This aircraft was ordered new by Air Caledonie, New Caledonia

It was built by de Havilland Canada Inc at Downsview, Ontario - 1971

Entered onto the United States Aircraft Registered as N4977 - ?

Registered to ?

Rolled out at Downsview as N4977 - April 1971

First flown at Downsview as N4977 - April 21, 1971

Powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 engines

Handed over to Floair Inc, Wichita, Kansas at Downsview as the ferry contractor to Air Caledonie - April 30, 1971

Observed at San Francisco en-route to New Caledonia - May 15, 1971

Arrived at Noumea on completion of the ferry flight from Canada - May 20, 1971

Cancelled from the United States Aircraft Register - May 26, 1971

Entered onto the French Aircraft Register as F-OCQF - May 1971

Registered to Air Caledonie, Noumea

Withdrawn from service at Noumea and prepared for sale - 1986

Sold to Talair, Goroka, New Guinea - ?

Cancelled from the French Aircraft Register - July 1986

Entered onto the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register as P2-RDJ - August 01, 1986

Registered to Talair, Goroka, Papua New Guinea

Talair ceased operations and the aircraft was withdrawn from use at Goroka - May 25, 1993

Departed Goroka on the ferry flight to Australia for storage - July 07, 1993

Arrived Mareeba, Queensland for long-term storage pending its sale - July 1993

Cancelled from the Papua New Guinea Aircraft Register - August 22, 1996

Entered onto the Australian Aircraft Register as VH-FNV - August 23, 1996

Registered to Flight West Airlines, Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Queensland

Leased to Heavilift PNG, Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea - September 09, 1996

Returned to Flight West Airlines on termination of the lease - December 09, 1996

Leased to Cape York Air, Cairns to operate on behalf of Heavilift PNG - March 15, 1997

Leased to Janlin Pty Ltd, Cairns to operate on behalf of Heavilift PNG - April 22, 1998

Janlin ceased operations for Heavilift PNG - April 23, 1999

The aircraft was observed at Brisbane with 'Heavilift' titles - September 11, 1999

Returned to Flight West Airlines on termination of the lease - March 28, 2000

Leased to R. R. Moore & Company, Toowoomba, t/a Eastland Air - November 06, 2000

Returned to Flight West Airlines on termination of the lease - January 08, 2001

Registered to Tomalpin Holdings Pty Limited, Brisbane - July 16, 2002

Leased to Flight West Airlines as the registered operator

Sold to Omega Aviation, Mudjimba, Queensland - October 23, 2002

Registered to Omega Aviation, Mudjimba, Queensland - October 23, 2002

Leased / sold to PT Air Regional, Jakarta, Indoneasia as the registered operator - December 09, 2002

The aircraft was named 'Spirit of Puncak Jaya'

Cancelled from the Australian Aircraft Register - December 09, 2002

Entered onto the Indonesian Aircraft Register as PK-WAR - December 2002

Registered to PT Air Regional, Jakarta

The aircraft was badly damaged when it crashed on approach to Mulla, West Papua - April 28, 2003

It was deemed to be beyond economic repair and was written off

To read more about this accident please click 'HERE'

Cancelled from the Indonesian Aircraft Register - ?

P2-RDJ. Talair - in the standard livery at an unknown airport, August 1987.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-900.)

P2-RDJ. Talair - in the basic livery at the Mareeba Airport, April 1994.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-811.)

VH-FNV. Flight West - in the basic livery at the Brisbane Airport, January 1997.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-819.)

VH-FNV. Hevilift - in the basic Flight West livery at Brisbane Airport, October 1997.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-132.)

VH-FNV. Hevilift - in the basic Flight West livery at Brisbane Airport, September 1999.

(R. N. Smith Collection Copyright Image 1920-901.)