The
registration VH-CKN was originally allocated to one of the four
ex-Japan Airlines Beech H18s
(see
VH-CKS for the story) to have been
acquired by Trans West Air Charter. When that deal
was thwarted
by DCA's reluctance to certify the tri-gear Beeches, Trans-West opted
for alternate
equipment.
This 402B was purchased in Malaysia where it had been 9M-ARC (and
9V-BDW in
Singapore
before that). It arrived in Australia on 11 May 1974 having been
ferried over by Trans
West's
chief pilot Ken Voss. Geoff Goodall's shot (above) was taken at
Jandakot in April 1975.
It was later
sold to various owners before being exported to Thailand, initially as
HS-MPA, and
then
re-registered in April 2006 as HS-SPA. It is, I
believe, still current under that identity.