Noted at Mercer airfield this morning was the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-EXX which has been undergoing conversion for skydiving duties and now has a parachute door fitted on the port side. This was originally a Cessna demonstrator aircraft which visited NZ in 2019 and then returned in late 2020 when purchased by Airlift NZ. Ownership changed to related company, Orbit Helicopters, in December 2021.
On the Fieldair ramp at AKL International today was Merlin Labs Grand Caravan ZK-MLN. This was originally sold new to Australia in 2006 and was ferried across to NZ in September 2021.
Unfortunately in the process of the ferry flight it suffered a lightning strike which necessitated significant repairs before it could fly again.
And yet another new Grand Caravan arrived at Auckland on 20 February on its delivery flight from the USA, being a brand new example N915HQ destined for Glenorchy Air. Delivered all white it is currently at Wanaka being readied for service as ZK-PPR. A video taken in Tahiti on its delivery flight can be found at :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSFEwYNErsM
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