Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 17, 2022 0:11:00 GMT 12
The end of an era
(N.Z. Press Association) TIMARU, December 18.
Timaru Airport will be the terminal tomorrow for what is expected to be the last scheduled passengers flight by a DC3 in New Zealand. The sole N.A.C. DC3— ZK-AOF —will touch down from Christchurch about 7.25 pm., discharge its passengers and freight, then take off again for Christchurch on the first leg or flight into retirement. It will be delivered to Air New Zealand at Auckland, where the last 1000 hours of its useful life will be spent on flying training for flight engineers.
LAST, BUT ONE
Back in 1970, N.A.C. officially retired its then last DC3, but ZK-AOF was put into service on the Christchurch - Timaru - Oamaru daily flight in 1972. The ultimate future of the plane has been a talking point in aviation circles for some time, with suggestions that it be kept as a memorial —to one of the finest airliners the world has known. The Timaru Airport Authority, just a year ago, asked that ZK-AOF be flown back to Timaru at the end of its life so that such a memorial could be established at the airport.
However, the Minister of Defence said in July that the plane still had value because of its condition, and would be sold to the highest bidder—if the original owner, the R.N.Z.A.F., did not want it back.
Originally owned by the R.N.Z.A.F., the airliner began its N.A.C. service as “Pukeko” in 1947. In 1963 it was improved to Skyliner standard. and renamed “Blenheim.” It flew the New Zealand routes until 1970 when it was leased to Fiji Airways. Two years later it was refurbished for the Christchurch-Timaru service and named “Waitaki.” It is estimated that it has logged nearly 40,000 flying hours in its 30 years.
PRESS, 19 DECEMBER 1974
(N.Z. Press Association) TIMARU, December 18.
Timaru Airport will be the terminal tomorrow for what is expected to be the last scheduled passengers flight by a DC3 in New Zealand. The sole N.A.C. DC3— ZK-AOF —will touch down from Christchurch about 7.25 pm., discharge its passengers and freight, then take off again for Christchurch on the first leg or flight into retirement. It will be delivered to Air New Zealand at Auckland, where the last 1000 hours of its useful life will be spent on flying training for flight engineers.
LAST, BUT ONE
Back in 1970, N.A.C. officially retired its then last DC3, but ZK-AOF was put into service on the Christchurch - Timaru - Oamaru daily flight in 1972. The ultimate future of the plane has been a talking point in aviation circles for some time, with suggestions that it be kept as a memorial —to one of the finest airliners the world has known. The Timaru Airport Authority, just a year ago, asked that ZK-AOF be flown back to Timaru at the end of its life so that such a memorial could be established at the airport.
However, the Minister of Defence said in July that the plane still had value because of its condition, and would be sold to the highest bidder—if the original owner, the R.N.Z.A.F., did not want it back.
Originally owned by the R.N.Z.A.F., the airliner began its N.A.C. service as “Pukeko” in 1947. In 1963 it was improved to Skyliner standard. and renamed “Blenheim.” It flew the New Zealand routes until 1970 when it was leased to Fiji Airways. Two years later it was refurbished for the Christchurch-Timaru service and named “Waitaki.” It is estimated that it has logged nearly 40,000 flying hours in its 30 years.
PRESS, 19 DECEMBER 1974
