the tow plane having been used in the morning.   The activity was in conjunction with Baradene College, a Catholic Girls School in Auckland, with the girls in this group being part of a science project.

Pawnee ZK-CEB

ASK21 ZK-GAK

Duo Discus ZK-GDX

Grob 109 ZK-GOC

PZL PW6-U ZK-GXY

Duo Discus ZK-GYL

Couple from Te Kowhai

On a recent visit to Waikato a quick deviation off the main road to Te Kowhai was made and the following were photographed:

Above and below, Jabiru TD ZK-CJP

 

R44 ZK-IOO

Synthesis Storch ZK-SAQ

B22J Bantam ZK-SBD carrying out circuits at the place of its birth