Thursday 31 May 2012

Misc pixs #6

Another shot taken at Wanaka is of the Beech King Air C90SE ZK-MKG (c/n LJ-1367) of Air Wanganui Commuter Ltd, with two Cessna Mustangs behind.
Below is the Cessna 402B ZK-PVC (c/n 402B-0559) of N.Z.Aerial Mapping Ltd parked up beside the Garden City Helicopters air ambulance hangar on 19-04-2012. This 402 was previously ZK-DSG
Note the crash fire Fairchild F27 behind.

Roy Waddingham built up his Roys Toy Magpie ZK-REW3 (c/n 0100) with its Subaru EA81 engine and registered it on 05-03-2010. It was sold to Matthew Dixon of Amberley on 13-01-2012 and is seen here at NZRT on 26-05-2012.

Cessna 172S N510LP

Henry M has sent in this photograph of the Cessna 172S N510LP (c/n 172S9510) taken today. Registered in the US in October 2003 it was noted for sale in December of 2006 having been with Orcas Executive Air Inc of Eastsound, Washington since about may of 2005. Ownership moved to Southern Cross Aviation LLC of Parker Arizona in late March of 2008. This aircraft has been in country for some time now - am not sure when it arrived.

Question time # 151 resolved (Near enough).

Question time #151 turns out to be the Bowers Fly Baby 1A about to be registered as ZK-CFB2 (c/n 71-23). It is the second of two imported through Lyttelton on 27-05-2011 by Lt Commander Padre Colin Hay of Waimate.Its history has been mentioned before in dispatches at :-
http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2011/07/bowers-at-oamaru.html
and
http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/flybaby-again.html
If you zoom in to the sign below the cockpit about the ejection seat you will gain some idea of Colin's sense of humour.
Now if you want a fun flying machine - I am sure if you speak nicely to Colin - you could come to some arrangement.

Wednesday 30 May 2012

Christchurch today 30-05-2012

Three helicopter photographs taken at the Helicentre today 30-05-2012.
Above at Heli Maintenance was the Schweizer 269CBi ZK-HYC3 (c/n 0151) of Couplands Stockfeed of Timaru.
Below is a better view of the Donald Irvine Robinson R66 (turbine) ZK-HWT4 (c/n 0033) also at Heli Maintenance.
And below is the Robinson R44 Raven ZK-IAA (c/n 1103) of Helipro.
Check some of the differences between the R44 and the R66 above.
The R66 has louvres at the fuselage end of there tail boom. It has an air intake in the fairing near the lower leading edge of the rotor mast. A gap where the tail boom meets the rear fuselage and note the lower line of the windows on the R66 are at an even angle and all three line up - The R44 has a shallower angle and a step down to the front screen.
A quick visit to Christchurch International Airport today found the Garden City Helicopters/NZ Flying Doctors hangar open with the Beech King Air B200C ZK-FDR (c/n BL-31) and their Eurocopter AS 350 B3 ZK-IHL (c/n 7219) parked outside.

I also managed a long shot at this visitor - Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner N787BX (c/n 40692) as I taxied about.
Interesting to note that it is listed under the "Experimental, Research and Developmental category to show compliance with FAR, Crew Training and Market Survey".

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Time lapse of Falco ZK-SMR being dismantled....



Also, keep an eye on George and Darryn's journey:
http://www.falco.co.nz/smr-oshkosh-blog/
http://blog.travelpod.com/members/falcogeorge

.The things we do !

Below is a link to a Heli-Gauging trial on the Clutha River at Balclutha using ADCP technology.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypv0uiiF_9g&feature=relmfu

For more info on ADCP check out:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_Doppler_Current_Profiler

I can see a few problems in this concept.

Monday 28 May 2012

Question time # 151

Tell me all that you know about this aircraft then.

Name - Rank and Serial Number !

I would accept the aircraft type - the rank of the pilot and any fuselage side markings.

***********************************

Second clue - another look at that wing.

Falco ZK-SMR heads Stateside

As reported in the NZ Herald today:

NZ pilot planning trip across US in wooden-frame plane

NZ Herald
By Teuila Fuatai 
Flying over the Rocky Mountains in a wooden plane may not be everyone's idea of joy, but an Air New Zealand pilot who has built his own aircraft from scratch is preparing for his flight of a lifetime across the United States. Aucklander George Richards intends to fly his wooden Falco aeroplane 3000km from Los Angeles to Wisconsin (Oshkosh) in July. He will be joined by his friend and fellow Air New Zealand pilot Darryn Morgan. "We're splitting it up into about a week ... and will fly about three to four hours a day." The pair are set to see some amazing sights on their voyage, especially as the Falco aircraft is limited to flying below 10,000ft. "Basically we keep below 10,000ft because any higher than that you require oxygen." Mr Richards said one of the places they would be navigating through was the Rocky Mountain Ranges in Colorado, with peaks reaching more than 3000m. The 49-year-old, who lives in Auckland with his wife, Vicki, started building the two-seater aircraft in 1994. "It all started in a garage out in West Auckland ... and I just enjoy making things." The plane's wooden airframe was imported from Canada for the project. "It [the Falco aircraft] was designed in 1955 in Italy ... but because wood is so labour intensive to build they stopped making them," Mr Richards said. The yellow plane made its maiden flight in 2002 in Auckland. Since then, it has been flown throughout New Zealand, but has yet to soar above foreign shores. Mr Richards has already shipped his aeroplane to America, and will soon travel over to prepare it for the trip. "At the moment it's sitting in a container in Los Angeles," he said. "I've had to pull it apart, measure it and put it in a container."

At Ardmore 15 March 2004, MRC photo
Departing Raglan 06 November 2010, MRC photo

Sunday 27 May 2012

A development from Question time # 130

The original posting for Question time # 130 showed the photo below of two Cessna 185's tied down at the Mount Cook windbreak.We were trying to identify them.
See the original eight comments below.
8 comments:
Ian said...
Have a feeling the closest has the same colour scheme as the one lost in an accident 1963ish...
Other one CKP/KT ?
Not much help I know.
Anonymous said...
The closest aircraft is ZK-CEW; I,m still checking the other aircraft.
Wildwing said...
Chj and ckp
Ian said...
Think CHJ had the latter factory scheme - ZK-CEW was the one that lost in '65 [I was a few years out]
Ian said...

         Talking of CHJ...CVG in background Franz Josef G. 1969
         Notice anything unusual about them :-)
         Lousy Polaroid but glad I took it.
Blue Bussaid...
No spinners & are the skis up !

What else ??
Ian said...
Spinners were off most of the time then but yes the skis are up as the glacier was very smooth and icy so we landed on the wheels and taxied around :-)
Wildwing said...
From photos I have CEW and CKP.
Nice to see it on the old strip below the Hermitage, along the road to White Horse.

Waipukurau today 27-05-2012

Nick F reports from a very breezy Waipukurau today.
Above we have two views of the De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth ZK-BEF (c/n 83323) being put away in the back of the hangar. This has been with the Central Hawkes Bay Aero Club (Inc) since March of 1993.
Two shots of the Cessna A152 Aerobat ZK-ETJ (c/n 152-0968). This has been with the CHB Aero Club since arriving in NZ in mid 1981.
Below we have the Cessna 172P Skyhawk 11 ZK-LGE (c/n 172P-74969). This was imported by John Shivas in march 1985 for Lance G Elliott (hence the registration of LGE) of Auckland. It was on line with the North Shore Aero Club and was sold in October 2003 to Christine Donald and later re-listed to Melness Farm Ltd of Dannevirke on 09-10-2008.
Below is the 150hp Cessna 150G ZK-DAL. It was converted to 150hp by ANZ and first flew on 06-04-1970. By 03-11-1978 it was with the Waipukurau Gliding Club until difficult time saw it move to private ownership with Keith Cammock of Dannevirke on 30-06-2009. Looks like it still has a tow hook and still has the gliding insignia on its fin.

Misc pics #4

An Andy Heap photograph from Ohakea, taken on 31-03-2012, showing the North American T-28C Trojan ZK-JGS (c/n 226-160) of the Trojan 63 Syndicate from Auckland.
The Bristol Fighter F2B Replica ZK-JNU (c/n ERS 2) dropped into Rangiora for fuel whilst south bound for Wanaka on 02-04-2012.
Patiently waiting (so to speak) is the NZ Flying Doctor/Garden City Helicopters Cessna 421B Golden Eagle ZK-KBF (c/n 421B-0943) outside its hangar at Christchurch International Airport on 10-05-2012.
Another Andy Heap pic from Ohakea. I guess it is the "bi" part of the Trislander ZK-LGR (c/n 372)

Saturday 26 May 2012

Misc pics #3

CMM captured this Hiller UH-12E ZK-HBL hanging around in the new museum at Wanaka on 06-04-2012. Can anybody confirm which ZK-HBL it is ? [c/n 2368 or c/n 2042].
Garden City Helicopters two BK117's at Christchurch on 21-03-2012. ZK-HJC3 (c/n 1061) nearest with ZK-IMN (c/n 1018) behind.
Parked on the Pacific Aircraft Services pad at Christchurch in the early hours of 23-04-2012 was the Alpine Springs Helicopters Hughes 369D ZK-HSD (c/n 1090595D).
Left out overnight of 22/23-04-2012 was the Mount Hutt Helicopters Kawasaki BK117 B-1 ZK-IPT (c/n 1080).

Tomtit ENZ

Sir Minty has phoned in the above photo of the Piper PA-32-260B Cherokee Six ZK-ENZ2 (c/n 32-1117) as spied at North Shore today with a taped on scheme (on this side only). And what's happened to the top of the fin and rudder ? and there is a fair amount of slack in the aerial as well !
Below we have a view of her at Okiwi taken on 03-03-2009 painted up as "Tomtit".
This airframe was initially registered as ZK-DBP after arriving in NZ on 26-07-1970.

Misc pics #2

A shot from Wanaka taken on 05-04-2012 of the North American NA88 Harvard 111 ZK-ENE (c/n 88-14678) minus engine cowls and fitted with ground towing gear. The aircraft colour shows the Wanaka dust settling on the wings, leading edges and canopy rather nicely.
Art work on the side of the Fokker D.VII Replica ZK-FKR2 of Greg Burt as seen at Ashburton on 06-05-2012. Photo from Allan Bowman.
David Tillman taxies out between the hangars at Rangiora on 20-05-2012 in his Schleicher ASH26E  ZK-GRL (c/n 26111).
I have not noticed any mention in other Wanaka airshow reports of the Robinson R66 Turbine ZK-HAG2  (c/n 0015) of Outgro Aviation Ltd of Dannevirke.

Oldfield Baby Great Lakes' of New Zealand (and Answer to Question Time #150)

The next type of New Zealand homebuilt aircraft to come along, in 1985, was the Baby Great Lakes, of which I was sure we would have had only one, until ZK-ULM came along last month. The Baby Great Lakes has no connection to the earlier Great Lakes biplanes which were manufactured in the 1930's by the Great Lakes Aircraft Company of Cleveland, Ohio.

 The Oldfield Baby Great Lakes was designed by Barney Oldfield for mass production, but it was eventually sold as homebuilt aircraft plans. It is tiny with a length of only 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 metres) and a wingspan of 16 feet 8 inches (5.08 metres). As you can see from the photos it was very low to the ground with a height of only 4 feet 6 inches! Its empty weight was 480 pounds (218 Kg) and MAUW was 850 pounds (386 Kg).  On a C-85 engine of 85 HP its maximum speed was 135 MPH.

The photo of ZK-FLV is from the Keith Morris collection.

ZK-FLV (c/n AACA/651) was built by Terry Smith of Haumoana in Hawkes Bay, and was first registered on 25/11/85 with its first flight on 23/5/86.  It is surprising how many different types of homebuilt biplanes aircraft first appeared in Hawkes Bay - Pitts S1, Stolp V Star, EAA Acrosport 1 and the Baby Great Lakes.  The above photo of ZK-FLV was taken at Feilding in 1987.  You can see how tiny it is by the size of Terry Smith in the cockpit.  It was withdrawn from use and cancelled on 19/7/10.

27 years after ZK-FLV, our second Baby Great Lakes appeared in the form of ZK-ULM (c/n BLUL-01) built by Peter Parkinson of Rangiora.  This aircraft test flew at Rangiora on 21 April 2012, and has been posted before on this blog at www.nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/baby-great-lakes-zk-ulm.html  .  Thanks to Blue Bus for this photo.

Misc pics #1

I am just in the throes of backing up my lap top to an external hard drive. So I though I would blog a few of these photos before they become filed away for ever.
We have already mentioned in an earlier blog that the ANZ Engineering Training Services has cleared out their hangar to allow for the assembly of the latest arrivala (Two BAe Jetscreams).
I managed to capture some of the other aircraft which they use for training out in the UV.
Above is the Piper PA-39-112 ZK-EQG (c/n 38-79A1144). This was originally delivered to the Nelson Aero Club in early 1980. It spent nine months at the Ardmore Flying School from March 1998 and then a year with Tower Aviation at Whangarei and then returned to Nelson in late 1999. It was cancelled from our register as withdrawn on 21-07-2006.
Another of their Piper Hatchets is ZK-EVA1 (c/n 38-81A0017). This was a Middle Districts Aero Club aircraft from May of 1982. It survived a mid air collision with ZK-EQM on 30-07-1989 and was posted to the Ardmore Flying School in March of 1990. It was cancelled as withdrawn on 24-12-1999.
ZK-PAP is the Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar (c/n GA7-0084). It first flew in NZ as ZK-SSS from 08-06-1979, followed by a spell as ZK-TAD with the Tauranga Aero Club from 23-12-1996. They sold it to Paul and Philippa Hally in June of 2006. They re-registered it as ZK-PAP on 13-07-2006 and it operated under the Christchurch Flying School and then the New Zealand Flying School banner until being withdrawn from use following the discovery of mainspar corrosion. Its registration was cancelled on 14-08-2009 but re-instated to ANZ on 05-03-2010.
All three ANZ pics taken on 19-04-2012. ZK-FJT was shot on 27-03-2011.
On the other side of Christchurch Airport, at the Canterbury Aero Club, they usually have one of their fleet under major refurbishment/overhaul at any one time. On this occasion we see the Piper PA-28-181 Archer 11 ZK-FJT (c/n 28-8090255) on a temporary main wheel undercarriage. As you can see from the c/n it is a 1980 mode;, which has been with the CAC since 14-11-1984.