NOTAR ZK-IKG at work.

My brief mention of the Mount Hutt Helicopters 2013 Ltd's MD NOTAR ZK-IKG a couple of days ago,  HERE  ,has prompted Allan Bowman to send these shots of her working in late December at Kowhai Farmlands just above the Rakaia Gorge.

That's Mount Hutt in the background.

Cessna 180K ZK-DBA

I finally caught up with Skyfarmers Aviation Ltd's Cessna 180K Skywagon ZK-DBA2 (c/n 18053022)  in their hangar, about 8 clicks south of Methven, on Thursday.

Below is what NZ Aviation News Magazine said about it.

It is always nice to see another Cessna 180 come ashore. 

A new listing for February 2017 is the 180K which became ZK-DBA₂ on 08-02-2017 for Skyfarmers Aviation Ltd of Methven where it will join the Air Tractor AT402B ZK-SAT, the AT504 ZK-SKF and the Fletcher FU24-950M ZK-BII. 

This 180 was built by Cessna Aircraft and listed to them as N2641K before shipping out to Australia where it became VH-SAA₃ on 02-07-1979 – I believe with the Salvation Army (Qld) at Longreach, Queensland. 

Other owners include K M Arnott Pty Ltd of Telleraga Station near Moree in NSW; Delmont Dale Pty Ltd with a Singapore address; then Alan Begg of Rushcutters Bay, NSW. 

Allan re-registered it as VH-IMC­₅ on 30-04-1998. 

The photo below shows VH-IMC5 as at 22-04-2007.

Not long after this photo it was sold to William R Mailer of Riddells Creek, Victoria, who re-registered it as VH-WRM_{4 (his initials)} from 09-10-2007. 

It was ferried from Scone to Lord Howe Island on 15-01-2017; into Kerikeri on the 16^th and down to Timaru on the 17^th where it gained its NZ certification with AVTEK. 

The earlier ZK-DBA allocation was to an AESL Airtourer 115.

Its VH registration was canceled on 02-02-2017 

Above we see it at Timaru on 06-02-2017 in full VH-WRM markings

It became ZK-DBA on 08-02-2017.

Below is the insignia as seen on the fin.

Below - by 16-02-2017 it was minus it propeller.

And was pushed (below) into the AVTEK hangar later the same day.

Next day - the 17th - it was almost minus its VH markings.

Below as seen at Methven on Thursday.

Around Auckland

A visit to Auckland Airport offered the Airways Corporation Piper PA42-1000 Cheyenne ZK-FIS which was imported from Australia in November 2017.

Also outside was the Air Chathams Convair CV580 ZK-KFH,  acquired in February 2017,  in front of the 2 SAAB 340Bs just flown down from Guam

Other than Air NZ and corporate helicopters all black aircraft are not that common here but joining this group recently is Auckland based Cessna 152 ZK-JFY.

From the other side of 'the Hill'

 Looking over the snout of the Porter at the western side of Mount Cook yesterday (20-01-2018).

Is that cirrus floccus above ?

Photo by Nathan Graham.

Pauanui

The local Pauanui Menz Shed organised a fund raising parachute drop via a team of 5 from the RNZAF, and they used Fly My Sky BN2A Islander ZK-PIY for the task,  now fitted with a parachute drop door

To add to the event Venom ZK-VNM did a number of low level passes before heading south to Tauranga

An earlier visitor was the privately owned RAM 160hp Cessna 172M conversion ZK-WTD from New Plymouth.