VH-ECC Pacific Endeavour

Type: L-188C Electra
MSN: 2007
Previous Identities: Nil
Subsequent Identities: ZK-CLX
N1968R
C-GHZI (Tanker 484)

History:

01APR58 Ordered by Qantas
10AUG59 Application for CofR and CofA by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd. (Source: 1)
19NOV59 First flight
VH-ECC
  
24NOV59 CofR 3278 and CofA 3278 issued to Qantas as VH-ECC (Source: 1)
25NOV59 Delivered to Qantas at Burbank. Specification No. 10637-14 (Contract TLX-218). (Source: 2)
28NOV59 Arrived Sydney on delivery as "Pacific Endeavour" (Capt K. Nicholson)
08NOV60 T.T. 1900.42 hours (Source: 1)
25JAN61 Due to depart for Lockheed, Burbank for wing and engine mount modifications
31JAN61 Entered LEAP as LEAP #73 QEA-3
27FEB61 Completed LEAP
03OCT61 Operated inaugural service Sydney to Wellington (Capt J.S. Ross) (Source: "The Australian Air Mail Catalogue")
04OCT61 Operated inaugural service Sydney to Auckland (Capt J.S. Ross) (Source: "The Australian Air Mail Catalogue")
07OCT61 Operated inaugural service Auckland to Melbourne (Capt F.S. Furniss) (Source: "The Australian Air Mail Catalogue")
31OCT61 T.T. 4018.35 hours (Source: 1)
18OCT62 T.T. 5523.36 hours (Source: 1)
13JUN63 Last reweigh by Qantas. Empty Weight 58,456 lbs. (Source: 2)
01NOV63 T.T. 7238.38 hours (Source: 1)
26OCT64 T.T. 9355.46 hours (Source: 1)
12APR65

T.T. 10805.00 hours. Total Landings 4147. The aircraft was configured with 12 De Luxe and 58 Economy seats.
Config Drawing. (Source: 2)

Maximum Take-off Weight
116,000 lbs.
Maximum Landing Weight
95,650 lbs.
Maximum Zero Fuel Weight
86,000 lbs.

15APR65 The New Zealand Minister for Civil Aviation announced that Air New Zealand would purchase an Electra from Qantas to replace ZK-TEC which crashed on 27MAR65. (Source: Australian Air Log Vol 1 No 4, April 1965, p.33)
Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) was renamed Air New Zealand Limited on 01APR65.
17APR65 Operated its last Qantas service.
AIR NEW ZEALAND
ZK-CLX
  
18APR65 Cancelled from Australian register. Change of ownership to Air New Zealand as ZK-CLX. (Source: 1)
18APR65 Added to the New Zealand register as ZK-CLX. (Source: 3)
18APR65 Departed Sydney on its first commercial service for Air NZ as ZK-CLX in full Qantas livery and titles but with the Australian flag and registration removed. (Source: Australian Air Log Vol 1 No 4, April 1965, p.33)
28APR65 Noted at Sydney with the name Qantas painted out. (Source: Australian Air Log Vol 1 No 4, April 1965, p.33)
01MAY65 Photographed departing from Sydney still in Qantas livery but with the name Pacific Endeavour now removed.
10MAY65 Noted at Sydney still in Qantas colours but with Air New Zealand titles.
(Source: Australian Air Log Vol 1 No 5, May 1965, p.49)
22MAY65 Photographed at Sydney still in Qantas colours but with Air New Zealand titles.
12JUN65

The Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand published a report by the late Cliff Jenks in their Journal of August 1965. "This Electra now sports a turquoise colour scheme in place of its red stripe. It was rolled out for engine checks and a compass swing on 12th June, looking very new. The present scheme has the following differences from ZK-TEA and ZK-TEB and appears to be the scheme the DC-8s will be wearing.

1.
 The name AKAROA has been moved down onto the cheat line.
2.
 The words Air New Zealand, in dark blue, have replaced the "reflective white" TEAL on the base of the fin.
3.
 The word TEAL now appears in turquoise on the dark blue part of the fin.
4.
 The stars on the fin have been changed from reflective white to gold.
N1968R
  
16FEB68 Sold to California Airmotive Corp as N1968R
22FEB68 Sold to Reeve Aleutian Airways Inc, Anchorage, Alaska as N1968R
08JUN83 En route Anchorage to Cold Bay, the crew noticed an unusual vibration while climbing from FL190 to FL250. The flight engineer went aft to inspect the engines and propellers but noted nothing unusual. A flight attendant went forward to report to the captain that nothing unusual had been observed, when the vibration increased in intensity. As the flight attendant left the flight deck, she looked out the right hand window and saw the number 4 propeller separate, striking the fuselage. This caused a rapid decompression which resulted in a partial collapse of the cabin floor, jamming some control cables. The crew began an emergency descent but found that control was difficult and that they could not reduce power from cruise setting. The autopilot provided minimal control while lowering and retracting the undercarriage with the number 2 engine shut down enabled the crew to descend and climb. Despite these difficulties, which initially indicated a ditching, the crew managed to return to Anchorage. On their second approach, the aircraft touched down nosewheel first at high speed and the crew shut down the remaining two engines which deprived them of hydraulic braking and nosewheel steering. The aircraft departed the runway at slow speed, partially entering a ditch. The aircraft remained on its undercarriage and further damage was limited to that caused by main gear brake fires which were extinguished by the fire services before spreading. The reason for the propeller separation could not be determined as the propeller had fallen into the ocean.
[Extracted from NTSB Report DCA83AA029]

The aircraft was subsequently repaired and returned to service.
JAN01 Following the bankruptcy of Reeve Aleutian, N1968R was acquired by Air Spray (Canada) for conversion to a fire bombing tanker. N1968R had served Reeve Aleutian for 33 years!
C-GHZI
  
12JUN01 Registered C-GHZI to Air Spray 1967 Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The aircraft is marketed by Air Spray as a "Long Liner", a name derived from its ability to drop a long line of retardant.
28DEC04 Report that C-GHZI Tanker 84 has completed its first season as a tanker.
27MAY10 Michael Hogan, an Electra captain with Airspray, advises that C-GHZI is now marked as Tanker 484. Although originally marked as T-84, the proliferation of tankers made it necessary to carry the full three digit call-sign on the aircraft. The aircraft operates as "Airspray 484".
   


SOURCES
1
 File C3905/2 VH/ECC Pts 1 & 2 (22) N.A.A., Chester Hill. Sourced by Chris O'Neill.
2
 L188C Aircraft VH-ECC Specifications issued by Qantas Empire Airways, 11th April 1965. This document defines the configuration and mod state of VH-ECC at the time of its sale to Air New Zealand.
3
 Paul V. Sheehan Air New Zealand Aircraft - 75 Years.


Issue Date Remarks
21 15OCT23
Added a colour image of the aircraft in Qantas livery but registered ZK-CLX. Thanks to Peter Gates.
20 28DEC22
19 04DEC22
Added a slideshow.
18 06AUG22
Added an image of ZK-CLX thanks to Eric Allen.
Added an image of ZK-CLX thanks to David Daw.
Added the date (12JUN65) that the aircraft was repainted in Air New Zealand livery. Thanks to Peter Layne.
17 28SEP19
Added two colour images of ZK-CLX in Qantas colours but with Air New Zealand titles. Thanks to Eric Allen. Image 1 Image 2
16 11OCT17
Added an image of ZK-CLX thanks to Peter Gates.
15 08SEP16
Added information from Source 2 thanks to Robert Phillips.
14 03APR16
Refreshed page layout with no change to data.
13 26SEP15
Added four images of N1968R thanks to Peter Gates. Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4
12 20AUG15
Added two images of ZK-CLX thanks to Peter Gates. Image 1 Image 2
11 07APR14
Added further details of the sale to Air NZ in APR/MAY 65.
10 16MAY12
Added three images thanks to Peter Gates and Ken Watson.
9 28MAY10
Update and three recent photos added thanks to Michael Hogan.
8 07NOV07
Added an image of C-GZHI in interim Air Spray livery thanks to Peter Gates.
7 09OCT07
Added an image of VH-ECC in colour. Thanks to Christopher Bateman.
6 29DEC04
Added Tanker Number 84 thanks to a source at Air Spray.
5 06JAN04
Added several new references extracted from file C3905/2 VH/ECC Pts 1 & 2 (22) N.A.A., Chester Hill by Chris O'Neill.
4 23JUL01
Added to Canadian Register.
3
 -
Added LEAP details thanks to Pete Clukey.
Additional material thanks to John Wilson.
Additional images thanks to Peter Gates.



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