It is the Bushby MM-1-100 ZK-DDC (c/n AACA/107/1) as ZK-CKE mentioned in the original posting. It first appeared on the register to Jack Reeves of Hamilton on 24-07-1975 & powered with a RR O-200A. Ivan Krippner of Te Awamutu became the owner from 06-08-1991. Photo above was taken at Wanaka on 16-12-2009 still listed to Ivan but also Classic Flights of Wanaka.

How many other MM's have there been in NZ ?

ZK-CCG2 a MM2-11 with c/n AACA/465. Tried to become ZK-JCM: the initials of the builders J & C MacDonald. This was cancelled on 20-08-1993 as not completed. John was part owner of the original ZK-CCG (NA P51D Mustang).

ZK-CWO MM-1-85, c/n AACA11/1 of H C Blair. which crashed at Paraparaumu on one of its very early flights on 09-12-1972.

ZK-DDC mentioned above.

ZK-DFN MM-1, c/n AACA/111/1 built up by P & J Keen of Te Kowhai, which was cancelled on 18-12-1992 to become VH-DFN with P Keen.

ZK-EDP MM-1-130, c/n AACA/144/1, by Glen Speden of Oamaru. Cancelled 29-05-2001 to become VH-MXB.

ZK-JCM not taken up became ZK-CCG2.

ZK-JFH an MM11, allocated to c/n AACA/1032 for John Healey of Darfield, but not taken up.

ZK-MFE an M-1, c/n 2036 with Mark Elworthy at Timaru.

ZK-MMC MM-1, c/n 946/AACA/474 was a long time project at Gore. Damaged at Dipton West on 22-08-1999.

ZK-ZLB M-1, c/n 957 imported from US by Paul Kelly of Dunedin in 2007.

There are also the Mustang 11's ZK-CAR, c/n 1713 of John Crawford at Christchurch and ZK-WOW with c/n AACA/610 of G B Yates which was not completed and cancelled on 16-03-1994. I suspect this now VH-BEY.

I think thats about it.

From Skopje to Rijeka with Skywings

On December 25, 2009, Skywings International Airlines, which has taken over the bulk of MAT Macedonian Airlines’ passengers since its collapse, has begun scheduled services from Skopje to Rijeka in Croatia. The service operates twice per week, every Monday and Friday. The flights are scheduled to run all through 2010 and are operated by the Boeing B737-300.

A spokesperson from the “GAT Executive” company, which is organising the flights said, “These are charter flights, but they will operate on a regular basis twice per week while the ultimate goal is that they become a regular service. If the need for more flights is shown we are ready to introduce an additional weekly line, and I must point out that so far there has been great interest”. He continues by saying that businesspeople and tourists are expected to be the main customers on these flights. The service will also help boost passenger numbers at Rijeka Airport during the winter months when travellers are almost non-existent.

The GAT spokesperson said that the company’s aim is to establish regular services from Rijeka to all capital cities of the former Yugoslavia. He says that flights from Rijeka to Belgrade are on the verge of being established and that the future flights would operate daily.

Belgrade's latest customer

The Greek based Aegean Airlines inaugurated daily flights from Athens to Belgrade on January 1. Aegean adds further competition to the route which is currently served by both Jat Airways and Olympic Air. From January 11, Olympic will be increasing the number its frequencies to Belgrade from 1 daily to 11 weekly. Aegean Airlines is Greece’s largest scheduled airline. In total, 23 weekly flights will now be available for passengers to choose from on this route.

Meanwhile, a Russian airline named Yamal will begin scheduled services from Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport. Flights will commence on February 3 and will operate 2 times per week. This will bring the total number of flights between Belgrade and Moscow to 16 per week. Belgrade will now also be connected to Domodedovo Airport as both Jat and Aeroflot operate flights to Sheremetyevo. Yamal Airlines is the third Russian airline to operate flights to Belgrade after Aeroflot and Gazpromavia.

While at Ardmore on 31 December, I also photographed this interesting helicopter ZK-HPW.

I thought it was just a Jet Ranger but on checking it is actually a true ex military craft and is registered as a Bell OH-58A with a previous identity as ex MIL. It features an Army National Guard crest on the door and has the number 43 above the windscreen. It is painted overall matt black and you can still (just) see the wording "United States Army" on the tail boom - you can just see the writing if you enlarge the photograph. Unfortunately you cannot make out any serial as this would be where the registration is now painted.

Giveaway signs that it is an ex military machine are the grab rail near the rear of the skids and the two large forward protruding wire cutters at the front.

The machine was imported into New Zealand by Airwork and first registered on 27/1/97, and it was sold to Airlift Trading Ltd on 1/2/09.

Can anyone out there supply any more details of this helicopter?

The year that was

2009 was a difficult year in aviation due to the persistent global financial downturn that affected passenger numbers and income. This is a short recount of how the national carriers in the former Yugoslavia performed:


Adria entered the year knowing that it would be difficult to reproduce results achieved in 2008, particularly in the first half of the year. In 2008 Slovenia was overseeing the presidency of the European Union and thus business travel was significantly increased. Adria’s passenger figures fell on average by 18% in 2009, but Tadej Tufek, Adria’s CEO said it would be more reasonable to compare the 2009 result with that of 2007. Slovenia was the first country of the former Yugoslavia to enter recession forcing Adria to cancel planned services to Sofia. Nevertheless, in February the airline received a new CRJ900 and announced a fleet renewal programme which will see the airline receive up to 3 Airbus A319s by 2013.

As 2009 drew to a close, Adria announced that it will commence 6 weekly flights to Belgrade in March of 2010 and posted its first profit of the year in the third quarter of 2009. On January 1, 2010 the airline became a full member of Star Alliance.


B&H Airlines started the year off optimistically. Being purchased by Turkish Airlines in late 2008 the airline announced a new fleet and new destinations. The national carrier of Bosnia and Herzegovina received its first jet engine aircraft, a Boeing B737-400, on May 10. With enthusiasm the airline announced new flights to Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Dusseldorf. However, this hasty expansion led to the termination of flights to Prague and Berlin due to poor interest. Similarly, newly introduced flights to Podgorica were also cancelled.

On the other hand, B&H Airlines managed to secure an increase in passenger numbers. In November it was announced that B&H would return the Boeing B737-400 in exchange for 2 Boeing B737-700s, one expected to arrive later this month and the other in March. The airline also announced it would begin services to Amsterdam in 2010.


Once again, Croatia Airlines ended 2009 as the airline with the most passengers handled out of all the EX-YU airlines. Its passenger figures did decline but not as much as expected. Still, the airline’s finances are far from positive and Croatia Airlines ended 2009 with the greatest financial loss out of all of the EX-YU carriers. In June the airline welcomed its 3rd and 4th Dash 8 Q400 jets. Near the end of the year Croatia Airlines listed flights to Belgrade in its 2010 summer season timetable. In spite of this, shortly after the flights disappeared and the future service to Belgrade, expected to commence on May 1, is under question. Croatia Airlines will inaugurate flights between Zagreb and Athens in 2010.

During 2009, Croatia Airlines celebrated its 20th birthday. Yesterday the airline became a full Star Alliance member.


Jat did not get an easy ride in 2009. From the beginning of the year the airline began recording immense passenger declines. Despite fleet renewal announcements the airline so desperately needs, Jat’s management was dismissed in July and a new one brought it. The previous management was blamed for signing damaging agreement with Montenegro Airlines that saw Jat practically disappear on the lucrative services to Podgorica and Tivat. The airline’s new CEO drafted a 2010 recovery plan which will see the airline order 2 Boeing B737-700 aircraft. In October, Jat was paralysed for a week by a strike by its technical division, Jat Tehnika, which was resolved with the help of the Government. The airline was battered by the press in the summer when photos of unscrewed bolts on one of Jat’s aircraft appeared.

In 2009 Jat began services to Abu Dhabi and began refurbishing it’s on board cabins. The airline stumbled on a major hurdle when it announced it would resume flights to Dubrovnik after nearly 2 decades but in the end decided to back away from these plans. Jat has announced that it will begin flights to Portorož in April of 2010 and offer free travel insurance to all its passengers travelling to countries of the European Union. Jat faces extreme competition from other airlines in 2010, with many announcing new flights to Belgrade.


The Montenegrin national carrier had been the quiet achiever of the year. The airline managed to increase passenger numbers, largely thanks to its domination on services heading to Belgrade. During the first few months of the year the airline was constantly plagued by smaller safety incidents reported by the local media. In 2009, the airline redesigned its website and began services to Copenhagen and Skopje. On May 23, Montenegro Airlines received its 2nd Embraer E195 jet and modified its final order for this aircraft to an E175 jet.

Talk of Montenegro Airlines’ privatisation began in 2009. A tender to find a privatisation advisor has been opened while El Al Israel Airlines seems to be the most interested candidate for the purchase. In July, power abuse chargers were laid on the airline’s CEO for grand corruption. The airline celebrated 15 years of existence and announced plans of creating a Serbian based airline in 2010.


MAT’s demise in 2009 was imminent as the airline’s debts mounted. MAT was officially grounded in April and criminal charges were laid on the airline’s management for continuing to sell tickets. That same management, together with the Serbian tour operator Kontiki, is now hoping to open Mat Airways in March 2010. It will take over the Boeing B737-500 aircraft previously operated by MAT.

MAT Macedonian Airlines is expected to begin bankruptcy procedures in a few weeks.

2009 poll results

Top 3

· Most convenient airport

1. Ljubljana Jože Pučnik (37%)

2. Belgrade Nikola Tesla (33%)

3. Sarajevo (13%)

· Will MAT be flying by the end of 2009?

1. No (61%)

2. Yes (39%)

· Best 2009 summer schedule

1. Jat Airways (56%)

2. Adria Airways (17%)

3. Croatia Airlines (11%)

· Should El Al take over Montenegro Airlines?

1. No (67%)

2. Yes (33%)

· Best solution for MAT

1. Jat Airways takeover (55%)

2. Takeover by an airline other than Jat (21%)

3. Takeover by Macedonian Government (11%)

· Which airline will be most affected by financial crisis?

1. Croatia Airlines (35%)

2. Adria Airways (35%)

3. Jat Airways (14%)

· Which airline should be first to fly to US/Canada?

1. Jat Airways (60%)

2. Croatia Airlines (20%)

3. B&H Airlines (10%)

· Best website

1. Jat Airways (45%)

2. Adria Airways (23%)

3. B&H Airlines (17%)

· Should Macedonian Government create new national carrier?

1. Yes (55%)

2. No (45%)

· Will Jat’s recovery plan be successful?

1. No (67%)

2. Yes (33%)

· Which airline had the most successful 2009?
1. Jat Airways (25%)

2. None of the EX-YU airlines (23%)

3. Adria Airways (17%)

At Ardmore on 31 December I stopped off to photograph this old girl outside Christian Aviation when a much newer relative taxied up. It was a nice juxtaposition of the old and the new, and also of a Cessna 150 and a Cessna 510.

Cessna 150 ZK-BWX was one of the earliest Cessna 150's to come to New Zealand, being first registered in May 1960. It has been owned by the Brown/Dalton Syndicate of Takanini since at least 1984 and it may be for sale as it was parked in that area. It features a rather creative placement of its registration! Can anyone post the history of this aircraft?

Cessna 510 Citation Mustang ZK-LCA is owned by Graeme Lowe Aviation Ltd of Hastings, and was first registered in New Zealand on 9 June 2009. It is one of three Citation Mustangs on the New Zealand register and it is ex N2243W. It is an example of a "Very Light Jet" and it can carry 2 pilots and 4 passengers.

Per my previous posting, ZK-SAY has been exported to Australia while ZK-DXO simply went as an escort and will be returning to NZ.

Diamond VH-DIV arrived at Christchurch early this (02Jan) afternoon and has either been hangered or moved on as there was no sign of it by mid avo.