Piper Pawnee ZK-CIQ

 The Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee B ZK-CIQ c/n 25-3128 was imported by Airwork (NZ) Ltd of Christchurch in April of 1965 and signed over to Aerial Farming of NZ Ltd of Palmerston North from 13-07-1965.Photo above from Ray Deerness shows it at Feilding on 12-02-1966.

Then James Aviation Ltd of Hamilton listed it on 09-12-1968.

The photo above is tagged as taken in 1973 but it is still in its James Aviation scheme and it had been re-listed to the Nelson Gliding Club from 20-05-1970.

A Bob Kerr photo at Omaka on 18-02-1978.

It still retains part of the James Aviation insignia below the cockpit.

It is seen above at Nelson on 27-05-1989 with glider tow hook fitted.

Ray Patchett of Blenheim took it on from 23-08-1991 followed by Rowley Aviation Ltd at Amberley from 01-12-1992.

It went back to Patchett and Williams at Blenheim from 30-07-1993.

 Ray Patchett became sole listed owner from 15-05-1994, then to B F & K A McMillan of Nelson from 20-09-1994.

Peter Anderson - the flying vet - of Blenheim took it on from 30-10-1995 and it picked up the name 'The Fighter'.

Getting a wash down outside the Marlborough Aero Club hangar at Omaka on 23-02-1997.

It then appears to have been out of the air for a while as seen by the image below - taken at Omaka on 24-02-1999.

I then have a note that it struck sheep and was damage on a farm strip at Ward 21-01-2001 and rebuilt using parts from ZK-CED.

I next noted it at Timaru on 12-12-2001 in the above state.

It has taken part in several Mad Bastards competitions at Omaka. Above as seen on 31-01-2015 by

Andy Heap.

Above - outside its hangar at Omaka on 26-02-2015.

Another Mad Bastards contest at Omaka on 03-02-2018.

And as seen yesterday, 19-04-2024, at Takaka by Lord Nelson.

Allister Jenks has seen this Eurocopter EC 130 B4 ZK-IWS multiple times over several weeks on the Wellington Waterfront. 

It seems to have taken over duties from the aptly-lettered ZK-IWN that has been plying trade there for a long time. So either IWN is out for maintenance, or this machine is now assigned to Wellington ?

 ZK-IWS is  c/n 4041 and was test flown in France as F-WWXI prior to going to Canada to become  C-GSDA with Eurocopter Canada Ltd at Fort Erie, Quebec.

It went on to serve with Great Slave Helicopters Ltd and its subsidiaries until cancelled on 19-02-2016 for export to NZ.

It became ZK-IWS on 22-02-2016 briefly listed with City Link PT Chopper Operations Ltd of Cambridge and going on line with Helitranz Ltd from 10-05-2016. It was returned to City Link from 16-06-2017 then on to Independent Helicopters Ltd of Christchurch from 17-08-2017.

Current operator GCH Aviation listed it from 20-05-2020.

Todays Rangiora pie run. With a Christchurch first stop over.

                        On a typical Christchurch autumnal day sits the C17A Globemaster III 08-8202.

Over at the Canterbury Aero Club was the Piper PA-28-181 Archer II ZK-EIP c/n 28-7990065.
This joined the Club in February of 1979 and remained there until sold to EIP Ltd of Christchurch in November 2014.
 If I recall correctly, it received this new colour scheme late in 2020.

The Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk ZK-JHO c/n 38-82A0121 is - as you can see from its c/n - is a 1982 build which went new to the Republic of Singapore Flying Club as 9V-BNR.

It came to NZ to become ZK-JHO from 06-06-1997 and was with the South Canterbury Aero Club from late 1998 to November 2020 when it went up to Christchurch to the Canterbury Aero Club - with two Alpha 2160's ZK-VCA and ZK-VCF going from the Canterbury Club down to the South Canterbury Club.

Eurocopter C 120 B ZK-HPM3 c/n 1312 came to NZ as ZS-RRJ2 and was listed here on 17-12-2007 to John Shivas as Wairaki Holdings Ltd of Kaiapoi as ZK-IFR2.

It went to South Pacific Helicopters (2016) Ltd at Kaikoura in February 2017 until moving to Christchurch Helicopters Ltd in October 2022.

I has since had a major refurbishment and was re-registered as ZK-HPM5 on 01-08-2023.

Finally to Rangiora for lunch and a photo of the 'Orange Roughy'.

The sweet running Titan Tornado II ZK-LOT was out and about today.

It has been with Rodger Ward since first registered on 03-04-2007.

Look Back at the 2024 RAANZ Flyin at Hokitika

Over the weekend prior to Warbirds Over Wanaka the re-scheduled 2024 RAANZ flyin took place at Hokitika.  It was a low key affair and I have not been able to find anyone who took photos, but Wally Pendray flew down from Whitianga and he took some video of the flyin from which I took the following screenshots:

In this view you can see Wally Pendray's Pelican ZK-MAL2 from Whitianga, Craig Buist's SeaRey ZK-WET3 from Dunedin, Willy Morton's A 32 Vixxen ZK-VLW from Kawakawa and Neil and Sarah Colliver's Vans RV 10 ZK-RVT from Feilding.  Then in the front are Lyall Hopgood's new Bristell ZK-WLH3 with what I reckon is Nigel Forrester's Bristell taildragger ZK-TDN behind, both from Central Otago, and further along is Paul Godfrey's Kitfox IV ZK-JFA over from Rangiora.  Can anyone who was there supply a photo of ZK-TDN?

The Wesport owned B22 Bantam ZK-PUB has not been posted on the blog previously so was nice to see.

Some of the locals assembled a first generation Scout mirolight, here about to slide the wing cover onto the spar.  It had a registration of ZK-EYR but it is not currently registered, having been withdrawn and cancelled in August 1995.

Rodger Ward flew his Cri Cri ZK-LBW after no doubt trailering it across to Hokitika,  and in the background you can see the Zenith CH601 XL ZK-MAM down from Whakatane, then Greg Van der Hulst's Jabiru J200 ZK-CPA2 from Rangiora and a couple of the Canterbury Recreational Aircraft Club's Tecnam Echos ZK-RGA2 and ZK-RGE, and the Zenith CH601 XL taildragger ZK-ONO which was over from Kirwee.

Parked near the hangars were Dave Kenny's locally based Jodel D9 ZK-FRK, Bristell ZK-EAC3 from Waihi Beach, the now Hokitika based Corby Starlet ZK-TNT and the Greymouth owned Rans S 6ES Coyote II ZK-TNA.  In the hangar is the venerable Ercoupe ZK-AQX.

Thanks for your video Wally.

A visit to Springfield Estate by CMM

 Roving reporter CMM called in to the Springfield Estate on Sunday the 14th and captured the following aircraft.

ZK-SAT, c/n 402B-0990, is an Air Tractor AT-402B built at Olny, Texas, and test flown as N1010Y before shipping to New Zealand for assembly at Kairanga. It was registered on 05-12-1995 to Don Hart who trades as Skyfarmers Ltd out of the Springfield Estate near Methven.

The original Pratt & Whitney PT6A-15AG engine was replaced with a -34 engine and ownership transferred to Skyfarmers Aviation Ltd on 01-07-2013.

The Cessna 180K Skywagon ZK-DBA2 c/n 18053022 as listed with Skyfarmers Ltd of Methven.

More on ZK-DBS can be seen here  HERE

Fletcher FU24-950M ZK-BII c/n 36 was first registered back on 28-10-1955 and joined Don Hart - trading as Skyfarmers from 04-06-1991.

It spent its early years at the top of the North Island with Northern Aviation and Advanced Aviation before coming under the James Aviation name from February 1968. Between late 1968 and late 1969 it was in West Australia as VH-EOR until returning to NZ with Farmers Aerial Top Dressing of Invercargill (a subsidiary of James). From mid 1971 to mid 1974 it was listed as VP-PAV and operated in Honiara. 

Williams Aerial Work of Mt Maunganui listed it from July 1984 followed by Super Air of Hamilton from October 1988.

It still carries the small letter ' i ' between the 'B' and the first 'L' on its registration markings.

The other side of ZK-SAT following a wash down.

A special thanks to Duncan Hart for the chat and conducted tour.

A brief Rangiora stop over on Sunday.

              Locally based JMB Aircraft VL-3E-1 UL ZK-JMB2 c/n 252 returns from a local flight.

Hugo dropped in with the P J Fitzsimmons Ltd's Alpi Aviation Pioneer 300 RS Hawk ZK-MEK c/n 209. A recent acquisition to replace their on sold SOCATA Ralleye 235E ZK-FIT2.

           Out for a Sunday flight was the LightFlight Ltd's Tomark Aero Viper SD-4 ZK-SWV c/n 035.

All have been previously mentioned.

Dargaville Aero Club Open Day Today 13-4-2024

The Dargaville Aero Club held an open day at the airfield today.  I had hoped to fly up but unfortunately the remains of the recent storm resulted in pretty high winds.  However several of us Rodney Aero Club members drove up to say Hi and partake of some nice food and coffee.  They put on a good event.

There were several aircraft tied down that were of interest to me:

Alan Nelson had his Rotax 912 powered Titan Mustang ZK-LSD there having flown in the previous day.  Alan has made some changes to the colour scheme to suit his taste.

Another scale Mustang replica (although more in spirit than in form) was Derek Taylor's Horn TH-1 ZK-TLH which he had flown across from its base at Mata earlier in the week.

Here is a view of the aircraft on display including the Wittman Tailwind ZK-RET that is now based at Dargaville with a Waimamaku owner.

Another New Aircraft at Warbirds Over Wanaka

Although the emphasis at Warbirds Over Wanaka is rightly on the warbirds, there is also various trade displays of aircraft and aviation products.  One such display was by JMB Aircraft New Zealand.  They had their Rotax 912 demonstrator ZK-JMB2 on display as well as their latest Rotax 915 engined example:

The JMB VL-3TE-915 UL ZK-AJW2 (c/n 549) was registered to York Holdings Ltd of New Plymouth on 12/3/24.  It is the fourth VL3-915 model to be registered here with the others being ZK-VLT. ZK-ECO3 and ZK-TVL2.

From our roving reporter CMM

 CMM has been in the Wanaka area for some time and snapped the following photos.

This fine photograph of a 44-gallon drum is nicely enhanced by the Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 c/n 768 ZK-SLC2 which was added to the Southern Lakes Aviation Ltd.'s fleet on 31-08-2023.

Initially built as an H2 model as HB-FGP with Pilatus Flugzeugwerke at Stans in Switzerland in October 1976. It was delivered to Kasat-Royal Thai Agricultural Division the following month to become 1314 for use in the spraying role. Converted to a B2-H4 earlier this century it was relisted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives in June of 2002 and then to the Royal Air Sports Association Thailand in August 2020. 

It was uncrated at Heli Support NZ Ltd at Wanaka on 11-12-2023.

This Cessna 185A c/n 1850410 was allocated the US registration N1610Z in 1962, but instead became CF-OLE followed by C-FOLE in 12-1982. Cancelled on 19-11-2010 it became VH-YYQ on 13-12-2010 and VH-COW4 on 17-04-2020. It was noted flying from Bankstown to Port Macquarie on 12-11-2023 and Lord Howe to Norfolk on the 13th and then to West Melton.

More details on this when or if it joins the NZ register.

Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ZK-HCW4 c/n 4805 is still listed with Advanced Flight Ltd of Auckland but noted at Wanaka.

Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ZK-HRV3 c/n 2777 was built in 1993 and joined The Helicopter Line Ltd in January of 2014.

The seldom seen Rans S-7 Courier ZK-MYJ c/n 1001312 of Nic Kagan was found by CMM at Loburn. It has been mentioned previously on this LINK.

Pitts Model 12 Back at North Shore on 7-4-2024

On calling in at North Shore for Avgas last Sunday afternoon I was surprised to see John Eaton's lovely Pitts Model 12 ZK-PTS2 taxy in past me.

I don't know if this was from a local flight or from further afield.  I also don't know why it was back at North Shore but it has been advertised for sale for some time.

It is still a very impressive machine!