The third Piper Navajo at Ardmore last Saturday was the smart looking Australian registered VH-OOI3. This aircraft has a New Zealand connection.
Piper PA 31-325 C/R (for counter rotating propellers) c/n 31-7912031 was built by Piper Aircraft as N27918 and was first registered in March 1979. It had several US owners until it was cancelled on 26/10/89 and sold to Australia. In Australia it was registered as VH-LDW to the Royal Flying Doctor Service at Jandakot, WA on 28/3/90 and it remained with them until being cancelled on 5/4/00.
It then came to New Zealand and was registered ZK-WSB for RJ Borrius-Broek of Christchurch on 10/4/00 (WSB stands for family members initials and Broek).
Ownership transferred to the Seachris Trust of Christchurch on 24/4/06 and they re-registered it as ZK-NOW2 on 17/5/06. Air West Coast assumed ownership on 22/12/06 and then it went to Brick Securities of Auckland on 22/11/07, being mainly based in Christchurch and Timaru. CD Andrew of Rangiora (Andrews Homes Ltd) took ownership on 18/2/14 and on 22/10/14 it was ferried from Timaru to Fielding for extensive restoration work (by Avcraft?). While at Fielding ownership transferred to Cockles Pty Ltd of Albany WA on 17/6/15 and the New Zealand registration was cancelled on 20/8/15..
On the same day, 20/8/15, is was registered as VH-OOI3 at it flew from Kerkeri to Norfolk Island on 18/9/15. On 11/1/16 ownership transferred to the Westpac Banking Corp but it is still operated by Cockles Pty Ltd of WA. When I photo'd it at Ardmore on 7/1/17 it had South Pacific Resort Hotel Norfolk Island on the tail. A nice looking aircraft.
According to Blue Bus's records, we have had more than 50 Piper Navajos on the New Zealand register so there are plenty more left to post!
Piper PA 31-325 C/R (for counter rotating propellers) c/n 31-7912031 was built by Piper Aircraft as N27918 and was first registered in March 1979. It had several US owners until it was cancelled on 26/10/89 and sold to Australia. In Australia it was registered as VH-LDW to the Royal Flying Doctor Service at Jandakot, WA on 28/3/90 and it remained with them until being cancelled on 5/4/00.
It then came to New Zealand and was registered ZK-WSB for RJ Borrius-Broek of Christchurch on 10/4/00 (WSB stands for family members initials and Broek).
ZK-WSB at Christchurch 8/11/01.
and again at Christchurch 29/8/02.
According to Blue Bus's records, we have had more than 50 Piper Navajos on the New Zealand register so there are plenty more left to post!
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