Embraer 820C ZK-RDT

Registered once again to Great Barrier Airlines is Embraer 820C, ZK-RDT (c/n 820127). The Embraer 820C is a Piper Pa31-350 Chieftain assembled under licence in Brazil, RDT being the only example on the New Zealand register. Maintaining its previous Brazilian identity of PT-RDT, it was first registered in New Zealand as ZK-RDT on the 1st of June 1994 to Great Barrier Airlines' CEO, Gerard Rea. The aircraft has subsequently been operated by Great Barrier Airlines and Air National and more recently by Air Chathams' Tongan operation, Chathams Pacific. The change back to Great Barrier Airlines was effective 15 July 2010. One presumes it was replaced by Beech Queenair A3-CIA, ex ZK-WKU, which arrived in Tonga on the 21st of June See http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/06/resurrection-for-air-chathams-queenair.html and http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/06/ex-port-hutt-air-queen-air-for-chathams.html). To the best of my knowledge the Embraer (or should I  just call it a Chieftain?) is still in Tonga.

Embraer 820C ZK-RDT at Greymouth on 2 May 1999. Photo : S Lowe