A Retrospective of the Wairarapa Balloon Festival 2022 (2)

The final lot of great Wairarapa Balloon Festival photos from the Hairy Mole Rat:

ZK-ZVE is a Cameron N-133 from Hamilton.

ZK-SEL is a Cameron N-90 registered to a Private Owner.

ZK-RYZ is a Kavanagh C-77 registered to a Private Owner.

ZK-PPI is a Cameron C-70 registered to a Private Owner.

ZK-LAR is a Cameron C-80 from Wellington.

And the previously posted ZK-FAI, a Boland 38-8 from Masterton

And also previously posted, ZK-FTC3, a Lindstrom LBL 77A registered to a Private Owner.

Sadly, these are the last photos I will post from the Hairy Mole Rat.  RIP Peter.

Helicopters Around Auckland Today 21-07-2022

It wasn't much of a day for flying in Auckland today, but I did catch these 2 helicopters on the ground:

Airbus EC 130 T2 ZK-HJW5 was outside in the sun at Mechanics Bay.  It is registered to EagleFlight Technics Ltd of Auckland.  I like the look of the glass curtain wall and roof of the Mikano Restaurant in the back of the shot.

The Mechanics Bay heliport is now the base of Helicopter Me as per the sign on the hangar in behind.

Flash back six and a half years! when I photo'd Airbus EC 120B ZK-HJW4 in the same location with Helilink titles on the hangar, when the Westpac Rescue helicopters were based there.

And at a less sunny North Shore airport was the Bell OH-58A Kiowa ZK-HPW3.  The reason for it being at North Shore is that its ownership changed to Kiowa 1991 Corporate Trustee Company Ltd of North Shore on 31/3/20.

A Retrospective of the Wairarapa Balloon Festival 2022 (1)

Back over Easter Weekend in April 2022 the Hairy Mole Rat attended the Wairarapa Balloon Festival and here are a look back at some of his photos:

ZK-FAI is a Boland 38-8 from Masterton, and ZK-OAK is a Cameron Z275 from Christchurch.

ZK-FTC3 is a Lindstrand LBL 77A belonging to a Private Owner, ZK-CAF2 is an Amateur Built Strata 73-12 from Hamilton, and ZK-FBA3 is a Kavanagh C77 from Wellington.

and ZK-KKH is a Cameron O-65 from Carterton.  The others' registrations are not showing.

We haven't concentrated much on hot air balloons on the blog but thanks to the late HMR we now can.  I will post more tomorrow.

Savannah VG ZK-SVG at Feilding

Jordan Elvy visited Feilding airfield last Sunday and photo'd the older model Savannah VG ZK-SVG outside for engine runs:

ZK-SVG (c/n 05-06-51-395) was registered to R G Bailey of Feilding on 14/1/19 and has not appeared on the blog previously.

Nelson this morning.

A report from Nelson Airport this morning by Bill Mannix.

The MBB-BK117 B-2 ZK-HGU5 c/n7229 of GCH Aviation poised for action.
Of 1991 vintage it arrived in NZ thanks to Airwork (NZ) Ltd in December of 2014.
In February 2015 it was with Garden City Helicopters Ltd at Christchurch.

It was transferred to the GCH Aviation Ltd name on 01-03-2018.

Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 Islander ZK-EVO c/n 785 parked in the maintenance area.
This was transferred from Fly My Sky to Golden Bay Air on 19-07-2021 and arrived at Nelson on delivery from Ardmore on 16-08-2021.

It has undergone some serious maintenance and a re-paint during the last  year.
Below are two earlier blog post links.

https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2015/01/magnaman-up-north.html

https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2021/09/some-recent-sightings-near-top-of-south.html

Austers at Omaha Flats Airfield

After a week of wet weather I managed to get out to Omaha Flats airfield this morning to check out what I had seen from the air last Sunday, being 2 Auster aircraft:

Auster J1B Aiglet ZK-AWZ (c/n 2669) has been owned by the JD Syndicate of Wellsford for a long time, but it has not appeared on the blog previously.

And the other Auster was the J5G Autocar ZK-BDK (c'n 3070) that is owned by the Agnus Syndicate of Wellsford.  You can see a previous post that includes this aircraft HERE

The Austers are out in the weather because their plastic hangar has become unserviceable (ie has collapsed) as you can see in this photo I took from Texan ZK-TXN last Sunday.  Note that ZK-BDK is now covered, and the difference between then and today is about 100 mm of rain that has fallen in the last week!

New scheme for Savannah S ZK-RDY

 Taken yesterday at Anama near Mayfield, Canterbury is Lionel Green's ICP Savannah S ZK-RDY2 c/n 19-10-54-0694 in its new colour scheme.

Nice.
Looks familiar.

Something like this then !

Savannah South Island Safari

 

SAVANNAH SOUTH ISLAND SAFARI

We are proposing a South Island Safari leading up to the Savannah Fly in at Forest Field on Saturday 20 August.

Obviously it will be subject to weather and interest. 

Proposal:

Tuesday 16 August - Rangiora to Balclutha   204nm 

Wednesday 17 August - Balclutha / Stewart Island / Te Anau    163nm 

Thursday 18 August- Te Anau / Haast    116nm 

Friday 19 August - Haast / Rangiora    147nm

Distances are indicative of straight line only and does not indicate actual route or include strips and airfields enroute.

I am happy to arrange accommodation, 3 nights – Balclutha - Te Anau and Haast, Also will arrange landing permission where required and access to fuel at overnight points.

There are some great locations to visit - and weather permitting Ryans Creek and Masons Bay Stewart Island.

There is an option weather permitting of getting into Milford Sound and some strips on our way into Haast 

If you are interested please register by email or text : 

lionelgreen@xtra.co.nz 

027 359 5849 

Ideas, questions or any feedback is welcome.

If you are looking for a passenger please let me know and I should be able to hook you up. 

Kind Regards,

Lionel Green

805 Downs Road

Forest Field Aerodrome

RD6

Rangiora 7476

Mobile : 027 359 5849

Home / Office +64-3 310 2677

Savannah fly in Forest Field. August 20th

 

Whakatane

A visit to Whakatane Airport today found the Australian Zenair CH750 Cruzer VH-MHO being readied for registration in NZ.   Built in 2019 this was imported in early 2022 and will join the 3 other CH750s currently registered in NZ.

Returned from its bush fire fighting duties in Australia is Kahu Helicopters' Sikorsky EH60A ZK-HKU which has retained the yellow highlights added while across the Tasman.