The HAAST Eagle at Neils Beach.

Back on the 31st of August Graeme Stratton was on the airstrip in the lovely small village of Neils Beach in Jackson Bay - about as far south as you can go by road on the South Island West Coast.

On site was the modified Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer ZK-SJG. 

Built by Piper Aircraft at their Lock Haven factory in Pennsylvania with the c/n of 22-3292 and registered as N3536P on 27-09-1955.

It spent its entire US career in the eastern USA with its final owner being Doug Francisco of Pensacola, Florida from August 1985 until its cancellation from the US register on 07-06-2012.

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Below we have an earlier blog post on the HAAST Eagle.

Wearing the initials of its owners - Stephen and Joanne Galway of Karamea - this Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer came on the register as ZK-SJG2 (c/n 22-3292) on 10-12-2014.

As you can see it is no ordinary Tri-Pacer but has a tail wheel conversion and with a Lycoming O-360  engine up front and somewhat larger main wheels.

It also carries the "HAAST Eagle" script and emblem on its tail.

Photos taken in the Soundsair hangar at Omaka on 11-02-2015 where it was awaiting its CAA inspection.

A product of 1955 it has had at least ten owners in the States before it came out to NZ.