The AOPA (Aircraft Owners & Pilots Assoc) are gathering at Omarama this weekend.
A collection of North Island aircraft passed through Rangiora yesterday (Friday 10-07-2009).
Below is a selection.
1960 vintage Cessna 210 ZK-RJS , c/n 210-57096 , at the Shell pumps. Following a 35 year stint in Australia this came to NZ for C H Mellsop of Hamilton, followed by a short time with Coromandel Phamacy and from 20-05-1997 it has been listed with C J & D R Hickman of Te Kuiti (Hickman Motors Te Kuiti).

Of even greater vintage was this 1957 Cessna 172 ZK-REV2 , c/n 29853 , listed with Trevor Hall of Te Awamutu since 02-05-2006. This also had a longthy Australian past history; In fact it still bears the "Lynch & Keft" titles from those days. Just above the venturi it carries the words "Wayebyn Too".

At a mere 29 years young was the Cessna 152 11 ZK-NPE , c/n 84064 , from Air Napier (until recently a local with the Christchurch /New Zealand Flying School). Off course with a registration like that, it has served with the New Plymouth Aero Club in. Actually it began as ZK-ETH with them in February of 1980 and changed to NPE on 23-07-1987.

ZK-EKM is Cessna 152 11 , c/n 80954 , which makes it older than NPE. It started with the Airline Flying Club in late 1978. Since January of 2008 it has been with Air Napier.

Below is the Cessna 180 ZK-CBH3 , c/n 32542 , imported from the US in early 2006.

ZK-BHP2 is a Cessna 182B Skylane. Built in 1959. Moved to Australia in 1966 as VH-BHP and to NZ in November 2006 for H H Ross of Hastings.

FINALLY. Thank you Anonymous Barry. ZK-SDI was what we have been waiting for.
Above is the RV-4 ZK-SIM2 c/n 2816 as spied at Wigram on 06-05-2008.
Below is the Stolp Starduster SA100 ZK-SDI c/n 14 at Rangiora 0n 21-11-2007.

A couple of quick copies of shots of the Meteor S.p.A. Sky Arrow 450T ZK-SKA c/n 011.
Top shot at Ashburton on 02-02-01 and lower view also at Ashburton but on 07-02-1997.

Saddly this aircraft broke up in flight and crashed near Inungahua on 14-03-09 claiming the life of the pilot/owner.

Its registration was cancelled on 03-06-09.

By bus until July 20

The Serbian Government and Jat Airways are optimistic that flights between Belgrade and Dubrovnik, resumed after 18 years a few days ago only to be ceased after 2 flights, will commence on July 20. The Serbian minister for infrastructure (under whose jurisdiction is air transportation), Milutin Mrkonjić said that the Jat Airways license issue for flights between Belgrade and Dubrovnik will be resolved next week when the ministries from Serbia and Croatia meet in Belgrade. Mrkonjić said that “... we want to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We proposed meetings between our ministries to take place this week but the Croatian delegation is currently in Brussels and therefore the meeting will take place next week. We will resolve the issue between the Belgrade – Dubrovnik flights but also for flights between Belgrade and Zagreb”.

The chairman of Jat’s management board, Saša Vlaisavljević, said that flights to Dubrovnik have to be put in front of politics and that they have been introduced primarily because of the will from passengers. Tonči Peović, Dubrovnik Airport CEO, said that he hopes the issue will be resolved as soon as possible. According to Serbian media reports the same mood resonates amongst most citizens of Dubrovnik.

Yesterday’s flight from Belgrade to Dubrovnik as well as the flight on Monday (July 13) has been cancelled. Jat has compensated passengers that were to travel on these dates although those that still wanted to enjoy their summer in Dubrovnik were flown to Tivat where a bus service to the seaside Croatian town was organised.

Above is ZK-NAA3 at North Shore Airfield on 11-02-2009 in good shape.
Below in modified form 09-07-09.

This poor quality photo, lifted from the Google news item, shows the results of a landing incident at North Shore Airfield on 09-07-2009 of the Piper PA-30-160B Twin Comanche ZK-NAA3. c/n 30-1785.

A reasonably late arriver into NZ, ZK-NAA3 flew into Kerikeri from Australia as VH-ESH on 09-04-2006 for listing with the North Shore Aero Club (Inc) on 05-05-06. Built as N8643Y during 1969 it migrated to Oz in August of 1974.

This Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair 111 ZK-EFW2 c/n 3289 was a product of the efforts of Bob Irving and first appeared on the register on 16-02-2006. Power plant is a Lycoming IO-540.
During its first flight at Ardmore on 05-06-06 the nose gear collapsed and it overturned.
Following a major rework it flew again on 17-09-2007.
At Whitianga 21-06-2009 its nose wheel dug into soft ground and it overturned again.
It was cancelled from our register on 09-07-2009.

Built by Wayne Matthews of Auckland, this Thorp S-18 ZK-WMT c/n WM101, is pictured at Ashburton on 04-02-2007 during the SAA flyin.
Noted for some long range flights WMT was being prepared for another adventure when it crashed at Whenuapai on 26-04-2008 taking the life of its owner and passenger. One of its note worthy flights was from Invercargill to Hobart on 18-05-2005.

It was cancelled from the NZ register on 08-07-2009.