Convair Action

A big thanks to Lawrence Acket for these great pics of some of the last Air Chathams' Convair 580 ZK-CIB's passenger flights

19 July 2021 - General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580 ZK-CIB on the tarmac Wellington Airport photo taken from our terminal shuttle bus to the aircraft’s South end gate

On route WLG-CHT 3C 521 – The current NZ Aviation News says it all.  Last week of scheduled ops of ZK-CIB on the Chathams run filling in for ATR ZK-MCO whilst on maintenance.

20 July 2021 @ CHT - Convair about to taxi on its last CHT-CHC return service.

20 July @ CHT - Convair on departure – with Horse Power boost assistance from water-methanol injection on takeoff for its last departure to Christchurch.

Air Chathams Te One Chathams Islands headquarters.  Curtis Wright Dehmel CV340 manufactured in Carlstadt New Jersey, USA flight simulator.  Modified by Aircraft Armaments Incorporated, Cockeysville, Maryland USA to a CV580 Flight Simulator with the serial number “1”

The extended interior complete with, on the right hand side, charts of parts of Alaska providing a clue to its previous origins having been purchased from Era Aviation ( along with two passenger CV 580 that became ZK-CIE and CIF)

1950s/60s technology.  The rows of equipment to provide the technology to run a flight simulator.  The system has it’s own Diesel generator to power the simulator operation.

22 July 2021 Flight 3C 519 CHT-AKL with a pax configuration of 31.  Note seat 1C not available as required for emergency equipment.

22 July - Flight 3C 519 at AKL tarmac on arrival on the last CHT-AKL return scheduled service by the Convair.

22 July Flight 3C 591 Taxiing out for the last AKL-CHT scheduled pax flight by Convair 580

22 July 2021 - Departing for the Chathams on the last direct pax service

15 August 2021 - As twilight sets ZK-CIB returns to AKL from the last passenger charter to the Chathams in the Convair ( via Wellington in each direction)

15 August 2021 -  The sun sets on Convair operations in New Zealand with ZK-CIB retiring from a long and illustrious service with the Chathams community for 25 years. It will be missed.