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Sunair was grounded on the 10th of July 2025 by the CAA due to maintenance and safety concerns. The final flights before the grounding were operated on the 9th of July with Piper Aztec ZK-MTY operating as SUNAIR 12Y flying from Gisborne to Napier and Tauranga before returning to Gisborne, Piper Aztec ZK-DIR operating as SUNAIR 16R flying the medical flight from Whangārei to Kaitaia and return and then on Hamilton before positioning to Tauranga as ZK-DIR and Cessna 172 which operated as SUNAIR 13O (Oscar) from Tauranga to Napier.
ZK-DIR's medical flight on the 9th of July from Whangārei to Kaitaia in the morning and returning in the afternoon proved to be the last Sunair operated medical flight. The contract passed to Skyline Aviation during the grounding. Meanwhile, Air Gisborne maintained Sunair's East Coast service between Gisborne Wairoa and Napier as demand warranted using Cessna 172 ZK-DXF.
Sunair's chief executive Doug Roberts told the NZ Herald the airline was not happy with how the process turned out. “It was very protracted and very tough on the business in terms of what was required. It’s still not over entirely.” The company has indicated the East Coast service will start first with the Tauranga-Whitianga-Great Barrier Island service starting next.
What was the reason for the grounding and what are the remaining concerns ? #nervous traveller
ReplyDeleteIt's not the first time this action has been taken against sunair, either.
ReplyDeleteThe average age of Sunair’s Piper Aztec fleet is around 43 years old.
ReplyDeleteFor the unassuming traveller, that number may not mean much, so here’s a simple way for the average kiwi to visualise it:
Travelling in a 43-year-old aircraft is the aviation equivalent of driving cars that stopped production in the early 1980s, such as:
1. Ford Cortina (UK) – production ended in 1982
2. Datsun 210 (B310 series) – ended in 1982
3. Triumph TR7 – ended in 1981/82
Its hardly a fleet issue though that keeps grounding them. It comes to down to Maintenance issues and record keeping, which CAA has grounded Sunair for several times in the past.
DeleteYep the Aztecs are old, but hardly the oldest Aircraft flying RPT flights in NZ. Both of Stewart Island Flights Islanders (FXE & FWZ), and Golden Bay Airs Islander (EVO) are all of late 1960s vintage.