Country of origin:

Czech Republic

Description:

Agricultural aircraft

Power Plant:

One 360 kw (483 shp) Walter M-601Z turboprop

Specifications:

History:

The LET Z-37 Cmelak (Bumble Bee) was an agricultural aircraft designed and built in Czechoslovakia, work commencing in 1961. The prototype, the XZ-37, first flew on 29 March 1963.  Also known as the Zlin Z-37T it was a low-wing monoplane of tubular metal construction with a fixed tailwheel undercarriage and initially was fitted with a radial air-cooled engine. The hopper for chemicals was set in the fuselage behind the cockpit and a mechanic / loader operator could be carried in the hopper. Spray booms were mounted under the wings.

Initial production aircraft were known as the Z-37 and deliveries commenced in 1965. From 1971 a new improved model known as the Z-37A was produced and 677 were built, including 27 two-seaters for pilot training, known as the Z-37A-2. Further development led to the Z-37T, the prototype of which, known as the XZA-37T, was flown on 6 September 1981 fitted with a Walter M-601Z turboprop. Two further variants were produced, one with the M-601Z engine which flew in July 1983. The engine had a gearbox at the rear of the engine and a driveshaft from a Zector tractor could be fitted to drive the spray pump or fertiliser spreader. Production of this variant was from 1985 to 1994 and 51 were delivered, including a few two-seaters known as the Z-37T-2. Later production aircraft were known as the Z-137T.

In 2002 it seems as many as nine examples of the turbine-powered series were imported to New Zealand but not all were registered or placed in operation. The type had a limited life span of 3,000 hours or a certain number of years and after they were operated for that period they were retired. Some of these examples of the Z-37T  were assembled and received registrations, a number being placed in use in the agricultural role, becoming known as the Z-37T or Z-137T Agro Turbo. These aircraft include: ZK-PJO (c/n 004) of Kairanga Aviation at Palmerston North and ZK-DOZ (c/n 010 – ex OK-RJD) of the McCombie Family Trust of Christchurch operated by the Aerial Sowing Group Ltd of Nelson, which, when retired, was restored and placed on display at the Ashburton Aviation Museum. ZK-RJI³ (c/n 014), a Z-137T, was operated by Super Air but crashed at Pukekohe East on 29 April 2005.

The others allotted registrations were: ZK-WLO (c/n 020 – ex OK-RJN) of Willow Air (NZ) Ltd of Milton which ran out of hours and was placed in storage, and ZK-KRB [ntu] which became ZK-BOC (c/n 008 – ex OK-RJB). However, this aircraft having exceeded its 3,000 hour life when imported, the registration was not taken up and it was placed in storage.

Two aircraft were converted to Z-137T Agro Turbo configuration, these being: ZK-VIH (c/n 039 – ex OK-VII) of Super Air Ltd of Hamilton which crashed on take off at Roxburgh when operating with Flying Ag Company on 10 March 2008 and was written off, later becoming ZK-WLT and being withdrawn from service on 5 July 2016. ZK-RDZ (c/n 0040), with Rural Air Services of Feilding, which later took the registration ZK-RZN, was operated by Rural Aviation but was damaged near Mangaweka on 16 November 2007 and was placed in storage at Alexandria. These aircraft have also been known as the Zlin Z-137T. Both suffered accidents during their working life and one aircraft was built from the two airframes.

Other airframes c/ns 008, 011 and 015 were also imported. C/n 008 was allotted registration ZK-KRB but it was not taken up and the aircraft became ZK-BOC. The wreckage of another Let Z-37T (OK-RJE – c/n 011) was noted stored in March 2008 and is believed to have been imported to use for spares but its fate is not known. C/n 015 was allotted the registration ZK-RJI but was damaged at Pukekohe East on 29 April 2005. However, it seems only four of the aircraft were in fact flown operationally in New Zealand due to the limited life available on the airframes. None are known to be airworthy.