Queenstown 24-08-2025

 On a beautiful winter's day, I had a brief visit down to Queenstown to try and catch up on helicopters there as it's been over 4 years since I last visited.

Whilst Queenstown was a bit quiet whilst I was there, there was still a few choppers around that I needed and was also good to catch up on what was local and not and update my list.

Here is everything I saw outside of airliners:

Visiting Aircraft:
T7-JOYY Gulfstream G550
ZK-HBK Kawasaki BK117 B-2
ZK-JCJ Bombardier CL-600-2B16
ZK-ZEK Cessna 680 Sovereign
ZK-ZOW Aerospool Dynamic WT9

Local Aircraft:
ZK-DGK Piper PA-28-235
ZK-HBO Bell 206B
ZK-HFK Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B2
ZK-HPS Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B2
ZK-HSM Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B2
ZK-HTW Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3
ZK-IAS Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3
ZK-IBV Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B2
ZK-ICH Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2
ZK-ICY MBB MBB BK117 B-2
ZK-IDH Airbus Helicopters MBB-BK117 D-3
ZK-IHO Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3
ZK-IKW Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3
ZK-INT Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3
ZK-IUS Airbus Helicopters AS 350 B3
ZK-KDI Daher Kodiak 100
ZK-KDK Daher Kodiak 100
ZK-MCL Cessna 208B
ZK-MCM Gippsland GA8
ZK-MSF Cessna 208B
ZK-PPR Cessna 208B
ZK-SDG Cessna 208B (On lease to Southern Lakes Aviation)
ZK-SFX Cub Crafters CCX-2000
ZK-SLA Cessna 208B
ZK-SLB Cessna 208B

Still looking very new only imported back in March this year

A great trip in the end with me getting 12 new ones from it. Now to get out to the glaciers and do the same thing at some point!

Hastings Dawn Raid 2025

 Today the Hawkes Bay and East Coast Aero Club held their annual dawn raid. The weather wasn't too bad, it was partly cloudy when I arrived and just a tad bit of wind, but I suspect the weather elsewhere wasn't like this as the number of visitors was down today.

Although there were a number of visitors that came in plus some locals, so it wasn't too bad an event in the end.

Here is what I saw:

Visiting Aircraft:
ZK-BEB Cessna 195
ZK-CHL Cessna 185C
ZK-DGL Piper PA-28-180
ZK-DGO Piper PA-28-180
ZK-DXL Cessna 172M
ZK-EAV Cessna 208
ZK-EBL Piper PA-28-180
ZK-ETJ Cessna A152
ZK-FNT Cessna 172E
ZK-GRF Schempp-Hirth Arcus M
ZK-HEU Hughes 269B
ZK-HLT Hughes 269C
ZK-HTP KHI Kawasaki-Hughes 369HS
ZK-HZF Schweizer 269C
ZK-JDP Rans S-6S Coyote II
ZK-JPC Cessna TU206A
ZK-LMG Zenith Zodiac CH 650
ZK-LSF Tecnam P2002 Sierra
ZK-PTP Rans S-7S Courier
ZK-SLN Sling Aircraft Sling 4 TSi
ZK-TES Tecnam P92 Echo Super
ZK-THK Tim Bygate Tiger Hawk
ZK-VRV Vans RV-6

Local Aircraft:
ZK-BSP Cessna 180
ZK-CHG Nanchang CJ-6
ZK-CDK Aero Commander 680-F
ZK-CPD Champion 7ECA
ZK-DVI Cessna 206
ZK-EIR Piper PA-38-112
ZK-EQB Piper PA-38-112
ZK-FCO Cessna 152
ZK-FGD Cessna 152
ZK-FLH Cessna A152
ZK-FQQ Piper PA-28-181
ZK-FTQ Piper PA-38-112
ZK-FWK Cessna A152
ZK-GHB Grob C 103 C Twin II SL
ZK-HLQ Hughes 269A
ZK-JBX Piper PA-38-112
ZK-JHF Piper PA-38-112
ZK-JKA Cessna 172R
ZK-JMR Cessna 172S
ZK-JSD Cessna 172S
ZK-JTC Piper PA-38-112
ZK-JVC Piper PA-38-112
ZK-KCW Cessna 177RG
ZK-LNU Cessna 172R
ZK-MAP Cessna 402B
ZK-MAV Cessna R172K
ZK-MBI Piper PA-34-220T
ZK-MRD ICP Savannah S
ZK-NEX Sonex
ZK-NPK Cessna 152
ZK-RVH Vans RV-4
ZK-SCA Zlin Aviation Savage
ZK-SHB Diamond DA 42
ZK-SMB Vans RV-12
ZK-SVQ Cessna 402B
ZK-TJK Micro Aviation Bantam B22J
ZK-TUT Cessna 152
ZK-WAG Piper PA-38-112
ZK-WAJ Piper PA-38-112
ZK-ZDM Cessna 172S

Lovely to see this old classic up from Feilding

Looking sharp in the new scheme!

Did end up with 2 new ones today, so wasn't a total waste. Looking forward to the next trip