N 34AP   (VH-CKS [2])     Beech H18                           (c/n  BA-744)

                               

                                   VH-CKN/Q/S/W were allocated in late 1973 to four Beech Super H18s being purchased from
                                   Japan Airlines by Trans West Air Charter, Perth which were planned to be introduced on their
                                   Reg 203 scheduled airline services to WA country towns.  These were from the very final Beech
                                   18 production in 1967 with factory fitted Volpar trigear undercarriage. They had been used by JAL
                                   for pilot training and company executive work and had low hours.    Just before the first was due to
                                   depart Japan for Perth on 7 February 1974, DCA decided that the previous type certification for
                                   Beech C18S and D18S models did not cover these late model H18 trigears.  The cost of purchasing
                                   from the manufacturer design data to satisfy Australian first-of-type certification and the delay involved
                                   caused Trans West Air Charter to cancel the deal at significant financial penalty.  The four aircraft
                                   were quickly resold through US dealers.  They were:          
                                      
                                              VH-CKN (NTU)  c/n BA-750   ex JA5142 became N18843 and ferried to Honolulu
                                              VH-CKQ (NTU)        BA-744       JA5136 became N35AP  and ferried to Honolulu
                                              VH-CKS (NTU)         BA-746       JA5138 became N34AP  and ferried to Honolulu
                                              VH-CKR (NTU)  changed to:
                                              VH-CKW (NTU)       BA-747        JA5139 became PK-BIF and ferried to Indonesia

                                  Geoff Goodall tracked N34AP down at Honolulu (above) in September 1979 and reports:
                                      "............while operated by Brandt Air, Honolulu. This was a daily fresh bread delivery from a
                                        Honolulu bakery, and we got airborne at Honolulu at dawn with the cabin filled to the ceiling
                                        with still warm loaves!".