PNG Air fleet upgrading. ATR72-600 arrival 30th April 2024
 

The former Virgin ATR72-600 VH-FVP has joined PNR Air in Port Moresby as P2-ATZ.

Older wantoks will of course know the registration P2-ATZ as Douglas Airways Britten-Norman Islander which won the 1969 London to Sydney Air Race.

Not quite. PNG Air started life as Milne Bay Air owned by John Wild Snr with a Lake Buccaneer flown by his son John Jnr. It then had an eclectic mix of aircraft including a Goose, C206, Queenair, Excalibur Queenair, Aztec, Grand Commander, Kingair, Twotters 1900s, Do228s, Dash 8s and ATRs.

Douglas Airways on the other hand started life as Aerial Tours. ennce the AT* registrations. Sadly I have dozens of hours in the original ATZ.

I think Kagamuga is correct; the family tree traces back to Dennis Douglas.

I'm, fairly certain the Goose you refer to was in fact a Widgeon?

No it definitely was a Goose, I have photos of it at my hangar at Archerfield with Milne Bay Air painted on the side. It never went on the PNG register because it was certified to CAR3 and it was too costly to upgrade it to the latest standards.

They also had a BN-2.

Thanks M63 !

Thought the rumour was they were going back to Dash8’s?

Douglas Airways beginnings
 

Dave Robinson and Helly Tchusnigg started Air Oleander mid 1960s with a 337 and a 310. It later became Aerial Tours. Denis Douglas and Harry Carrier were contracted to build a hangar at Jacksons for Aerial Tours and Denis took Aerial Tours over as payment. One of my first route training flights was with Barry Rerecich in the 310, this aircraft later crashed on Bali Island killing the Lands Minister. In the meantime their C206 went missing near the Kilifas Gap and I was an observer on that search.

I guess the paint scheme will happen sooner than later. Picture in POM, 30 April 2024

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https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....eb181c73c9.jpg

Having been involved directly with MBA from its early days and known the owner and his family since before it started, I can tell you categorically there was no connection between MBA and DZ who I also flew for.
It was definitely a Goose not a Widgeon as I flew that as well.

The Balus trilogy, volumes 2 and 3 of which I have somewhere in storage, would confirm that.

Mi nogat any idea how you'd arrive at that opinion.:confused: