Airwork is an aviation business based in Auckland, New Zealand. The Airwork Group is New Zealand's largest general aviation company. It focuses on fixed wing maintenance, leasing, and operations working with private and public entities on aviation operations, with a fleet of 737 freighters.
 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 1936 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating bases | Auckland, Brisbane, Perth | ||||||
| Subsidiaries | Airwork Flight Operations Ltd, Airwork Ireland Ltd | ||||||
| Fleet size | 20 | ||||||
| Parent company | Airwork Group | ||||||
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||
| Key people |
| ||||||
| Founders | Charles & Arthur Brazier | ||||||
| Revenue | $184 million | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
It operates freight services in Australia for Toll Priority, Qantas and FedEx. It operates night postal services for New Zealand Post and Freightways through a joint venture agreement. Its main fixed wing base is Auckland Airport in New Zealand. The Australian freighter fleet has its headquarters at Brisbane Airport, with operational bases in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Darwin.[1]
History
editThe Airwork group is one of New Zealand's oldest aviation companies. Airwork was first established in 1936 by aircraft engineers Charles and Arthur (Bill) Brazier as an aircraft maintenance company originally assembling Tiger Moth biplanes at Rongatai Airfield. As the industry developed, Airwork moved into the engine overhaul business and in the 1970s became a listed company in which Brierley Investments built up a substantial shareholding. The business was purchased in 1984 by Hugh Jones and Alan Hubbard, and in 1988 Hugh Jones took control of the whole business.[2]
Airwork Holdings Limited was listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) in 2013 with the code AWK at an IPO price of $2.60 per share. Airwork's profit has increased 52% in the year ending 30 June 2014.[3] In October 2016, Chinese Zhejiang Rifa Holding Group offered $5.40 per share for 75 percent of the business. The offer closed in early March 2017 with 94.7 percent shareholder acceptance. [4] On 27 September 2017, Rifa Jair Company, a unit of Zhejian Rifa Holding group Co, made a full takeover offer for all fully paid ordinary shares of Airwork Holdings at a 21 percent premium to the closing price on 26 September 2017. [5]
In January 2020 Airwork began services across the Tasman with the start of Auckland to Sydney flying in conjunction with Fedex.[6] In December 2022 Airwork sold its helicopter business to Salus Aviation.[7]
Fleet
edit
_at_Christmas_Island_Airport_(1).jpg)
As of January 2020 the Airwork fleet consists of the following aircraft:[8][9]
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-300F | 4
|
1x on wet lease to Toll Priority
1x on wet lease to Virgin Australia | |
| Boeing 737-400F | 12[10]
|
3x on dry-lease to Toll Priority
4x on wet-lease to Parcelair 1x in conversion | |
| Boeing 757-200F | 4
|
1x on dry lease to Aviastar-Tu
1x on dry lease to Swiftair 1x on dry lease to Olympus Airways 1x in conversion[11] | |
| Total | 20 |
Incidents and accidents
edit- On 26 November 1993, two aircraft operated by Airwork, under contract to the New Zealand Police, collided in mid-air over central Auckland. The collision of the Aérospatiale TwinStar helicopter and Piper Archer fixed wing aeroplane resulted in the deaths of all four occupants.
- On 2 May 2005 a Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III registration ZK-POA broke up in flight 6 km East of Stratford. The flight was a NZ Post service from Auckland to Blenheim. The crash killed the two occupants.[12]
- On 26 January 2014 a Boeing 737-300F ZK-TLC conducting a Toll freight service from Brisbane was involved in an incident while landing at Henderson field, Honiara in the Solomons Islands. The right landing gear collapsed during the roll out. None of the three crew were hurt in the incident.[13]
References
edit- ^ (http://www.nvinteractive.co.nz), NV Interactive. "Airwork Group - Contact Us". Retrieved 27 September 2016.
- ^ "History | Airwork". www.airworkgroup.com. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ^ "Airwork annual profit climbs 52%, beating forecast". 27 August 2014. Archived from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
- ^ "Partial takeover of Airwork Holdings by China's Zhejiang Rifa unconditional". 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
- ^ "China's Zhejiang Rifa makes full takeover offer for Airwork Holdings". 27 September 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- ^ Lowe, Steve (30 January 2020). "New Trans-Tasman Air Freight Service". 3rd Level NZ. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
- ^ "Helicopter Sale". Helis.com. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ Our Aircraft - Airwork flight operations Archived 8 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 20 October 2016.
- ^ NZ CAA civil register entry - ZK-AWK retrieved 21 June 2010.
- ^ "AEI to provide Airwork with 12th B737-400SF freighter conversion". Air Cargo News. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ^ "Airwork ramps up conversions | Cargo Facts". cargofacts.com. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ^ Aviation Safety Network ZK-POA accident description. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
- ^ "Accident: Airwork B733 at Honiara on Jan 26th 2014, gear collapse on landing". Retrieved 27 September 2016.
External links
edit
Media related to Airwork at Wikimedia Commons
