NZFF

I saw a grey-coloured Herc head into Napier late this afternoon (around 4-4:30pm), but it seemed to only do a touch and go: a few mins after I saw it disappear behind the hill on it's approach, I saw it climbing away, quite high up, heading West (approach is from the SE). I noted that the engines were especially quiet. I didn't notice any RNZAF markings (bit far away to see anything beyond the colour and Herc lines) - have the RNZAF Hercs had engine replacements? Or is there an Aussie Herc tooling around our skies at the moment?

IslandBoy77 wrote:

QUOTE (IslandBoy77 @ Sep 27 2012,6:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I saw a grey-coloured Herc head into Napier late this afternoon (around 4-4:30pm), but it seemed to only do a touch and go: a few mins after I saw it disappear behind the hill on it's approach, I saw it climbing away, quite high up, heading West (approach is from the SE). I noted that the engines were especially quiet. I didn't notice any RNZAF markings (bit far away to see anything beyond the colour and Herc lines) - have the RNZAF Hercs had engine replacements? Or is there an Aussie Herc tooling around our skies at the moment?

RAAF Herc's on a Navex of the North & South island.
South island yesterday
http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/...ing-rounds.html

IslandBoy77 wrote:

QUOTE (IslandBoy77 @ Sep 27 2012,7:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

(bit far away to see anything beyond the colour and Herc lines) - have the RNZAF Hercs had engine replacements? Or is there an Aussie Herc tooling around our skies at the moment?

These guy's will be just showing off ... just to pissoff 'Keys' and his bunch of idiots , i do wonder , the C130 , if the airframe works , maybe that's all that's needed ... new engines

We were in the Whitsundays about, well, 2 1/2 months ago now, on a ferry to Whitehaven beach when all of a sudden those buggers were buzzing us at about 50 ft!! I have never seen an aircraft fly so low, either at an airshow or in public. Certainly scared the shite out of all the rich superyacht owners they were buzzing and breaking over!!

Joe.

That would have been dramatic , i was heading home from work many years ago , two C130s , one Singaporean banked in over the Riccarton racecourse .... they were'nt anywhere as low as your 50 footer but is a memory that will stick i my brain case for ever .

JoeM wrote:

QUOTE (JoeM @ Sep 28 2012,7:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We were in the Whitsundays about, well, 2 1/2 months ago now, on a ferry to Whitehaven beach when all of a sudden those buggers were buzzing us at about 50 ft!! I have never seen an aircraft fly so low, either at an airshow or in public. Certainly scared the shite out of all the rich superyacht owners they were buzzing and breaking over!!

Joe.

A shame you didnt have a camera handy - that would've made for some excellent photos / footage.

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Sep 27 2012,7:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

These guy's will be just showing off ... just to pissoff 'Keys' and his bunch of idiots , i do wonder , the C130 , if the airframe works , maybe that's all that's needed ... new engines

I've seen both of these aircraft over the past two days as they have been over our house, in and out of Woodbourne. There have been lots of problems with the J model that didn't make them suitable for us. The problems are mainly with the composite 6 blade props which create a different wash. The induced prop wash causes airframe vibration. I'm not sure what has been done to correct this, but years ago when I talked to a visiting J crew, they said pax were only allowed 5-6 hrs flying per day! Hardly practical for taking troops to the other side of the world. On top of this, the composite props do not handle erosion well, therefore rough stone/gravel strips can be a no-go. That said the Aussies love them for medium range freight transport which they are suited. They use the E models to do all the tactical rough strip work!

Deane , maybe be the reason the USAF are playing around with the eight blade prop ? , one thing for sure is over the years the different sound signature even with uprated engines .

Well I just saw it come into Nelson about half an hour ago and then head off towards CHCH