Census of New Zealand DC-3s

NEW ZEALAND

Flying	2
Preserved	12
Non-Flying	-
Wreckage	2
TOTAL	16

C/N	Regn	Previous Identities	Owner	Location	Status	Note
9420	NZ3503	42-23558	Air Force World	Wigram, NZ	P	1
13319	17221	42-93410	Ferrymead Aero. Soc.	Christchurch, NZ	P	2
13506	ZK-AMY	42-93579 VH-ASD VH-CAN	The Southern DC-3 Syndicate	Christchurch, NZ	F	15
13521	ZK-BKD	42-93592 VH-ANU	Smash Palace Wine Bar	Gisborne, NZ	P	3
18923	ZK-CAW	42-100460 VH-ANM ZK-CAW VQ-FAI	McDonald's Restaurant	Taupo, NZ	P	4
20051	ZK-BYF	43-15585 NC65393	G.A.P.S.	Gisborne, NZ	P	5
15035/ 26480	ZK-DAK	43-49219 PI-C486 VH-PNM VH-SBT	Future Flight Limited	Ardmore, NZ	F	6
15699/ 27144	ZK-AZA	43-49883 NZ3531 ZK-AZA VQ-FBF DQ-FBF	Unknown	Aitutaki (Cook Islands)	P	16
15945/ 32693	ZK-APB	44-76361 NZ3534	Sports & Vintage A.S.	Masterton, NZ	P	7
15995/ 32743	ZK-AXS	44-76411 KN372	Wellington Airport	Wellington, NZ	W	8
16567/ 33315	ZK-BQK	44-76983 NZ3544 ZK-BQK 5W-FAH	M.O.T.T. & S.H.	Auckland, NZ	P	10
16568/ 33316	ZK-AZL	44-76984 NZ3545	Mystery Creek Field Days	Hamilton, NZ	P	.
16732/ 33480	ZK-AWO	44-77148 NZ3548	C. Rudge	Omarama, NZ	P	11
16963/ 34223	NZ3551	45-960	Air Force World	Wigram, NZ	P	.
16967/ 34227	ZK-APK	45-964 NZ3556 ZK-APK VQ-FAH	Rangitikei River Adventures	Mangaweka, NZ	P	12
?	unknown	unknown	Hector McLean	Tokanui, NZ	W	13

HOLDING PATTERN

Tonga

C/N	Regn	Previous Identities	Owner	Location	Status	Note
16387/ 33135	A3-AWP	44-76803 NZ3543 ZK-AWP 5W-FAI ZK-AWP	Peau Vava'u Air	Tonga	F	9 15

AMENDMENT RECORD

[The latest amendment is at the top]

ISSUE

DATE

AMENDMENT

01 APR 2008

Chris Rudge confirms that he is still the owner of the nose section of ZK-AWO. See Note 11.

31 MAR 2008

The nose section of ZK-AWO was noted at Omarama on 24MAR08. See Note 11.

29 JUL 2007

Added ZK-AZA. See Note 16.

06 APR 2007

ZK-AMY was registered to Southern DC-3 Limited on 23FEB07. Peter Layne, the compiler of this page, is a member of the syndicate. See Note 15.

28 MAR 2006

The former ZK-AWP has been re-registered A3-AWP and continues to serve with Peau Vava'u of Tonga. In order to retain information about the aircraft on this page, it has been moved to a so-called "Holding Pattern" in case of a return to NZ one day. However, it has been deleted from the census total at the top of the page. See Note 15.

27 MAR 2006

The former ZK-AMS has been re-registered VH-CWS and as a result has been transferred to the Australian census page. See Note 14.

04 MAR 2006

ZK-AMS was removed from the New Zealand Register on 03 MAR 06 as exported. It is reported that the aeroplane has been sold to a new owner in Perth, Western Australia. Accordingly, the aircraft will be transferred to the Australian census page after it appears on the Australian Register. See Note 14.
ZK-AWP was removed from the NZ Register on 21 NOV 05 as exported. See Note 15.

31 JAN 2006

ZK-AMY returned to NZ from Tonga on 02OCT05. See Note 15.
ZK-AWP is believed to be still in Tonga. See Note 15.
ZK-AMS is still in Australia but is advertised for sale. See Note 14.

05 JAN 2005

This page has undergone a major update. The most significant change is that ALL Previous Identities are now listed in chronological order from the top. The most recent identity is that which appears in the column headed Regn.

Identities commencing "VH" but without a hyphen are radio call-signs which were carried concurrently with an RAAF A65 serial. In many cases, these radio call-signs were painted on the fin/rudder of the aircraft, otherwise they appeared only on the instrument panel.

Another significant change is that aircraft which were mistakenly allocated dual constructor's numbers are now listed under both numbers. The first number listed is the incorrect c/n and the second number after the slash is the correct c/n. The Index table below is linked to the correct c/n.

12 DEC 2004

ZK-AMY and ZK-AWP have been sold to Peau Vava'u of Tonga. See Note 15.

26 JUN 2004

ZK-AMS is operating in Australia on lease to Pionair Australia. See Note 14.

03 JAN 2004

Added an unidentified fuselage section in use as a garden shed at Tokanui.

05 FEB 2003

Update on ZK-AWP:
The aircraft was rolled out after repairs on 18OCT02. The NAC livery has now been replaced by the Pionair livery.

26 JUN 2002

Ownership of ZK-DAK changed on 24JUN02 (new company name).

Update on ZK-AWP:
The aircraft suffered a much-publicised take-off accident at Glentanner, NZ on 19JUN02. Pionair advise that the aircraft will be temporarily repaired in situ and flown out to Fieldair for full repairs. It is expected that the aeroplane will be back on line within four weeks.

27 MAY 2002

Layout changed to show "Previous Identity" column after the "Regn" column.

24 MAY 2002

Ownership of ZK-AWP changed to Pionair Adventures Ltd on 24MAY02.

23 DEC 2001

Ownership of ZK-AWP changed to Flight 2000 Ltd on 21DEC01.

19 SEP 2001

Updated ownership of ZK-DAK & ZK-AWP.

17 SEP 2001

Original Issue

NOTES

1	Nose section only held in storage.
2	U.S. Navy LC-47H on display at the Ferrymead Aeronautical Society (Inc).
3	Fuselage only in use as a wine bar.
4	In use at a McDonald's Restaurant. In Viewmaster configuration. Had been leased in Fiji as VQ-FAI.
5	Preserved as "NZ3547" by the Gisborne Aircraft Preservation Society.
6	Operated in WW2 markings. Was once VH-PNM with Bush Pilots Airways.
7	Nose section only held by the Sports and Vintage Aviation Society (Inc).
8	Derelict cabin section used for fire-fighting drills.
9	On 21DEC01 ownership changed from N.Z. Aerial Mapping Ltd. (Historic Flight) to Flight 2000 Ltd. On 24MAY02 ownership changed to Pionair Adventures Ltd. The aircraft had been operated in NAC colours but during the repairs after the Glentanner accident it was repainted in Pionair colours and rolled out on 18OCT02.
10	Preserved by the Museum of Transport, Technology and Social History in NZNAC colours.
11	Cockpit section mounted on a trailer. On 24MAR08 the cockpit section was noted in use as a roadside sign promoting glider flights at Omarama. The owner, Chris Rudge, stated on 01APR08; "AWO is still owned by me and is parked out near the highway in front of the Countrytime Hotel at Omarama to advertise glider flights. I have a shareholding in Southern Soaring Omarama Ltd and am the CFI and Manager. The nose section will be stored inside a hangar here over winter and be back out on the road next season starting in September."
12	In use as a tea room.
13	A camouflaged fuselage section of an unidentified RNZAF C-47A is in use as a garden shed at Tokanui.
14	ZK-AMS "Dulcie" departed Christchurch for Kaitaia and Lord Howe Island on 02MAY04. The aircraft arrived in Sydney on 03MAY04 on lease to Pionair Australia Pty Ltd. ZK-AMS entered service with Pionair Australia on 05MAY04. It is expected that the aircraft will be transferred to the Australian Register, at which time the aeroplane will be moved from the NZ Census page to the Australian Census page. In late 2005, ZK-AMS was advertised for sale at NZ$550,000. The aircraft is expected to be replaced on its Australian tour operation by a Convair 580. It is reported that the aircraft has been sold to an operator in Perth, Western Australia for use on tourist flights. ZK-AMS was removed from the NZ Register on 03MAR06. The aircraft was re-registered VH-CWS on 14MAR06 and as a result has been transferred to the Australian census page.
15	ZK-AMY "Lady Jane" and ZK-AWP "Lucille" were sold to Peau Vava'u Air of Tonga in December 2004. Both DC-3s had been operating in Tonga under charter since June 2004. (ZK-AWP arrived on 02JUN04 and ZK-AMY arrived on 24JUN04). Pioneer has a four year contract to manage Peau Vava'u Air. Both aircraft will remain in this census while they continue to operate under New Zealand registrations. ZK-AMY returned to NZ on 02OCT05 and is parked at Wigram awaiting sale. ZK-AWP was removed from the New Zealand Register on 21NOV05 and is believed to be still in Tonga. During MAR06, ZK-AWP was placed on the Tongan Register as A3-AWP (this was incorrectly shown as T3-AWP until 24AUG06 when the typo was corrected). The company expects to receive its Tongan Air Operator's Certificate in late March or early April 2006. The aeroplane has been placed in a so-called "Holding Pattern" in case it returns to NZ one day. ZK-AMY was registered to Southern DC-3 Limited on 23FEB07. New Zealand correspondent, Peter Layne, is a member of this syndicate.
16	What remains of ZK-AZA ex RNZAF NZ3531 still exists at Aitutaki (NZ territory of Cook Islands). It sits on a trailer and comprises the cockpit section and lower fuselage sufficient to include the entire centre section. It arrived there many years ago with engines operational for use as a wind machine for a film. The engines have since been sold in the USA.

For more historical information on New Zealand DC-3s, see Phil Treweek's
Kiwi Aircraft Images

INDEX

Note: This index lists only the most recent identity or that currently appearing on the aeroplane. Registrations in inverted commas are fictitious markings used for display purposes. It should be noted that many of the aircraft no longer appear on the New Zealand Civil Register. The Constructor's Numbers in the following table are linked to the relevant entry in the census table above.

REGN	C/N	REGN	C/N
NZ3503	9420	ZK-AZA	27144
NZ3551	34223	ZK-AZL	33316
ZK-AMS	Note 14	ZK-BKD	13521
ZK-AMY	13506	ZK-BQK	33315
ZK-APB	32693	ZK-BYF	20051
ZK-APK	34227	ZK-CAW	18923
ZK-AWO	33480	ZK-DAK	26480
ZK-AWP	Note 15	17221	13319
ZK-AXS	32743