Ardmore 13 Sep

Nothing "new" as such noted, however I was pleasantly surprised to note a couple of new schemes on show. Firstly was that now applied to Harvard ZK-WAR. Anyone know the background to the nose art and also the sequence of numbers/letter on the rear fuselage as shown here?

Secondly was Hughes 500E ZK-HZP sporting a new scheme since I last saw it parked near downtown Hamilton in April this year.

All wrapped up and ready to head off shore is HNZ's Bell 212 ZK-HNO. This helicopter arrived at Oceania earlier this week and has quickly been cocooned ready for a trip to unknown shores. I understand HNZ are not deploying a Bell 212 to Antarctica this season, but instead will be operating a Eurocopter EC130 that is coming from the USA.

Question time # 68 resolved

Wayne has got it !

Australian Aircraft Hornet Stol , ZK-JCM , c/n 023 , for John (Jock) C Montgomery of Christchurch, using his initials for its registration which became effective on 24-06-09.

These two shots show it at West Melton on Friday the 4th being inspected by Ole Hartman the Managing Director of Australian Aircraft Kits of Taree NSW and NZCAA Inspector of Sport and Recreational aircraft Tony Hansen.
I believe it has since been fitted with considerably larger main wheels
Jock has previously operated the Auster J1B ZK-AXO, Auster J5Q ZK-BLW and the Cessna 180A ZK-CDY.
Originally the ZK-JCM registration was lined up for the Bushby Mustang 11 that became ZK-CCG2 and then to an Embraer EMB 110P1 Bandeirante for Eagle Aviation.

Cessna 180 ZK-BDB

Despite this grand old aircraft being imported into NZ in 1953, today was the first time I have seen ZK-BDB in the flesh. At Ardmore 9/9/09, but a little bit later in the day than 9.09am! She's looking good after all those years.



ZK-BDB was first registered to Manawatu ATD Co.Ltd., Feilding, 9th October 1953 and went straight on to agricultural operations. Seen here at that time in a photo from the Ed Coates collection:



This 180 was passed on to Rangitikei Air Services Ltd. of Taihape in March 1962 and a short while later worked for Northern Air Services Ltd., Te Kuiti. On 27th October 1966 ZK-BDB crashed at Te Anga. The airframe was recovered and later rebuilt by Rural Aviation and registered to them with the new registration of ZK-CWL as from 5th March 1968. The newly rebuilt aircaft is seen here outside the Rex Aviation hanger at Ardmore 14th September 1968:



ZK-CWL was then sold to the Hawera AC in December 1968, and over the years moved around various private and corporate owners in the North Island apart from a brief sojurn at Omarama in the mid-1980s. Craig Stobbs of Arisaig Ltd., Wellington bought ZK-CWL in January 2000 and restored the aircraft back to being ZK-BDB in February 2003.
Patchett Ag-Air Ltd. of Blenheim took over ownership in May 2004, and it still carries their logo under the current ownership of Clevedon Aviation Ltd. which I understand is operated by David & Jill Phillips.
Although ZK-BDB can boast of being the longest lived NZ 180, she's not exactly the oldest current 180 resident. That distincition goes to ZK-WGT, the Cessna 180 owned by G W & M W Thompson of Otorohanga, though that aircraft has only been in the country since 2007. Next up in the long-liverty stakes is ZK-BKG an ex-Wellington AC machine. Although arriving here as a new aircraft, ZK-BKG seems to have been bought into service rather later than ZK-BDB.

Question time # 68 revisited - Yum

No correct answer yet for this one.
Type and registration required.

Thanks to Sir Minty we know that it is not a PZL Koliber.
&
Thanks to bobgod we know it is not a Wilga.
New pic below.
The fish is mine.

Legal sized raspberry.

More on Avian ZK-AAN

Following up om the previous post, here is a photo of the Avian while under Goodwin-Chichester ownership. G-C were the NZ Avro agents at the time, and as well as demonstrating their aircraft around the country to potential buyers they also went joyriding to pay the bills. Their pilots at that time were Harry Lett and George Bolt. No idea where this pic was taken, but I've always felt that it has a West Coast feel to it. Felix the cat can be seen here.


Another shot of ZK-AAN, this time from the Nev Mines collection:


There is also coverage of the February 1929 visit to Cambridge of ZK-AAN complete with photographs taken at that time at
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/George%20Bolt.htm

Hope this helps.

Ardmore 8 Sep

De Havilland Tiger Moth ZK-ALK was pounding the grass circuit.

Robinson R22 ZK-HUM/3, registered to Heliflite of Ardmore in July this year, was conducting test flights today still wearing its previous Australian identity of VH-HYX.

Timaru & Ashburton misc.

These two at Timaru on Sunday 6th. Both doing autorotations.
The above wind vane [with its hole in the heart] is outside the terminal building.
Below is Robinson R22 ZK-HPX3 [based nearby] on a training flight.

Above at Ashburton today. The only aircraft in sight [apart from a dead Friendship] was this Cessna R182 Skylane RG (retractable gear) ZK-MRG , c/n 01738 . It came on our register on 04-11-2005 with Brockview Ltd of Hamilton.

Blue bus lurking in background.

Oamaru Saturday 5th

Oamaru (or should that be "Oh Oamaru" with an "H"!) had just two locals out in the cool easterly breeze on Saturday afternoon.
Cessna 172N ZK-EOI , c/n 71937 about to commit aviation with a currency check; and Fletcher FU24-550GT Crusader ZK-DDX , c/n 160 , arriving home after completion of its days toil.

South Canterbury Aviation Heritage Centre

A large hangar built by the South Canterbury Aviation Heritage Centre was officially opened on 01-06-2002 - as seen above.
Work continues, with public toilets about to be built before final signing off by the local Council.
It is expected that the facility will be fully operational and open in early 2010.
In the meantime Council have approved opening on Sunday afternoons between 2 & 4 pm.
Entry is by donation.
I am sure that special openings could be arranged for small groups at other times.
Outside the main door are these two wheels - anybody recognise them ?

The Webster radial engine; one of only two built.

Above is the Tiger Moth ZK-TGR with the wings of the glider ZK-GLY against the wall behind. Both registrations were revoked on 23-04-2009. The glider has never been assembled since its arrival. The Tiger has flown a few times I believe.

Below is the Chipmunk ZK-CHP which was cancelled as exported on 08-05-2009. It has not flown in NZ & obviously it has not been exported.

An earlier blog showed some other aircraft in this hangar.

Noted yesterday was the:-

Quicksilver ZK-SIG.

Super Bobcat ZK-EJB.

Bolton Trike Moyes XS 155 ZK-YXS.

Denny Kitfox ZK-EWC2 hangared here still airworthy.
Zenair CH701 STOL ZK-JLN2 hangared, airworthy & for sale.
Pulsar ZK-RGP in for maintenance.

Cockpit section of Friendship VT-NED. If by chance you know of a nose cone they would be very pleased to hear from you (even if only to use a pattern).

Ascender ZK-?
Scout.

Easy Riser ZK-FWA.

Partially built Primary glider (Zogling !).

Bensen above.

Lowther Sopwith Camel Replica ZK-JKE (for which I believe the Webster engine was intended for).

This is not a full list as there are several other early flying machines which I did not recognise.

Also there is a book collection and several r/c and many scale plastic models on site.

In the old Control Tower building there is a photograph selection and other memorabilia and upstairs in the tower a cuppa tea is available.

Well worth a visitation.

Avro 594 Avian 111A ZK-AAN

I have a request from one of our Anonymous viewers (see below) about the above aircraft - Avro 594 Avian 111A ZK-AAN , c/n 199 .

Copy of email from Anonymous with the above picture attached :-

"Hi

Firstly, I am an avid reader of your blog page, and have answered a few of your questions as "anonymous". I am sending this email on behalf of my father who is doing some research into the aircraft in the attached picture. It was operated by Gough Gough and Hammer, the NZ Caterpiller agents. We are interested in finding out some more information about it. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to post it on your blog, and see what the rest of the aviation community know about it. What type of aircraft, maybe pilots, years of operation etc. This is the only photo we have come up with ......"

end quote.

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

This is before my main period of interest.

I do know that the Goodwin-Chichester Aviation Co Ltd imported the aircraft and that it was registered on 23-01-1929.

It went to the Wellington Aero Club as a replacement for the Spartan ZK-ABL and was also named "The Evening Post Gift Plane".

From the club it passed to J C K Baines; to R L McGaffin and then to H W Wilson.

I believe that it also carried the name "Felix The Cat" at some point.

Its registration was cancelled on 30-05-1938.

Can anybody fill in any of the gaps and perhaps find other photos of this aircraft.