Final Strikemaster Line Up at Ardmore

Strikemaster Ltd's two BAC-167 Strikemaster Mk 88s NZ6370/ZK-STR (c/n 310) and NZ6362/ZK-NTY (c/n 302) arrived back at Ardmore on Monday 23 January from the Classics of the Sky airshow at Tauranga.  They conducted several local flights as a farewell to those who had been associated with them.

They then lined up outside the Pioneer Aero hangar with fellow ex RNZAF Strikemaster NZ6372/ZK-BAC2 (c/n 342) of RNZAF Strikemaster Ltd, in what will almost certainly be the last group photo of three Strikemasters in New Zealand.  NZ6372/ZK-BAC will continue to fly here, and we also have Brian Hall's ex Saudi Air Force Strikemaster Mk 80A ZK-VPR which is based in Christchurch.

ZK-STR and ZK-NTY were cancelled from the New Zealand civil register today, 25/1/17.

Thanks very much to Colin Hunter for the photo.

N609MK at Ardmore last Saturday.

On Saturday the 21st Errol Cavit captured the Aerospatiale AS 350 B3 N609MK (c/n 3875) at Ardmore.

This Squirrel operates of the super yacht SuRi.

Built as F-WQDG it then spent a period as N350CK from May 2005 before becoming N609MK on  04-04-2011 with Jemasa Inc of LA California.

Nelson twins 25-01-2017

These two twin engined aircraft were noted at Nelson today by Lord Nelson.

 The Flight Hauraki Ltd's Piper PA-31-310C Navajo ZK-JGA (c/n 31-7612102) is seen parked out front of the old Helicopters (NZ) Ltd's hangar.

As you can see it is a 1976 production aircraft which was registered in the States as N62907. 

It moved to Australia and became VH-TRP from 07-02-1980 and spent some time on charter to the Victorian State Government.

After ferrying across the Tasman Sea on 16-10-1985 it became ZK-JGA with Goldfields Air Ltd of Alexandra, Central Otago.  

It moved on to Coast Air Charter Ltd of Greymouth in February 1987 and by May 1988 was listed to Motueka Air Ltd (Air Nelson).

April of 1996 saw a move to Straits Air Charter (96) Ltd (Air Marlborough) and then to Air Charter Manawatu of Palmerston North from October 1999.

Then we see it listed to Flight Training Manawatu Ltd of Feilding from September of 2013.

It was under the Newmans Air Ltd's label from 04-1 2-2014 until Sunair Aviation Ltd of Tauranga picked  it up from 20-01-2016.

It currently wears Flight Hauraki Ltd titles after being transferred to them on 25-07-2016.

A heap more info on JGA's career can be seen Here on the 3rd Level NZ blog.

The Beechcraft C90 King Air ZK-MKG (c/n LJ-1367) as been with Air Wanganui Commuter Ltd since 16-05-2005.

Brief earlier mentions of this King Air can be seen HERE

Beechcraft T 6C Texan II at Matamata

No.14 squadron's Beechcraft T-6C Texan II, NZ1410 (c\n: PM-54)graced the sky's over Matamata this passed Saturday afternoon. The crowd attending family day during the Walsh Memorial Flying School enjoyed a super flying display.

DH 104 Devon NZ1808/ZK-KTT at Classics of the Sky

I have done quite a few posts on the wonderful lines of the DH 98 Mosquito, and it surely is sublime.  We have been truly blessed to be able to see those spectacular modern day aircraft flying in our skies.

However, I have rather overlooked the Devon, partly I suppose because they were once common here.  But the above photo of NZ1808/ZK-KTT at the Classics of the Sky airshow at Tauranga last Saturday shows that the Devon loses nothing in the sublimity stakes to the Mosquito.  Man that's nice!

Aaah de Havilland!  You've done it again!

Jurca Spitfire at Classics of the Sky, Tauranga

Wayne Cutforth's yet to be registered Jurca MJ 10 Spitfire replica was on display in the SAANZ area at Classics of the Sky at Tauranga on Saturday.  It is 3/4 scale and is of mainly wooden construction.

Wayne taxies his 18 year labour-of-love at Classics of the Sky.

Convair duo at Chatham Islands.

Bob Newland sent me these two photos taken at Tuuata Airport on the Chatham Islands (NZCI).

Pics were taken on 18th of December last year.

Nice to see that Bob has the same problem that I had with the white fuselages against the typical cloudy background.

 General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580 ZK-CIE2 (c/n 399) in full Air Chathams Ltd's livery.

This was built as a model 440-83 back in early 1957. 

Its conversion to Allison turboprop model 580 standard began in August 1961. It was ferried from Alaska into Palmerston North on 16-04-2005 and registered a ZK-CIE on 10-08-2005.

ZK-KFL is c/n 372 and was built a a model 440-61 of similar vintage as ZK-CIE. Its conversion to 580 standard was completed in March of 1962. It spent six years in Sweden in the 1980's before going to Kelowna Flightcraft in Kelowna, BC, Canada in April of 1987.

If came onto the NZ register on 23-04-1990 as a freighter with Air Freight NZ Ltd until being withdrawn with the arrival of their Boeing 737's.

It was advertised for sale in January with 34,500 odd flying hours and was sold to Air Chathams Ltd - being listed to them on 28-11-2016.

Dargaville Today 20-1-2017

It was pretty quiet at Dargaville today with just the Aero Club Fly Synthesis Storch out doing circuits.  The wind was around 20 knots straight down the strip which made for slow groundspeed landings.

Southern Wings Piper PA 28-181 Archer ZK-MIL c/n 28-8690035) from Ardmore dropped in for a couple of touch and goes.

And a different gyrocopter was in the Aero Club hangar - the Neil Hintz Tandem Dominator ZK-RCE2 (c/n 010) belongs to a Whangarei owner.

Oamaru report.

We don't very often get reports from Oamaru.

So this belated selection of pics from CMM is most welcome.

Pics were taken back on 28-12-2016.

All four aircrfat have been mentioned in previous blog posts.

 Cessna 180C ZK-BYJ (c/n 50908) is still with the HKJ Syndicate of Oamaru.

 The Cessna 172N ZK-EOI (c/n 17271937) has been with the North Otago Aero Club since about mid-2006.

 Garry Hawkins of Kurow still operates his Jabiru UL ZK-LEI (c/n 574)

In the 'big new hangar' was the MD 500N NOTAR ZK-IJW c/n LN016, which was only transferred over to Helivenrtures NZ Ltd on 2-12-2016.

It still carries its Heliglenorchy signage.

Stratford Aerodrome 85th Birthday Celebrations 28 January 2017

Heres hoping for great weather.