The speed makes the old 206 look like a real plodder JB - seem to remember it only did around 120knots max cruising speed - but the underslung bin was big enough to take lots of parts for Combine Harvesters (augers looked like long skinny crankshafts ) & other agricultural machines. Ideal for the country's John Deere agents..........

Bonanza was much faster of course - but my mothers cousin was killed in an accident in his near our small town when flying for the Police Reserve, the sole survivor of three said he had slammed the throttle so the engine died - bad fault on those particular engines.

Think it has a Lycoming, (IO360 -200hp) does about 220knts, has an inverted oil system. The blue RV9 (from the Vans site pics) was test flown April last year and I got a pic of its' maiden take-off, Hanger behind was where it was built (8 yrs) Has a Lycoming 320 (150-160hp- Cessna 172 etc) Found the complete NZ CA data base, and there are dozens of them here (initially only found 14)
JB

What motor does it have JB ? A lot of the kit built ones here seem to use either Rotax or BMW bike motors . Had one kit build at a hobby show a few years ago which was finally completed there. Young fella I knew was building one - got married and had to build a garage next to his house as the new bride complained about an aircraft in "her" lounge (sitting room ?). Not sure if they stayed married...............

Have not heard of any with the new 4 cylinder BMW motor - but expect someone will try it.

English registration is G I believe and Rhodesia was VP - SA of course is ZS . We had a V tail Beech Bonanza sharing a hangar with our company Cessna 206 - both had the same registration YFL but the Bonanza was ZS registered. Led to some confusion when we were both airborne at the same time - as you know pilots are inherently lazy with speech and only use the last three letters - Air Traffic Control used to get huffy as they did not know if we were coming or going..........

Hi Ron, Yes, it's a kit from Vans Aircraft. There are about 6 of these at the airport with a number of different models built, Very nice popular little homebuilt. If you look at the model listing, the yellow and white RV8 they have used in the header pic (see my pic as well,) I think is down here at this airport. It has been around for a few years now and was one of the first built in NZ, (for some reason its' rego doesn't show on the CA data base, - must still be under experimental)- a number are like that. There are probably around 20 in NZ.

https://www.vansaircraft.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwub-HBhCyARIsAPctr7x6W-xSQqAU8LI-z2NFEN68qUgc9kMcCkI9AtBwO4o3kBBgeplF3ToaAr5ZEALw_wcB

JB

Is that a kit plane?