[1] The first aircraft van Asch bought, in 1936, was a Monospar ST-25 Universal which he named Manu Rere (registered as ZK-AFF).
In 1967 the old Monospar was restored and put back into flying condition, it was the last remaining plane of its sort.
He was an honorary member of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
In the 1953 Coronation Honours, van Asch was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to civil aviation, especially in connection with aerial survey.
[3] He was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to aerial mapping, in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours.