Christchurch after the rains. 13-07-2022

 With a break in the inclement meteorological conditions a quick visit to Christchurch International Airport found  the following.Cessna 525A Citation CJ2 ZK-XXK c/n 525A0411 as listed with Wellington Jet Charters Trust of Wellington was parked on the Western hard after arriving last Wednesday the 6th. 

Note the tail of 'Sofie' N747NA in the background.

 This Citation goes back to 2008 when it was working as YU-BUU with Air Pink of Belgrade, Serbia.

It was back to Cessna/Textron in early 2017 as N411CJ and was then operated by On Time Aviation of Roseland, New Jersey from July 2017.

KXXK Ltd of Wellington listed it, still on the US register on 19-10-2020 with a trasnsfer to Range Flyers Inc for its ferry to NZ from 19-10-2020. 

It arrived in Auckland from Noumea on 10-12-2020 and became ZK-XXK on 21-01-2021.

Over at Heli Maintenance was the Aerospatiale AS 350FX1 ZK-IEV c/n 2040.

First noted in September 1987 as JA9496 it, unusual for Japanese helicopters, had at least nine operators before going to Asia Pacific Aerospace in Brisbane for conversion from its AS 350 BA status to Heli Lynx 350 FX1 standard.

Next stop was Pacific Helicopters Ltd of Goroka in PNG from 28-10-2008 until being purchased, along with several others, by Airwork (NZ) Ltd of Auckland and becoming ZK-IEV on 11-7-2019.

It was initially placed with their Inflite Ski Planes Ltd from 29-11-2019 and then listed to "Private Owner" from 29-07-2020.

Robinson R44 Raven II ZK-HTF5 c/n 11990 was a Skysales Aviation (NZ) Ltd import - being registered to them on 13-12-2007.

By March 2008 it was with Reid Heslop Helicopters Ltd of Nelson followed by Amuri Helicopters at Hanmer Springs from 18-02-2010.

It moved on to Sam Contracting 2000 Ltd of Seddon briefly from 04-03-2022 with a change to Amuri Springs Helicopters Agricultural Ltd on 01-06-2022.

It is seen here having blade tracking done - and its going to have a change of colour for its legs/skids.

Search & Rescue Services' Bell 222s

Sharing a hangar at Taupo Airport with the Enstrom's ZK-IAK2 & IAM2 are the 2 Bell 222s still on the CAA register with Search & Rescue Services Ltd, ZK-HZQ2 and HIG3.   Only HZQ actually went into service as the Waikato-King Country rescue helicopter,  having been imported back in 1994 from the USA, and withdrawn from service some 4 years ago.

ZK-HIG3 never went into service having been acquired as a source of spares and is stored dismantled behind HZQ still marked as N226LL with Mercy Air scripting.

In the same hangar is Enstrom 280C ZK-IAM2 which was imported from Sweden in 2020.

 

Vulcanair P68C ZK-RAT

An interesting visitor to Pauanui airfield today from Ardmore was the Vulcanair P68C ZK-RAT3. Built in 2010 this was imported from Australia in April this year and registered in May to Union Airways of NZ Ltd, Auckland.

 

Air Whanganui Beech B200 ZK-MDC/2 at Wellington

The Wanganui air ambulance Beech B200 King Air ZK-MDC2 has appeared in a snazzy new colour scheme:

Tim Gorman of the ZK Aviation blog photo'd it at Wellington a couple of days ago.  On 30/6/22 its ownership changed to Air Whanganui Ltd so I guess this could be the reason for the new colours.

Seeing ZK-MDC reminded me that I had seen it at Dargaville back in May 2016 which was pretty spectacular.  You can see it in its old colours at Dargaville HERE

Thanks for the nice photos Tim.

Farewell to our Hairy Mole Rat

A memorial service was held yesterday at Classic Flyers Museum at Tauranga Airport for our good friend Peter Mole aka the Hairy Mole Rat.  After the service Peter was honoured by a flypast of locally based aircraft and these were captured by Warwick Hamilton:

Thanks for the photos Warwick.  We will miss you Hairy.

Rangiora pie walk.

A rather dull day at Rangiora produced the following of interest.

ICP Savannah S ZK-AMC2 c/n 19-09-54-0688 of the Mason Partnership clicked up its 14th hour today.

Guimbal Cabri G2 ZK-IAJ3 c/n 1121 as listed with Andrew Longbottom of Prebbleton was thrashing the circuit.

And the Aerospatiale AS 350 BA Squirrel ZK-IOP c/n 1299 as operated by Way To Go Heliservices.

 

Rihn DR107 One Design ZK-XSG

Noted out flying today at Ardmore was the Rihn DR107 One Design ZK-XSG.   This originally first flew back in May 2014 at Omaka and was acquired by an Auckland owner in December 2021.

 

Air Tractor 602 ZK-SXS at Feilding 03-07-2022

Jordan Elvy and Simon Hills also visited Feilding on Sunday 3 July where they caught Super Air's latest Air Tractor, the AT 602 ZK-SXS arriving in the rain:

Showing the 5 bladed propeller.

ZK-SXS (c/n 602-1290) was registered to Super Air on 21/12/21 and is ex N290GJ.

Another Tiger in the Sun, at Masterton Today 03-07-2022

Continuing with the theme of Tiger Moth's in the sun, Jordan Elvy was at Masterton today with Simon Hills, and the local Tiger Moth ZK-ANL looked really nice on a stunning day:

ZK-ANL has been owned by the R J and P A Wylie Partnership of Masterton since September 2007.

A Tiger In the Sun at Kaipara Flats Today 02-07-2022

I have posted about Bruce Lynch's Tiger Moth ZK-ASM previously, but it was too nice of a lovely winter morning not to take a few photos of it out in the crisp air:

And it was a nice day for a bit of Jodelling as well!