C130 takeoff

Here is a photo of of a Lockheed C130H, NZ7001, which is operated by the RNZAF. If you click on the image, you'll see condensation from the propeller tips.

Lockheed C130H, NZ7001, operated by the RNZAF

Local flight around Wellington

Another perfect day to go flying so another video!

This one is of a flight taken around Wellington on Saturday afternoon. It was a quick trip out via the Sinclair Departure, up the west coast and an Eastbourne Arrival with a couple of circuits.

Today's aircraft is Wellington Aero Club's Cessna 172N, ZK-FLT. As you can tell, I've found the ceiling mount, so no more dodgy dashboard bluetac mounting for me! :-) I also have a clamp mount on order, so this may give me more options for camera angles in future.



I'm still working out how best to edit video. I do think that I would like another camera so I can get different angles, but that will have to wait for now...

Cessna A152

Today's less common visitor was this Cessna A152, ZK-JEN, which is operated by Kapiti Aero Club. The "A152" means it is an aerobatic version.

Cessna A152, ZK-JEN, operated by Kapiti Aero Club

Flying competition

Just this morning I got a phone call about entering a competition. I've entered. It is next weekend. Could be very interesting! Will be fun!!

Check out this link for details!

http://www.marlboroughaeroclub.co.nz/healthy-bastards/Healthy-Bastards-introduction/

Piper PA18A-150 Super Cub flying

Last weekend I got to use that shiny new PA18 rating and go flying in Piper PA18A-150 Super Cub, ZK-BKN. Fun times! The flight consisted of circuits [you can never do too many...!] and some local flying over Whanganui.

This video is a cut of some of that flying, starting with a couple of circuits, then the view from Aramoho [northern end of Whanganui] back down the river towards the airfield and finally another landing.

I won't claim the flying was perfect, but it was a lot of fun! During the last landing, the windsocks were gently pointing at each other, so there was a small tailwind all the way in. I was also a little high. Having said that, runway 14 was still [by far] the best runway to use at the time.

Lastly, I realise that I do need to find a better place to put the camera. There's a whole lot of dashboard in this video :-(

Whanganui last weekend

I spent last weekend in Whanganui. The main reason was to get my PA18 Super Cub rating signed off [✔!] There will be another post on this when I can get the video edited.

There was however another attraction in the form of Air Chathams' Douglas DC3, ZK-AWP, which was undertaking scenic flights on Saturday.

I didn't get to go for a flight [I was busy and they sold out - hardly surprising], but here are a couple of photos.

Douglas DC3C-S1C3G, ZK-AWP, operated by Air Chathams

Douglas DC3C-S1C3G, ZK-AWP, operated by Air Chathams

Air Chathams had flown the aircraft down from Auckland and flew it back again on Monday. It is so good to still be able to see a DC3 undertaken commercial flights! Awesome!

Weight and Balance

I haven't flown the Super Cub for a few weeks now. I'm just waiting for better weather on a weekend to be able to head out and complete the type rating.

In preparation for this I have been trying to understand the weight and balance calculations for the aircraft. While I don't think I have all the details [looks like I might have missed copying some relevant pages out of the AFM], it is still weird*.

Get this:

• The AFM MCTOW is stated as 1750 lbs.
• BEW C of G position is in meters aft of the leading edge of the wing.
• BEW moment is in kg.meters.
• All other weights are in lbs, and measures in quarts [oil] and litres and/ or US gallons [fuel], both needing to be converted to lbs.
• All other moments are aft of a point 60 inches ahead of the leading edge of the wing and measured in inch lbs [or some other weird imperial measurement*].

Needless to say, weight and balance calculations are a bit of fun! I think I have done the weight conversions [to imperial measurements] correctly and I'm sure I've allowed for the different datam points correctly [added 60" to the BEW C of G moment after conversion to inches and deducted 60" from the resultant position].

I still think I have something wrong. Although I have spent a lot of time on this already, I'll spend a bit more time and try to work out why my resultant C of G position looks more forward than expected. I suspect I've stuffed up the BEW C of G position somehow.

Part of the Spreadsheet of Doom!

Hopefully I don't need to remind you all to not use this spreadsheet in anger... it's incomplete and looks like it has errors in it.

* you would need to be really old and a little backward, or American, or just a little weird [and probably a mixture], to comprehend lbs, foot lbs, inches, quarts and US gallons. All that is important is that the units are the same. Long live the metric system!

RNZAF C130H Hercules

Just one photo today - An RNZAF-operated Lockheed C130H Hercules, NZ7004.

Lockheed C130H, NZ7004, operated by the RNZAF

Circuits at Wellington

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go along as a passenger for a few circuits with Chris and to set up the camera. After searching [almost] everywhere else, I finally found a GoPro mount on the ceiling :-), so I put it up there. The aircraft is a Piper PA28-161, ZK-MBG.

Here are a couple of the circuits. I've sped up the boring less interesting bits to show the takeoffs and landings.



I'm hoping that I'll be able to do something like this in the Super Cub in a week or three. Also, I've found the Club's C172 has the same mount, so when the mags in that aircraft are repaired, I might get a video in there also.

Pencarrow Arrival into Wellington

Here is a brief video of a Pencarrow Arrival into Wellington, starting just east of Turakirae Head and landing on runway 34.

It was rather breezy, a northerly and I was south of the terrain... hence the bouncing around.

Monday's Singapore Airlines arrival

Here's the Singapore Airlines arrival on Monday. This aircraft is a Boeing 777-212/ER, 9V-SQL.

Boeing 777-212/ER, 9V-SQL, operated by Singapore Airlines

Piper PA28-140

Another visitor seen at wellington last Monday is the Piper PA28-140, ZK-ECY. This aircraft is registered to an Ohaupo address. From what I understand it has been upgraded to 160hp [instead of the original 140hp engine].

Piper PA28-140, ZK-ECY

Mitsubishi MU2B-60 Air Ambulance

Today's interesting visitor was the recently arrived Mitsubishi MU2B-60, ZK-PSR.

This aircrat is operated by Search and Rescue Services of a Taupo address and has been registered to them since import in June 2016.

Mitsubishi MU2B-60, ZK-PSR, operated by Search and Rescue Services

Gliding in the Isle of Man

I'm heading this way sometime later this year. This gliding thing looks like a lot of fun, and reasonably priced. Maybe I'll give it a go.


The club is the Andreas Gliding Club.

Windy New Year

It's warm enough, but as I write this, it is a little damp, rather grey and gloomy and the winds are gusting up around 100km/hr. In the middle of summer. Fun times!

There's obviously not going to be any flying for me, but after a quick trip to the airport, I have a photo which shows the scene quite well..

The aircraft is a Jetstar A320-232, VH-VGU arriving. Did I mention grey and gloomy?

Airbus A320-232, VH-VGU, operated by Jetstar Airways

Prior to this A320, FlightRadar24.com showed a DHC8 at about 1500' with a groundspeed of only 69 knots! The groundspeed did increase as it got closer to the ground [which you'd expect with the wind decreasing closer to the ground...], but still...