New Zealand National Airways Corporation
Although chiefly a domestic airline, in late 1947 NAC also provided international services to some nearby South Pacific countries, using converted ex-Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Short Sunderland IIIs, as well as long-range Douglas DC-3Ds to Fiji via Norfolk Island.The NAC network started with the following destinations: Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Whangārei, Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika, Whataroa, Waiho (Franz Josef), Haast, Dunedin and Invercargill previously served by the same aircraft and personnel under the pre-nationalisation names Union Airways and Air Travel (NZ) Ltd.New destinations added between then and airline's merger with Air New Zealand included: In November 1956 the NAC services from Hokitika to South Westland were once again taken over by West Coast Airways.This was one of the catalysts for the forced merger with Air New Zealand in 1978, as the latter airline felt it could lose the Pacific Islands and charter market to NAC.All three twin-engine types could operate into all airports while the Rapide and Fox Moth could land on remote beaches on the West Coast as well as some lighthouse station airstrips.The pioneering turbo-prop powered Vickers Viscount first appeared in New Zealand in 1953 when an early model -700 was flown out for the London to Christchurch Air Race.The first was used as a training aircraft and operated alone for a year on the Christchurch-Auckland route, and to Palmerston North which substituted for a still uncompleted Wellington International Airport.The Fokker F27-100 short-haul airliner suited the NAC provincial network perfectly and, like the Viscount, was Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop-powered would prove popular.A British European Airways-owned Herald was flown out to New Zealand and participated in the opening of Wellington's rebuilt airport, putting on a short field and extreme manoeuvering air display.[citation needed] The New Zealand government intervened saying the Fokker aircraft had already proved itself while the Herald was still in test mode for its changed powerplants.The Fokker F27s were also Rolls-Royce powered while most of its electronic and mechanical components were made in the United Kingdom, thus negating tariff restrictions.They primarily operated to regional airports with sealed runways, and also on the main trunk route alongside the Viscounts, flying the off-peak services replacing the DC-3.The main criterion for the candidate aircraft was the ability to safely fly in and out of Wellington Airport's unique right-hand inner harbour circuit.This included the changing of its engine's clamshell reverse thrusters over the exhaust pipes to the more familiar 'bucket' style that stayed with the 737-200 type to the end.Boeing changed the hydraulic and flap configuration of the 737 in 1973 and sold to the airline at a bargain price the last 737-200 in the original format, becoming ZK-NAJ.Discarding sleeve braid, ranks were then denoted by the number of small silver stars on the bar of the jacket insignia also designed by airline staff.[12][13] One of the airline's most memorable outfits was designed by Babs Radon (Barbara Penberthy) in 1970, in vibrant colours to attract younger flyers.The navy blue New Zealand wool top coat, a semi-fitting single-breasted style with gold and copper buttons, was worn with a white cravat.Relaxed uniform rules permitted hostesses to wear rings, small earrings and a silver, gold or pearl necklace.[13][16] NAC made a rare foray into the small airline business with the purchase in September 1961 of a one third shareholding in Tauranga based Bay of Plenty Airways.The DC-3 had taken off from Woodbourne Airport near Blenheim on a routine freight flight bound for Paraparaumu and entered cloud, crashing into Scraggy Ridge.[17] On 23 October 1948, NAC Lockheed Model 10 Electra ZK-AGK Kaka crashed on the south-western slopes of Mt Ruapehu in the centre of New Zealand's North Island while flying in clouds.The aircraft was flying from Palmerston North to Hamilton, but drifted right off track after passing over Whanganui and collided with the mountain killing all thirteen people on board.On 18 March 1949, NAC Lockheed Lodestar ZK-AKX Keruru, crashed in the Tararua Ranges near Waikanae while approaching Paraparaumu Airport at the end of a flight from Auckland killing all 15 on board.On 22 May 1954, NAC Douglas DC-3 ZK-AQT Piere operating as Flight 152 from Christchurch crash landed on Kohutuhutu Rd in the beachside settlement of Raumati Beach when approaching Paraparaumu Airport on short finals.[22] On 1 April 1978, after thirty-one years in operation, NAC merged with Air New Zealand to form the domestic arm of the airline.
Air New ZealandChristchurchWellingtonAucklandFrequent-flyer programGovernment of New ZealandNew ZealandLeonard Isitt40 Transport SquadronUnion AirwaysAir Travel (NZ) Ltdde Havilland Dragon Rapidesde Havilland Fox MothsDouglas DC-3sLockheed ElectrasLockheed Lodestarsde Havilland ExpressSouth PacificRoyal New Zealand Air ForceShort SunderlandDouglas DC-3Norfolk IslandBoeing 737sWhenuapaiPalmerston NorthGisborneNelsonKaitaiaKaikoheWhangāreiTaurangaNapierNew PlymouthBlenheimWestportGreymouthHokitikaWhataroaDunedinInvercargillCook IslandsNo. 40 Squadron RNZAFRotoruaWanganuiTimaruWhakatāneTaupōOamarucharteredFokker F27-500 FriendshipBoeing 727-200HamiltonBritish AirwaysPan American AirwaysQantasSingapore AirlinesTrans Australian AirlineslighthouseConvair 440ElizabethanDe Havilland HeronRongotai airportElizabeth IIPrince PhilipBritten Norman BN2 IslanderVickers Viscountturbo-propLondon to Christchurch Air RaceTaieri AerodromeMomona AirportTaieri PlainRolls-Royce DartATR 72-200Fokker F27 FriendshipFokker F27Handley Page HeraldBritish European Airwaysshort fieldde Havilland Comet 4BAC 1-11Douglas DC-9Boeing 737YakolevFokker F28Hawker Siddeley HS1461973 oil crisisEuropean Economic CommunityBoeing 737-200Britten-Norman BN-2A IslanderMount Cook Airlinede Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Mothde Havilland DH.83 Fox Mothde Havilland DH.86 Expressde Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapidede Havilland DH.89B Dominiede Havilland DH.114 Heron 1BFokker F27-100 FriendshipLockheed Model 10A ElectraLockheed Lodestar 18-56Miles Gemini 1AShort Sunderland Mk IIIVickers Viscount 807Charlotte, North CarolinaMandevilleCook Strait AirwaysClassic Flyers MuseumShannonManawatū-WhanganuiDouglas C-47B SkytrainLee County, FloridaAir Chathams LimitedAustralian National AirwaysMount Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist CompanyFerrymeadNational Transport & Toy MuseumWānakaChatham IslandsAviodromeLelystadNLM CityHoppershirtdresshoundstoothjerseyslacksjerkinblazer