Air Chathams have commenced ATR operations to the Chatham Islands today with ATR 72-500 ZK-MCO just airborne from Auckland on its first flight to the Chatham Islands under the command of Matthew Emeny and Paul Cattermole. This marks the next chapter of air services to the Chatham Islands.
The move comes after some weeks ago Air Chathams announced that their Convair 580s will be retired from the fleet in 2021. In preparation for the Chatham Islands service the ATR was fitted with a HF radio. The ATR remains a passenger aircraft first and foremost, but some seat bags have been made with some modifications to carry a small amount of freight in the aircraft cabin. Modifications have been made to the galley to enable life rafts to be carried. The ATR will have 2 flight attendants on board as opposed to the Convair's one.
Today's flight does not mark the end of the Convairs flying passenger services to the Chatham Islands. They will continue to be used until such time as the finally retired next year.
It will fly the first flight out of the Chathams tomorrow as flight 3C 512 to Wellington before returning to the Chathams as 3C 521.
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| ZK-MCO on the gate for final boarding at Auckland on 15 October 2020 |
My profile on Air Chathams has been updated to include news from the last eight months...
How many airlines have flown regular services to the Chathams???
A list of the airlines that have flown to the Chathams can be found here...
...and of course Air Chathams has been the most successful!
Great machine for carrying people. Absolute heap for trying to carry both freight and people. Going to need to fly a saab behind it to carry all the freight.
ReplyDeleteDamn convairs, why you got to be some damn hard to replace.