More details on ex-RAF Wessex,s at Tauranga

All 5 helicopters have arrived at Tauranga from a warehouse in New Plymouth and are parked adjacent to the classic flyers hangars .Here is a run down of each.

XV730 c/n 625

Seen here today on the 21st September parked up at TRG.
It is still painted in 84 Sqn markings ( Clubs) and was previously based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

XT606 c/n WA533

Parked up at TRG and is painted in 2FTS colour scheme at RAF Shawbury and the letters HBF painted in the middle of the red band may possibly of been allocated a NZ registration but needs confirming.

XR511 c/n 136

Still painted as former 72 Sqn  which were based at RAF Aldergrove in Belfast Northern Ireland

XT680 c/ 548

Parked up next to XS675  and still retains its former 84 Sqn (Diamonds ) scheme which were based at RAF Akrotiri ,Cyprus

And Finally

XS675 c/n 794

Again a former 84 Sqn (Spades ) painted  machine from RAF Akrotiri,Cyprus.

CLASSIC FLYERS TAURANGA

5 WESTLAND WESSEX HELICOPTERS FOR CLASSIC FLYERS.

3 Wessex helicopters arrived at Classic Flyers to day from Taranaki and 2 more to arrive on Friday.
All ex. Royal Air Force. They were going to be used for logging in the North Is. but were found to be not suitable.

Pics by THE HAIRY MOLE RAT

Visitors noted over August and early September at Tauranga

Here is some shots of visitors arriving into Tauranga during the last 6 weeks or so.

Ardmore based Piper PA24 Comanche ZK-DAA operated by Auckland Air Charter Ltd  parked up outside TAC 

Dropping in from Whakatane is this very colorful painted  Cessna 172 N ZK-LCL

Taking off on a presumed test flight from Flightcare is CT/4E Airtrainer ZK-PTG which till recently was stored at Napier

Arriving from Auckland and only on the ground for just over 5 mins before departing back to its Rotorua base is Learjet 60 ZK-JAK operated by JAK Air.

Departing back to Matamata is Aerospool Dynamic WT9  ZK-MLC

Bell 206 Jetranger ZK-IRL landing next to Rotofix hangar

Cessna 510 Mustang ZK-YDZ is operated by Skyline Aviation Limited at Napier.

One of many Cessna 152,s operating in NZ with this example ZK-MDS operated by Aerohire atWhakatane seen here taxiing towards 25 R runway.

A recent Australian import to L3 CTS Airline Academy (NZ) Limited at Hamilton is Cessna 172 S  ZK-RQZ.

Going up for a test flight after surgery carried out at Solowings is Just Aircraft SuperSTOL ZK-RIM which hides way at the Taupo gliding airfield at Centinal Park

 L3CTC Academy fleet utilise Tauranga Airport for student training on a regular basis with DA40 and DA42 common arrivals.ZK-SFJ  DA40 Diamond Star carrying out a touch and go on grass 25 runway.

ZK-HYJ Aerospatiale AS 355 F1 is operated from Ardmore by Heliflite Charter & Training Limited

Dropping in from Hamilton is Cessna R182 ZK-MRG

Hamilton resident Piper PA30 ZK-DOK 

Robinson R-44 ZK-HVV located at Hamilton

Landing  were a contingent of residents  from Paraparaumu arriving for fuel before departing for Pauanui .Seen here is Diamond DA40 ZK-MTZ.

Parked out TAC was North Shore based TL-3000 Sirus ZK-SRZ

Pixs courtesy of Warick,Peter and myself

TAURANGA HELICOPTER MOVEMENTS