The Alpine Group Ltd of Wanaka shipped into Ports of Auckland two Hughes 369E’s which once off ship were flown to Mechanics bay on 30-09-2018before being ferried down to Heli Maintenance at Christchurch for their NZ certification.
ZK-HMW3 started its career in Japan as JA6042 with Ace Helicopters at Kawagoe from 26-11-1990 with a move to Nakanihon Air Services on Okinawa from late December of 2002.
Above is JA6042 with side mounted containers with dispensing chutes beneath.
It was damaged on 18-05-2003 and following a rebuild became VH-SUV2 in Australia with Aeropower Holdings Pty Ltd of Redcliffe Queensland from 20-12-2004.
It was entered onto the ZK register on 03-10-2018 with the ZK-HMW letters – with the ‘MW’ letters in honour and memory of Matthew Wallace, the eldest son of Sir Tim Wallace, who was tragically killed on 21-07-2018.
Below we see ZK-HMW3 at Heli Maintenance Ltd in Christchurch on 18-10-2018 undergoing its NZ certification.
In the background is its companion marked as ZK-HOT which was re-registered as ZK-HNW on 24-10-2018
Above - ZK-HMW3 Captured yesterday afternoon departing from the Heli Maintenance facility.