Following on from the comments posted below my spy has confirmed that ZK-NSS is being prepared for service with Air Chathams
Fairchild SA227-AC Metroliner ZK-NSS has appeared in the aircraft owners changes as going to Air Chathams 8 April 2016.
ZK-NSS was imported for service with Air Nelson service between September 1990 and January 1991 after which it was sold to Airwork NZ Ltd who continue to operate it until earlier this year.
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| Metroliner ZK-NSS with Air Nelson markings at Nelson on 28 November 1990. It was never painted in full Air Nelson colours. |
While with Airwork it was used in 1997 to start an air service to the Chatham Islands, Chatham Airlink in competition with Air Chathams...
It was also used from 1999 by Origin Pacific Airways on its passenger and freight services...
I see from my 'logbook' that I flew on ZK-NSS from Wellington to Nelson on Origin Pacific flight 683 on 6 November 2003.
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| ZK-NSS about to depart from Nelson on 25 June 1999 while being used by Origin Pacific Airways |
Aiwork itself used NSS for its freight services and more latterly in fulfilling its Life Flight Air Ambulance contract.
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| Arriving back into Auckland on 23 September 2014 ZK-NSS wearing its Life Flight Air Amblance colours |
Rubbish, it's getting a clean up and repaint prior to being put into passenger service.
ReplyDeletei thought it was a backup for cic and the whakatane route.
ReplyDeleteThis is the truth.
DeleteGreat to hear if this is true as we need the Metro's to stay in our skies! NSS has some EFIS instrumentation I recall? And a twin stall avoidance system that was dictated to be fitted by the UK CAA when it was flown in the UK.
ReplyDeleteDo they still plan to start the WHK-WLG route?
ReplyDeleteFrom May and progressively increasing over the course of this year the ATR 72 will be deployed on TRG-WLG and TRG-CHC routes.
DeleteChats starting a WHK-WLG will need to compete with stimulated pricing as the larger aircraft settle in.
That is a different market as TRG is along way from WHK 100km plus the route is fairly hilly a 70 min drive. So if Air Chathams could offer good fares they could attract decent loads on WLG-WHK like they do on their existing AKL-WHK route.
ReplyDeleteFairly hilly??? That road has to be one of the flattest out there.
Delete