Finish Of Plane

Flown to North Shore-Nelson-Dunedin yesterday was Piper PA31 Chieftain ZK-FOP which sadly is to be used as spares for Mainland Air's two Piper Chieftains ZK-KVW and ZK-VIP . 

A history of its ownership can be found here : http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/11/piper-pa-31-navajo-chieftan-zk-fop.html

Here is a photo history of its New Zealand service...

Arrived from the States, N888SG at Christchurch on 30 November 1987 - nearly 30 years ago!

Registered in New Zealand as ZK-FOP the Chieftain went into service with Pacifica Air flying Christchurch-Alexandra-Wanaka-Christchurch... photo taken at Christchurch on 28 February 1988
See : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/pacifica-air-profile.html

ZK-FOP at Hokitika on 5 January 1989. 

Following the closure of Pacifica Air ZK-FOP went to Airlink which operated Christchurch-Timaru-Alexandra for a brief time... photo taken at Timaru on 28 August 1989
See : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/airlink-to-alexandra-for-15-weeks.html

Still wearing signs of its brief time with Airlink, ZK-FOP at Hokitika on 23 May 1992 while being operated by Airwork

A mean green machine... FOP wearing NZ Aero Medical Service titles with sponsorship from Air BP... photo taken at Nelson on 7 January 1994 

Eventually ZK-FOP went to Airwork where among other things it was used on coastal patrol work as seen getting airborne from Nelson on 15 February 2005.

In more recent time ZK-FOP flew for Barrier Air as seen at Auckland on 10 January 2016
Barrier Air was its last operator and was used by them until they retired their Chieftain aircraft.
See : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/barrier-air-new-name-to-barrier-and.html