Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk ZK-HKU

 Zac Yates was at Masterton on 26-02-2021 to capture these photographs of the Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk (Pickering) ZK-HKU3 (c/n 70-1132) as operated by Kahu NZ Ltd of Whakatane.

Below is what the NZ Aviation News Magazine said about it after it was registered in NZ on 13-01-2020.

"In January 1972 the U S Army initiated a request for proposals for the Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) as a replacement for the Bell UH-1 Iroquois. At the same time the Army initiated the development of a ‘common turbine’ engine for its helicopters which would become the General Electric T700. One major requirement was that it must be able to be carried in the Lockheed C130 Hercules. Boeing-Vertol submitted their YUH-61A whilst Sikorsky submitted three prototypes of their S-70 design which the Army designated as the YUH-60A in March of 1976. The Sikorsky was selected and the first deliveries of what became the UH-60A Black Hawk were made in October 1978. A large number of variants have been built with over 4000 units produced to date. Kahu NZ Ltd of Whakatane has sourced an EH-60A model from the States for heavy lifting duties. This airframe was allocated the US military serial of 86-24572 and is known to have served from 1987 with the U.S.Army. It was noted at the Corpus Christi Army Depot at Corpus Christi, Texas in May of 1991 following storm damage the previous month at Fort Head in Texas. By August 2000 it was with the U.S. Army Aviation Centre at Fort Rucker, Alabama. It then spent time with their Warfighting Centre and then the Centre of Excellence – still at Fort Rucker. By 11 May 2018 it had just over 7900 airframe hours and was sent to Science & Engineering Service LLC at Huntsville the following month for the removal of military equipment and made ready for civil disposal. Interestingly it still retains much of its military fitments, including the cold exhaust diffusers, which may well be removed to improve performance. It entered the US civil register as N160PA with Pickering aviation Inc of Corinth, Texas on 29 August 2018 for civil conversion. Purchased by Kahu NZ Ltd it was shipped to NZ on the Cap Capricorn ex Long Beach, California and reached the Ports of Auckland and then Ardmore on 12 June 2019. It flew on its US registration until certified as ZK-HKU₃ on 13 January. Its first flight as such should take place at Whakatane as we go to press. The first ZK-HKU was a Hiller UH-12E followed by an Aerospatiale AS 350 D as ZK-HKU₂."

Check out Kahu NZ Ltd's site 

https://kahu.nz/helicopters/black-hawk

Thanks Zac

Black Hawk at Nelson

   Captured by Bill Mannix at Nelson yesterday (September 1st) was the Kahu NZ Ltd's Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk ZK-HKU3.c/n 70-1132.

 It has been in the area for a couple of days engaged in heavy lifting (cars, trees etc) following extensive flooding and slips in the region.

There have been several previous posts on this machine at :-

https://nzcivair.blogspot.com/search?q=ZK-HKU

Sikorsky EH-60A ZK-HKU

Whakatane based Kahu NZ's Sikorsky EH-60A ZK-HKU is currently in Western Australia for the bush fire season being operated by Camden, NSW based United Aero Helicopters on behalf of the WA Department of Fire & Emergency Services.

It is flying as "Black Hawk 679" together with another UH-60A N260UH as "Black Hawk 678".   The latter is owned by Texas based Pickering Aviation.

 

Black Hawk ZK-HKU in town.

 Noted at the Christchurch Heli Centre yesterday was the Sikorsky EH-60A Black Hawk ZK-HKU3 c/n 70-1132.

 It had been working in the "Remarkables" out of Queenstown for several days and arrived in Christchurch back on Wednesday the 20th.

This helicopter has been previously mentioned HERE

The Blackhawk ZK-HKU overhead Hanmer

Spotted passing near Hanmer on Saturday was the Sikorsky EH-60A Blackhawk ZK-HKU3 c/n 70-1132

of Kahu NZ Ltd.

After completing a job at Cardrona it flew from Wanaka to Twizel, overhead Hanmer, on its way to Omaka and Bridge Pa.

This Blackhawk has been mentioned several times previously. See here

 

Sikorsky EH 60A Blackhawk ZK-HKU

Kahu New Zealand Ltd's Sikorsky EH 60A Blackhawk arrived at Auckland in June 2019 registered as N160PA and it initially operated here under its American registration.  It was registered ZK-HKU3 on 13/1/20.

This month it flew down to Queenstown for a job and Tim Gorman photo'd it going there and back:

Parked up at Milson Airport on 23/3/20.

It looks grunty even when it is parked!

Because of the covers over the engines what the top 2 photos don't show is the company name on the fuselage, and this is shown in the above photo which Tim took as the Blackhawk headed South past Manakau to Queenstown earlier in the month.

Thanks for the use of the photos Tim.

Christchurch strays today 01-05-2012

Simon Lawn from Ahaura Helicopters was in (from the West Coast) with his Robinson R22 Beta Plus ZK-HFR2 (c/n 0944). Previously blogged at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2009/06/world-first-robinson-r22-beta-plus.html

The Aerospatiale AS 350BA ZK-HKU2 (c/n 1132) has been listed with Alpine Deer Group Ltd since 01-08-2011 and carries the "Alpine Helicopters South Island New Zealand" titles. It sits ticking over and awaiting Tower clearance, as a large grotty squally shower passes over the Eastern suburbs.

A bit of a stranger on the chocks was the Aero L-29  Delfin ZK-VAU (c/n 094019) of Soviet Star Ltd; up from Timaru.
Previously blogged at :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2009/01/aero-l-29-delfin-zk-vau.html

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNVQd3xGChzqQvdfLcFy6J9SnwI96j3Yzs2AIF4Xt9JH3djfikqNaJrIl1vocgYvH7sRyFX6_d1qDr-OytPXikt3NN459qHT3A5HYIMPogKNPP9kvaYOr2KFyA9Sx08lmB1YZpgbX03fH/s1600/VAU+TU+30-06-11+%25283%2529+-+Copy.JPG

Also on site, hiding out of the wind behind the hangars, was Mike Thomas's recent acquisition, Cessna 185A ZK-VKE. See :-

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/omarama-pickings-08-04-2012.html

Some North Is Helicopters

Travelling down to Wellington the East Coast way a number of helicopters were noted en route this week starting with the Bay of Plenty Coastal Region rescue helicopter BK117B-2 ZK-HES4 at Taupo which has new sponsorship titling,  Aerocool Developments.   This was imported from Germany in 2017.

Parked up at Hastings airfield was Kahu Helicopters' Sikorsky EH60A ZK-HKU3 which has been busy assisting with Cyclone recovery work in the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne regions.

Based at Dannevirke airfield is Tararua Heliwork's Bell 206B ZK-IBP.   This was imported from Taiwan in 2021.

And at Wairarapa Helicopters' base at Wainuioru, east of Masterton, was their Hughes 369D ZK-HNT.  This was imported new back in 1979 and has been with the company since early 2021.

 

Some more helicopters at Queenstown

A return visit to Queenstown Airport today found more of interest including the latest addition to The Helicopter Line fleet,  former Wanaka based AS350B2 ZK-HAA3.   This was originally imported from the USA in 2014 briefly becoming ZK-IDV before moving onto HAA.

Returned to service after extended maintenance at Hastings airfield is the Kahu NZ Sikorsky EH-60A ZK-HKU3,  which has now lost all its yellow dayglo stripes acquired when used on firefighting duties in Western Australia in 2022.

And over at Salus Aviation was the AS355F1 ZK-HML2 which has lost its Heliworks titling.   This was originally imported from the US in 1995.

 

More helicopters

A revisit to Taupo Airport early this morning provided another sampling of helicopters including the latest addition to the Mid West Helicopters fleet, AS350B2 ZK-IDI.   Formerly with Gisborne Helicopters this was imported from the US in 2015, and acquired by Mid West in April 2021.

Just off rebuild is R22 Beta ZK-HZW which has been owned by a Whakatane private owner since late 2019.  This was originally imported new in 1986.

Moving onto Whakatane where Kahu Helicopters' Sikorsky EH60A ZK-HKU3 was out in the sun. Imported from the US in late 2019 this is utilised on heavy lifting jobs around NZ.

 

Warbirds Over Wanaka Catchup - 3

 Of all the helicopter displays over the weekend, probably the most impresive was that given by the Sikorsky EH-60A  ZK-HKU of Kahu Helicopters.

Despite its impressive size, the pilot threw the thing around the sky in a most dynamic fashion.

Kahu Blackhawk arrives.

 Agairnz has kindly supplied these photos of the Blackhawk N160PA arriving at Ardmore yesterday afternoon (12-06-2019) from the Port of Auckland.

The helicopter arrived at the Port aboard the container ship Cap Capricorn from Long Beach yesterday.

See HERE for 'Stuff' story. 

Also have a gander at the Kahu facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/Kahu.NewZealand/

The helicopter has been imported by Kahu Helicopters (formerly Frontier Helicopters) of Whakatane.

It is a Sikorsky EH-60A Blackhawk and was manufactured in 1986 and is c/n 70-1132  and ex US Army serial 86-24572 

It is at Ardmore for several days to have some mods done on it.

I expect it will become ZK-HKU3.

See more on the MRC blogsite HERE

N Z Fire Service training

I stumbled across these guys doing a training exercise in, on and around helicopters at the back of Christchurch airport today.

Helicopter is Helipro's AS350BA ZK-HKU2.

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.