Light aircraft at Wellington

Today's light visitors to Wellington are an RV4 and a DA42.

The Vans RV4, ZK-RVV is is a new aircraft to me and is registered to a Tauranga address.

Vans RV-4, ZK-RVV

The second aircraft is a Diamond DA42, ZK-MTB, operated by Massey University School of Aviation.

Diamond DA42, ZK-MTR, operated by Massey University School of Aviation

The fleet and a visitor today

Today was tidy-up day at the aero club, so the entire fleet [plus other resident aircraft] were outside for a while. Today's first picture is a [rough] panoramic image of the the usual residents of the hanger.

Panorama of the WAC fleet and other hanger residents

This second picture is a Diamond DA40, ZK-MTK, which is operated by Massey University School of Aviation of Palmerston North.

A couple more Sunday pictures

Just a quick post with two more pictures from this Sunday afternoon at the Aero Club.

First up is a Diamond DA40, ZK-MTE, which is operated by the Massey University School of Aviation.

Diamond DA40, ZK-MTE, operated by Massey University School of Aviation

Next up is a Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, which is operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar. Slightly unusally this aircraft lined up and departed from stub taxiway A9 instead of full length before heading off to Nelson.

Bombardier DHC-8-315, VH-TQM, operated by Eastern Australia Airlines on behalf of Jetstar

Time to be a passenger and other aircraft

After an almost record [for me] 10.8 hours of flying in October, I was planning on remaining on the ground for the first day of November [far out - less than 2 months until Christmas!?!]. Plans of course are made to be changed, so when I was invited to go for a quick flight as a passenger in a Cessna T206H, ZK-JWH, it was a very quick decision :-)

The flight was a quick one up to Paraparaumu, a few circuits and back again, but still a lot of fun [thanks, Simon]. These first pictures are of the panel and of the approach into Paraparaumu.

Next up are a couple of diamonds. Well, Diamonds, from Massey University School of Aviation. First up is a Diamond DA40, ZK-MTL and second is a Diamond DA42 Twinstar, ZK-MTR.

Another Massey Diamond

Just a very quick post this time... there's a reason which you'll see in the next post.

Today's visitor was this Massey University School of Aviation Diamond DA40, ZK-MTH. Unlike its counterpart from yesterday, this aircraft stopped off for an hour or so.

That was fun... and here's hoping for tomorrow night

Today's fun was a flight in the Aero Club's Piper PA28-161, ZK-MBG. I had not flown anything for just over 2 months and I hadn't flown a PA28 for over 5 months, so it was good to get back into the air! Today's flight was dual [with an instructor] and consisted of a number of turns, a couple of simulated forced landings and back for some circuits at Wellington. We ran out of time for some solo circuits, but such is life.

As for tomorrow night, I'm hoping to start off a night rating in the PA28! A night rating [which will allow me to fly by myself and with passengers at night] has been right up there on my list of things to do, so I may as well get it over and done with :-) Assuming the weather is good enough, there will be more more details in the next couple of days... I can't wait!

In other news, here are a couple of visitors. First up is a Partenavia P68C, ZK-LAK, from Flight Training Manawatu which stopped off for a couple of hours. Next is a Diamond DA40, ZK-MTD, from Massey University School of Aviation. The final photo is a file photo of the PA28 I took flying today.

Enjoy!

File Photo

Windy windy windy...

Yep, the wind got up a bit today - at least strong enough to stop any flight training. Better safe than sorry and we are coming into winter, so hardly surprising.

There were a few interesting visitors, from the light to the heavy end of the scale. Here are three examples. 

First up is a Diamond DA40, ZK-MTA, registered to Massey University School of Aviation. Next up was a Beech B200C Super Kingair, ZK-FDR which is registered to Garden City Helicopters of Christchurch and is operated as an air ambulance. Lastly we have a Boeing 757-2K2, NZ7572, one of two operated by the RNZAF.

Light visitors today

Two light visitors at Wellington today were this Cessna 172S, ZK-JMR, registered to Air Hawkes Bay and Diamond DA40, ZK-MTD, of Massey University School of Aviation.

Enjoy!

Wellington visitors

Just a couple of visitors to Wellington highlighted this time around. The first is an Airwork Flight Operations Fairchild SA227-CC Metroliner, ZK-POF, departing.

The second is a Diamond DA40, ZK-MTH, registered to Massey University School of Aviation.

A couple of light aircraft at Wellington

Here are photos of a couple of light aircraft which visited Wellington today.

The first two aircraft [3 photos] are Diamond DA40 aircraft, ZK-MTC and ZK-MTK, both registered to Massey University School of Aviation.

The final picture is a Sounds Air Cessna 208, ZK-TZR taking off.

Massey Aviation Diamond DA40 Diamond Star

A quiet afternoon at the Club this afternoon, with a wee bit of painting and paintscraping done to help spruce this up a little. Today's "somewhat slightly interesting" visitor was this Diamond DA40 Diamond Star, ZK-MTE, registered to Massey University School of Aviation. I think this is the first time I've seen one of these Massey aircraft which can into service around mid-2009.

In other news, I hope to be off to the Classic Fighters Airshow at Omaka in a couple of weeks. If I do make it, there'll be photos of some interesting and extremely rare aircraft... more on that later.

Piper and the Duke

After my trip to Takaka earlier today, I arrived back to see a couple of visitors on the ground at Wellington. The first was a Piper PA28-151, ZK-DSK, operated by Massey Aviation in Palmerston North.

The second [and far more interesting] aircraft is a Beechcraft B-60 Duke, N60TE, registered to Nolan Aviation in Colorado. What is interesting is that according to the FAA website, this aircraft is operated under a classification of Special Flight Permit, category Operate Excess of Maximum Weight. I'm not sure what [beyond the obvious!] this means in practical terms, or why it would need to. Anyone have any ideas?

Visitors, Simulated IF and Classic Fighters

Today [Friday 10 April] was the Good Friday public holiday here in New Zealand. Perhaps unsurprisingly, after the easter church service in the morning, I spent a few hours at the aero club. A good choice as it turned out, as I got to go for a flight with another club member and act as a safety pilot for some simulated instrument flying [thanks Blair!]. Pictures are from over Palliser Bay looking north, and then looking south towards Palliser Bay. You can see that it was a really nice day!

Apart from that, there were a few visitors, including a "new type" for me. ZK-MAL is a Ultravia Pelican "Club" GS. I'm not sure where it is usually based, but it is registered to a Wellington address.

ZK-DJN is a Cessna 182P, based with the Airline Flying Club at Ardmore aerodrome. The last visitor is a Piper PA28-161, ZK-MBF operated by Massey Aviation in Palmerston North.

Tomorrow I'm off to the Classic Fighters airshow at Omaka aerodrome. The weather is supposed to be good - there are bound to be lots of photos over the next few days!

Wellington Visitors

It's been another hot day in Wellington, with the temperatures around 25 deg celsius [yes, that is quite warm for Wellington!], clear skies and a gentle breeze. I snapped photos of the following visitors today.

The first is a Cessna F152, ZK-NPI, from New Plymouth Aero Club. I'm not sure how long it is staying, but it's been here at least one night. The second is another new Piper PA28-181 from Canterbury Aero Club. ZK-LJE is one of the new "glass cockpit" PA28's that Canterbury seems to be importing these days. The last is a Massey Aviation PA28-151, ZK-EBH, after a touch and go.

Another fantastic day in Wellington...

...so good in fact that every Club aircraft was out today over at Omaka. Awesome! I wasn't, but that's OK. With any luck I'll be flying next Saturday. In the brief time I was at the Club I did manage to snap a couple of pictures.

The first is ZK-MUS the Acemus owned Cessna 510 Citation Mustang. ZK-MUS shortly lined up and departed from the Whiskey One holding point [rather than full length]. The second is the Westpac Rescue helicopter arriving back and lastly ZK-MBC, a Piper PA28-161 from Massey Aviation which was to depart to Kaikoura for a visit and perhaps a bit of whale watching.

Massey PA28

Here's a picture of a Massey Aviation Piper PA28-161 parked at Wellington today. In other news, I've booked a couple of flights in another PA28 - first to get current [with an instructor then some solo circuits], and secondly to get to the RNZAF Ohakea Open Day [check out the following post].

Piper PA34 Seneca

Here are a couple of pictures of a Massey Aviation Piper PA34-220T Seneca, that visited Wellington on the weekend. It's a nice enough looking plane, although they always seem to sit a little tail-low.

Still, it would be good to get my mits on one of these one day :-)

Massey University PA28-161

Here's a "random" couple of pictures of a Massey University School of Aviation aircraft that was parked at the aero club today. It's a PA28-161, and although that makes it nothing particularly special as an aircraft, the paint job is nice enough :-)