Air Chathams
Encyclopedia
Air Chathams Limited is a commuter airline
based in Te One, the Chatham Islands
, New Zealand
. It was established in 1986 and operates scheduled passenger services between the Chatham Islands and the North and South islands of New Zealand, as well as local charters. Its main base is Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport
, with a hub at Wellington International Airport
. A fully owned subsidiary (Chathams Pacific) operates scheduled flights in Tonga
.
As of August 2008, the Air Chathams fleet includes the following aircraft:
The Britten-Norman Islander and Beechcraft Queenair aircraft are used exclusively by the Air Chathams subsidiary, Chathams Pacific, in Tonga. Three of the Convair 580's and the Metro III are used across the company's operations as well as contract freight services and charter work. The fourth Convair 580 is in a pure-freighter configuration and is currently in open-air storage at Palmerston North International Airport
awaiting reintroduction to service when suitable work becomes available. The Cessna 206 provides a non-regular service between Chatham Island and Pitt Island and is on standby for Search And Rescue or local flights around the Chatham Islands as well.
Services Vava'u and Tongatapu and periodically Ha'apai
1 Metroliner - 18 seats, pressurised.
Services Tongatapu and Vava'u
1 DC3 - 25 seats
This vintage aircraft was totally restored and re-entered scheduled services in September 2010.
Generally found on the Ha'apai route
2 Queen Airs – 8 seats.
Operates on the lower traffic routes (Niuatoptapu and Niuafo'ou)
1 Islander – 8 seats.
Operates across to 'Eua (one of the world’s shortest Schedule Services at only 7 or 8 minutes in the air)
Also used for scenic flying.
Photographs of these aircraft including the DC3 restoration project found on Chathams Pacific website.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Te One, the Chatham Islands
Chatham Islands
The Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It was established in 1986 and operates scheduled passenger services between the Chatham Islands and the North and South islands of New Zealand, as well as local charters. Its main base is Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport
Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport
Chatham Islands / Tuuta Airport is a small airport 10.5 NM northeast of Waitangi Township on the Chatham Islands, New Zealand.Operational information:*Airfield elevation is 43 ft AMSL*Runway 05/23, 1360 x 45 metres sealed*PAPI 3.0/TCH 48...
, with a hub at Wellington International Airport
Wellington International Airport
Wellington International Airport is an international airport located in the suburb of Rongotai in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is a secondary hub and focus city for Air New Zealand and its subsidiaries...
. A fully owned subsidiary (Chathams Pacific) operates scheduled flights in Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
.
New Zealand
As of August 2008 Air Chathams operates scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:- AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
- Chatham IslandsChatham IslandsThe Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun...
- NapierNapier, New ZealandNapier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
- ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
- WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
Tonga
Subsidiary Chathams Pacific began Tongan operations in April 2008 after the termination of Fiji services operated by Air Chathams. They operate to the following destinations:- 'Eua'Eua AirportEua Airport , known in Tonga as Kaufana Airport, is an airport in Eua, Tonga. The airport is located southeast of the capital 'Ohonua.Tonga's domestic airliner Chathams Pacific provides frequent airlines from Tongatapu. It takes only eight minutes to fly from Tongatapu making it one of the world's...
, [[ʻEua]], Tonga - LifukaLifuka Island AirportLifuka Island Airport , also known as Salote Pilolevu Airport, is an airport on Lifuka in Tonga. The airport is located north of the capital Pangai. Chathams Pacific offers domestic air services to the airport connecting Haapai to Tongatapu and Vava'u. Flight time is approximately 40 minutes to...
, Ha'apaiHa'apaiHaapai is a group of islands, islets, reefs and shoals in the central part of the Kingdom of Tonga, with the Tongatapu group to the south and the Vavau group to the north. Seventeen of the Haapai islands are populated....
, Tonga - Niuafo'ouMata'aho AirportMata'aho Airport is an airport in Niuafo'ou, Tonga. Limited domestic air services operated by Chathams Pacific connect Niuafo’ou to Vava’u and Tongatapu....
, NiuasNiuasNiuas is a division of Tonga. It consists of three islands:*Niuafoʻou*Niuatoputapu*Tafahi...
, Tonga - NiuatoputapuNiuatoputapu AirportNiuatoputapu Airport , also known as Kuini Lavinia Airport, is an airport in Niuatoputapu, Tonga.Damage to the airport from the 2009 Samoa earthquake and ensuing tsunami caused it to be temporarily closed following the disaster...
, NiuasNiuasNiuas is a division of Tonga. It consists of three islands:*Niuafoʻou*Niuatoputapu*Tafahi...
, Tonga - Nukuʻalofa, TongatapuTongatapuTongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
, Tonga - NeiafuVava'u International AirportVavau International Airport , also known as Lupepauu International Airport, is an airport in Vavau, Tonga.Vava’u is Tonga’s main tourism hub, where some 34 islands provide both dramatic scenery and a world renown center for water related activities; sailing, fishing, diving...
, Vava'uVava'uVavau is an island chain of one large island and 40 smaller ones in Tonga. According to tradition Maui fished both Tongatapu and Vavau but put a little more effort into the former. Vavau rises 204 meters above sea level...
, Tonga - AlofiNiue International AirportNiue International Airport , also known as Hanan International Airport, is an international airport serving the island nation of Niue. It is located in the town of Alofi and currently only serves Air New Zealand flying to and from Auckland every Saturday....
, NiueNiueNiue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
, Niue (charter only)
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (Business*/Economy) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convair 580 | 4 | 45 | ZK-CIE, ZK-CIF, ZK-CIB, ZK-CID |
| Fairchild Metro III Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States.... |
1 | 19 | ZK-CIC |
| Beechcraft Queen Air 65 | 1 | 8 | A3-FEW |
| Britten-Norman Islander Britten-Norman Islander The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in... |
1 | 8 | A3-LYP |
| Cessna 206 | 1 | 6 | ZK-KAI |
The Britten-Norman Islander and Beechcraft Queenair aircraft are used exclusively by the Air Chathams subsidiary, Chathams Pacific, in Tonga. Three of the Convair 580's and the Metro III are used across the company's operations as well as contract freight services and charter work. The fourth Convair 580 is in a pure-freighter configuration and is currently in open-air storage at Palmerston North International Airport
Palmerston North International Airport
Palmerston North International Airport is located on the outskirts of the suburb of Milson in Palmerston North, New Zealand, north-east of the City central area. Although the airport has not had a regular international flight since the end of March 2008, the official name, Palmerston North...
awaiting reintroduction to service when suitable work becomes available. The Cessna 206 provides a non-regular service between Chatham Island and Pitt Island and is on standby for Search And Rescue or local flights around the Chatham Islands as well.
Chathams Pacific's Tongan-based Aircraft on October 2010
1 Convair 580 - 50 seats, fast, pressurised.Services Vava'u and Tongatapu and periodically Ha'apai
1 Metroliner - 18 seats, pressurised.
Services Tongatapu and Vava'u
1 DC3 - 25 seats
This vintage aircraft was totally restored and re-entered scheduled services in September 2010.
Generally found on the Ha'apai route
2 Queen Airs – 8 seats.
Operates on the lower traffic routes (Niuatoptapu and Niuafo'ou)
1 Islander – 8 seats.
Operates across to 'Eua (one of the world’s shortest Schedule Services at only 7 or 8 minutes in the air)
Also used for scenic flying.
Photographs of these aircraft including the DC3 restoration project found on Chathams Pacific website.