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Friday, July 16, 2010

Air Rarotonga's Saab

Air Rarotonga's Saab 340A (QC) E5-EFS (049) is about to celebrate 10 years of service with the Cook Islands carrier and has actually been in the region for just over a decade. As G-GNTA, the Saab arrived at Nelson from Sydney on 08 June 2000 and was inducted by Air Nelson Engineering who at that time of course still operated the same type of aircraft. It was registered ZK-EFS (personalised registration for the airline's owner Ewan Smith) and it departed Nelson for Auckland 21 July 2000 then onto Rarotonga via Tonga 22 July 2000.

Prior to its life in the Pacific region, 049 spent time with Crossair of Switzerland as HB-AHK and was delivered to them 19 March 1986 before moving to British Midland Airways 5 years later and was converted to a freighter.

It arrived at Nelson again on 23 May 2005 from Rarotonga and Auckland and was re-registered E5-EFS 01 June 2005 when the Cook Islands adopted implemented their own Civil Aviation division. It returned to Rarotonga via Auckland and Tonga 13 June 2005.


Colin Hunter was on hand when it arrived at Auckland 13 June 2005

The Saab has made subsequent visits to New Zealand for maintenance, most recently arriving at Nelson 05 April 2010 for a heavy maintenance lay-up which sees the aircraft still at Nelson mid July awaiting spare parts.

At Nelson looking forlorn outside Air Nelson's new hanger, Peter Campbell photo
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