ZK-CIE. Convair 580. c/n 399.

Was also registered as: N98G; N98GL; N57RD; N565EA.

 

 

This aircraft was constructed by the Convair Division of the General Dynamics Corporation at San Diego, California

It was built to an order from Union Oil of California - 1956

It was built as a Convair 440-83

It was rolled out at San Diego - January 23, 1957

First flown - January 1957

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Register as N98G - 1957

It was accepted by Union Oil at San Diego - March 05, 1957

Sold to Gulf Oil Corporation - August 16, 1957

It was converted to a Convair 580 - 1961

Redelivered to Gulf Oil Corporation - November 04, 1961

The aircraft was reregistered as N98GL - March 18, 1971

Sold to Rowan Drilling Company - March 30, 1971

Sold to RDC Marine Inc - July 01, 1975

The aircraft was reregistered as N57RD - February 25, 1977

The aircraft was reregistered as N565EA - June 1966

It was sold to ERA Aviation Inc, Anchorage, Alaska - July 16, 1967

It was withdrawn from service by ERA Aviation - 2005

The aircraft was prepared for sale to Air Chathams

Departed Anchorage on the ferry flight to New Zealand - April 2005

It arrived at Palmerston North on completion of the ferry flight from Alaska - April 16, 2005

Ferry route: Anchorage - Cold Bay - Honolulu - Christmas Island - Pago Pago - Palmerston North

Sold to Air Chathams - April 16, 2005

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - June 13, 2005

Entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register as ZK-CIE - August 10, 2005

Registered to Air Chathams Ltd, Waitangi, Chatham Islands

Ferried Palmerston North - Auckland - Tonga on delivery to Peau Vava'u, Tonga - September 09, 2005

It was wet-leased by Peau Vava'u from Air Chathams

Returned to Air Chathams at the end of the wet-lease - February 2006

Ferried Auckland - Suva on wet-lease to Air Fiji - January 2007

Ferried Suva - Auckland at the end of the wet-lease - February 26, 2007

Ferried Auckland - Suva on wet-lease to Air Fiji - September 15, 2007

Ferried Suva - Auckland at the end of the wet-lease - March 2008

Wet-leased to Chathams Pacific Airways Tonga - April 21, 2008

Returned to Air Chathams at the end of the wet-lease - November 2010

Wet-leased to Real Tonga Airlines - June 19, 2014

Returned to Air Chathams at the end of the wet-lease - September 2014

Air Chathams association with aviation in Tonga ceased when this aircraft returned to New Zealand

Operated its final revenue service - March 2021

It was withdrawn from service and stored at Auckland - April 01, 2021

It was observed at Auckland minus engines and tail - May 06, 2022

Although in the process of being scrapped it remains on the New Zealand Aircraft Register as of - June 07, 2022

Cancelled from the New Zealand Aircraft Register - June 23, 2022

The nose section was acquired by Epic Brewing Company, Auckland - June 22, 2022

Several months were spent in stripping and lightening the nose section before it could be displayed

It was installed above the bar at 230B Neilson Street, Onehunga, Auckland - December 05, 2022

 

 

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the basic livery at Nelson Airport, December 05, 2007.

(Z. Rae Copyright Image 1030-215.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the basic livery at Auckland Airport, October 26, 2012.

(J. Mounce Copyright Image 1030-213.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, August 09, 2016.

(Z. Rae Copyright Image 1030-202.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, January 01, 2017.

(T. Haynes Copyright Image 1030-203.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, January 14, 2018.

(Z. Rae Copyright Image 1030-207.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, April 09, 2018.

(P. Clark Copyright Image 1030-228.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, May 26, 2018.

(J. Mounce Copyright Image 1030-211.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Auckland Airport, May 26, 2018.

(J. Mounce Copyright Image 1030-212.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, July 14, 2020.

(A. Taylor Copyright Image 1030-233.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, July 14, 2020.

(A. Taylor Copyright Image 1030-234.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, August 11, 2020.

(A. Murphy Copyright Image 1030-226.)

ZK-CIE. Air Chathams - in the standard livery at Christchurch Airport, August 11, 2020.

(A. Murphy Copyright Image 1030-227.)

ZK-CIE. Epic Brewing Company - the nose section on display at 230B Neilson Street, Onehunga, Auckland, December 13, 2022.

(L. Nicholas Copyright Image 1030-237.)

ZK-CIE. Epic Brewing Company - the nose section on display at 230B Neilson Street, Onehunga, Auckland, December 13, 2022.

(L. Nicholas Copyright Image 1030-238.)

ZK-CIE. Epic Brewing Company - the nose section on display at 230B Neilson Street, Onehunga, Auckland, December 13, 2022.

(L. Nicholas Copyright Image 1030-239.)