WONZ 254 - Airtrainer At 50

[Dave Homewood]

The Wings Over New Zealand Show 254 is now online. In this episode, to mark 50 years since the first flight, Dave Homewood talks with Alan Thoresen and Owen Jones about their memories of working on the team the built the original AESL CT/4 Airtrainer Prototype ZK-DGY. The Airtrainer prototype was designed and built by Aero Engine Services Ltd (AESL) at Hamilton Airport, New Zealand, utilising some components from the previously constructed Victa CT/2 Aircruiser, but with much new design of the structure to bring the aircraft up to fully aerobatic military standard. The design team was led by Pat Monk, and the result was a brilliant military trainer that served with several of the world’s Air Forces. It first flew on the 23rd of February 1972.

The Airtrainer went into production in 1973 after a new company, New Zealand Aerospace Industries (NZAI), was formed from the merger of AESL and Air Parts (NZ) Ltd., to create a production line. The aircraft went on to serve with the Royal Thai Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the Royal Thai Police, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, the Singapore Youth Flying Club, Ansett and BAE Systems.

The guys talk about subsequent design developments, and interesting flights. The CT/2Aircruiser and the Airtourer line also get coverage.

Many also remain flying in private hands in Australia and New Zealand,including the prototype itself, ZK-DGY, which is owned and flown by a New Zealand Warbirds Association syndicate, and based at Ardmore, Auckland, New Zealand.

cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2022/03/wonz-254-airtrainer-at-50/


Above: Owen Jones, left, and Alan Thoresen, right. Both are WONZ Forum members.



ZK-DGY

[ZacYates]

That was absolutely fantastic Dave, thank you and to Alan and OJ for sharing their stories. It's an anniversary that really snuck up on me!

Dave, I do hope you can interview Ralph Etheridge as his career - particularly his test flying in the Cresco programme - would make another fascinating episode.

[oj]

As Alan and I stated, regarding the construction of ZK-DGY, we were just peripheral players.
And we were conveniently local for Dave to get the ball rolling.
Dave has been given a list of those key people who were intimately involved with the build and early flying.
No doubt we will hear much more from them when they can be located and interviewed.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes I will try to track down some of them and record with them when I can. I sort of decided to get this one recorded and out asap to mark the 50th. But there's always time down the track for more stories from our own aircraft industry.

[Dave Homewood]

Peru is a potential customer that I'd never heard about.

Peru might buy planes

(N.Z Press Association) HAMILTON, July 28.

Peru was interested in ordering up to 60 Airtrainer aircraft from Aero Engine Services, Ltd, of Hamilton, said the managing-director (Mr A. M. Coleman) to the Australian Defence Minister (Mr Fairbairn). Mr Coleman was showing Mr Fairbairn the company’s factory at Rukuhia. This week the Australian Government ordered 37 Airtrainers. “We have received inquiries from Peru . . . they would probably want to build them up themselves so we would send them over detailed parts and plans,” Mr Coleman said.

The company had also received inquiries from Indonesia and the Philippines. Tomorrow Mr Coleman will fly to Thailand to try to secure an order from the Government for 20 Airtrainers for the Royal Thai Air Force. Thailand is reported to have approved the deal in principle.

PRESS, 29 JULY 1972