Protech PT 2s of New Zealand

We have had 3 Protech PT 2s in New Zealand to date, and they all originated from the Hawkes Bay Chapter of the AACA.  They bought four kits into New Zealand in the late 1980s, and reckoned that the Protech would be a great Jodel D 11 replacement.

The Protech PT 2 was produced by Protech Aircraft Inc of Richmond, Texas and has been developed into the PT 2B and PT 2C with more powerful engines.   It was constructed from a pre-welded steel tube fuselage and had folding aluminium wings.  Its wingspan was 31 feet 9 inches (9.68 metres), and length was 18 feet 8 inches (5.68 metres).  Empty weight is around 700 pounds (318 Kg) and MAUW was 1,500 pounds (680 Kg).  On its original 65 HP engine cruise was 95 mph and the stall was a very low 30 mph.

The first PT 2 to appear was Callum Campbell's ZK-PTS (c/n AACA/1089) which was first registered on 24/8/90, and was the first of the three to fly.  It is photo'd above at the 1992 AACA flyin at Tauranga.  Tragically it was lost in a crash in the Kaweka Ranges on 20/11/92, with the loss of 2 lives.  It was cancelled on 2/6/93.

The second PT 2 was Greg McNicol's ZK-PTT (c/n AACA/43/3) which was first registered on 28/11/90.  Greg flew his Protech widely around New Zealand, and it is photo'd above at an airshow at Ohakea.  It was sold to SR Shepherd of Havelock North on 15/10/98 and then to the PTT Syndicate of New Plymouth on 28/11/00.  It was then sold to E.M.T Haulage of Mt Maunganui on 18/6/07.

Finally it was sold to the West Coast, to NE Wilson of Reefton, on 10/2/11.  Somewhere along the line it was repainted, and it is currently for sale on Trade Me from where I filched the above photo.

And the third PT 2 of the trio was Charlie Janes ZK-PTU (c/n AACA/431) which was first registered on 31/1/92.  Charlie has used ZK-PTU extensively for flying into bush airstrips in the ranges on hunting trips, and has documented his experiences in several books with photos of ZK-PTU.  (Charlie also built Jodel D 11 ZK-EFK for the same purpose, but no doubt the Protech has a big advantage with its high wing).  I have never seen ZK-PTU however the above photo is supplied by Greybeard who came across the aircraft in a field out behind Murupara when he was looking for local helicopters.  Thanks for the photo Greybeard.

There is one more Protech PT 2 in Hawkes Bay, which was being built by Greg McNicol at the time of his death.  This one is an improved version, and the registration ZK-WMW has been reserved with the M in memory of Greg.

Friendship damaged at Christchurch

 

 Paul Drake reports from Christchurch.

 

Fairchild F-27 N385BA 

The poor old Fairchild, more or less a piece of junk anyway, gets used at the airport for training various airport agencies from time to time (fireman, tug towing etc) . . anyway, parked side-on to the nor’west wind of Tuesday night, the old girl moved about . . . and the “make believe” port undercarriage collapsed . . . and as many passenger aircraft taxi past this venue to the hold point for Runway 20 (A3 or A2) apparently many passengers have been asking “did a Friendship crash during the wind??” .,

I remember when. The Ob came to town.

The Soviet ice strengthened transport ship Ob of about 12,500 tons was in Wellington in January 1971 as part of the 15th Soviet Antarctic Expedition.

On board was this Antonov AN2T CCCP-44956 (c/n 1G25-29)

This was first registered on 17-01-1963 and was part of the Polyamaya Aviatsiya.

I believe it was was cancelled in 1978.

 Two photos of CCCP-44956 on aboard the Ob at the Oversees Terminal at Wellington on 27-01-1971.

Below are two shots of CCCP-44956 being assembled on the ice.

As nicked from the aviaforum.ru

A few from NZRT over recent days.

Nothing terribly exciting I'm afraid

The first three have been on this blog previously.

 ZK-BDE (c/n 30459) is Roger Hewett's Cessna 180.

 ZK-MAC2 (c/n 20071103) is the Pacific Pilot Trainings Evektor Aertechnik Sportstar Plus, down from Nelson to receive some TLC from Grant Porter at "The Landing Spot".

  ZK-VAL2 (c/n 408R) is the Val and Neville Somerville Murphy Rebel based at Cheviot.

To see earlier blogs :-

Enter the last three letters of the registration in the "Search" box near the top left of the screen.

Mountain View's Hughes 369HS ZK-HWD3 (c/n 640606S) tied up.

ZK-WNG (c/n 145) is the Tecnam P96 Golf, Rangiora based, with Perry Shepard.

Models at rest.

 Good olde CMM spent a couple of days out at Lake Forsyth with the aircraft modelling fraternity and has kindly provided these photos.

Above is the DHC-2 Beaver N751CS.

 

 Above is the RNZAF DHC-2 Beaver NZ6001.

 

 Three Piper PA-25 Pawnee's. Above is N223MA - with N4618Y below.

Below is a likeness to the PA-25 Pawnee ZK-CNG .

Some really nice machines lined up here.

Pics taken on 31-08-2013.

Evans Volksplanes of New Zealand Addendum - ZK-EDA

The recent sale of ZK-EDA got me thinking about posting an update on this nearly 40 year old VP 1.  It has lasted well over a long and varied history.

The above photo of ZK-EDA as it originally appeared was taken at the 1976 AACA flyin at Kaikohe by Don Noble.  I did not have a photo of it in its original scheme in colour until Don Noble came up with this photo.

And these 2 photos show ZK-EDA in its most recent incarnation, now with a Rotax 582 motor up front.

Ownership of ZK-EDA was transferred to Gary Whatmough of Hikurangi on 16/8/13, and is now based at his farm airstrip just North of Hikurangi.

Devon NZ1823 FM1056

In response to a request after the NZ1825 FM1057 posting, herewith NZ1823 as FM1056 taken at Rongotai about the same date

Old and New at Aero Technologies 6/9/2013

Aero Technologies hangar on 6/9/13 revealed some interesting aircraft:

Ex Lithuanian Polikarpov PO 2 LY-ASZ was awaiting assembly for a Christchurch owner.

And our next Furio was being worked on for a Waikato owner.  I was told that this aircraft could be ready later this year.

ZK-IBO

Sir Minty sent me this shot of the MBB BO 105 CBS-4 ZK-IBO2 as captured in the Oceania Aviation yard at Ardmore on 06-09-2013.

The Jordanian Police Air Wing acquired three MBB BO 105 CBS-4 helicopters in 1989 and used them until they were replaced by four Eurocopter EC635’s, with the BO 105’s being put up for sale in 2010.

These three airframes arrived in New Zealand for attention by Oceania Aviation Ltd and following NZ certification entered the New Zealand civil register in April 2013 as ZK-HVA_4, ZK-IBO_2, and ZK-IBP­­₂.

All three followed the same career paths.

 ZK-IBO₂ started life as D-HDZK with MBB in 1989 and became P02 with the Jordanian Police Air Wing based at Al Matar Air Base. It was advertised for sale in 2010 with 4237 airframe hours.

Final customer is unknown - but ZK-HVA4 has been sold offshore already.

A recent NZRI visitor.

A recent visitor to Rangitata Island was the Rotorway Exec 162F ZK-IGH2 (c/n 6632) of Jet Exec NZ Ltd of Timaru.

Another pic from Ross Brodie.

 Below we have a view of it being built up at AVTEK at Timaru on 26-11-2010.

This machine was the star attraction in Question time # 137. See:-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2011/09/question-time-137-resolved.html