CMM reporting from the West Coast. Bagged at Karamea in the early morning light on the 5th of May was the Helicopter Charter Karamea (2006) Ltd's Bell 206L-3 LongRanger ZK-HWL3 c/n 51054 which has been on line since March of 2017.         See a previous mention  Here Down at Buller Health in Westport the GCH Aviation Ltd's and Greymouth based "West Coast ROA Mining Rescue Helicopter" Kawasaki BK117 B2 ZK-HJC3 c/n 1061 waits ..read more

Airscapade Affairs Ltd's DC 3C (S1C3G in case you are interested) ZK-JGB2 recently received some tender loving care at Wanaka from a team from JEM Aviation, in preparation for a return to the air I presume.  Here are a couple of photos posted by JEM Aviation on their Facebook page back on 23 and 26 April ..read more

I recently had a chance to catch up with Chris Toms at Kaipara Flats airfield.  Chris of course was the builder and owner of our only Lancair IV ZK-CTL2 which was the fastest homebuilt aircraft in New Zealand at the time with a 300 knot maximum speed! (Chris told me he used to flight plan for 235 knots).  This is what I wrote about it back in January 2014: ZK-CTL (c/n LIV192) was a Lancair IV built by Chris Toms of Auckland, and was first registered on 30/1/95.  It was powered by a Lycoming TIO-540 engine of 350 HP.  It had an early fright when it force landed on the ..read more

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner ZK-NZK2 c/n 43217 has been parked up indefinitely at Christchurch International Airport. Some of the cabin windows are already covered as are the mainwheels. It had been stored at Auckland International from 02-03-2024 until 25-04-2024 when it was ferried down to Christchurch ..read more

 De Havilland DH 100 Vampire FB5 NZ5767 was a pre loved example obtained from the Royal Air Force in 1956. Originally delivered to the RAF with the serial WA374 on 11-05-1951 for the No 102 Flying Refresher School and later serving with 118 and 14 Squadron.  It was struck off charge on 26-03-1956 and shipped to New Zealand aboard the Cumberland to become NZ5767 from 21-05-1956 and stored at Ohakea until January 1958. It then served with various RNZAF units until being withdrawn and placed back in storage, this time at RNZAF Station Woodbourne from March 1960.  Photo above show ..read more

Vaughn Davis bought his lovely newly restored Chipmunk ZK-CHP3 up to Kaipara Flats airfield today: You can remind yourself of its history HERE ..read more

Cessna 180J Skywagon ZK-DXW is c/n 18052685 and came to New Zealand factory new to be listed with the agents Dalhoff & King Aviation Ltd at Ardmore from 14-06-1976.  Photo below taken at Ardmore in early November of 1976. It was then transferred to their Dunedin, Momona branch from 16-11-1976 and ultimately was listed to A S Drinkrow of Makaetai from September 1977 - the ownership partially overlapping his use of the Cessna 180C ZK-BVV. As seen on 04-09-1979 at Ardmore. Phillip Evers-Swindell of Pahiatua then picked it up from December 1981.Two views of it at New Plymouth on 05 ..read more

The Gippsland GA-8-TC 320 Airvan ZK-YUG3 c/n GA-8TC 320-09-146 was listed to Capital Aviation Ltd of Wellington on 29-09-2022. Initially briefly registered as VH-BQY3 on 29-06-2009 to MAF International before moving to Mount Hagan, PNG, to become P2-MFL2 with the Mission Aviation Fellowship on 01-10-2009. Next move was back down to Australia to become VH-PGU3 with VHBHR Pty Ltd of Fitzroy, Victoria from 31-08-2021. It was ferried across the Ditch from Archerfield to NZ via Lord Howe Island on 05-11-2021. It now totes a cargo pod. The early history of the Jodel D.11 ZK-RNR c/n AA ..read more

There was a very good turn out of aircraft at the Feilding Open Day including these mostly locals: Mike Crene's Bantam B22 ZK-FSD (c/n 0078) has not been posted on the blog previously. Dave Stuart's Johnston Acrolight 1C ZK-EMP2 now has the registration on the fuselage. Trevor Day's Light Miniature LM 1 ZK-FWB was out in the sun looking nice. And the Teenie Too ZK-MSW now has the outer wings attached and looks ready to go although it is not yet registered.   Thanks for the photos Jordan and Dave ..read more

The Britten-Norman BN-2A-6 c/n 759 was built by Intreprinderea de Reparatii Material Aeronautic (IRMA) of Bucharest, Romania as G-BCZD and finished at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. This included conversion to -21 standard with the 300hp Lycoming IO-540-K1B5 engines and with an air ambulance internal fit out for demonstrator duties with Britten-Norman (Bembridge) Ltd from 18-03-1975. The photo below shoes it in its 'raw' state at Gatwick in 1975 following delivery from Romania. It was on display at the Farnborough Air Show on 10-09-1976. Photo from Trevor Warne. I have a note to say th ..read more