Following my post on the new Cresco ZK-SUZ I checked the Pacific Aerospace Facebook page and they had added more posts including a photo of its first flight on 4/12 20:
First lift off.
PAL say that this new Cresco has several updates including improved cockpit sealing and it uses more XL 750 components. And they also say that there are likely to be more Crescos in 2021.
Continuing the theme of Pacific Aerospace, I came across an interesting video on their website so I took a screenshot:
Pacific Aerospace 750XL with the constructors number 159 was registered as ZK-KAX on 12-08-2009 and first flew from Hamilton on 03-09-2009 and gained its CofA on the 9th.
ZK-KAX was cancelled on 02-05-2011 to become P2-BWF with Central Aviation Services Pty Ltd of Mt Hagen, PNG from 25-05-2011 and it ferried out via Kaitaia for Norfolk Island on 05-06-2011.
After its time in PNG it was ferried back to NZ reaching Hamilton from Kerikeri on 03-02-2020 and was registered as ZK-DVE2 on 17-02-2020 to Infinite Ski Planes Ltd for deliver to Motueka on the 22nd.
Below a view of it at Hamilton before delivery to Motueka in February 2020
And below as seen today at Motueka thanks to Lord Nelson.
Arriving after a charter flight was the A109S Grand ZK-HBH6 which has been with the company since importation from Australia in 2015. An additional large hangar has now been completed on the company's site to house a number of privately owned Airbus helicopters.
Further up the road at North Shore airfield Steve Taylor was working to complete his very smart Vans RV12iS ZK-TSP to gain CAA clearance for a first flight.
Above is the Cessna 650 Citation N162JM c/n 650-0163 parked Aero Club side. Previously Wellington based but now with a new owner in Christchurch.
Tauranga is a hotbed for new sport aircraft and another new one was photo'd by Warwick Hamilton last Tuesday 15/12/20:
Aeroprakt A 22LS Foxbat ZK-SGI (c/n 391) was registered to DJ Signal of the North Shore in Auckland on 9/12/20. I understand it first flew on 14/12/20.The Zlin Aviation Shock Cub is a specially developed STOL aircraft based on the Savage Cub. Their website describes it in very flowery language at: https://www.zlinaero.com/prodotti.php?id=17&lang=2 The New Zealand agents for Zlin Aviation are Sports Aircraft New Zeakland Ltd of Wellsford (Tim Harrison) and the company imported ZK-OIL2 after many delays culminating with a projected delay with unloading at Auckland so Tim elected to send the container on to Tauranga for unloading and assembly.
However despite the rhetoric on the website it is a very capable STOL aircraft and has acquitted itself well at the mecca of STOL, Valdez in Alaska. The main differences from the Savage Cub are in the undercarriage which is a totally new design with long travel shock absorbers and big tyres, and the all new wing which is claimed to have a "hyper STOL profile", and has double slotted flaps. An optional extra are fixed carbon-fibre slats and ZK-OIL2 is fitted with these, as can be seen. The performance focuses on STOL with a claimed minimum flight speed (one up) of 18 mph! and again with one up the best landing roll at Valdez 2019 was 12 metres!
Up from Masterton is the 1973 model Piper PA32-300 ZK-WGO of Stuart Aviation, also being an import from Australia back in 1994.
The second Extra 300 to be registered here (and the only one still here after ZK-XRA was exported to Canada in January 2018), came from South Africa where it was registered ZS-TIY. Dave Homewood photo'd it at the recent NZ Warbirds Open Day at Ardmore back on 6/12/20:
