National Airways Corporation
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| National Airways Corporation (NAC) | ||
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| IATA n/a |
ICAO n/a |
Callsign n/a |
| Founded | 1947 | |
| Fleet size | 25 (April 1, 1978) | |
| Destinations | Kaitaia, Whangarei, Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Westport, Hokitika, Christchurch, Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill (April 1, 1978) | |
| Parent company | New Zealand Govt. | |
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Key people | ||
National Airways Corporation was the national domestic airline of New Zealand formed in 1947 by a government forced take over of Union Airways and a number of other smaller operators, and equipped with de Havilland Dragon Rapides, de Havilland Fox Moths, Douglas DC-3s, Lockheed Electras and Lockheed 14s which initially operated inside New Zealand. However in the late 1940s NAC also provided international services to some nearby South Pacific countries, using converted ex Royal New Zealand Air Force Short Sunderlands. Engineering workshops were set up at Harewood Christchurch, Whenuapai Auckland, Gisborne and Nelson.
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[edit] Initial services
The NAC network started with eighteen domestic destinations and four international Pacific island destinations.
The destinations that initially formed the NAC Domestic Network were:
Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Whangarei, Auckland, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika, Whataroa, Waiho (Franz Josef), Haast and Dunedin.
The destinations that formed the NAC Pacific Island Network were:
Norfolk Island, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and The Cook Islands.
[edit] Pacific Island services
NAC has served the Pacific Islands in various capacities. Services began in 1947 using Douglas DC3 aircraft and included Norfolk Island, Tonga, Samoa and The Cook Islands. Fiji was also served by NAC using Short Sunderland III's from the RNZAF. All services were withdrawn and taken over by TEAL on October 15 1952 except for Norfolk Island which continued until September 1955.
In June 1975, Air New Zealand commenced Norfolk Island services with a chartered NAC Fokker F27-500 friendship.
[edit] Domestic services
The first change to the NAC Domestic Network occurred in April 1948 with the addition of Rotorua. Between then and the airline's merger with Air New Zealand, NZNAC added five more destinations to its network:
- Wanganui in November 1954
- Timaru in April 1957
- Whakatane in November 1962
- Taupo and Oamaru in March 1966
In November 1956 the NAC air services from Hokitika to South Westland were taken over by West Coast Airways. Other destinations removed from the network were Greymouth (date unknown) and Kaikohe in August 1970.
In the 1950s NAC acquired de Havilland Herons, Vickers Viscounts and in the 1960s Fokker Friendships and Boeing 737s.
The Herons were operated from 1952 - 57 from Wellington Rongotai Airport; while mainline services continued using DC-3s from Wellington Paraparaumu Airport.
The Viscounts were introduced in 1958; initially operating from Christchurch to Auckland, and Christchurch to Palmerston North. Services to Wellington began the following year, after the dramatic reconstruction of Wellington Rongotai Airport, and the return of NAC to the city centre. Viscount service to Dunedin began late in 1962; after the closure of Dunedin Taieri to airliners; and the opening of Dunedin Momona Airport further down the Taieri valley.
The Friendships began service with the first arriving late in 1960, with another seven arriving during 1961. They operated to the regional airports with sealed runways; and also on the main trunk route with the Viscounts. They operated the first services to Dunedin Momona Airport until traffic built up enough to use the Viscounts there. As more regional airports were sealed during the 1960s, 4 Fokker F27 Friendship Mk500s were bought.
Boeing 737 services were introduced in 1968 on the "main trunk" (Auckland/Wellington/Christchurch/Dunedin); and extended to Invercargill and Palmerston North during the 1970s.
NAC continued using DC-3s from its birth until 2 years before the merger; although only services to Timaru and Oamaru were operated with DC-3s in the 1970s. One DC-3 named Waitaki was kept on for this service, until those airports were sealed.
[edit] S.A.F.E. Air
In August 1972, NAC Acquired 100% ownership of freight company SAFE Air. They operated Bristol Freighters and Armstrong Whitworth Argosys.
[edit] Merger
On April 1 1978, after thirty-one years in operation, NAC merged with Air New Zealand to form the domestic arm of the airline. The fleet at that time consisted of twenty-five aircraft:
| Boeing 737-200 | 8 |
| Fokker F27-100 | 13 |
| Fokker F27-500 | 4 |
[edit] Kaimai disaster
On July 3 1963, a NAC Douglas DC-3, ZK-AYZ crashed into the Kaimai Ranges in New Zealand's North Island while flying in clouds and turbulence. The aircraft was flying from Whenuapai, Auckland to Tauranga. The aircraft struck a vertical rock face after encountering a strong downdraft. The aircraft may also have commenced an early descent with the pilots unaware of the true position of the aircraft. All twenty-three people on board were killed.
[edit] Electra crash
On 23 October 1948, a NAC Lockheed Electra, ZK-AGK Kaka, crashed on Mt Ruapehu in the centre of New Zealand's North Island while flying in clouds. The aircraft was flying from Palmerston North to Hamilton. After passing over Wanganui, the aircraft drifted right of track and collided with the mountain killing all thirteen people on board. The wreckage was located a week later near the summit. The accident highlighted the lack of air navigation radio beacons in New Zealand at the time.
[edit] Surviving aircraft
Ex NAC Dragon Rapides, Fox Moths, and DC-3s still fly in private hands. All three, as well as two ex-NAC Lockheed Electras are preserved at the Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland. A Vickers Viscount is preserved at Ferrymead in Christchurch. Some Friendships continue in service in Indonesia. One of the converted RNZAF Sunderlands was until recently airworthy with Kermit Weeks collection.
Some of the ex NAC F27 Friendships also survive, two with Airwork/NZ Post carrier, based at Auckland International Airport. These are ZK-NAN and NAO. Another (ZK-BXH) is stored at Christchurch International airport, complete, but not flown since 1990 being used as a crew cabin trainer. ZK-BXG is being restored to display at Ashburton Airport. Of the Boeing 737-200 fleet, ex ZK-NAD the second one delivered still survives in a derelict state in an airliner graveyard in Carolina, USA where it has sat since its last flight in 1991. Another, ex ZK-NAK was last reported flying for Air Guinee Express, an African carrier after storage at Opa-locka, Florida, USA, in 2005. By this stage the aircraft was 35 years old, so doing very well to still be flying. And ex ZK-NAP and Q are also still flying, NAP up for sale in the later half of 2006.
[edit] References
- Peter Aimer, Wings of the Nation: A History of the New Zealand National Airways Corporation 1947–1978, published 2000.
- Air New Zealand Company History
- Electra crash
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