Post by nzompilot on Sept 6, 2008 17:56:46 GMT 12
August/September marks 40 years of service by the Boeing 737 in NZ skies
History
21-Aug-68
1st test flight of ZK-NAC from BFI, Seattle, Washington, USA
30-Aug-68
1st NZNAC Boeing 737 ZK-NAC handed over to National Airways Corporation, by J B Connelly (Boeing Company Vice President, Commercial Airplane Division) Representing NAC were D A Patterson, Captain A C Kenning, and P Mitchell.
18-Sept-68
ZK-NAC arrival into Wellington, crewed by Captains A C Kenning and P J O Buck, and Engineer N E Layton. Also on board were Boeing Corporation’s Chief Boeing 737 Captain J Davey and Engineers J Lukins and J Brown. Later ZK-NAC continued onto Christchurch
29-Sept-68
Arrival on delivery of second Boeing 737 ZK-NAD, crewed by Captains W E Schrader and R J Montrowe and engineer C White
7-Oct-68
1st use of a B737 on the main trunk service when ZK-NAC (Captains D Gale and J S McLernon) substituted for a Vicount on flight 440 from Christchurch to Wellington and Auckland
13-Oct-68
Arrival of 3rd Boeing 737 ZK-NAE, crewed by Captains K G Bond and J T Priestley)
14-Oct-68
Scheduled Boeing 737 services were inaugurated on the main trunk with ZK-NAD operating the first Southbound service Auckland-Wellington-Christchurch-Dunedin flight 421 crewed by Captains W E Schrader and R J Montrowe. While ZK-NAC operated the first northbound service, crewed by M D Cullinane and J S McLernon.
History of the aircraft
Boeing 737-219 ZK-NAC c/n 19929/60
After NAC service to N321XV with Presidential Air, America West Airlines, COPA Panama, Inter Canadian, Olympic Airways, before being broken up
Boeing 737-219 ZK-NAD c/n 19930/66
After NAC service to N322XV with Presidential Air, America West Airlines, Inter Canadian, Olympic Airways, before being withdrawn from use and stored.
Boeing 737-219 ZK-NAE c/n 19931/77
After NAC service to N453AC with AirCal, American Airlines, American Airlines, Airmark Aviation, Transtar Airlines, before being broken up
Current and Future
The only current remaining 200 series Boeing 737 in NZ is Boeing 737-219QC/Adv ZK-NQC c/n 22994/928 formally with Air New Zealand now with Airwork/Airpost but according to this thread on another site Vincent is looking at getting some nzff.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=6731
The Boeing 737-300 is dominant in the skies with Air New Zealand now operating 15 and Qantas/Jetconnect operating 5.
Qantas/Jetconnect also operate 3 Boeing 737-476s
The other Boeing 737 series in New Zealand skies are the 9 Boeing 737-8FE's operated by Pacific Blue.
We also see regular visits by Qantas Boeing 737-800s and the 737-700 & 800 of Air Pacific.
And with the possibility of the Next Gen (700/800/900series) Boeing 737s being selected by Air New Zealand to replace the current 300 and possibly even the A230 fleets in the domestic and short haul markets the future of the 737 in NZ skies looks secure for many years to come.
On a side note 12-Sept marks 38 years since the first landing of Concorde at London’s Heathrow airport.
History
21-Aug-68
1st test flight of ZK-NAC from BFI, Seattle, Washington, USA
30-Aug-68
1st NZNAC Boeing 737 ZK-NAC handed over to National Airways Corporation, by J B Connelly (Boeing Company Vice President, Commercial Airplane Division) Representing NAC were D A Patterson, Captain A C Kenning, and P Mitchell.
18-Sept-68
ZK-NAC arrival into Wellington, crewed by Captains A C Kenning and P J O Buck, and Engineer N E Layton. Also on board were Boeing Corporation’s Chief Boeing 737 Captain J Davey and Engineers J Lukins and J Brown. Later ZK-NAC continued onto Christchurch
29-Sept-68
Arrival on delivery of second Boeing 737 ZK-NAD, crewed by Captains W E Schrader and R J Montrowe and engineer C White
7-Oct-68
1st use of a B737 on the main trunk service when ZK-NAC (Captains D Gale and J S McLernon) substituted for a Vicount on flight 440 from Christchurch to Wellington and Auckland
13-Oct-68
Arrival of 3rd Boeing 737 ZK-NAE, crewed by Captains K G Bond and J T Priestley)
14-Oct-68
Scheduled Boeing 737 services were inaugurated on the main trunk with ZK-NAD operating the first Southbound service Auckland-Wellington-Christchurch-Dunedin flight 421 crewed by Captains W E Schrader and R J Montrowe. While ZK-NAC operated the first northbound service, crewed by M D Cullinane and J S McLernon.
History of the aircraft
Boeing 737-219 ZK-NAC c/n 19929/60
After NAC service to N321XV with Presidential Air, America West Airlines, COPA Panama, Inter Canadian, Olympic Airways, before being broken up
Boeing 737-219 ZK-NAD c/n 19930/66
After NAC service to N322XV with Presidential Air, America West Airlines, Inter Canadian, Olympic Airways, before being withdrawn from use and stored.
Boeing 737-219 ZK-NAE c/n 19931/77
After NAC service to N453AC with AirCal, American Airlines, American Airlines, Airmark Aviation, Transtar Airlines, before being broken up
Current and Future
The only current remaining 200 series Boeing 737 in NZ is Boeing 737-219QC/Adv ZK-NQC c/n 22994/928 formally with Air New Zealand now with Airwork/Airpost but according to this thread on another site Vincent is looking at getting some nzff.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=6731
The Boeing 737-300 is dominant in the skies with Air New Zealand now operating 15 and Qantas/Jetconnect operating 5.
Qantas/Jetconnect also operate 3 Boeing 737-476s
The other Boeing 737 series in New Zealand skies are the 9 Boeing 737-8FE's operated by Pacific Blue.
We also see regular visits by Qantas Boeing 737-800s and the 737-700 & 800 of Air Pacific.
And with the possibility of the Next Gen (700/800/900series) Boeing 737s being selected by Air New Zealand to replace the current 300 and possibly even the A230 fleets in the domestic and short haul markets the future of the 737 in NZ skies looks secure for many years to come.
On a side note 12-Sept marks 38 years since the first landing of Concorde at London’s Heathrow airport.
