Andy Heap's view of Healthy Bastards # 4

 The Classic Aircraft Sales Ltd's Boeing Stearman A75N1 ZK-KJO.

 John Richards with his Rans S-6ES Coyote II ZK-LSW.

 The Sage Partnership Maule M-6-235C Super Rocket ZK-MTP (Willie Sage).

 The Ardmore Taildraggers Inc's PA-20/22 ZK-PAL3. (Bernard Kennelly).

The Jodel D.11 ZK-PAS of Mike Marchant.

Andy Heaps view of Healthy Bastards # 3.

 The Piper PA-22-160 TriPacer ZK-FJD of Rod Bryant and Ross Whetton.

 Cessna A185F AgCarryall ZK-JKH of Wanaka Bowmar Ltd (Mark O'Sullivan).

 Piper PA-18-135 Super Cub ZK-JLB of Jim Benbow.

 Deane Philip in his Zenair CH701 STOL ZK-JUG.

The Aeronca 7AC ZK-KCO of Graham Orphan.

Andy Heap's view of Healthy Bastards # 2

 The Cessna A185F Skywagon ZK-CES2 of Darlington Drilling and Piling Ltd (Nigel Griffith).

 Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee ZK-CIQ of Peter Anderson.

 ZK-DPC2 the Gippsland GA200C of Patchett Ag-Air 2015 Ltd.

 The Cessna A150L Aerobat ZK-DPS of Murray Callister.

The Aerospool Dynamic WT9 ZK-DYZ from the Marlborough Aero Club (Inc) (John Welch).

Andy Heap's view of Healthy Bastards Bush Pilot Champs # 1

 Andy Heap was at the Healthy Bastards Bush Pilot Champs today and offers these photograhs of the action.

The names may not be of those doing the driving.

 Auster Mk5 ZK-ARR of Richard Royds.

 Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub ZK-BKD2 of the BKD Syndicate (John Geary).

 Piper PA-18A-150 ZK-BKN from the local BKN Syndicate (Scott Madsen).

 The Bruce Coulter Piper PA-18 Super Cub ZK-BTX.

The Cessna 180A ZK-CDY of Kiwi Avi8tor Ltd.

Healthy Bastards Bush Pilot Champs 2018

The Healthy Bastards 2018 Fly In and competetions at Omaka airfield today attracted quite a few interesting competitors and visitors and a selection of these, together with some locally based aircraft are as follows.

From Pukekohe came the Cessna 180 ZK-BJX in a new colour scheme and "Businessliner" titling.

Two locally based tail-wheel conversions of Piper PA22s are ZK-BLA and ZK-COX,  the latter being imported from the US in 2016.

Also imported in 2016 was the Patchett Ag Air Gippsland GA200C ZK-DPC

The very smart locally based Lancair ES  ZK-EDZ

Competing was Rans S6ES ZK-LSW from Riwaka

Blenheim based Jodel D11 ZK-PAS now refurbished

Imported in October 2017 and based at Omaka is the Sport Copter Vortex M912 ZK-RDX

And also Blenheim based the Cessna 185A ZK-SME

Cessnas ZK-CTB

The Cessna 172H with the construction number 17256488 was allocated the US civil registration of N8288L whilst on the production line at Wichita Kansas in 1967.
This airframe arrived at Ardmore and was assembled by Rex Aviation with the ZK-CTB registration letters being penciled in to B A Morice of Napier. 

These marks where not taken up an it first flew at Ardmore on 14-12-1967 evidently with its Australian VH-DQW marks, which were not allocated until the 16th. 

It departed NZ on 18-12-1967 destined for Norfolk Island for its owner B A Morice who traded as 'Air Norfolk'. Whilst at Norfolk it changed hands to C A Haerman  and then back again to B A Morice from 30-07-1975. 

Photo above shows VH-DQW in Air Norfolk marks from Greg Banfield and the Ed Coates collection.

It arrived back in NZ in June of 1977 and took up the ZK-EKD registration on 15-07-1977.
Below we have a photo of ZK-EKD as seen at Rukuhia on 05-11-1977 by Peter Lewis.

The Mercury Bay Aero Club at Whitianga took it over from 18-12-1986. 

It had an engine failure on 27-12-1988 and was ditched at Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. Its registration was cancelled on 18-04-1989.

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

Now for the real ZK-CTB that we know. 

This Cessna 150H (c/n 15068315) was allocated the US civil registration of N22490 whilst on the production line. In the event it was sold to NZ and these US marks were not taken up. 

Instead it became ZK-CTB and went to Rex Aviation (NZ) Ltd at Ardmore as the NZ agents.

Rex operated the Auckland, Paraparaumu and Christchurch Flying Schools.
It was assembled for the Auckland Flying School with whom it was registered on 10-04-1968, although it did spend some time at the Paraparaumu branch.

These first two photos are thanks to Allan Wooller and show ZK-CTB at Paraparaumu

 Below at Paraparaumu on 03-09-1969.

On 26-06-1970 ownership passed to Thomas J Krippner - so was presumably based on his strip.
It then moved on to the Waikato Aero Club at Hamilton from 26-04-1973 .

Above at Hamilton on 17-11-1973 with 'Waikato Aero Club' on cowling.
It was sold to D P Sosich at Hamilton from 11-05-1981.
The Waitomo Aero Club at Te Kuiti took it on from 10-03-1982 followed by G A Lovegrove of Te Kauwhata from 28-04-1989 with a transfer to the Taumaranui Aero Club from 25-06-1990.
It survived a couple of incidents whilst with them - on 20-09-1997 and 24-11-2001.
It then moved to Thames for the Ta Nui Trust from 16-08-2002, then moved down to Nelson for Brent G and J L Ferguson from 20-10-2003.
It then appears to have been leased to the Kaikoura Aero Club from 15-03-2005 through to 19-04-2005 when it returned to Brent Ferguson.

Above on line with the Kaikoura Aero Club on 06-04-2005.

Current owners Colin J and D R Hickman of Te Kuiti have been listed since 01-02-2014.

Seen above at Te Kuiti by Keith Morris on 25-01-2018.

L3 Airline Academy at Hamilton 25-1-2018

While I was at Hamilton I strolled down to the C3 facility and aircraft parking area.  It sure was busy!  Here are a few photos taken over the security fence.  C3 operate three types being the Diamond DA 20, Diamond DA 42 and Cessna 172.  L3 Airline Academy was formerly CTC Aviation which operated out of the same facilities at Hamilton, and both are international training organisations.

Diamond DA 20-C1s ZK-SFJ...

ZK-SFI with 4 other DA 20s in the lineup....

ZK-CSI3 is a slightly later model with a rear window.

ZK-CSE2...

and ZK-SFB2.

Diamond DA 42s ZK-CTK3 and ZK-CTN2.

 

Cessna 172S ZK-CTT3.

Cessna 172R ZK-RQY.

Cessna 172S ZK-CAA2.

I was told that their fleet numbered 48 aircraft and 3 Cessna 172s had just been added, making the total 51.  I think these 3 new Cessna 172s are ZK-CAA2, ZK-RQY and ZK-RQZ.

New Helicopter Type

Being worked on at Heliflite Ardmore this morning was the first Bell 505 to be imported into NZ,  being ZK-IRX of Rangitikei Helicopters Ltd

Also at Heliflite was the MD500N N778MH s/n LN077 wearing Heliflite.com.au titling.

Hamilton is Twinstar Country

There were quite a few Diamond DA 42 Twinstars at Hamilton when I visited on 5/1/18, ranging across three operators.

ZK-CTO2 (c/n 42.219) is one of eight DA 42s operated by L3 CTS Airline Academy (NZ) Ltd of Hamilton.

ZK-WGA (c/n 42.199) is operated by Waikato Aviation Ltd which is the training arm of the Waikato Aero Club.

ZK-DUM (c/n 42.182) is registered to the Middle Earth Flying School Ltd of Waharoa but the tail bears the logo New Zealand Aviation.  The first allocation of ZK-DUM (allocated in 1974) was not taken up as maybe peoples feelings were more sensitive back then.