It was announced recently that Convair 580 ZK-CIE was to retire on 1 June 2021, ZK-CIE's last flights, however, happened much earlier. On the 1st of April 2021 it flew from Auckland to Chatham Islands as CHATHAMS 580. The following day, the 2nd of April 2021, it flew its final service from the Chatham Islands to Auckland as CHATHAMS 519.
In the latest development it has been reported on the Wings Over New Zealand site that Air Chathams are looking for a home for ZK-CIE... https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/29348/convair-looking-good-home-roost
Meanwhile I got to thinking where ZK-CIE has appeared in New Zealand and in the Pacific. This post collects together a history of ZK-CIE and photos of it that have featured on this blog at different airports featuring the white scheme, the no-titled green scheme and the titled green scheme.
These are just the photos that I have taken but I'd be interested if you have recorded it at other airports in New Zealand and the Pacific... westland831@gmail.com
Air Chathams are certainly much more than the Chathams! It's a pity MOTAT didn't appreciate the opportunity to preserve something of this incredible airline http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2016/01/air-chathams-30-years-on.html
Before the photos, here is her history.
ZK-CIE/2 General Dynamics
Allison Convair 440/580 c/n
399
N98G 00/01/1957
00/01/1957 First flight as a Convair 440-83
22/04/1957 Union Oil, San Diego, CA
28/10/1957 Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburg PA
04/11/1961 Converted to a Convair 580
N98GL 18/03/1971 Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburg PA
30/03/1971 Rowan Drilling Company
01/07/1975 RDC Marine Inc, Houston TX
N57RD
25/02/1977 RDC Marine Inc, Houston TX
N565EA
15/06/1996 RDC Marine Inc, Houston TX
30/09/1997 ERA Aviation Inc, Anchorage, AK
16/04/2005 Arrived at Palmerston North on completion
of the ferry flight -
Anchorage
- Cold Bay - Honolulu - Christmas Island - Pago Pago
- Palmerston North
16/04/2005 Air Chathams Ltd, Waitangi, Chatham
Islands
13/06/2005 Registration cancelled
ZK-CIE 10/08/2005 Air Chathams Ltd, Waitangi, Chatham Islands
15/09/2005 Ferried Palmerston North - Auckland -
Tonga on lease to Reef Air
operating on behalf of Peau Vava'u, Tonga. Over the next 10 years
ZK-CIE
and sister Convair ZK-CIF were often ferried between
Auckland
and Tonga operating services there for Peau Vava’u,
Air
Fiji’s subsidiary, Airline Tonga, Chathams Pacific and briefly
in
2014 for Real Tonga. ZK-CIE and ZK-CIF also operated
services for Air Fiji domestically in
Fiji and international services
from Tonga to Suva (Fiji) and Suva to
Funafuti (Tuvalu).
01/04/2021 Final services, CHATHAMS 580, Auckland-Chatham Islands
02/04/2021 Final services, CHATHAMS 519, Chatham Islands-Auckland
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| @AKL, 5 October 2012 |
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| @BHE, 28 October 2014 |
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| @CHC, 29 August 2006 - note the lack of titles when it first saw service |
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| @CHT, 10 February 2017 |
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| @HKK, 25 September 2011 |
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| @NPE, 29 February 2008 |
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| @NLK, 24 January 2020 |
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| @WAG on 17 May 2017 |
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| @WHK, 6 November 2015 |
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| @WLG, 28 October 2016 |
Only ones left are KFL in cargo config and CIB as Pax. Hope I can catch them when I go to AKL later this year
ReplyDelete.. M
I saw a crane remove KFLs engines last Friday. With no party interested to give it a new purpose, might be cut up shortly.
DeleteUnfortunately Cameron Convair 580 ZK-KFL was withdrawn from use on the 15th of October 2020. On the 14th of October it flew overnight freight as CHATHAMS 31 from Auckland to Christchurch returning to Auckland as CHATHAMS 32 in the early hours on the 15th. The decision to retire the Convair came from the need for a major maintenance check and the lack of a long-term freight contract.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Ferrymead would like CIE to go with their Viscount and F27?
ReplyDelete