Tuesday, 25 January 2011

On delivery to the Ashburton Aviation Museum

 Beechcraft 77 Skipper ZK-ESC , c/n WA-175 , was one of only two imported into NZ in 1981 by James Aviation Ltd of Hamilton. [There were only 312 built]. It was registered on 02-04-1981 and then listed to the Wllington District Aero Club on 30-10-1981. The Skipper Flying Company Ltd of Wellington appear next, from 10-06-1988, and finally Wellington Aviation Ltd from 07-03-1995.
 Above ; as seen on the Wellington Districts Aero Club line up on 16-04-1984.
It was ferried today from Wellington to Rangiora by Pat Scotter after he had checked it out during the weekend. It is bound for the Ashburton Aviation Museum.
The lower three views are at Rangiora today (25-01-2011)


The second Skipper, ZK-ESD , c/n WA-176 , followed exactly the same career path as ESC. It was cancelled as withdrawn on 19-10-2010 having sat at Wellington minus several parts for some time.
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4 comments:

  1. QW25 January 2011 at 20:05

    So this will be on display at Ashburton? Will it be kept in running condition?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dave Paull25 January 2011 at 22:37

    I think the engine has run out of hours and the airframe looks pretty tired after all those years parked outside at Wellington.
    The cost of a new or o/h engine far exceeds the value of the complete aircraft.
    So I guess it will be in the same status as the Cherokee ZK-BZB - a runner but a non flyer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. andrewm26 January 2011 at 01:36

    Thanks for the post.

    What's happening to Wellington Flight Centre with the loss of these two aircraft?
    http://www.wfc.co.nz/fleet.htm

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dave Paull27 January 2011 at 17:08

    And nobody picked up my deliberate mistake !!!

    The Ashburton Museum's Cherokee is actually ZK-CUA (not BZB).

    No chocolate fish for anybody.

    ReplyDelete