ZK-AWP with Peau Vava'u Air

Continuing on with ZK-AWP's 75th birthday the following is some of Peau Vava'u Air's history taken from its old website...

Peau Vava'u's office opened for operations on the 27th May 2004, with Chairman of the Board HRH Crown Prince Tupouto'a and Director Mr Joseph Ramanlal. Secretary to the board is Mr Soane Ramanlal who is also the CEO of Shoreline Companies Limited.

The first flight took place on the 9th of June 2004, starting with a DC3 leased from Pionair Adventure Ltd (Christchurch, New Zealand). Pionair Adventures Ltd acquired an FAOC (Foreign Air Operator Certificate) to operate the DC3.

The Government of Tonga sought a single airline for the Kingdom, and Peau Vava'u Limited (PVL) successfully applied to be the single airline operator, which began on the 10th of September 2004.

A second DC3 arrived by Christmas 2004, when Peau Vava'u purchased both DC3s from Pionair Adventures Limited. At this time PVL sought to upgrade its fleet, and negotiations began with Reef Air NZ, and Convair operations commenced, flying to Vava'u and Ha'apai from the 3rd of May 2005. The Convair is owned by Air Chatham of New Zealand, which Reef Air leases, and Peau Vava'u Limited subleases.

In November 2004 PVL sought to include flying to the Niuas (Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ou) and operations were pending approval. However by the end of June 2005 the DC3s operations discontinued and the Pionair service contact ended in 2005. This included the return of one DC3.

Peau Vava'u contributes to Tonga through sponsorship and the support of community and charity organisations. In October this year (2005), free tickets were given to: the Red Cross, the Fiji Day Celebrations in Ha'apai, Rotary Club Children's Fun Fair, and the Pacific Timber and Hardware promotional night. November saw free tickets being given to the Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and in December, a Tongatapu-Vava'u return ticket was given to the Face of Tonga beauty pageant for the first runner-up. In sponsored fares alone, Peau Vava`u has supplied over T$12,000 in air travel.

Additionally, Peau Vava'u promotes development in Tonga and offers "famils" (familiarisations) by offering free travel. Famils have been offered to travel wholesalers from New Zealand such as Infinity (10 tickets) and airlines such as Pacific Blue (7 tickets).

In the future, Peau Vava'u will be adding flights to 'Eua, as well as Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ou. New aircraft will also be added to the Peau Vava'u fleet.

Flights were temporarily suspended in November 2006 when their corporate headquarters were destroyed by a fire during riots in Nuku'alofa. Peau Vava’u never flew again and its license was eventually revoked.

The two DC-3s, ZK-AMY and ZK-AWP at Fua'motu Airport ,Tonga in 2004

And three shots of ZK-AWP in action in Tonga

A big thanks to Harry Follas for allowing me to use these photos from his collection

Douglas DC-3 ZK-AWP - Her 75 year history

25 April 1945

What was to become ZK-AWP was manufactured in the USA for the United States Army Air Force as as a Douglas C-47B-30-DK, with the number 44-76803

13 May 1945

The C47 was allocated to the Royal New Zealand Air Force becoming NZ3543

With the RNZAF on Norfolk Island  in 1947

15 July 1952

The DC-3 was withdrawn from the RNZAF and registered to the NZ National Airways Corporation (NAC) as ZK-AWP, named Powhaitere.  

23 March 1953

ZK-AWP was converted from its wartime Douglas C47B desingation to a civilian airliner, a Douglas DC-3C, at Palmerston North

At Whenuapai in the 1950s

13 August 1963

ZK-AWP was converted as to "Skyliner" configuration named "Skyliner Kaitaia" - notice the much bigger windows

At Hokitika in the standard Skyliner configuration and colour scheme

2 February 1970

The New Zealand registration ZK-AWP was cancelled and aircraft went to Western Samoa for service with Polynesian Airlines Ltd as 5W-FAI

5W-FAI at Christchurch on 8 March 1972

8 June 1973

The Western Samoan registration 5W-FAI was cancelled and the DC-3 returned to NAC for sale with its New Zealand registration ZK-AWP restored. 

3 August 1973

ZK-AWP was sold to Southern Air Super Ltd for conversion to a topdresser.

In Palmerston North in 1974 after conversion as a topdresser

14 July 1975

Ownership of Southern Air Super passed to Fieldair Ltd, Palmerston North

At Palmerston North of 20 February 1985

30 October 1986

ZK-AWP was transferred to Classic Air Services Ltd and converted to freighter configuration for Fieldair Freight's contract with NZ Railways

At Nelson on 24 October 1989 an early morning freight service 

27 August 1993

ZK-AWP as sold to the Wanaka-based Alpine Deer Group Ltd 

Newly acquired by the Alpine Deer Group - at Wanaka on 29 August 1993

11 March 1994

The DC-3 was sold to Classic Air Ltd, Wellington and converted back to airliner configuration

At Wanaka on 24 April 1995

14 December 1995

ZK-AWP's ownership changed to Mackley Aviation Ltd, Milford, Auckland 

28  August 1998

ZK-AWP's ownership changed to NZ Aerial Mapping Ltd (Historic Flight) Albany, Auckland 

5 July 2000

ZK-AWP's was leased to Pionair Adventures Ltd, Christchurch who used it for tourist flying in New Zealand and Australia

At Hamilton on 8 December 2000 while on a national tour commemorating SPANZ

21 December 2001

Flight 2000 Limited, Ardmore, Auckland 

24 May 2002

ZK-AWP was finally sold to Pionair Adventures Ltd, Christchurch

At Cairns while doing air tours around Australia for Pionair

21 November 2005

The New Zealand registration ZK-AWP was cancelled and the DC-3 went to Tonga for service with Peau Vava'u Air as A3-AWP

As A3-AWP with Peau Vava'u Air, at Fua'amotu Airport, Tonga, on 5 September 2006

September 2010

After not being used in Tonga for 3 years A3-AWP was restored to airworthiness and entering service with Chathams Pacific in Tonga

As A3-AWP with Chathams Pacific, at Fua'amotu Airport, Tonga, on 6 January 2011

25 November 2013

The Tongan registration A3-AWP was cancelled and and the DC-3 returned to New Zealand for service with Air Chathams back as ZK-AWP and renamed named Powhaitere. ZK-AWP continues to be used on sightseeing flights and for a brief period on scheduled services between Auckland and Whakatāne

Doing engine run ups at Whakatāne before operating a scheduled service to Auckland on 8 November 2015

With new titles on scenic flights at Tauranga on 28 January 2018

Repainted in NAC Skyliner colours at Auckland on 14 December 2019

Happy 75th

Thanks to Lawrence Acket for these great photos of Air Chathams' Douglas DC-3 ZK-AWP which turns 75 years old. As Lawrence says, AWP must be the most iconic airliner in New Zealand... Here are Lawrence's photos of AWP and I will post more historical photos tomorrow

5 April 2014

12 April 2014 

Heading from Auckland to Whakatāne on 28 November 2015

...and the return flight on 29 November 2015

Duane Emeny (left and below) and Keith Mitchell on the flight deck

Another Whakatāne-Auckland service on 4 December 2016

...with Kathy Sando in the cabin

More recently at Tauranga on 27 January 2020

Barrier Air's service update

Barrier Air have put the following notification on their Facebook page...

As we move down to level 3 we would like to advise the following update on our Kaitaia and Great Barrier Island services. 

Great Barrier Island - If you were on the island at the start of lockdown but Great Barrier Island isn’t your primary residence you can leave the island to go home but can not return. It’s important to realise that you can’t come back. Going to your bach or holiday home is not okay during level 3. You can not come to Great Barrier Island for this purpose. Each booking ‘off island’ will still be assessed by Aotea Health for approval. Only essential workers and those approved by Aotea Health are permitted to travel to Great Barrier Island under alert level 3 or until further notice. All bookings will be referred to Aotea Health for approval if not booked by Aotea Health originally.

Kaitaia - We will be reviewing demand for instigating our Kaitaia service as we move towards lock down level 2. Under level 3 only essential workers travel is allowed. We can do charter flights to Kaitaia for essential workers.

It is important to remember under alert level 3 that travel between regions is not permissible unless you are an essential worker.

Nelson Major Maintenance for the Chop?

A proposal to close Air New Zealand's heavy maintenance facility in Nelson resulting in the loss of 100 highly-skilled jobs is "devastating", say regional leaders. Air New Zealand staff in Nelson were told on Wednesday of a proposal to end heavy maintenance of turboprop aircraft at the regional facility at Nelson Airport, with only light maintenance to be carried out.  An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said staff were told of the proposal to move turboprop aircraft heavy maintenance from the regional maintenance base in Nelson to Christchurch.  She was unable to comment on the number of jobs affected while consultation was underway but said it would see "a number of roles" in Nelson disestablished, with some having the option of redeployment to Christchurch. Heavy maintenance involves an aircraft being taken apart every 18 months to two years for inspection and overhaul as opposed to light or line maintenance which involves overnight checks as well as minor scheduled maintenance tasks. Nelson MP Nick Smith said the proposal was a "brutal blow" that would cost Nelson 100 jobs, $10 million a year in regional income and would have larger flow on impacts. While it was not surprising the airline was downsizing its aircraft maintenance with the global collapse in aviation, Smith said he was disappointed in the closure of the Nelson facility. "The worry is that we will not recover these skilled jobs when the Covid-19 emergency is behind us. The only consolation is the retention of the light overnight maintenance." Smith said he hoped the proposal would be reconsidered by the Government, as the majority shareholder in Air New Zealand it was currently providing it with "hundreds of millions of dollars of financial support". "These jobs are critical to regional New Zealand and we should be leaving the door open to this heavy engineering work being returned to Nelson." Smith said the Government needed to take an industry-wide perspective on its $600 million support package which did not support smaller airlines like Sounds Air and Origin, that were now even more important to regions like Nelson. A petition to 'Save Sounds Air' was launched by Kaikōura National MP Stuart Smith, calling for the Government to support the airline through its $600 million aviation sector relief package. By 4pm on Wednesday it had gained more than 18,000 signatures. Air New Zealand has previously announced it is laying off 387 pilots as part of a wider move to reduce its workforce by at least 3750 to make it through the coronavirus pandemic. Smith was confident air services in and out of Nelson would be retained. "Our geographical location makes travel by air to our main centres like Auckland Wellington and Christchurch attractive and viable. Nelson will retain a strong domestic tourism sector and will in time recover its international tourism business." Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese said the news was a "devastating blow" to Air New Zealand staff who were members of the Nelson Tasman community.  "It comes at a time when many families are facing financial uncertainty." She said the loss of 100 highly-skilled jobs in a workforce the size of Nelson was "extremely damaging". "We've had a strong relationship now with Air New Zealand for many decades and it is critical that the Government understands the scale of impact to the aviation sector in our region and they need to ensure that support is targeted to help us recover." Reese said the opportunity for redeployment was reasonably low and new jobs would need to be found to keep these skilled people in the region. The Crown infrastructure projects offered opportunities for employment if it was supported by Government. "We really want to get these skilled people back into employment in our region, we don't want to lose them. I urge Air New Zealand not to close the door on heavy maintenance for good. This workforce has performed really well for Air New Zealand and they deserve the opportunity for this decision to be revisited when the economic situation improves." Tasman Mayor Tim King said the proposal to axe jobs was "extremely concerning" and a further reminder of the national economic impact of Covid-19 on Nelson. "The biggest impact will be felt by these people and their families." King said he understood Air New Zealand's position, driven by conditions well beyond its control. But as a co-owner of Nelson Airport, he hoped the decision was a temporary consequence of the coronavirus pandemic that could be revisted when the economy recovered. Support from the Government as Air New Zealand's majority shareholder should take the regional ramifications of Covid-19 into account. He said the proposal demonstrated the importance of Government support for regional projects to ensure sustainable employment and economic opportunities in the future. A subsidiary of the airline, Air New Zealand Regional Maintenance Limited was formed in 2015, creating around 50 high-paid engineering jobs in a facility at the Nelson Airport. The aim was to make Nelson Australasia's preferred overhaul facility with a business that performed overnight and heavy maintenance on Q300 and ATR aircraft.  The business initially serviced Air New Zealand fleet then planned to go after customers from the Asia-Pacific. In 2017, it signed a five-year contract with Virgin Australia to overhaul 14 ATR aircraft in Nelson.  everal of those aircraft were retired after Virgin's turboprop operations in Australia were overhauled and they became a familiar sight for Nelsonians, parked up in the far corner of the Nelson Airport for a number of years. Last August, a Virgin Australia spokeswoman said six ATR aircraft were retired from the fleet in 2017, two were leased to other operators and four were being stored at Nelson Airport and would be used in the Virgin fleet when required. 

Source : https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121193970/air-new-zealand-proposal-to-close-nelson-heavy-maintenance-facility-devastating

Flying Crayfish

One of New Zealand's first industries to be badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic is bouncing back and exporting to China. The New Zealand lobster industry was among the first and hardest hit by Covid-19, with the export of live lobsters from New Zealand stopping in late January when China closed its restaurants and freight to the country was restricted. However, Te Anau-based Fiordland Lobster Company, which exports about 40 percent of New Zealand lobster to China, has started up again this week and its product will begin arriving in Shanghai this weekend. Lobster Exporters of New Zealand chairman Andrew Harvey confirmed lobster exports into China had resumed after "stopping dead" in late January. New Zealand's live lobster [crayfish] industry is worth around $320 million annually and directly and indirectly employs 2500 people. Though a couple of North Island companies had exported small numbers of lobster to China in February and March, the industry was now getting started properly again - ahead of labour Day holiday celebrations in China when lobster was traditionally popular. "So far it's looking good, China is buying and prices are recovering," Harvey said. Restaurants in China had reopened, but with less seating, and planes were flying from Auckland to Shanghai. The industry in New Zealand had been "hit about as hard as it could be" but he was optimistic it was coming back because China was looking like coming out the other side. Lobster fishermen had done it tough while the industry was on hold but most would get thorough if the market held up, he said. Fiordland Lobster Company chief executive Alan Buckner said it could have exported live lobster to China during New Zealand's lockdown because it was classed as an essential service. But the company didn't because it wanted to support the lockdown and protect its staff, plus the demand for the product in China was low at that time and there was limited freight space. It was good to be underway again, Buckner said.  "We have got boats landing [with lobster] every day now, we have made some sales into China for delivery this weekend and we are really encouraged at the level of customer interest." Due to restricted flights in New Zealand during lockdown the company was improvising by using Air Chathams planes to get its product from Manapouri Airport to Auckland where it was packed and flown to Shanghai.  Buckner was predicting a "stop start year" as the demand for live lobster settled in China and as flight connections improved. Riverton Fishing Co-op marketing manager James Harvey said China wanted lobster at the moment but it was hard to predict how the rest of the year would go.  "It's possible there could be an over supply of rock lobster into China." Southland Chamber of Commerce president Neil McAra said the resumption of live lobster exports gave hope to other industries that China was looking to import more product. "Given China is our major exporter it's a good sign." New Zealand manufacturing export companies will be among those that can reopen under alert level three next week provided they work to guidelines including social distancing.   

Source : https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/121150133/nz-rock-lobster-industry-back-in-action-after-being-in-hiatus-due-to-covid19-outbreak

Convair 580 ZK-KFL is airborne out of Manapouri for Auckland now

Level 3 Schedule

The airline will operate a limited domestic schedule from Tuesday 28 April to enable essential travel only and to keep air freight moving. The airline's domestic schedule while the country is at Alert Level 3 is as follows –

Auckland-Christchurch operated by Airbus 320
2x return services Mon-Sat
1x return service Sun

Auckland-Wellington operated by Airbus 320
1x return service Mon-Sun

Auckland-Tauranga operated by Bombardier Q300
3x return services Tues/Thurs/Fri

Auckland-Napier operated by Bombardier Q300
3x return services Tues/Thurs/Fri

Wellington-Christchurch
2x return services Mon-Fri operated by Bombardier Q300
1x return service Sat/Sun operated by ATR 72

Wellington-Nelson operated by Bombardier Q300
1x return service Mon-Wed
2x return services Thurs/Fri

Christchurch-Dunedin operated by ATR 72
1x return service Mon-Sun

Air New Zealand General Manager Networks Scott Carr says travel remains very restricted under Alert Level 3. "We have made some slight adjustments to our Domestic schedule in the coming weeks and that includes adding several services a week between Auckland and Napier and Auckland and Tauranga. We'll also be adding additional capacity between Christchurch and Dunedin with flights in and out of Dunedin across the week." Before making a booking, customers are reminded to check the latest information on the travel and transportation section of the Government COVID-19 website and the COVID-19 hub on the Air New Zealand website.

Source : https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/press-release-air-new-zealand-updates-domestic-network-for-alert-level-three 

Support for Sounds Air

A petition to 'Save Sounds Air' shows the Marlborough-based airline has the support of the community, even if it hasn't yet had the support of Government. The petition, launched by Kaikōura National MP Stuart Smith on Monday, has called for the Government to support Sounds Air through its $600 million aviation sector relief package. As of 4pm on Tuesday, the petition had collected more than 14,000 signatures. Sounds Air chief executive Andrew Crawford said they first had contact with Transport Minister Phil Twyford on March 18, indicating regional aviation needed to be supported. "We're trying to access the aviation support package which is for regional aviation, and keep that connectivity going." He said further correspondence with the Government in the last couple of days had looked more promising.  "What we are trying to do is get through this time and get through the next year to 18 months. It's looking a lot more promising, certainly the correspondence we've had in the last day calls for encouragement." At present, all 80 staff at Sounds Air were still employed and "on the books", Crawford said.  He said the support from those that had responded to the petition had been "amazing". "The support is overwhelming, Stuart [Smith] came to me and said 'I would like to get this petition going'. It's really amazing, it goes to show what support there is for that regional connectivity." Smith said without support from the Government, there would be some major consequences around connectivity in New Zealand.  "It's a short piece of water between here and the North Island, [but] it's a very important transport link, and Sounds Air provides a much needed service to get across there," Smith said. "We don't want a monopoly stake in any kind of transport link, if it can be helped. "I just hope that people are supportive of the petition, but further than that, assuming we get Government to support this link and we come out on the other side, remember that the best thing you can do in the long term, when you travel, choose to fly, or at least consider Sounds Air and support them in that way. "Because that is the best way forward. They were already successful." Sounds Air provided links such as Blenheim to Wellington, Blenheim to Paraparaumu, Blenheim to Christchurch, Wellington to Westport, Wellington to Taupo and Wellington to Nelson.  "Or we have the long alternative routes. Without Sounds Air, to get to Taupō or Napier, you would have to fly from here [Blenheim] to Auckland, to then fly back down to Taupō." To sign the petition, visit change.org and type 'Save Sounds Air'. 

Source : https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121131670/coronavirus-petition-to-save-sounds-air-collects-14000-signatures-in-a-day

What was coming?

It's mainly about Air NZ and the regions but it raises an interesting question... just what was coming?

The head of a Nelson-based commuter airline says part of the government's loan agreement with Air New Zealand means regional New Zealand should expect an air service in future. Some regions were becoming increasingly nervous about losing all air travel links post Covid-19, as regional airlines drop down the government's support list. Robert Inglis of Originair said it was not yet clear how the landscape might look post-lockdown, but regions already served by the national carrier should at least expect that to continue. "Part of the requirement of the government bailout of Air New Zealand, again, was that they had to maintain services to all the regions they'd been servicing," Inglis said. Nelson was currently one of only five airports around the country the airline was still serving, after it suspended all other domestic and regional services in response to the Covid-19 lockdown. It was operating only essential travel and air cargo, including a cargo charter service. The government recently announced a $900 million loan to allow the airline to help New Zealanders stranded overseas return home, and to maintain essential flights and freight lines for goods like pharmaceuticals. It also said the agreement safeguarded the domestic network. The Nelson-Tasman Chamber of Commerce said air services in and out of the region were crucial to its economic survival. Chief executive Alison Boswijk said the region was currently one of two halves, with some businesses doing well and others suffering as a result of the lockdown. She said Nelson-Tasman was perhaps more fortunate than some regions in that its diverse industries and businesses would shield it from the worst effects, but exporters and the travelling public relied heavily on air services, due to the region's relative isolation and lack of a rail service. "We don't have immediate access to any other transport (options) to the North Island. We're a very connected region at the best of times and we want to maintain that connection at the worst of times," she said. "It's really important we can do that." Inglis said Originair was a modest operation and was not carrying debt, and was therefore able to ride out the downturn. He did not have plans to expand beyond its current services, but the small airline's fleet was expanding. Inglis said delivery of a new aircraft was scheduled for this week, but that had now been postponed because border closures meant it was unable to get here. "We have no plans to operate a regional New Zealand network. We're just a very modest, Nelson-based operator and we'll continue as we can to provide another option for travellers from Nelson." Inglis predicted it would be some time before the country saw the same level of regional transport demand as before Covid-19. He said factors included economic constraints, concerns about the virus and the lack of international traffic. "You've got to play the long-game and we're looking out a year or two, and I'm sure that Nelson people will still want to travel and hopefully we'll be able to provide them with an alternative."

Source : https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121109767/regions-expect-flights-after-government-loan-to-air-nz-originair-boss

Yep, we're still operating

Air Napier have just sent out an email talking about their current services. Their freight service, which carries a essential freight, is still operating between Napier and Gisborne and they are also operating essential charter and medical flights as needed. They had some great photos of their freight operations...