Thursday 28 December 2023

Cessna U206F Stationair ZK-DWX

Cessna U206F Stationair c/n U20602641 was allocated the US registration of N59268 on the production line and for test flying purposes in the USA before it was shipped out to NZ aboard the Austral Ensign reaching here on 04-06-1975.
It was assembled at Ardmore and registered to the NZ Cessna agents Rex Aviation (NZ) Ltd on 09-06-1975 and it received its NZ CofA and also first flew on 03-07-1975.
It was re-listed to Air Safaris and Services Ltd of Lake Tekapo on 14-07-1975 where it joined their Cessna A185F ZK-DJM.
It is seen above, thanks to Bob Kerr, at Tekapo on 17-08-1975 prior to receiving Air Safari markings which included a stylised Chamois head on the fin and rudder.

 Six years later it was moved on to Haldon Station Ltd from 11-08-1981 with a change to J L S Innes of Haldon Station on 08-09-1981.
                It is seen below at Christchurch on 04-02-1987 with the Haldon Station tail markings
 And below at Greymouth on 10-03-1987.
 On 22-11-1989 I caught it at Karamea - below.
 An ownership change on 26-09-1990 listed it with Dave E Bunn and Co of Arrow Junction who traded under the Dave Bunn Aviation name.
 It carried the 'Firgrove Farm' 'Arrowtown' titles on its fin and is seen below in new colours at Queenstown on 18-03-1991.
Below we see it at Queenstown on 09-12-1998 with revised tail colours and carries the additional 'Dave Bunn Aviation' titles on its tail and the small '206F' aft of the Stationair script above the main wheel.
 Three years later (below) on 09-12-2001 we see it at Queenstown now with 'Air Milford' titles on its tail.
 Title changed to Air Milford 2000 Ltd on 06-01-2003.
 Above photo is from Henry M Taken at Milford Sound on 22-12-2011.
 Above I caught at Queenstown on 20-11-2014.
Plains Investments Ltd of Ashburton took it over from 15-08-2017 and the 'Firgrove Farm' title is again seen on its fin.
And above at Ashburton on 10-09-2017.
It was on sold from 26-09-2018 to Stokes Logging Ltd of Onerahi and they use it to travel between their logging interests in Northland and Taranaki. 
It was noted below by Keith Morris at Stratford on 23-01-2019 having just flown down from Whangarei.
with "Farm" only now on the fin.
In November 2019 title moved to Eltec Forestry NZ Ltd of Cambridge (which is Shaws Wire Ropes and Steve Stokes).
It was then sold on to The Back Doctor (NZ) Ltd of Porirua from 13-06-2020.
This is Doctor Chris Hoffman who made the headlines when he was involved
in the Flying Vaccination Service promoting and giving Covid inoculations in the East Coast of the North Island in late 2021.

See 

There were six aircraft painted up in Whitiki Ngata Porou murals and the names of Soldiers of C Company of the 28th Māori Battalion who served in WWII.

We have previously posted on three of these - Cessna 180A ZK-CDY, Cessna P206E ZK-FJH and the Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-EAV2.

Below we see ZK-DWX in this modified scheme at Otaki during the AOPA fly in on 10-04-2022.
Photo from Simon Hills.

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