Our latest Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter ZK-SEX2 (c/n 1005) was registered to Inflight Ltd on 02-07-2025.
ZK-SEX was initially registered in Switzerland to Pilatus on 21-08-2015 as HB-FBP2 and first flew at Stans on 28-08-2015. It then became B-10FU on 04-05-2016 with Asian Express General Aviation Wuxi Co Ltd. (see note below). This Chinese registration was cancelled for its move to Australia where it became VH-82B from 02-04-2025 with Gerard Lappin of Morwell, Victoria. As such it ferried into Darwin from Balikpapan Airport on 10-06-2025. The following day it moved on to Coolangatta, and then a direct 12 hour 23 minute flight to Auckland on the 12th.
Following formalities, it then flew from North Shore to Motueka and on to Pukaki (Twizel) on 25-06-2025.
Following formalities, it then flew from North Shore to Motueka and on to Pukaki (Twizel) on 25-06-2025.
Note - Pilatus Aircraft created a joint venture, as Pilatus Aircraft Industry (China) Co, with Beijing Tian Xing Yu Science Co in Chongqing, China to produce PC-6 Porter components and sub assemblies including fuselage sections and wings. These were shipped back to Pilatus in Stans, Switzerland for assemble with the finished product being registered on the Swiss aircraft register to Pilatus. Many of them were then returned to China.
The first Chinese fuselage (c/n 991) was completed on 11-12-2014 and following full assembly at Stans became HB-FBC2 on 09-05-2014 and was returned to China to become B-0401 from 24-10-2014.
What's the pod under the wing for....a camera?
ReplyDeletePods under each wing are long range tanks with, from memory, 65us gallons in each. Wing tanks hold 170 us gallons.
ReplyDeletePod near port wing tip with black nose is weather radar.