Just Aircraft of New Zealand - Super STOL XL ZK-DJG

In 2015 Just Aircraft introduced the Super STOL XL which has a stretched fuselage to offset the installation of heavier and more powerful engines up to 180 HP.  Whereas the Escapade, Highlander and Super STOL all had a length of 19 feet, the Super STOL XL has a length of 21 feet 6 inches.  However the wing is the same as the regular Super STOL.

We have had only one Super STOL XL registered here to date, being Don Gray's ZK-DJG2.  It is powered by a 180 HP UL 520i engine and Don says it goes really well.

ZK-DJG2 (c/n JA487-02-16) was registered to D J (Don) Gray of Te Awamutu on 14/8/18.  It is photo'd above in its element, on a lovely day in the South Island high country.

Helicopters

Noted in our travels this week were 3 helicopters that havent appeared on this blog before, starting with the Robinson R44 II ZK-HJN sprayer at Tauranga, which is part of the large Rotor Work Te Kuiti fleet that now comprises 23 helicopters.

At Rotorua was the latest addition to the Volcanic Air Safaris fleet,  AS350B-2 ZK-HPB imported from the US in February 2019

And at Taupo the Lakeview Helicopters' Bell UH-1H Iroquois ZK-ILV, which was imported from Australia in March 2019.

Just Aircraft of New Zealand - Super STOLs

Following on from the Highlander, Just Aircraft developed the Super STOL as an even more capable STOL aircraft with the same fuselage but with bigger wings with automatic leading edge slats and Fowler flaps and a very long stroke undercarriage with tundra tyres.  This produced an aircraft with the ability to "drop in" to short remote airstrips, for example the Highlander can land in 1,000 feet over a 50 foot obstacle whereas the Super STOL can do it in 450 feet!

Like the Escapade and the Highlander the Super STOL's fuselage is of a welded 4130 steel fuselage of polygonal cross section and the aircraft is mainly fabric covered.

Specifications for the Super STOL are: length 19 feet (5.69 metres), wingspan 31 feet 3 inches (9.52 metres) and the wing area is much bigger than the Highlander at 147 square feet.  The empty weight is around 737 Kg (334 Kg) and in New Zealand the MAUW is 1,200 pounds (544 Kg).  Engines are usually a Rotax 912 or 914 (100 to 115 HP), and with the Rotax 912 the cruise speed is around 100 mph and the stall speed is low at 32 mph.

We have had eight Just Aircraft Super STOLs in New Zealand to date, as follows:

Our first Super STOL was ZK-RIM (c/n JA-272) which was registered to Roderick (Rod) I Milne of Taupo on 24/12/13.  This was a factory built aircraft with a Rotax 914 engine that was imported by the New Zealand agents Just Aircraft NZ Ltd and arrived in Timaru in early December 2013.  Its first flight here was on 24/1/14 from Rangitata Island, flown by Grant Coldicott.  It was delivered North to Taupo on 10/10/14 when the above photo was taken at Rangiora.  In the photo you can clearly see the leading edge slats and the large flying surfaces.

And another photo, taken at Tauranga, showing the short landing technique that enables the aircraft to get into short strips.

Our second Super STOL was ZK-CVV2 (c/n JAE-297) which was also a factory built example that arrived in Timaru in December 2014.  It was registered to John C Kookshorn of Queensland on 12/12/14 but it is based in Wanaka.  John Kookshorn moved to Christchurch.  The above photo was taken at the 2018 Wings Over Wanaka, on 1/4/18.

Next to be registered was ZK-PSK (c/n JA342-01-14), another factory built aircraft, which was registered to Christopher J (Chris) Pask of Hastings on 3/3/15.  It is photo'd above on delivery through Rangiora on 25/3/15.

Our first kit built Super STOL was ZK-NJC (c/n JA402-08-14) which was built by Craig Miller of Custom Aviation at Taieri for Neville Cunningham of Timaru.  It was first registered on 8/9/15 to Mt Cook Trophy Hunting of Timaru.  It has a Rotax 914 and 29 inch tundra tyres, and is photo'd early on in its life at Taieri.

A more recent photo of it in its element with Mt Cook Trophy Hunting script.

ZK-KAB2 (c/n JA314-08-13) was registered to the KAB Syndicate (Brian Phillips and Grant Goodland) of Rangiora on 30/11/15 and was first flown on 10/4/16 with Evan Belworthy as the test pilot.  It is photo'd above on 1/4/17 at its owners "Eyre Ache" property which is adjacent to Forest Field, West of Christchurch.  On 10/1/19 ownership changed to the KAB Syndicate of Christchurch.

ZK-KTF (c/n JA345-01-14) was registered to Fraser A (Tony) Fullerton-Smith of Turangi on 4/8/16 and it is photo'd above at its Omori base on the South-Western edge of Lake Taupo on delivery in March 2017.

ZK-ZOE (c/n JA411-09-14) was built from a kit by Brian Taylor who is based near Whangarei.  It was registered to the J Finlayson and G Metge Partnership (John Finlayson and Graham Metge) of Auckland on 2/8/17 and its first flight was on 6/10/17 at Whangarei, with Brian Taylor as the test pilot.  It is photo'd above at Dargaville on 25/11/17.  On 8/3/18 ownership changed to the John Finlayson Syndicate of Whangarei.

And the final Super STOL to be registered here is ZK-TUX (c/n JA285-01-13) which was registered on 11/2/19 to Jury Family Farms Ltd of Carterton.  However, it has been in New Zealand for several years.  It was first registered as N400TL to John Levy of Caarlsbad, CA on 10/6/13 and it was soon exported to New Zealand.  It was noted at the 2014 Wings Over Wanaka where the above photo was taken on 18/4/14.  Its US registration was cancelled on 26/12/18.

Just Aircraft of New Zealand - Highlanders

Although the Highlander looks quite a bit more chunky, it is a direct development of the Escapade.  So although the first Highlander wasn't registered until January 2011, for this series I will Just keep on going.

The Highlander was introduced in 2004 and was designed for slow flight into rougher strips that the Escapade.  Like the Escapade, construction is of a welded chromoloy steel tube fuselage of a polygonal cross section and the aircraft is mainly fabric covered.  However it has a wing that is 3 feet longer with vortex generators along the upper leading edge and has larger tail surfaces than the Escapade.  The Highlander also has a beefed up undercarriage with larger tyres and enhanced brakes.

Specifications for the Highlander are:  length 19 feet (5.69 metres), wingspan 31 feet 6 inches (9.60 metres) and the wing area is 121 square feet.  The empty weight is around 615 pounds (279 Kg) and MAUW in New Zealand is 1,200 pounds (544 Kg).  With a Rotax 912 engine the cruise speed is around 105 mph and the stall with 40 degrees of flap is quoted as 36 mph.

We have had four Just Aircraft Highlanders in New Zealand to date, as follows:

Our first Highlander was ZK-MLT (c/n JA 212) which was registered on 13/1/11 to Thompson and Hood Ltd of Ashburton.  Its first flight was on 31/5/11, flown by Grant Coldicott.  The aircraft is powered by a Rotax 914 engine and a Kiev prop.  As you can see it is fitted with 29 inch tundra tyres.  The photo was taken during the spot landing competition at the 2012 SAANZ flyout to Whitianga on 28/1/12.

ZK-MLT has made quite a few trips to the North Island to accompany deliveries of Super STOL aircraft to their new owners.  Here it is photo'd at Rangiora on 10/10/14 just before it headed North accompanying the Super STOL ZK-RIM to Taupo.

And here it is again photo'd at Omori on the West side of Lake Taupo at the end of the delivery flight for Super STOL ZK-KTF, with Super STOL ZK-RIM which popped over from Taupo to welcome them.

Our second Highlander was ZK-JKO2 (c/n JA312-08-13) which was registered on 21/8/15 to JH and K Ross of Wanaka.  It is photo'd at Wanaka on 13/11/15, early on in its life.  It is powered by a Rotax 912 with a 75 inch Kiev Prop.

And here it is at the 2016 Wings Over Wanaka airshow, on 23/6/16.  On 10/11/18 it was sold to First Light Retreat at Kaikoura.

Our third Highlander was ZK-MCQ3 (c/n JA221-11-10) which was built by Neil J McHugh of Hamilton and was first registered to him on 6/7/16.  Its first flight was on 10/9/16 at Te Kowhai, flown by Noel Bailey.  It is powered by a Rotax 912 engine and has long range tanks.  It is photo'd above arriving at the 2016 BlackSands flyin at Raglan, on 5/11/16.

And here it is photo'd at the 2019 Thames Wings and Wheels on 26/1/19.

Our fourth Highlander was built in the US and was first registered N419EC (c/n JA183-01-09) to Arnold S Koraikin of Winston Salem, NC on 11/6/10, which makes it our oldest Highlander.  Its US registration was cancelled on 12/1/16 and it was noted at Matamata on 16/1/18 where the above photo was taken.

It was taken to Solo Wings at Tauranga for certification where the above photo was taken on 9/3/18, showing its folding wing capability.

It was registered ZK-JUS on 1/3/18, to Ronald C Donovan of Paeroa.  The above photo was also taken at Tauranga on 22/3/18.

There is another Highlander in New Zealand, being VH-JPU which was imported in October 2018 by Peter Hicks and is now based at Pauanui.

Photo taken at Pauanui on 11/10/18.  It has since been fitted with tundra tyres and is quite active around the Coromandel Peninsula.

A Couple of New Tecnam P 92s at Wanaka

Nearly three years after our last Tecnam P 92 was registered, another two examples were registered to the New Zealand sales agents last week.

The P 92 has been a very popular and long lasting aircraft for Tecnam, with our latest two being the 30th and 31st of the various models to be registered in New Zealand after our first example was registered here in 1997.  There have been many models of P 92 registered here including the original Echo, the Echo Super, the Echo Classic, the retractable gear 2000RG and the Eaglet UL.  And at the recent Friedrichshafen 2019 trade show in Germany Tecnam introduced the Echo Mk II with a carbon fibre fuselage.

Thanks to Steve Bunting here are photos of our latest two Tecnams, taken at Wanaka:

ZK-TBJ (c/n 1591) is yet another different model of P 92 being a Tail Dragger - our first here and due to be the company demonstrator I think.  It was registered to Aircraft and Marine Ltd of Gore on 10/5/19.

and ZK-TNZ2 (c/n 1590) is a P 92 Eaglet UL.  It was registered to Aircraft and Marine Ltd of Gore on 13/5/19.

Thanks very much for the photos Steve.

Just Aircraft of New Zealand - Escapade ZK-SKP

The next type of aircraft to be registered in New Zealand was the Just Escapade, the first (and so far the only) example which was registered on 24/6/09.

The Escapade traces its roots back via the Denney Kitfox to the Avid Flyer and it was jointly developed by Just Aircraft LLC in the US and by Reality Aircraft in the UK (the UK version is now known as the Sherwood Scout).  Construction is of a welded steel tube fuselage that is of polygonal cross section which slopes inwards above and below the mid line, and the aircraft is mainly fabric covered.  The American prototype first flew in February 2003.  It can be built with either a tri-gear or tailwheel undercarriage and the wings can be folded for transport.

Specifications for the Escapade are:  length 19 feet (5.69 metres), wingspan 28 feet 6 inches  (8.69 metres) and the wing area is 108 square feet.  The empty weight is around 615 pounds (279 Kg) and in new Zealand the MAUW is 1,200 pounds (544 Kg).  With a Rotax 912 engine the cruise speed is around110 mph, and the stall speed is quoted as 36 mph with 40 degrees of flap.

Just Aircraft LLC has gone on to develop the Escapade into the Highlander and the Super STOL of which we have had quite a few examples in New Zealand.

Just Escapade ZK-SKP (c/n JA169-07-08) was built by Julian R N Thornton of Hamilton and was first registered on 24/6/09.  It first flew on 1/7/09, flown by Noel Bailey.  (It was the third aircraft built by Julian Thornton after his Teenie Two ZK-DUO and Zenith CH 701 ZK-JRT).  It is powered by a Jabiru 2200 engine.  Julian has posted some nice videos of him flying his Escapade, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrR5xzm7Sb8

The above 2 photos were taken at the 2013 Black Sands flyin at Raglan, on 2/11/13.  Note the long exhausts, more visible in the landing photo.

On my way home from Black Sands 2013 I caught up with Julian at Te Kowhai just as he was about to trailer his Escapade home.  That is a big advantage in an aircraft!

On 4/5/16 ownership transferred to I G Win of Balclutha, where it was photo'd above on 9/2/19.  It now has shorter exhausts and bigger tyres.


     

Kaikoura

The three Whale Watching operators were busy yesterday in Kaikoura,  and included in their fleets are the 2 GA8 Airvans ZK-FSR and KBZ owned by South Pacific Helicopters and operated as "Wings over Whales".   KBZ has just been refurbished and repainted to match FSR.

Down on the town's beachfront Kaikoura Helicopters were operating R44 ZK-HKK,  which was reregistered from ZK-HPO in 2018.    The company has been purchased this month by Christchurch's GCH Aviation.

And South Pacific Helicopters operate the smart looking EC120B ZK-IFR, which has been in NZ since 2007.

Nelson

A visit to a busy Nelson Airport earlier today offered plenty of interest including the GA8 Airvan ZK-EHS of Air Kaikoura in for 100 hour checks.   This arrived from Australia back in November 2018, making an easy transition from its previous VH-EHS.

Also in for maintenance was Murchison Heli Tours Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-HVG

Ardmore

A visit to Ardmore on a very grey and misty day was nonetheless rewarding and amongst those seen was the Bolkow 208A Junior ZK-CJF which has been out of the air for  some 10 years,  and is now looking very smart for being nearly 55 years old.

Parked by the Ardmore Flying School was Enstrom 480B ZK-HRJ which is registered to a Taupo owner, and was imported from the US in December 2018.

And another addition to the Advanced Flight fleet is brand new EC130T2 ZK-HXP imported in March this year.

Tomahawk ZK-WRB.

The Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk ZK-WRB (c/n 38-98A0911) was initially registered to Airwork (NZ) Ltd at Ardmore as ZK-EQD but on sale to the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club was re-registered as ZK-WRB on 19-09-1979.

 Above photo at Masterton on 09-03-1985 in its factory paint scheme.

Below at Masterton on 28-04-1990.

The Club purchased the Piper PA-28-140F Cherokee Cruiser ZK-DGQ on 08-03-1994 and sold the Tomahawk to the Whakatane Syndicate on 22-03-1994 with it being transferred to Aero Hire Ltd of Whakatane on 11-11-1994.

Below - at Whakatane on 16-03-2000.

Andrew Charlesworth of Ngaruawahia was next in line from 113-09-2011 and current owner Colin Last of Dannevirke was listed from 29-01-2015.

Above photo taken at the Waipukurau dawn flyin on 12-05-2019 by Jordan Elvy.