< PreviousKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 69 20 Harewood Aviation Park 4/25 Aviation Drive PO Box 39 144, Christchurch 7676 Tel: 03 359 1001 Cell: 027 733 6982 - Pip, Director 027 280 3160 - James, Chief Engineer E-mail: info@helimaintenance.com www.helimaintenance.com Independent Helicopter Maintenance Company Dr Anton Wiles & Dr Jon Nelson - ME 1 (New Zealand) - Australia (CASA) - U.K. and Europe (EASA) - AME (Canada) - United States (FAA) - Fiji Your Experienced Aviation Medical Services TeamP: 09 298 8206 or 0800 322 206 F: 09 298 8218 E: insure@avsure.co.nz www.avsure.co.nz Contact us at AVSURE for a free no-obligation quote on any aviation related insurance requirements that you have AIRCRAFT AVIATION LIABILITY PROPERTY PERSONAL l Pleasure & Business Aircraft l Charter l Aircraft Sales l Flying Schools l Clubs l Agricultural l Helicopters l Premises l Airports l Products l Chemical l Hangar keepers l Hangars and Contents l Pilot Personal Accident l Passengers l Pilots term life AVSURE provides the most competitive insurance programmes available in the Aviation Industry. When considering your aircraft insurance, you definitely need the best ADVICE, EXPERIENCE and RESOURCES. At AVSURE, WE DELIVER. AVSURE - where aviation insurance isn’t just a sideline, it’s all we do! RPAS, UAVs, DRONES l Commercial Operator Cover for: Hull & Liability or Liability only SPECIALIST AVIATION INSURANCE BROKER Boston Marks | A Gallagher Company Aviation Insurance contributed by Bill Beard 21 2020 #3 The term ‘warranty’ as used in an aircraft insurance policy differs from the use of the term in relation to other types of contracts. Bill Beard from Avsure explains: A warranty is a term in a policy which requires strict compliance by the Insured. Predominantly the term is used in relation to approved pilots under the policy. The Pilot Warranty may stipulate a schedule of named pilots or a guideline as to minimum qualification or levels of experience under an Open Pilot Warranty. Important aspects to bear in mind are: • Be acutely aware of your Pilot Warranty at all times because in the case of a claim, a breach of any warranty entitles the Insurers to avoid the policy regardless of the fact that the warranty may not be material to the risk and also regardless of whether the loss is in fact caused by the breach of warranty. • Compliance with all air navigation and airworthiness orders and ensuring that the aircraft is airworthy at the commencement of each flight. Of absolute importance is to ensure your ARA and BFR are current and ensure that all employees and users of your aircraft comply with such requirements. The following exclusions apply to all aircraft policies: • Whilst an aircraft is being used for any illegal purpose or for any purpose or use other than that included in the policy. • Whilst the aircraft and/or components are being transported by any means of conveyance except as a result of an accident. • Whilst the aircraft is being piloted by any person other than stated in the schedule (the exception is that the aircraft may be operated on the ground by any person competent for that purpose). • Whilst the total number of passengers being carried in the aircraft exceeds the declared maximum number of passenger seats stated in the schedule. • Whilst the aircraft is landing on or taking off or attempting to do so from a place that does not comply with the recommended take-off/ landing distances specified in the pilots handbook. There are other “do’s and don’ts” but generally these are the important ones and if you ensure compliance with the above bullet points then the chances of a claim being denied would be very remote. For more information To discuss this topic or any other aviation insurance questions, or to seek quotations, contact Arden Jennings or Bill Beard at Avsure on 0800 322 206. Full policy wordings are listed on our website at www.avsure.co.nz Aviation Insurance Policies Warranties and ConditionsKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 69 22 Cumulonimbus clouds (CB) are one of the most dangerous weather phenomena pilots can encounter. Severe turbulence, severe icing, hail and lightning are all potential hazards, depending on the stage of the cloud’s development. A common misconception is that anticyclones only bring fine weather. But in winter they often have extensive stratocumulus or stratus clouds, and in summer they can have thunderstorms. Convective cloud, of which CBs are the most violent form, results from air A rule of thumb for many weekend aviators is that a nice big anticyclone will bode well for a comfortable trip somewhere in nice fine conditions. That’s not necessarily the case though. In fact in some circumstances, beware thunderstorms. Ciaran Doolin, MetService Meteorologist and Adjunct Teaching Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington, explains: Cumulonimbus clouds are one of the most dangerous weather phenomena pilots can encounter. Aviation Meteorology contributed by Ciaran Doolin being lifted into an environment where it’s warmer than the surrounding air. When this occurs, we say the lifted air has ‘positive buoyancy’ and the atmosphere is ‘unstable’. The familiar phrase ‘hot air rises’ gives us the bones of this idea. However, the phrase misses an important detail; namely that, as air rises, it encounters lower pressure and therefore expands and cools. If lifted air cools less rapidly than the environment does, the lifted air will be warmer than its surroundings. When this happens, it’s almost always because the water vapour in the air has condensed, releasing latent heat which slows the rate of cooling of the now saturated rising air. But how does the atmosphere become unstable in the first place? There are two main ways to produce instability. Firstly, the air may be heated from below. This happens, for instance, when cold air originating far to the south of New Zealand moves over the warmer seas of our latitudes. Secondly, cooling aloft, Thunderstorms in an anticyclone typically associated with the passage of an upper atmospheric trough. An unstable atmosphere is not alone sufficient for convection to initiate. A ‘trigger’ is needed to force air up to such a height it becomes saturated. In a summer anticyclone environment, this is typically convergence of sea breezes, high surface temperatures, mechanical turbulence or anabatic flows up terrain – often a combination thereof! A case study In mid-November 2017 an intense ‘blocking’ anticyclone established itself over New Zealand. Its persistence was unusual, lasting into early-December. The primary driver of this ‘block’ was a positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode around Antarctica, with a lesser factor being La Niña conditions in the Pacific. Initially the surface anticyclone was supported by strong ridging aloft. This supressed any convection and made for good flying weather across much of 23 2020 #3 the country. However, on the night of 23 November, this upper ridge began moving east of the country. The ridge was replaced by an upper trough which brought in much colder air aloft. During this period, surface temperatures remained high, as did dew-point temperatures. This combination led to several days of extensive thunderstorm activity, some of which was severe. However, this dramatic change of weather conditions would not have been evident from the mean-sea-level pressure analyses, which showed a large, persistent anticyclone over the country. Consider the infrared satellite imagery from 23 and 27 November below. Surface temperatures were similar on these days, as were dew- points, and yet the satellite pictures are very different. This demonstrates that changes in upper atmospheric conditions Mean-sea-level analysis for midday (NZST) 27/11/2017 Infrared satellite imagery (courtesy JMA) at 5pm (NZST) on 23 (above) and 27 (below) Nov 2017. This shows the temperature of the top-most surface that the satellite sees from above. Cloud-free areas are relatively warm (15 o C or more) and appear black, low cloud (cooler) is dark grey, and high cloud (-20 to -30 o C) is white. The red areas are the coldest cloud tops (around -40 o C). Mean-sea-level analysis for midday (NZST) 23/11/2017 F K i i can spell the difference between excellent or hazardous flying conditions. MetService’s meteorologists, as part of their core job, closely monitor the atmospheric conditions at all levels. Conclusion Don’t take anticyclones for granted. Fine weather one day can quickly deteriorate without any obvious change in the mean-sea-level analysis. Information about CB risks for aviation can be found in the Graphical Aviation Forecast (GRAFOR) and Graphical New Zealand Significant Weather (GNZSIGWX) products that MetService’s aviation meteorologists produce every day. If CB activity has met certain criteria, then a Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) advisory will also be issued. Ciaran Doolin EuroFOX DtiAircraftSales.com NZ Agents for AeroPro EuroFOX. LSA or Microlight category. Tricycle or tail wheel undercarriage. Glider tow version. Rotax 912 ULS engine. Wings can be folded. Outstanding quality and reliability. Priced from €60,000 ex-factory plus optionsKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 69 24 Mark O’Sullivan in formation for his first photo flight in Steadfast since its arrival in New Zealand. The camera plane was a Nanchang flown by Jay McIntyre. To celebrate getting back to Alert Level One a Wings and Wheels event was hosted by the Omaka Aviation Heritage Omaka on 28th June. This was a free event for the locals and a chance for owners to dust off their aircraft and classic cars to be admired by all in attendance. One such local in attendance was Gavin Conroy who captured the images shown and summarises the day in the following: contributed by Gavin Conroy Level One Celebration at Omaka Events like these don’t have a structured flying programme as such; rather they are a chance for owners and pilots to take flight for trips over the local area and for some to practice airshow displays over the field. The day was also a homecoming celebration for the Yak-3U known as ‘Steadfast’. This was Steadfast’s first public appearance since coming back to New Zealand thanks to its purchase from Australia by two local pilots. NZ aviation enthusiasts saw this aircraft perform at the Classic Fighters airshow a few years ago but at the end of this display we knew she would be here to stay. Steadfast has a fantastic smoke system and when Mark O’Sullivan flew the aircraft over the field at high altitude the aircraft could be clearly seen from miles away. Followers of the Reno Air Race will know of Steadfast’s participation there, but the aircraft is not the only resident racer on the field at Omaka. Racing pedigree is also shared by Graeme Frew’s Yak-3M better known as ‘Full Noise’. Both Graeme and Ryan Southam took the opportunity to practice their Yak displays during the day. Historic biplanes like the DH Tiger Moth, DH Fox Moth, and Fleet Biplane stretched their wings and Mark also 25 2020 #3 Event Report Gavin Conroy image practiced his solo display in Harvard 7660. Many other local aircraft made an appearance on the day. Bill Reid flew the magnificent Avro Anson a couple of times and Ronan Harvey flew his Lockheed 12. It was an all-round fun day with plenty to see, and to me, one of the best open days we have hosted for a while. A lot of locals brought their aircraft out for the crowd to view, the weather was good and the atmosphere was great. The event also showed just how many amazing aircraft are based in hangers at Omaka Airfield. Gavin Conroy Steadfast’s smoke system can be seen from miles away. Ronan Harvey joining overhead in his Beech 18. Tiger Moth and Fleet 16B take off in formation. Bill Reid landing his beautiful Avro Anson.Ryan Southam rolling Yak 3 “Full Noise” over home base. Mark O’Sullivan had a busy day, here in Harvard 7660. F K Contact Logan for New & Used Alpi Sales and Servicing Requirements 027 490 1553 or jenandlogan@xtra.co.nz www.alpiaviation.co.nz THE ALPI FACTORY IS BACK AT WORK Enquire for special deals now available Alpi Aviation NZ Ltd. is proud to introduce the P 300 Griffon l Improved aerodynamics l Wider cabin interior l Larger bubble l New ergonomic seats l Integrated avionics options l New console and arm rest l Available with Rotax 915iS or 912iS engine 140 kt (912iS) to 155 kt cruise (915iS) (@75% and sea level) from 21 lphKiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 69 26 On December 21 st 1936 New Zealand’s first Beechcraft arrived in Auckland, after a long sea voyage from New York. Serial no. 107, a C17L was purchased by the Auckland Aero Club with support from the St. John Ambulance Association who saw the opportunity it provided for an air ambulance service. Later, the Staggerwing was sold into Australia where she enjoyed another decade of flying. For the last 50 years however, the aircraft has been hidden in storage. And then the stars aligned for Don Grant who acquired her with a view to a just commenced restoration in NZ. Don shares the story: NZ’s first Beechcraft home again Back in 1936 the St. John Ambulance Association became interested in the potential for an air ambulance service in New Zealand and approached the Auckland Aero Club to see what would be the most suitable aircraft. A Beech 17 was decided upon and a public appeal raised over £2000 towards the purchase. Unfortunately the plane was damaged during transit from the USA but ZK-AEU finally flew in May 1937. It was, at the time, the fastest aircraft in New Zealand. She produced a number of records, including the first aircraft to fly non-stop from Auckland to Christchurch on the 28th October 1937. Special permission Beechcraft C17L s/n107 at Wichita, 1936 before being disassembled for shipping to New Zealand. Photo: Beechcraft Heritage Musuem Kiwi Flyer Project contributed by Don Grant CALL NOW Hangar Facilities and full workshop available at Rangiora Airfield Special inaugral rates of $85 +GST per hour Ask us about Discounts for AOPA members Phone 03 310 6675 to enquire or make bookings Introducing Nick Schischka and Tony Schischka - Licenced Engineer - Group 1 2 3 & 4 Airframes and Group 1 Engines C anterbury A ircraft M aintenance27 2020 #3 Some of the hundreds of pieces that needed sorting, cleaning and loading. had to be obtained from Wing Commander Wilkes, the controller of Civil Aviation for the flight to take place. The Staggerwing was well used by St John and the Auckland Aero Club who also used her for private hire to fly passengers around New Zealand for pleasure or business. World War II then intervened and on September 21st 1939 the NZ Government impressed the aircraft from the Aero Club and it became NZ573. In addition to air ambulance work she was now also used for transporting important officers and military attaché around the country. Then on 1st April 1940, NZ573 crashed while landing at Opotiki to pick up a stretcher patient bound for Gisborne. We believe she veered off into a ditch during a crosswind landing. Subsequently the aircraft was brought back into service in 1941, this time with the full RNZAF camouflage paint scheme. The Air Force didn’t have a lot of luck with NZ573 (Staggerwings being tricky to land if not handled correctly) and on 1st February 1943 she was crashed again, this time at Taupo. Repairs were not completed until August 1945 when she was reputedly re-engined with a Continental W670/6A taken from a tank, though she was later handed back to the Auckland Aero Club in May of 1946, this time with a Jacobs 275 hp engine (the original was a Jacobs 225 hp variant) where she became ZK-AJS. By all accounts the Staggerwing was very popular with club members and was seen in many parts of the country. To Australia In 1954 the club sold AJS to an Australian farmer, becoming VH-BOU in the process. The plane later changed hands three more times and registration twice, until crashing in North Queensland on take-off, August 30th 1967. She was transported back to Geelong, near Sydney where two years later she was discovered by a Qantas Airline pilot, Bert Smithwell in a dilapidated condition in a warehouse. A vandal had smashed all the instruments. Captain Smithwell couldn’t stand to see such a fine aircraft so badly treated and bought her on the spot. And that’s about when one of New Zealand’s most historic aircraft disappeared. My Staggerwing Story I first discovered the joy and utter delight of the Beech Staggerwing in the late 1990s. I was at an airshow in Westport when a D17S came roaring past the flight line at close to 200 mph. I’d never seen a Staggerwing before - in fact I didn’t even know they existed so to see Robin Campbell’s beautiful example Contact David: 027 222 0872 avionicscanterbury@gmail.com www.avionicscanterbury.co.nz ADSB Grants Available up to NZ$3000+GST. Fully mobile avionics service catering for customers throughout Canterbury and the South Island. Biennial Avionics Inspections. Installation certification and service of installed avionics equipment. Full aircraft wiring installations for all light GA, homebuilt, experimental and microlight aircraft. Fault diagnosis and rectification. ELT Battery changes. Finance Available on all avionics installations. Call for details. Approved Garmin Dealer and Service Centre. We are also dealers for Trig, PS Engineering, ICOM, uAvionix, JPI. Software and Firmware Upgrades for Garmin and other brands. Shop Online with Us Check out our Competitive Prices and Second to None Service ZK-AMU (the second Staggerwing to grace New Zealand’s shores) perform a flawless routine left me speechless. I had to find out more about these beautiful aircraft. Google and Wikipedia didn’t exist then and the internet was only really starting so I didn’t find out too much at the time. I just knew that if I was to ever own a ‘dream’ aeroplane, the Staggerwing would be my choice. I’m lucky enough to live only 2.5 hours drive from Omaka airfield - home to some of the best and rarest vintage aircraft in the world – and the Classic Fighters Air Show every couple of years. I’ve been to every show since the first one in 2001 which is where I saw Robin Campbell’s D17S again. In 2005 Robin was back again, this time with Gerald Grocott who had imported a G17S registered ZK-MOE. Also flying that year was Bill Charney in his newly restored D17L. I had seen Bill’s aircraft nearing restoration completion at the Croydon aircraft company in Mandeville, close to my hometown where I grew up in Southland. To see not one, but three beautiful red Staggerwings flying in formation was just unbelievable. I think this was the impetus for me to take up flying and in 2007 I began the journey to obtain my private pilot licence. Roll on nearly 10 years and in 2016 I happened to be talking to Mr Classic Wings himself, Graham Orphan at Omaka one day. We are both members of the Omaka Real Flying Company and have shares in a syndicate that owns a DH82A Tiger Moth and a C6J Nanchang. Graham asked me what would be my dream plane and I told him a Beech17. He then regaled me with the fact that New Zealand at one time had its very own Staggerwing bought new by the Auckland Aero Club but that it had gone to Australia. I asked him if he knew where it was and he said “it’s under a house somewhere in Sydney”. In 2019 after a change in circumstances I decided to do something entirely for me for once in my life - buy myself a Beech Staggerwing! I’d been looking (or rather dreaming) for over three years and Graham had been emailing me every time one came up for sale anywhere in the world. I’d always used the excuses - “it’s not the right time, I don’t have the money, I’m too busy”. I asked Graham if he’d introduce me to Cam and Tracey Hawley, who own VH-UXP, a Beech C17B and the only Staggerwing that is currently airworthy in NZ - at the Easter Classic Fighters airshow in Omaka. Incidentally she is serial number 108, a sister to the NZ Staggerwing and was shipped from Wichita to New York on the same wagon as the NZ Beech Staggerwing. I desperately wanted to sit in a Staggerwing, to see if my 6 foot 3 inch frame would fit okay - I’ve spent 7 years crammed up in my beloved Piper PA20 Pacer, ZK-PEE and I really wanted the Beech to be a little more comfortable. Meeting Cam and Tracey was the highlight of the weekend - I got to sit in the cockpit of UXP, stretched my legs out, my head not quite skimming the roof lining, though I could see the trim handle on the roof just behind my head might be an issue! But I was in heaven. I asked Cam if he happened to know about NZ’s only KiwiFlyer Magazine Issue 69 28 Kiwi Flyer Project Staggerwings 107 (NZ) & 108 (Aus) ready for shipping to New York from Wichita. The luxurious interior - in passenger and as an air ambulance configuration. 09 238 6955 or 021 228 3833 phil@glenbrook.co.nz www.glenbrook.co.nz ARTICULATED TELESCOPIC LOADERS Self levelling boom Great ergonomics Transportable by car trailer Manufactured in Finland Distributed NZ wide by Glenbrook Machinery 5 sizes of loader available and over 100 attachment options! Complete loader & trailer packages29 2020 #3 Refuelling at Kaikohe airfield in 1950. 30/8/1967, crashed on take-off at Cooktown, Queensland due to a strong crosswind. Staggerwing that had ‘gone missing’ in 1969 and no one knew exactly where it was. Not only did he know where it was, he had the owner’s phone number! With some trepidation, two weeks later I phoned the number emailed to me from Cam, only to get a ‘disconnected’ signal. Cam had supplied a second number, belonging to Captain Smithwell’s son - Ken, also a retired Qantas Captain. I tried again and managed after a couple of days to talk to Ken, only to learn that his father had passed away four months earlier, at the age of 94. Bert Smithwell had kept the Staggerwing hidden for over 50 years, intending to restore it and having had some professional welding of the airframe done in the late 1980s. This repaired the damage from the accident 20 years before, but then he put the plane back under the house where it stayed ever since. Cam had tried to buy the plane around 2008 but Bert wouldn’t sell it. Often in the world opportunity comes down to being in the right place at the right time - and Lady Luck was certainly on my side this time. After four months of negotiations with Captain Smithwell’s estate, I was incredibly lucky to become the sixth owner of s/n 107. Now I had to find someone talented enough to bring her back to life - I want her to be restored to original condition as she came out of the factory. There really is only one man suitable with the expertise, experience and reputation in Staggerwing’s in New Zealand. That is Callum Smith, who together with his wife Trish Wrigley runs Twenty24, an aircraft restoration company based at Wanaka. Callum had finished the restoration of VH-UXP, having originally been hired to do the metalwork. He was also more than two thirds of the way through finishing Cam & Tracey’s second AUNext >