Northern Area & Vintage Gliding Champs at Matamata NZ

Over the week from 29-7th December Matamata airfield is hosting the Northern area & Vintage Gliding Championships with over 20 gliders from Taupo,Drury,Tauranga and Whenuapai participating .The 3 air tow aircraft assisting in all air launches were PA-25,s ZK-CEB from Drury and locally based ZK-BZA and PA-18 cub ZK-BKJ arrived from Tauranga for the duration.

Myself and Pete "Hairy Mole Rat" visited the airfield on the 3rd December and wandering around the airfield came up with a couple of surprises .

Schempp-Hirth Discus B ZK-GXP from the local Piakio Gliding Club

PA-18 ZK-BKJ from Tauranga seen towing 

Schempp-Hirth Ventus cT  ZK-GSW up from Taupo gliding strip

Glasflugel Standard Libelle ZK-GGJ is one of a few classic gliders on show that day and is a Matamata resident.

Another Classic Glider was this Schleicher Ka 6CR  ZK-GBU which came down from RNZAF Whenuapai Air base.

Schleicher Ka 6CR ZK-GLX  parked up at the top end of the airfield.

Matamata resident Schempp-Hirth Disc Duo ZK-GYL tows away .

A rare Brantly B-2 Helicopter at Tauranga

Noted yesterday outside Flight Care maintenance hangar was the only registered Brantly helicopter in New Zealand ,ZK-INK Brantly B-2A.The helicopter was originally stored at Flight Cares old Hangar at Thames Aerodrome before arriving early this year and relocated to Tauranga and stored in the back of Flight Cares hangar.

So witnessing it outside the hangar is a very rare but welcomed sight so cheers Flight Care Staff.

Brantly B.2A ZK-INK c/n 417 owned by Gumboot Airways Limited.

Classic Flyers in the sun

Noted outside Classic Flyers recently were recently refurbished flying Grumman G-164A ZK-RTA and a non-airworthy Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk re-built for static display.

Grumman G-164A ZK-RTA  c/n 441 operated by Bay of Plenty Classic Aircraft Company parked outside the cafe area at Classic Flyers Museum.

Covered up Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk  with the only markings visible was  GA-K

.While it will never fly again,the Kittyhawk,s engine was rebuilt and can be started up  for taxi around the airfield at Tauranga.

ZK-IID and ZK-HJH noted in Rotor-Fix Hangar

On the 19th November noted inside Rotor -Fix hangar was a recent import to New Zealand , ex-Aussie Robinson R-44 Raven ZK-IID operated by Frontier Helicopters at Whakatane.Also noted inside the hangar were fellow Robinson R-22,s ZK-HJH , ZK-HMW,ZK-HHR and R-44 II ZK-HHJ.

Robinson R-44 Raven ZK-IID .Noted to the left is ZK-HJH.

Inside the hangar was ZK-HJH which has just been totally re-sprayed by Pacific Aero Coatings and on return to Ardmore with Heliflight Pacific ,it will be reregistered as ZK-HOU and remain in the Ardmore area.

ZK-HJH registration was crudely applied temporarily for delivery flight back to Ardmore before eventually being re-registered as ZK-HOU c/n 3184

Classic Flyers Hunter T.75 appearance

On a rare occasion,Classic Flyers Aircraft Museum bring out some of their exhibits to air some sunshine from the hangars including  not often seen  Hunter T8 ex-Singapore AF  516

She has been re-painted with another registration of 500 being displayed still representing the Republic Singapore Air Force as 516 was its original serial number.

c/n HABL003007

Pixs from Raglan Sands Fly-in

Here are some pictures from the recent 10th Black Sands fly-in from Raglan, even though it has been well covered by other blog sites.Over the weekend just under 100 aircraft arrived with the furthest machine ZK-FMR Murphy Rebel arriving from Fairlie  Aerodrome in the middle of South Island.

I will only cover the production built visitors captured at the fly-in.

Dropping in just for a coffee locally was Hamilton based Cessna 172 N ZK-DXP

AirTourer Super 150 ZK-DBD from nearby Te Awamutu

Te Awamutu resident Canadian Home Rotors Safari ZK-HXI.

Stratford based Cessna 180 ZK-EEJ

Temporary based here atRaglan was Fletcher ZK-JLU of Super Air.

Up from Turangi was Cessna 172 ZK-TFS

Hastings/Pa based Aero Commander 100.

Cessna 182P  ZK-SGH from Whaheke Island

PA28 ZK-CIS from Hamilton.If the pilot or owner see,s this please email me ,as this aircraft needs my attention at the paintshop.

It was good to meet at last Sir Minty,Mike from MRC blog as well as AGAIRNZ at Raglan.Maybe Blue Bus might ID himself to myself one day

Hawker 800XP VH-VRC

As noted in MRCA blogsite,Tauranga had Hawker 800XP VH-VRC operated by Sunshine Services Ltd arrive on the 6th November from Melbourne/Essendon in a middle of a hailstorm and was still present the following day and didn't depart back to Essendon until Sunday morning on the 9th Novemeber.

Raglan 10th Anniversary fly-in next weekend

For all you New Zealand aircraft enthusiasts who I appreciate viewing my blog,I hope to meet some of you next weekend at Raglan Sands Air strip along side "Hairy Mole Rat" between 7-9th November.

So lets hope of great sunny weather,100 plus visitors and to cap it off,an England victory against the All Blacks on Sunday!!!!!!

Cessna 180/185 weekend gathering

Over the weekend of 31-02 November Tauranga hosted a mini gathering of Cessna 180 and 185 aircraft to the BOP and overall to a lovely sunny but slight blustery weekend with over 11 visiting .During the stay all Cessna's departed around the area landing at various farm strips highlighting the style of the 180,s and 185,s that they can be operated in .

Here is the list of visting aircraft over the weekend.

Cessna 180,s
ZK-BSP and ZK-KRM  from Ardmore
ZK-DRG from Pukekohe Airstrip
ZK-RWC from Mahia
ZK-WGT from Otorahanga
ZK-EEJ  from Stratford
ZK-CBH from Palmerston North
ZK-DKE from Piopio area
ZK-DKP locally based.

Cessna 185F,s
ZK-DOC locally based
ZK-JHS from Whitianga
ZK-CES from Paraparaumu
ZK-CAK from farm strip near Napier
ZK-EFB from North Shore

And finally there was a UFO situated over the airfield.......... Ohh damm only a cloud !!!!!

Visitors noted in October to Tauranga

ZK-IGL EC135 lands for fuel .It can be found residing up at North shore

Air TourerT6  ZK-CPG visiting Classic Flyers before departing back to Ardmore

DH82 Tiger Moth ZK-AJP arrives from Hastings for minor maintenance.

Cessna 180 ZK-BDB operated by Clevedon Aviation  at Ardmore.

Newly arrived into NZ was Cirrus SR22T ZK-CNZ visiting for the first time to Tauranga from Feilding.

Harvards ZK-ENJ /98 and ZK-ENF /65 en-route back to Ardmore.

North Shore based Cessna 150 ZK-DOF

Departing from Flight Care was Cessna 172M  ZK-JIB heading back to Whangarei.

A very rare visitor from the south Island was this lovely Cessna 185F up from Queenstown  parked up outside Classic Flyers Hangars.This is used by Air Milford 2000 for Tourist flights over the Fiords of South New Zealand

Dropping in from Taupo was this German owned Piper PA28 -140 ZK-CNU