Thursday, 13 August 2009

Aotearoa

'Aotearoa' was the name of TEAL's first ever aircraft, Short S.30 Empire ZK-AMA, and has appeared on at least another four of their subsequent fleet.

The name was writ large on the Empire:


and rather smaller on the Solent 4 ZK-AML, which became 'Aotearoa II'


When the landplanes arrived, DC-6 ZK-BGA became 'Aotearoa III' in 1954


By the time 'Aotearoa' appeared on L-188C Electra ZK-TEA in 1959, the numbering sequence seems to have been dropped and just the name appeared.


Boeing 767 ZK-NBA apparently carried the 'Aotearoa' name at some time during the 1985 - 1997 era, before the aircraft was leased overseas


To round out the list, does anyone have any knowledge of any other aircraft that carried the 'Aotearoa' name?
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2 comments:

  1. Dave Paull14 August 2009 at 06:32

    Not exactly Aotearoa :- But the Waco UOC ZK-ALA carried "Aotea" whilst with Blackmore Air Service in the late 40's.

    & in the back of my tiny mind I am thinking that the "Boffin Coffin" at Wigram had Aotearoa stencilled neatly on it. But don't quote me on that.

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  2. flyernzl15 August 2009 at 11:49

    Yes to the Waco, but of course 'Aotea' was one of the original Waka that came to Aotearoa. Not quite the same thing.
    B747 ZK-NZV also carried the name 'Aotea' at one stage in it's life.
    There was also the shortlived Aotearoa Airlines that operated Navajo Chieftain ZK-NCA for a few months in 1997.

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