Britten-Norman BN2A Mk111-1 Trislander ZK-LOU c/n 322 in Great Barrier Airlines scheme at Auckland on 13-07-08. Interesting life this has had. I recall seeing it at Cairns in about 1976 in Bush Pilots scheme before becoming Air Queensland in 1982. It all began as G-51-322 back in 1972 with the manufacturers to become G-BAFF(still with the manufacturers) on 17-10-1972 for delivery to IAS of Lakembla NSW on 05-12-72. It then went for a short lease as DQ-FBY with Fiji Air Service from Feb 1973. By 29-06-1973 it was VH-BGS with Barringer Surveys of Sydney and was fitted with a tail magnetometer (MAD tail) and underwing fuel tanks for mineral survey work. After its Air Queensland duties it moved up to PNG and became P2-DNX for Douglas Airways out of Port Moresby in August of 1983. About mid 1995 it retuned to Australia (I think using the trade plate registration of VH-CYC) and became VH-MRJ and served mostly in West Australia with Murchison Relines and Bushstar Pty Ltd. It was crated into North Shore in December of 2003 and carried out its first GBI service on 22-10-2004.
BAe Jetstream Srs 3200 Model 3201 ZK-ECI with c/n 946 at Auckland on 13-07-2008. This has an even more convoluted history. Briefly:- it was G-31-946 then N946AE in 1991 and flew into Wellington on 26-02-1999 to become ZK-REY on 24-03-1999 with Rex Aviation (NZ) who traded as Ansett Regional. On 30-08-2000 it was re-registered as ZK-TPC with Tasman Pacific Regional Airlines. When this Company fell over the aircraft was stored at Woodbourne and then Nelson before being taken on by Origin Pacific Airways on 12-12-2002. On this same date it was re-registered to ZK-JSU and served until being withdrawn on 11-05-06 and stored at Wellington. It was picked up by Air National Corporate on 18-07-06 and became ZK-ECI and began the new CH-OU-CH service for Eagle Air on 06-08-06.
BN2B-26 Islander ZK-DLA c/n 2131 also at Auckland on 13-07-2008. Built in 1982 it was delivered as G-BLOO to Taiwan to become B-12222. By April 1998 it was VH-ISL and toiled with several outfits in Queensland until it arrived in Auckland on 26-05-2006 for Sounds Air Travel & Tourism Ltd of Korimiko on 07-06-06. on 07-05-07 it was listed to Commercial Helicopters Ltd who trade as Mountain Air. Here it is in its latest re-branding of "Fly My Sky".All three photos provided by Keith Morris.
I flew on the Tri islander when it was owned by Barringer, and being used for mineral exploration work. It would have been back in the early 70s, and I flew in it from Kalgoorlie to Kambalda during the 70's nickel boom. Amazing to see it turn up in New Zealand and being used by GBI
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