Cessna 180s in NZ

[chinapilot]

Peter - many thanks for that photo of 'BUS.

Recent one of ZK-BDB Feb 2017

[Peter Lewis]

Next listing for a C180 was ZK-BDE. This was put online by Rural Aviation on 14th December 1953 and carried out its first topdressing operation with them on 27th.

It went on to serve with Southern Senic Air Services (who seemed to use their 180s for passenger work and agwork on a rotating basis) in September 1957 before passing into the hands of the Southland Development Corporation who financed it for Hewett Aviation of Invercargill in November 1960.

Bill Hewett sold out to Rural Aviation and ZK-BDE was registered back to them on 16Feb1967 before passing on the charter work with Air Safaris and Services in the same month.

After a number of private owners, ZK-BDE was withdrawn for a rebuild in mid-2008 and started its second life at the beginning of 2011. Current at Woodend.

C180 ZK-BDE at Feilding in December 1954 while working with Rural Aviation



Still under Rural ownership, this photo is undated but I believe shows the aircraft at Palmerston North for the world's first International Agricultural Aviation Show, 9Nov1956.



ZK-BDE gives a haybale dropping demonstration, probably during the same event



You can see ZK-BDE in action at the 1956 Agricultural Aviation Show here, the airshow starts at the 6.20 mark.


Now with Hewetts, ZK-BDE at Invercargill March 1961

[Peter Lewis]

Cessna 180 ZK-BDF seems to have been the first one to carry out a topdressing operation in New Zealand.
Registered to Rural Aviation on 11Aug1953, it recorded its first sorte in October.
The paperwork may have limped behind, as CAA records show that its CofA was issued on the 1st November!

ZK-BDF remained in Rural ownership until cancelled in October 1957 when it moved across to Australia to carry on its agwork career as VH-AFK with Hazair Agricultural Services. It crashed a short time later at Timor, NSW, on 27Mar58.

ZK-BDF nearly brand new at Paraparaumu 16Nov1953.

[craig]

I like that old school paint scheme

[Peter Lewis]

It certainly suits the 180s lines.

[Peter Lewis]

The next Cessna 180 to go online for agwork was ZK-BDU. Imported by Rural Aviaton as a new aircraft, it had been allotted the US registration N2266C at the factory.

Kitted out for agwork at New Plymouth, ZK-BDU was registered directly to Northern Air Services Ltd. based at Te Kuiti on 11Nov1953.

Originally operated in a plain scheme, it later acquired quite large company advertising.

While operating off overloaded from a strip at Oparure, near Te Kuiti, on 2Mar1958 the load jettison system failed and the aircraft was badly damaged in the ensuring arrival back on the ground.

ZK-BDE at its Te Kuiti home base November 1954



Visting Mangere December 1954



Showing off its fancy new sigwriting at the Aerial Farming event at Palmerston North 9Nov1956

[kiwiduster1]

Lovely pics Peter !! Love this ag stuff !!

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-BEG was the next C180 off the rank. This one had been allotted N2312C in the USA but arrived new in 1953 into Rural Aviation's hands at New Plymouth.

The ag fitout was, by this time, pretty rapid and after getting its CofA on 19Feb1954 it was passed on the same day to Ron Graham at Mount Maunganui, who operated as Airspread Ltd. The date of intial registration, directly to Airspread, was 23Dec1953 (just beat Christmas).

ZK-BEG seems to have lead an uneventful life as a topdresser until it suffered an undercarriage collapse at Waitawheta (which is near Waihi) on 6Aug1962 (some sources say the 16th).

The aircraft was repaired after this incident, but may not have returned to active service before it was sold across to Australia were it became VH-SSQ with Superspread Aviation Pty.Ltd., Melbourne, on 12Feb1963. Its NZ registration was cancelled on 19Dec1962.

However the story does not end there. Passing through a number of Australian owners it became VH-CDW in October 1965 and was rebuilt after a landing incident in 1976. It was then sold to a Christchurch private owner and was re-imported into NZ becoming ZK-MUZ on 12Nov1994. It is still current.

Cessna 180 ZK-BEG of Airspread at Tauranga in 1956





After the 1962 rebuild has been completed, at Tauranga and ready to depart for Australia

[Peter Lewis]

Close behind ZK-BEG was C180 ZK-BEH. This had been allotted N2260C at the Cessna factory, but arrived new at New Plymouth to be kitted out for agwork.

Registered in the name Airspread Ltd., on 23Dec1953 it soon followed ZK-BEG to Tauranga.

Although the ownership was passed on to Ron's company Graham & Co.Ltd. in May 1954 and then to his own personal ownership in October, possibly for financial or taxation reasons, this Cessna 180 remained working within the Airspread organization.

The end came when, with Rod Dahlberg flying, ZK-BEH hit a tree on takeoff from a strip at Waimana, Opotiki, on 22May1956. The registration was not cancelled until 3Jul1961.

Cessna 180 ZK-BEH parked at Dannevirke airfield 4Aug1954. The agTiger parked further down the line was a common sight at that time.



ZK-BEH at its Tauranga home base.

[The Red Baron]

Great photos,enjoying seeing the Ag 180's.Especially the local Airspread planes.Airspread sold out to James in 1962,no doubt the 180's were replaced with Fletchers.

[Peter Lewis]

Airspread did have one Fu-24 in their own name, from September 1959 - ZK-BOD

[flyinkiwi]

Nov 12, 2009 23:19:42 GMT 12 flyjoe180 said:

I used to fly a C180K model (ZK-JFG) with a three-blade McCauley propeller and a Robertson STOL kit. It was a lovely smooth machine, although it was quirky in a crosswind. You always used full flap (or none at all) in a crosswind because the ailerons were drooped with the flaps up to 30 degrees flap which limited their defelction. They went to full travel again at 40 degrees flap. I believe that Robertson STOL system was part of a float plane kit? JFG came from PNG originally, having flown with MAF there. It was badly damaged in a crash near Kawakawa Bay near Ardmore years ago and was rebuilt with the mods, which was how I first flew it. I did around 500 hours in that aeroplane and loved every moment in it.

I think Colin (Kereru) has some good photos of JFG in action at Ardmore.

I had the privilege of flying JFG briefly on a recent club trip to Raglan. The controls get quite heavy as the speed increases and she demands a lot of attention to trim, but it was a delight to fly her and the O-470 runs oh so sweetly. Former Aero Club CFI Roger Cruickshank was PIC and I must say I'm glad I wasn't asked to land her.  She lives in Hamilton these days owned by the McChesney family who let Roger and other suitably qualified club members fly her.

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-BEI, which had been allotted N2329C at the factory, was the next Cessna 180 to make the listings. Registered on 23Dec1953, this aircraft came on line with Cookson Aviation Contracts Ltd., at Wairoa.

Bill Cookson reformed his business as Cookson Airspread Ltd., in August 1956 and ZK-BEI flew with that company before heading across to Peterson Aviation at Hastings in April 1957 in a non-ag role after Cookson took it over.
By June 1957 it had returned to agwork and gone south to Hewett Aviation based at Mossburn, eventually crashing on t/off Mt Linton Station, Southland, 20Aug1964 when the propeller came into contact with a fencepost.

Although there is no mention of their ownership in the listings, ZK-BEI was apparently used by Air Contracts of Masterton around late 1954, as I have a photograph of it in their livery. Anybody know?

ZK-BEI undergoing work in the Rural Aviation hangar at Bell Block



and outside at Bell Block in December 1954, showing the hopper installation



In Cookson colours at the static aircraft park at Milson, 9Nov1956, for the Agricultural Aviation event



Labelled as December 1954 at New Plymouth, probably before going to Cooksons



ZK-BEI parked at Queenstown 1962/63 while operating with Bill Hewett

[Peter Lewis]

Now that Photobucket uploads are back . .

Cessna 180 ZK-BEK started life in the factory as N2303C and arrived at New Plymouth to be fitted out for agwork.
This aircraft became operational for Rural Aviation from January 1954, and was one of those that participated in both the static display and also the demonstrations at the agricultural airshow at Palmerston North in November 1956.

Following this event ZK-BEK moved on to Air Contracts at Masterton in September 1957 before reverting back to Rural Aviation in November 1958 - possibly for repairs following an incident at Mauriceville on 8Sep1958 while being flown by Colin Thorne.

Under Rural ownership again, it crashed at Rongomai , Eketahuna, on 12Mar1959 - pilot Mike Lourie.
Major components of this airframe were incorporated into a rebuild undertaken by Rural which appeared in August 1959 as ZK-BMP.

ZK-BEK being worked on in the Rural hangar at Bell Block 19Sep1954



In the static aircraft park at Milson November 1956





ZK-BEK shows its paces in the air at Milson 9Nov1956.
The other aircraft in the photo are DH90 Dragonfly ZK-AFB, then owned by the Aircraft Engineering Co. of NZ Ltd., Wellington, and Lockheed 18-56 Lodestar ZK-BJM 'Whetumaramara' of Fieldair.

[Peter Lewis]

ZK-BEL had been allotted N2314C at the Cessna factory, and arrived in New Plymouth in late 1953. The registration was issued to Rural Aviation on 15Jan1954, and this Cessna 180 went operational with them.

This was another of the many agricultural aircraft that gathered at Milson for the airshow in November 1956, but I have no proof that it actively participated in the demonstrations there.

By March 1958 it had been moved to Wairoa where it was online with Air Super Ltd., mainly flown by Don Thorpe. After it was damaged when it overturned at Wairoa on 29Sep1961 ZK-BEL passed into the hands of Aviation Distributors Ltd., Palmerston North in January 1962. Following repair it moved across to neighbouring Manawatu Aerial Topdressing Company at Feilding where it was operated as their Fleet No.7

Frank Desborough then used it on spraying work in his Aerial Spraying (NZ) Ltd. operation from the same airfield until returning it back to Aviation Distributors in January 1969.

Aviation Distributors sold it into the South Island in April 1969 where it moved around among a number of private owners and contracting companies, including a stint at Rotorua in the early 70s, before it was finally written off after overturned on landing Big Bay, Westland, 10Aug2012.

Cessna 180 ZK-BEL parked outside the Rural hangar at Bell Block December 1954 while a NAC DC-3 taxiis past



In the aircraft park at Palmerston North 9Nov1956



Not sure where/when, but I suspect at Wairoa when with Air Super



ZK-BEL at Feilding as Manawatu ATD Company's No.7

[Peter Lewis]

The next Cessna 180 was registered ZK-BEZ to Rural Aviation on 31Mar1954 after being allocated N2317C at the factory.
Kitted out for agwork, it operated in that role for Rural until August 1957 when it reverted to passenger-carrying configuration and was sold to the Hawkes Bay & East Coast AC at Hastings.

This was in an era where there were stringent importing restrictions on bringing machinery and equipment into New Zealand, with import licencing and currency restrictions imposed bt the Government and the Reserve Bank. There was a work-around at the time whereby you could import an agricultural machine without running foul of restricive import licencing provided you used that machine for productive agricultural work for a specified time. This is probably why ZK-BEZ went topdressing prior to aero club use.

At some stage while with HB&EC AC it carried the name City of Hastings.

Afet 10 years with the aero club it was passed on to other owners (including a period in the Chatham Islands), eventually being damaged at the  Piopio strip on 25Feb2013 during forced-landing  caused by fuel starvation. The last time I saw ZK-BEZ it was being rebuilt by John Geary of Martin Aviation Services at Ardmore.
The registration is still current.

Cessna 180 ZK-BEZ in Rural Aviation livery at Paraparaumu 8May1954.
Note that it is carrying Australian-style underwing pods, which we have discussed and deduced that were part of a seed-sowing exercise.







Sans pods, at Dannevirke March 1956

[kiwiduster1]

I Flew BEZ on meat bombing when it was owned by Ian Garlick and John Plank out of Palmy and Fielding. She was also used for Aerial Mappimg.  Got a pic i will try to hunt out !!

[johnnyfalcon]

Some of my earliest flying memories was our family holidays away in BEZ

[Peter Lewis]

As an aside, as this thread is in the Agricultural Aviation Board I am just covering that part of the history of those 180s that were so employed.
(Not that I'm deterring anyone else from contributing whatever they feel is appropriate).

[kiwiduster1]

                                  ZK-BEZ when owned by HB@EC aero club. Landing Bridge Pa.