Air Creation TANARG Bionix ZK-TNG

Post first flight on 03-12-2010. Owner Derek Chamberlain comparing notes with test pilot Doug Anderson

Second flight take off.

Air Creation Bionix ZK-TNG2 , c/n T10035 , was purchased in the UK by Derek Chamberlain via Flylight Airsports Ltd of Sywell, Northampton and imported into NZ for assembly and NZ certification at Rangiora. It was initially registered here with the ES/IXESS 13 wing (13 square metre) but actually has the Bionex 15 wing of 15.1 square metres). It is Rotax 912 ULS powered with a five bladed Kiev propeller and has an Enigma EFIS instrument system. First flight was on 03-12-2010 at Rangiora by Doug Anderson.
There is one other Air Creation ARV TANARG 912 in NZ. It was listed here as ZK-JIH back on 27-01-2009 but evidentlyit is still in its packing case.

Last job for the day.

ZK-FJN warming up.

On 08-12-2010 I popped over the ridge and spotted this Gippsland GA200C ZK-FJN , c/n 200C-9937 ticking over on the Bill Byrch airstrip above Motunau. (Thats Motunau Island in the background). It was about to streak over to Culverden to do a small spray job. As the c/n infers; this was a 1999 production aircraft which came to NZ for Neville Somereville of Cheviot Ag-Air Ltd and was registered on 31-10-2002 using the last three letters of its Australian registration. Registration moved to William Bremner Byrch on 19-03-2007. It carries the Motunau Ag-Air titles on its fuselage side.


Taking off for Culverden.



Diesel & Dust : "Double D"

Another damsel adorning an aircraft was noted at Wanaka on 19-11-2010 at Wanaka.

Micro Aviation B22 Bantam ZK-FWY , c/n 0097 . A 1990 product; it was first listed with C M & E R May of New Plymouth. On 23-02-2009 it was re-listed to V8 Investments Ltd at Mosgiel and on 22-08-2010 to Diesel & Dust (2006) Ltd at Wanaka.

Now then : does Double D mean Diesel & Dust or are we talking "Cups" here ?

And don't overlook the eye & sharks teeth as well.

Question time # 118

What type and model flying machine do we have here ?
Now that is pretty easy, don't you think.

But what do you suppose is/has been located on the lighter coloured areas on the floor ?

Change of ownership for Nieuport 11 ZK-WWI.



Two photographs supplied by builder and owner Ian Sowman showing his delightful little Circa Reproductions Nieuport 11 ZK-WWI , c/n 934.



Built from plans it was first registered to Ian on 21-12-1999.

It is powered with a Rotax 503. Ownership changed on 05-11-2010 to Larry Spicer of Hamilton.

Another view from Ian (added 17-12-2010)

Two more mechanical mice from the south.

Hughes 369D ZK-HMN2 , c/n 47-01008D , on the road to recovery in the Alpine Choppers hangar at Queenstown as seen on 16-11-2010. This helicopter first appeared on our register as ZK-HVE on 30-08-1985 (ex Australia). It went off shore to PNG in September of 1988 to return as ZK-HMN2 on 17-07-1992 via Flightline Aviation of Mosgiel for Jeff Shanks of Milford Helicopters. It was damaged in the Milford Sound area on 22-03-2001. The damaged helicopter was listed to Flightline Aviation on 22-08-2001 and then to Iwik Ltd (Kiwi backwards) of Te Anau on 06-07-2004.

Noted at its Herbert base on 08-11-2010 was this Bell 206B JetRanger ZK-HTO , c/n 2265 , of Central South Island Helicopters. A 1977 model which was imported for Kitto Helicopters and registered to them on 18-07-1984. AFAIK it has spent its entire working life in the south.

A mechanical mouse from down South.

Hughes 369D ZK-HVT2 c/n 109-0568D , on its grass pad at the Salmon farm alongside the Tekapo canal. An ex Australia and PNG machine which came to NZ in 1993. It did not hit the register until 06-10-2000 for James Scott and is currently operating under the Tekapo Helicopters titles.

First of Type, Husky ZK-TWA

Thanks to Blue Bus for the blurb:

A first of type is the Aviat A-1C-180 Husky ZK-TVY as listed to Redrock Aviation Ltd of Whakatane. There is quiet an interesting history to Aviat. If you cast your mind back to the first of the factory built Pitts S-2A Specials as built by Aerotek; a Company that was set up by Herb Anderson, (formally of Callair), in the old Callair factory at Afton, Wyoming, for repair and maintenance of aircraft. In 1977 Curtiss Pitts sold his interests to Doyle Child who in turn sold it to Frank Christensen. Christensen who had previously tried unsuccessfully to purchase the Pitts programme went out and designed and built his Christensen Eagle which was then sold as kits. He did eventually acquire the Pitts rights and continued producing both types but by 1982 the demand for Eagle kits faded. To fill the production line gap Christensen tried to acquire the Piper PA-18, the Champion and then the Arctic Tern rights and even looked at the Aero Commander Lark. Herb Anderson enters the scene again by designing the Christen A-1 Husky. To the great unwashed – this appears to be just another Piper Cub – the biggest change being the 180hp Lycoming O-360 engine and Hartzell constant speed propeller. This first flew in 1986 with limited production continuing since. The Company was renamed Aviat Inc in 1988 and sold in March of 1991 to Malcolm White and then to Stuart Horn. Upgrades have now got us to the A-1C-180 and -200 series. NZ’s first example has since been re-registered as

ZK-TWA/2. Jack felt that the initial ZK-TVY allocation was a bit presumptuous for an American made aircraft and pilot in NZ. ZK-TWA being more benign, also that TWA was once an international carrier in happier times – extinct now – but perhaps remembered by some. Jack’s other home is at Alpine, Wyoming near the Aviat factory at Afton where he keeps his other Husky (N77WY I think).

It is a 2008 model having been registered as N82MA on 21-10-2008 and was with RMM Developments LLC of Las Vegas when its US registration was canceled on 05-10-2010 for its transfer to NZ. It should be being assembled at Nelson as we go to press.



At Nelson 09Dec10, Peter Campbell photo



The two sides of ZK-IBT

Aerospatiale as 350 BA , c/n 1572 , was first listed in NZ back on 08-04-1982 as ZK-HNM with H/C NZ of Nelson. This was cancelled on 24-04-1992 when it transferred to their Australian operation as VH-WCG on the same date.

It returned to H/C NZ on 02-11-2000, but became ZK-HNN2 (ZK-HNM had been re-allocated to a Hughes 269B).

ZK-HNN2 was cancelled on 02-05-2006 on export to the USA where it became N572JR on the 26th.

It returned to NZ again to become ZK-IBT3 from 01-05-2009 with Alpine Choppers at Queenstown.

ZK-IBT3 Left



ZK-IBT3 Right

ZK-IBT3 Centre

The three shots above were captured at Queenstown on 16-11-2010 and show its standard Company colour scheme on its right side and with the "as seen on TV" scheme on the left side.

Another Export..............

Moore Air Trust of Tauranga imported Mooney 20J VH-NMJ during the winter of 2005 with the aircraft arriving at Hamilton from Norfolk Island on 20Aug and departed the following day, presumably for Tauranga.  It then flew back to Hamilton from Tauranga 25Aug. It was registered ZK-MRS on 02Sep.

The 20J departed Tauranga for Kerikeri and Norfolk Island on 23Nov10 and to Lord Howe Island and Coolangatta two days later.  It was cancelled from the NZ register on 02Dec10 as exported.

At Auckland November 2006, Mike Condon photo