Cessna 180 ZK-BGI

ZK-BGI raised its head in a recent "From the shoebox" posting.
Here is a bit of a run down on her.
Cessna 180 ZK-BGI (c/n 31018) was built by Cessna Aircraft Co at Wichita, Kansas and registered to them as N3870C about mid 1954.

It was shipped to NZ, assembled and registered to Rural Aviation Ltd of New Plymouth on 11-08-1954.

 Above a 1954 Ed Coates collection photograph.

It gained its NZ CofA on 24-09-1954 and was listed to Airwork (NZ) Ltd of Christchurch 0n 08-11-1954.

 Pic above at Napier 1955 from the Ed Coates collection.

Ron Graham of Airspread Ltd of Tauranga took it over from 16-11-1956.

It had two incidents with Airspread (that I know about). It lost an undercarriage leg at Waihi on 04-12-1959, and struck a sand bank and overturned on Ohiwa Beach on 27-03-1960.

It was back with Airwork (NZ) Ltd on 10-07-1963

Pic at Hawera on 01-06-1964

 

And as seen at Airwork Christchurch on 02-09-1964

 

It then went down to Invercargill for Southland Development Corporation from 15-10-1964.

Other operators include Hewett Aviation Ltd, with whom it was damaged on 19-04-1965 at Mossburn and again in December of 1965.

Rural Aviation (1963) Ltd of New Plymouth had it again from 16-02-1967 before moving it to W B Easton (Eastern ? Engineering) of Dannevirke from 02-03-1967.

ZK-BGI as seen at Masterton in December of 1968 by Allan Wooller.

It went to Rex Aviation sometime about 1970, was damaged by high winds at Dunedin in November 1971 and ground looped at Whitford on 19-02-1972.

Looking good at Ardmore on 19-03-1972.

Next in line was the Mangapapa Land Company of Auckland from 02-03-1972 with W Walker of Clinton from 22-05-1973.

It was captured at Palmerston North on 08-12-1973

 And then at Dunedin on 11-12-1974.

Colour one side and monochrome on the other.

Over at Te Anau it joined the Manaroa Contracting Co Ltd from 24-04-1975.

ZK-BGI at Te Anau 02-10-1980.

At Oamaru 20-02-1981.

Below. At Invercargill 03-10-1983.

Then it went to C R (Dick) Deaker and R J (Hannibal) Hayes of Te Anau oon 11-11-1983.

By 15-07-1986 it was with C E Berg of Taupo.

 Two views at Christchurch 26-09-1986 in a new colour scheme..

Before moving to Hastings with A (Tony) D Neville.

 Then we have two views of it at Masterton 28-04-1990 with step for parachutists; the door removed and the deflector plate on the forward door frame.

 Above as seen at Nelson 17-09-1991.

Then two shots at Timaru on 30-12-1993.

With a stylised "Skywagon 180".

Below. On 18-01-1995 I captured her at Omarama on towing OY-XMX.

 At Omarama on 20-01-1995. Now with a top hinged door.

It had a brief period off the register between 23-06-2000 and 12-07-2000

It appeared in the visitors park at Wanaka on 30-03-2002.

 Below at Feilding on 11-02-2007.

Until being taken over by Stephen Gorrie of Nelson on 30-01-2008.

Latest move sees it beck with Tony Neville, now of Foxton, from 04-06-2009.

 

Below at Feilding 16-03-2010.

 

  Last three at Motueka 01-04-2013.