VH-CYT Fletcher FU-24-950M
(c/n 59)
Air Culture Pty Ltd, operating out of
Jandakot Airport, Perth, had a fleet of half a dozen or so
Fletcher FU-24s imported from New Zealand in the late 1960s/early
1970s. This was the aerial
agriculture concern which had pioneered the Yeoman Cropmasters, flying
four of the original
KSAS KS-3
Wackett conversions and later, true YA-1 Cropmasters. Geoff
Goodall took the
above
shot of VH- CYT at Bunbury, WA in January 1970. This was
actually the second appear-
ance of this machine in Australia. Built as ZK-BOG, it came to
Australia in 1957 as a new machine
and was
registered VH-BOM(2). It remained that way until April of 1963
when it was repatriated
back to New
Zealand again as (oddly, for ZK- land) ZK-BOG again.
After five years it returned
to
Australia in February of 1968, remaining with Air Culture until August
of 1971 when it once again
returned
to New Zealand as ZK-BOG. It is, I believe, still current as of
2007. I assume it was under
lease
during these forays, particularly since it has retained its ZK-
identity. .