Kiwi Budgies Pt1: Mount Cook HS 748s

Mount Cook Airlines was started by Henry "Harry" Rodolph Wigley, a former RNZAF WW2 fighter pilot and Wing Commander, who postwar built up his father's Mount Cook Group and began ski-plane operations in 1955 in the South Island of New Zealand. Little did they expect that their venture would grow into New Zealand's 3rd airline and continue its pioneering services into the 2010s. The aircraft that really put Mount Cook on the map, however was the sturdy HS 748.

This post would not be possible without the awesome 3 part series on Mount Cook Airlines by Steve over at 3rd Level New Zealand. I can highly recommend that site as a treasure trove about the operations of New Zealand's many smaller airlines. Please check it out.

Mount Cook Airlines HS 748 ZK-CWJ Aeroclassics 1:400 Scale Model Airliner

In December 1960 permission was granted for Mount Cook Airlines to begin a Christchurch - Mount Cook route using a DC-3, which the airline had purchased from NAC. Service began on November 6, 1961 connecting Christchurch with Mount Cook, Cromwell and Te Anau. Over the coming seasons the services and schedules were increased and a second DC-3 joined the fleet in November 1964. At the same time Mount Cook tookover operation of NAC's Christchurch to Timaru service, operated in the morning and evening, with the scenic routes crammed in during the day.

From the collection of Bjorn Larson at the excellent timetableimages.com

By 1966 Mount Cook was operating into Queenstown (rather than Cromwell),  as far south as Invercargill and as far east as Dunedin. The closure of SPANZ in February 1966 benefited Mount Cook further, which picked up NAC's Oamaru service as a tag on to the Timaru one and added Alexandra too. The mainline fleet still stood at just a pair of elderly DC-3s and clearly a replacement was needed. Despite the funding challenge the search for a new aircraft was on and the airline's manager Harry Wigley and Captain Geoff Williams visited manufacturers around the world looking at types such as the Fokker F27, Nord 262 and HS 748.

C-47A/DC-3 ZK-BEU at Christchurch as late as 1971. Photo by RuthAS from Wikipedia

In the end the British product won the race, offering rugged rough field performance and high levels of passenger comfort. The type's low landing speed and high climb rate were especially sought after in the tricky conditions found at such stations as Mt Cook and Queenstown. It was also fitted with integral airstairs and did not require a ground power unit. Plus the HS 748, although not as fast as some other types, still offered impressive savings in journey time over the DC-3s.

Only a single aircraft was ordered but even so the $800,000 price tag was a huge investment for the little airline. In preparation for the arrival of the new type modifications were made at airports on the network like Queenstown, which had its runway sealed.

ZK-CWJ at Palmerston North in 1973. Photo by Phillip Capper from Wikipedia

The first Mount Cook HS 748, ZK-CWJ was delivered to Christchurch on October 5, 1968 after a 58 hour delivery. The aircraft was configured in a high density 52 seat layout, although this was quickly reduced to 48. CWJ entered service on October 14, 1968 flying NM501 to Mount Cook and Queenstown. After ten days the HS 748 also replaced the DC-3s on the NAC owned CHC-Timaru-Oamaru service. Manapouri was added to the HS 748 on December 19. Services with the HS 748 proved popular and in a 6 month period during 1969 the airline carried a third more passengers than it had in the same period the year earlier (18,621:12,431).

The HS 748 didn't mean the end of the DC-3s however, in fact a third was purchased in 1969 as well as a DHC-6 Twin Otter. The 1970s brought more expansion with new longer routes perfect for the HS 748s. On October 19, 1970 a Mount Cook-Rotorua service was begun connecting the airline's South Island network with the North. A second HS 748 was ordered, which arrived in June 1971 as ZK-DES. The DC-3 fleet was reduced to one. The HS 748s operated a daily return Christchurch-Mount Cook-Queenstown-Te Anau/Manapouri route and a daily return Rotorua-Mount Cook-Queenstown service. With passenger numbers growing on the core tourist routes Mount Cook was able to end its agreement with NAC to fly the Timaru and Oamaru service.

ZK-DES at Christchurch in 1984. Photo by Daniel Tanner from Wikipedia

Expansion continued with the Rotorua service extended to Auckland in November 1972 to connect with the Auckland based amphibian fleet, which used Grumman Widgeons and a Goose to the Bay of Islands. Revenue was improved by the regular charter of the HS 748s to cover for NAC's F27s and 737s. A third HS 748, ZK-MCA, joined in 1973 and started a direct Christchurch to Queenstown route. Increasingly Mount Cook shared its 748s with NAC and in return was able to borrow F27s. It was another few years until the 4th HS 748 arrived (in October 1976) and this aircraft did in fact see substantial periods out on lease, however Mount Cook was far from resting on its laurels. It had closed its amphibian services down in 1976 but in turn bought and modified Kerikeri airport to make it suitable for HS 748 operations.

ZK-MCF registered as G-AYYG on one of her several leases to Dan Air. Photo by Ken Fielding from Wikipedia

The first 'Sunbird' service up to the Bay of Islands began on March 17th 1977, though initially into Kaikohe whilst Kerikeri was finished. The last DC-3 left the fleet in May 1978 but a 5th 748 arrived the next year in October (ZK-MCJ). This was the first of the type that had seen earlier service with another carrier having previously flown with Fiji Airways / Air Pacific since 1968. The 1970s had seen strong growth for Mount Cook in symbiosis with NAC.

The 1980s would continue this growth and bring new liveries and closer co-operation with Air New Zealand, plus a movement away from the traditional tourist routes towards more normal regional services. The HS 748 fleet would continue to grow and provide the backbone of the network well into the 90s but that story will have to wait until Aeroclassics produce a model wearing a later scheme.

References

Ewing, Ross. 1977. Alpine Airliners - Mount Cook HS748s. New Zealand Wings
2014. Mount Cook Airlines Pt1: 1960s Birth. 3rd Level Blogspot
Mount Cook Airlines. Timetable Images.com