TEAM Tandem Airbike ZK-CKD/2 at Matamata

Another new type of aircraft was registered in New Zealand yesterday, being a TEAM Tandem Airbike.  The TEAM Airbike was designed by Wayne Ison of TEAM Aircraft of Bradyville, Tennessee who introduced the single seat Airbike in 1994 followed by the tandem version in 1996.  Kit production ceased for some years but was re-started in 2009 by Jordan Lake Aero.  The name Airbike comes from the fact that the pilots feet are positioned outside the forward fuselage like a Harley Davidson motorbike.

The fuselage of the Airbike is fabricated from 4130 steel tubing and the wing is of wooden construction.  It is basically the same wing as the earlier Minimax and Hi Max from TEAM aircraft.  Specifications for the Tandem Airbike are: length 18 feet (5.5 metres), wingspan 31 feet (9.45 metres) and the wing area is 152 square feet.  The empty weight is around 182 Kg (400 pounds) and the MAUW in New Zealand is 399 Kg (880 pounds), and with a 50 HP engine the cruise is around 70 mph, and the stall speed is quoted as 32 mph.

ZK-CKD2 (c/n CK001) was registered to C D Kraidy of Cambridge on 17/2/21.  It is photo'd here at Matamata by the Hairy Mole Rat, on 24/1/21.

Thanks for the photo HMR.

Queenstown & Wanaka

A visit to Queenstown and Wanaka today revealed a reasonable amount of activity including at QT the AS350B-2 ZK-HGQ5 now wearing Heli Glenorchy titling since December 2019.  It was imported from the US in 2017 and was part of the Inflite fleet.

Over at Wanaka the very orange Skydive Queenstown PAC 750XL ZK-LAE2 was getting a few kiwi customers.  This was reregistered from ZK-ROK3 in July 2020.

Visiting from Hokitika was Wilderness Wings" Cessna U206F ZK-DWV.  This was imported new back in 1975 and acquired by its current owner in June 2018.  It wears tail scripting  "Adonia  Roman Goddess of Safe Travel"...

 

The Original Healthy Bastard's Cessna R172K Hawk ZK-RJG

With the Healthy Bastards Bush Pilots STOL competition at Omaka completed successfully again this year I thought I would give a shout out to Dr Dave Baldwin who started it all nine years ago.  Dr Dave runs the Bulls Flying Doctor Service and is the original healthy bastard - good on yer Dr Dave!

Dr Dave's aircraft is the Cessna R172K Hawk XP II ZK-Really Jolly Good and here he is competing in the spot landing contest at Omaka on 6/2/21.

You can see the history of this aircraft  HERE

Cessna 525A Citation Jet ZK-XXK at Wellington

A new business jet appeared on our register in January 2021 when Wellington Jet Charters Trust registered their Cessna 525A Citation as ZK-XXK on 21/1/21.  It is a 2008 model and was previously registered N411CJ before being ferried to New Zealand in 2020.

ZK-XXK (c/n 5250411) was recently photo'd at Wellington by Tim Gorman.

And a nice shot of it climbing out.

Thanks for the photos Tim.

Northern Aviators Club Flyin at Mata 13-2-2021

The Northern Aviators Club held another successful flyin at Leo Johns strip at Mata which is 5 1/2 nautical miles SW of Whangarei airport.  The weather was great with an Easterly breeze filling in making the preferred runway the 06 vector.  This gave me a nice view of the aircraft approaching and touching down from the elevated hangar area:

Willy Morton in his Foxbat ZK-VAW

Steve Williams in his Savannah ZK-CVK2

John Zinzan came all the way from Taupo in his C 172P ZK-EWF

Harvey Lockie dropped in from Parakai for a scone in the Tecnam Echo ZK-CDL2

Dave Evans came from Waihi Beach in his Tecnam Golf ZK-JAN3

Rusty Russell hopped across from Wahangarei in the Whangarei Flying Club's Tecnam Eaglet ZK-WCF

As did Colin Ashby in his Jabiru J230 ZK-PSH

Colin Jordan and Ian Carruthers came from Kerikeri in Steve Wynn's Fantasy Air Allegro ZK-DCU

Alan Nelson dropped in for a scone and a cuppa in his Bristell NG 5 ZK-NGB. and then headed off to Dargaville for lunch.

Steve Opie flew up from Ardmore in his nice RV 6 ZK-OPA.

And Richard Bell flew across from Maungaturoto in his ELA 07R gyro ZK-VBA.

It was a great day out for sport flying!

NZ parachute jump record broken

 On Sunday the NZ record for the number of parachute drops by an individual person was broken at Motueka.

Below is a stuff pre attempt new clip.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300228506/friends-aim-to-complete-100-skydives-in-a-day-and-break-nz-record

Above Steve Gregor on his forty sixth jump.

Below Brent Findlay landing beside helpers to exchange parachutes - with the Walter powered Fletcher ZK-DJE waiting in the background.

Final score for the day was 120 drops.

The Inflight Ski Planes NZAI Fletcher Fletcher FU24-950 (Walter powered) ZK-DJE (c/n 176) descending from the 2000 foot jump level above the Motueka airfield.

Fly Synthesis Texan ZK-TKP at Mata Today 13-2-2021

Not often posted on the blog, and the first time I have been able to photograph it, is the Fly Synthesis Texan Top Class ZK-TKP in a hangar at Leo Johns strip at Mata, on the occasion of the Northern Aviators Club flyin today.

ZK-TKP has been registered to the Maikato Corporation Ltd of Whangarei since 27/3/12.

Pacific Aerospace FBA-2C3 ZK-EPP

The latest aircraft from Pacific Aerospace Ltd, one of their "new" FBA-2C3 models ZK-EPP (c/n 315) made its first flight from Hamilton on 3/2/21:

Sadly, it might be the last aircraft from Pacific Aerospace Ltd as the company advised CAA on Wednesday 10 February that it was insolvent, and CAA has issued a Continuing Airworthiness Notice advising it will review the type certificates of Pacific Aerospace Ltd's aircraft (being various Fletcher, CT 4, Cresco, 750XL and FBA-2C models).  

However this will not affect the Airworthiness Certificates for the various aircraft models so they can continue flying.

Some belated photos from Healthy Bastards

Five photographs from last Saturdays 2021 International Healthy Bastards Bush Pilots Omaka gathering.

Zenair CH701 STOL ZK-SLO (c/n 7-6642) from the SLO Syndicate was placed first equal in the precision landings flown by Hamish Crowe.

The Ray Patchett Cessna 172 ZK-BQG (c/n 17228480) was also placed first equal flown by Richard Marden.

 

The Cessna 172  ZK-MLY (c/n 172 28790) from the Blenheim Cessna Syndicate was flown into second place in the precision landing section by Steve Scott.

The Piper PA-28R-201T ZK-TGF (c/n 28R-7803237) from The Goat Farm Ltd was third equal in the precision landings flown by Vaughn Davis.

Carl Jackson flew his Cessna A185F ZK-CDM2 (c/n 18503403) into third equal in the precision landings.

SAANZ Flyin at Ashburton Wrap Up

I thought I would do a final post from the SAANZ flyin at Ashburton, of aircraft that I reckon were attending their first SAANZ annual flyin:

Rohan Rudd's Kitfox III ZK-FYM has had a long road to its first SAANZ flyin.  Greast to see it there.

East Canterbury Aviation's new Rans S7 ZK-SRB was flown up from Rangitata Island by Ross Brodie.

Murray Belfield flew his Pazmany PL 9 Storch replica ZK-MWB all the way from Tokoroa which was a great effort

Rans S 10 Sakota ZK-SIO is the ex Brent Thompson example, now owned by J S McPhail of Christchurch.  It may have attended a previous SAANZ flyin but not after its rebuild.

The oldest home built aircraft in the country, the Lincoln Sport ZK-BMV has been to a previous AACA flyin at Masterton but I include it here as it has been essentially rebuilt since then.  See HERE

It was also great to see a real oldie at the flyin;  the AND Syndicate's Piper J3L-65 Cub ZK-AND2 from Kaiapoi.  It is photo'd here with a nice period backdrop.

Our newest Karatoo is the Flying Road Cone Syndicate's ZK-KTW which flew from Rangiora.

From much further afield Lloyd Morris flew his new RV 7 ZK-LDM from North Shore.

And David Wilkinson flew his DR 107 One Design ZK-EZG2 from Ardmore.

Thanks very much to the Hairy Mole Rat and Jordan Elvy for the photos.