West Auckland Airport Parakai is available for General Aviation, drop-in visitors welcome. Radio 123.5 in MBZ.  Due to frequent skydiving, please join downwind, base or final (not overhead).  Visitor parking by the hangars down taxiway

Welcome to ZK-HWV:   A recent arrival is microlight helicopter ZK-HWV, seen here in its box when first unwrapped, and being taken to its new home.   Around the world there is a lot of development work being done into helicopters of all types, from the small to the large.   We've not yet seen any of the electric helos, but they're coming...

ZK-HWV well fastened down in the box 

ZK-HWV.  No heavy ground equipment required to move one of these.

31 Years ago:   June 1988.   From the archives.   A skydive plane on runway 07 lifts off with another 3 or 4 skydivers on board.  In those days small aircraft with large piston engines burning leaded fuel were used, which required a lot of flights and plenty of dust from the limestone runway, which was not sealed until many years later.  Aviation never stands still, and skydiving now uses the PAC 750 which can lift 17 jumpers at a time, and uses a slow turning prop driven by a turbo-prop engine using unleaded avtur fuel.   No dust, no lead, a lot less noise, and a lot more economic activity for the area.

June 1988. Skydiving plane takeoff with landed parachute (or target?) in foreground

Heavy Maintenance for Tecnam ZK-CDL:   Every 1200 hours of flight there is a heavy maintenance schedule, with the wings and tail taken off and inspected, and critical bolts replaced.  While the plane is out of the air for the mechanical work, the seats and door linings have been to the upholsterer for recovering, and the airframe is to be repainted. 

ZK-CDL Heavy maintenance, June 19.   Fuselage stripped down. 

ZK-CDL Heavy maintenance, June 19.   Wing under inspection.   In the background, the Dynaero ZK-WIK has its engine cowlings off ready for repainting.

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Coming Events:

20th - 21st - 22nd September.   Hood Aerodrome Masterton NZMS:  90th birthday for this active Aero club on an aerodrome that has a wide selection of aircraft.   It is sometimes possible to see Peter Jackson's WW1 replicas, built to the original plans using materials of the time.

COROMANDEL NZCX:  Second Sunday of each month from 12:30. Clubhouse Ph 07 866 2055. Click here for airfield details.

WHANGAREI NZWR: Last Saturday of each month at hangar 10, the Western end of the row of hangars.  Whangarei Flying Club meeting at 10:30 with lunch to follow.  Clubhouse phone 09 436 4053.  Click here for airfield details.

MATAMATA NZMA:   Last Sunday of every month from 12 noon. BBQ flyin.  BYO meat for BBQ + gold coin.  Click here for airfield details.

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Tower and Engineering