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Post by Bruce on Feb 14, 2021 21:09:14 GMT 12
I love it Harry, what a great job! For a while I've ummed and ahhed about doing this myself as I rather like both the NAC scheme and Islander. After seeing this I'm wondering if you'll do the NAC sports club's Piper (ZK-BZB?)... ZK-DHG was an NAC flying Club Cherokee 6. It lives not far from me at the Kihikihi Golf Rd Airstrip, still with its NAC stripes.
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Post by Bruce on Jan 22, 2021 8:16:18 GMT 12
That's a different type of "Cannon Camera"...
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Post by Bruce on Jan 12, 2021 15:49:09 GMT 12
here is a period newsreel showing the crash site. It is apparent that the wreckage has been moved when you compare the current pictures to the newsreel. the fuselage has been rolled over, and moved relative to the wings.
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Post by Bruce on Jan 12, 2021 15:44:42 GMT 12
Is this the one that was a topdresser that crashed after flying from Woodbourne? AOE was an NAC freighter which crashed on the headland above Port Underwood (eastern Marlborough Sounds) in low cloud on a flight Blenheim to Paraparaumu in August 1948.
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Post by Bruce on Jan 12, 2021 11:47:03 GMT 12
yes, its another recovery from the John Smith Collection at Mapua, and will be restored.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 16, 2020 15:15:22 GMT 12
ZK-BPC soon became NZ's only float-equipped Cub, operating as such in the Christchurch area around 1970/71 before reverting to landplane status. PA18-105 ZK-KSS has been on floats recently too, splashing around the Wanaka region.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 7, 2020 10:39:35 GMT 12
Anyone know if the airstrip in Ōhinewai (lumsden rd), located at -37.467167, 175.160000 (click on the lat/long) is still around? It's supposed to be aligned 05/23 and shows up on most maps, but some don't show it. I briefly investigated the area myself after Black Sands 2020, but I was exhausted after being on my feet for so long so I feel like I may have missed it. I'm pretty certain the Ohinewai strip isnt active any more. Its easily visible from the expressway and there used to be windsocks at both ends, and marker flags beside the power lines. Nothing like that visible last time I went by.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 3, 2020 12:01:07 GMT 12
pity about the paintwork... 3 years in refit and it looks terrible! You'd have thought they'd give it a repaint before it was recommissioned.
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Post by Bruce on Nov 18, 2020 8:18:26 GMT 12
I am pretty sure that MOTAT Flea was at the Sport Avex airshow at Tauranga in February 2006. It Was. I arranged for MOTAT to bring it down as it would add a historic Homebuilt as part of the SAA hangar display.
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Post by Bruce on Nov 3, 2020 15:33:05 GMT 12
Tinopai (Maori for "very Good") is familiar to me as its my ancestral "Albertland" heritage.. Just across the Otamatea river from my Uncle's farm. No idea about a sealed airstrip though. The nearest established airstrips are at Maungaturoto, Ruawai and Dargaville, and those are all limestone chip surface. A sealed strip sounds pretty upmarket for that area of Northland, did Shane Jones visit?
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Post by Bruce on Nov 3, 2020 9:14:23 GMT 12
I noticed the other day at Te Kowhai, a few hangars down from mine there is a Modified HM-14 Flea being assembled - presumably to fly. It has the increased gap between front and rear wings, Folding wings and solid pushrods controlling the wing incidence, so it is the safer, amended model. I know nothing about that particular project though...
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Post by Bruce on Oct 29, 2020 8:20:12 GMT 12
In New Zealand, you are entirely permitted to build such an aircraft as an amateur-built rotorcraft. The propulsion and control methods are not restricted. It would have to be treated as any other kind of amateur built aircraft, in that it would need to be either microlight or special category - initially "experimental" and upon completion of test flying, "Amateur built". You would need the appropriate license (Microlight(H) or PPL / RPL(H) minimum). You do not have to be a qualified engineer, but the aircraft has to be constructed to sufficiently high quality using best aviation practice. The builder takes responsibility for the airworthiness of the design. Airworthiness is certified on the basis of demonstration during the flight testing process, which will require a comprehensive test plan under controlled conditions, and with a nominated and suitably qualified test pilot. Components do not need to be certified as the builder takes all responsibility for ensuring their suitability.
I have designed and built my own aeroplane and its actually a very easy system here in New Zealand. Its based on informed own risk and protection of 3rd Parties.
Bruce Cooke, Vice President, Sport Aircraft association of NZ
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Post by Bruce on Oct 13, 2020 15:14:48 GMT 12
When I went through Mangaweka a few months ago, there were specialist fuel system installers putting new service station tanks and pumps in place - looks like its going to become a service station again. going by the amount of infrastructure going in below the forecourt, someone has serious plans for the place.
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Post by Bruce on Sept 24, 2020 9:05:41 GMT 12
The Ashburton Aviation Museum also has a genuine ex-German Weihe, ZK-GAE. That example Was recovered from Germany to the UK semi-illicitly postwar and has had a long and illustrious career in NZ, including several altitude records. they were certainly great performing sailplanes! Interesting that there's another example in the country now too.
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Post by Bruce on Sept 23, 2020 12:50:51 GMT 12
With the shot of K5054 over "a docks area", I suspect that the large "warehouse - type' building below it is the Supermarine Factory at Woolston, Southampton. I think I have seen the photo elsewhere captioned as that.
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Post by Bruce on Sept 21, 2020 16:54:55 GMT 12
50 Sqn should have VN squadron codes in 1942, just need to find the aircraft code letter !
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Post by Bruce on Sept 17, 2020 20:23:05 GMT 12
Seems bizarre to steal something that would be so conspicuous if it comes up for sale. But stealing three containers of aircraft parts wouldn't exactly be a small job, surely someone must know/have seen something? Indeed! seems bizarre, but they could even identify the trucking company, but enquiries got nowhere, because "there wasnt anything in the log books"!!! The suspicion is the containers themselves were the target, for sale to either lifestyle block owners, or to the Pacific Islands, and the items secured inside were just incidental (and therefore likely to be dumped... )
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Post by Bruce on Sept 17, 2020 15:41:34 GMT 12
I'm good mates with the owner of the containers of stuff, and I won't name him since he doesn't like public attention, but he is pretty devastated by the loss of a lifetime's collection of potentially useable, and in some cases very rare, components. Parts included a large stock of vintage small Continental engines (C-65, C-90 etc) if you see such stuff around, its not stuff that would normally be seen in NZ aviation circles, so let the Police know.
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Post by Bruce on Sept 16, 2020 16:18:38 GMT 12
aaargh! Sharks teeth! interesting photo though - some kind of recruitment display?
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Post by Bruce on Sept 1, 2020 12:51:01 GMT 12
Hope all those markings have been measured to within an inch of their life... actually, you'd want a higher level of accuracy than that!
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