Cessna 182H Skylane ZK-DCD.

 The Department of Civil Aviation ordered two new Cessna 182H Skylanes through Rex Aviation (NZ) Ltd in 1965. 
The second of these airframes, c/n 18256423, had already been allocated the US civil registration of N8323S on the production line but once ordered by Rex Aviation this was cancelled on 07-07-1965 and it was allocated the NZ registration of ZK-CKS.
       The NZ Department of Civil Aviation however had its own block of reserved registrations in the ZK-DC* block. 
So this airframe was re-registered as ZK-DCD in August 1965 and was based in the old Calibration Flight hangar at Paraparaumu.

In its original factory colour scheme at Tauranga on 14-09-1967 by Bob Kerr.

"The Department" was renamed Ministry of Transport Civil Aviation Division (MOT CAD) and ZK-DCD was transferred to this name from 28-11-1968.

I caught it at Pukekohe on 08-01-1972 in a new paint scheme with Ministry of Transport on the upper fuselage and the MOT logo on the fin.

As photographed above at Taupo on 20-06-1973.

A nice coloured shot of ZK-DCD as seen at Ardmore in January of 1974 by Bob Kerr.

As seen in November of 1976 from CMM.

In October 1977 MOT CAD received two replacement Cessna 182Q's ZK-DCJ and ZK-DCK with the two early machines ZK-DCC and ZK-DCD being traded back on 08-11-1977 to what was now Dalhoff & King Aviation Ltd at Ardmore and Dunedin.Above at Dunedin on 05-12-1977 not long after being traded in - still with the MOT titles on its fuselage. But minus the full ZK-DCD registration and Logo at the top of its fin and rudder.

Seen again at Dunedin but with just its DCD registration on 18-03-1978.

ZK-DCD remained with D&K Dunedin until moved on to R A Brookes of Queenstown from 10-01-1979 and then sold to the Central Shearing Co  Ltd of Middlemarch from March 1980.

It was damaged in an incident at Prebbleton on 13-06-1982 and then on sold to D J & J Anderson of Prebbleton in October of 1982.

From September 1984 it was placed with Tara Farms Ltd & Alps Engineering Ltd of Colgate (inland Canterbury). It was damaged at Oakura on 04-01-1989 with a transfer to B J Deans and Grant Horner of Colgate in September that year.

I caught it at West Melton on 23-03-1990 wearing the AOPA badge on its fin (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association).

Then we see another Colgate ownership change to Arthur Dopplemayr and Grant Horner of Dopplemayr Lifts (NZ) Ltd from 25-11-1993.

Again at West Melton but in a new paint scheme in 1994.

G W Aikin of Christchurch was next from 28-02-1995 - an upgrade from his Cherokee 140 ZK-CIH - but he quickly sold it on to Peter Willemse of Invercargill in June of 1995.On 10-02-1998 it was at Taieri with an upward hinging door and a step over the starboard main wheel for parachute operations.

And again at Taieri on 07-12-1998.

Tethered on 29-02-2008 at Dannevirke.

Then Kathy Wills (Cloud9 ?) of Dannevirke became the listed owner/operator from 28-04-2009. 
It then joined the parachute dropping fraternity of Gavin Horrell of Skydive Zone (Bay of Island) Ltd at Paihia in September of 2009 and is seen below at Kerikeri on 12-10-2012 by Keith Morris. 

Note the open hinged upward door.

The next listed move was to John Funnell as Tandem Skydiving (2002) Ltd at Taupo in July 2013.
From mid 2014 T J Hitchman and G T Kearins of Feilding took it over until selling to current owner/operator Tyhaz Investment Ltd (Tim and Lara-jayne De Graaf) of Otorohanga.

Above, in its full 'ZK' marks as seen by Alan Wooler on 09-04-2017.

More recently it was captured arriving at Pauanui by Richard Currie on 28-02-2024 in another new scheme.