ZK-CIB's

Whilst scunging through the shoe box I came across the photograph of us loading the Beech 99 ZK-CIB on the Chatham Islands. So I thought why not do a post on the CIB's - they have not had much exposure.

 

The first ZK-CIB was the Piper PA-23-235 Pawnee c/n 25-2974.

Imported by the NZ agents Airwork (NZ) Ltd  assembled at Christchurch and first registered on 25-11-1964 with its first NZ flight being on the day prior.

It departed on delivery also on the 25th to Aerial Farming of NZ Ltd of Palmerston North.

By 09-12-1968 it was in the hands of James Aviation Ltd of Hamilton.

James fitted this aircraft with the Shell Biflon spray system. I believe that part of this system involved the fitting of a belt driven rotary pump at the rear of the engine - doing away with the normal air driven pump below the fuselage. Reduced drag but also reduced engine hp from the pump drive.

Anyway James sold ZK-CIB to Wanganui Aero Work from 10-08-1971 and it is seen below at Piriaka on 27-09-1972 - still wearing some "advanced aerial spraying" script on the fuselage

and large "The Shell Biflon Spraying System" script under the starboard wing.

Below we see it at Wanganui with a slightly different forward fuselage paint scheme and what looks like "Pawnee 250" on the cowling. Yet another pic from the CMM collection.

ZK-CIB1 was withdrawn from use in December of 1983 and shipped to Australia. Its NZ registration was cancelled on 24-05-1984 for it to become VH-JPT with Justin Rowley and Capricorn Helicopters Pty Ltd at Alice Springs on 25-05-1984.

I believe it was withdrawn on 26-09-1987.

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ZK-CIB2 was a Beech 99 with the c/n U-68. This was cranked out from Beech at Wichita in 1969 and served initially as N1185C followed by N8068R, N220BH and N220RH. I won't bore you with US ownership details.

It was registered as ZK-CIB with Air Transport (Chatham Island Ltd) on 25-09-1991 and is seen below with the committee formulating a freight loading plan.

Below a larger committee is meeting beside ZK-CIB. That will be the Cessna U206F ZK-DOA in the left background and Mount Cook's 748 ZK-CWJ (I think) [Captain Williams Jalopy) out to the right.

Below is a non committee view of ZK-CIB outside the Air Chatham's hangar. Date would be July 1993. The two upper pics were shot in the early 90's.

ZK-CIB departed Hasting for Auckland and Pago Pago on 14-04-1994, reaching Oakland on the 17th.

It went to Piper East Inc as N900AR on 27-05-1994 then to N196WA and is seen below as such with Wiggins Airways.

 In February of 2004 it became N799CZ with Freight Runners Express Inc out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin where it is still current.

N799CZ in two different schemes.

Freight Runners also operate ex ZK-LLA as N399CZ. 

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ZK-CIB3 is the current listing. This is the General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580 with the c/n of 327A.

This airframe was originally a Convair model 340-38 with the c/n of 96 from way back in 1953. It was fire damaged at Shreveport Louisiana in 1956 and was rebuilt as a model 440. It went on to have a busy life as N8444H followed by a spell as TG-MYM in Guatemala. It returned to the States for storage at Tucson Arizona and eventually returned to the US register as N8444H in April of 1992. Next move was to Canada with Kelowna Flightcraft as C-FCIB from July 1995. Next we know it is converted to a model 580. The most obvious change being the fitting of two Allison 501 turboprop engines and appropriate propellers.

She flew from Pago Pago into Auckland on 25-05-1996 and became ZK-CIB on 10-06-1996.

ZK-CIB also has the large freight door port side as seen below.

ZK-CIB3 at Chathams on a fairly average looking day - meteorologically speaking.