Soloy Aviation in the US—the company renowned for its turbine conversions of various aircraft types—has recently opened an Avionics Services division that the company says is capable of offering “virtually any configuration or avionics package piston or turbine pilots can dream up.” Avionics Services has now been added to Soloy’s FAA repair station licence. In addition, Soloy has now become ...

On 21 October 2010, at Whenuapai Air Force Base, the RNZAF hosted an official ceremony to celebrate the provisional acceptance of C-130 Hercules (NZ7004) for re-entry to service following completion of upgrades under the Life Extension Programme (LEP), which all of the Air Force’s C-130’s will eventually undergo. The RNZAF operates five C-130s. It took delivery of its first three (NZ7001–NZ7003) ...

Three years and eight months after first announcing plans to develop a five-seat turbine helicopter, Robinson Helicopters received FAA type certification for its new R66 on 25 October. In addition to the type certificate, the FAA also presented Robinson with an amended production certificate that now also includes the R66, which will allow Robinson to begin deliveries of the new ...

If the magic of flight is what drives a person to learn to fly, then there cannot possibly be a better place to fly than Queenstown. The joy that floods an aviator’s heart once he or she leaves the ground is magnified a hundred-fold by the magical grandeur of the area’s scenery. The view of the Remarkables from the balcony of ...

Wakatipu Aero Club—A Remarkable Experience Sitting at the foot of The Remarkables on the shore of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown Airport is home to the Wakatipu Aero Club. Rob Neil visited the club recently for some refresher training in the club’s speciality: mountain flying. Boeing—The Asian Component(s). Pacific Wings was privileged to participate recently in a tour of major Asian factories supplying components for ...

By Donald Harward I consider myself to have been very fortunate. For a start, I believe that to have been selected to become an Army aviator was probably more than I deserved. Then having served an entire career, retiring, becoming a civilian and subsequently continuing to fly for several more years (far longer than I ever imagined, way back when)—especially when it’s ...