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Cessna A188 Agwagon ZKC00
MOTAT’s Agwagon in Phoenix Aviation colours. Photo courtesy of Brian Dovey.
Agwagons were used by several topdressing companies in New Zealand, including Rural Aviation, which once operated MOTAT’s Agwagon. The story of Rural Aviation is indicative of the hardships experienced by many agricultural aviation companies. It was established in 1963, but the company collapsed only a few years later. Declines in farming, as well as the formation of the European Economic Community, which closed certain overseas markets to New Zealand, played a part in the demise of the company. However, the need for agricultural aviation companies was evident, and several farmers met and decided to purchase Rural Aviation. The company was reborn as Phoenix Aviation which still operates in Southland and Otago today.
MOTAT’s Agwagon in Rural Aviation colours. Topdressing aircraft were often painted with the name of the pilot. This aircraft had a pair of doves on the door, showing it was Brian Dovey’s aircraft. Photo courtesy of Brian Dovey.
MOTAT’s Agwagon was flown by Brian Dovey for Rural Aviation and Phoenix Aviation in topdressing, spraying and seeding roles. At Kinleith, near Tokoroa, it was used to spray pine forests for disease, but it was mostly used to spray cereal crops or paddocks for disease, insects and invasive plants like gorse. It was donated to MOTAT by Phoenix Aviation and is painted in their colours.
Date: 1966 Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft Company, Wichita, Kansas Type: Single seat agricultural monoplane Wing span: 12.31 m Length: 7.70 m Accommodation: Pilot only
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The
Agwagon was designed after Cessna conducted a worldwide market research
and engineering survey. Agricultural aviation operators from around the
world were asked to comment on their aircraft needs and the Agwagon was
manufactured with these in mind. It was designed as a crop spraying
aircraft but has been used in New Zealand for both spraying (liquids)
and topdressing (solids).