Biplane passing through

• Published date: 08 November 2021

The Dominie Tui, usually housed at the Croyden Aviation Centre, arrived in Dunedin on Friday afternoon.

The flight to Nelson would be piloted by Jordan Kean (27), chief flying instructor of Mainland Air at Momona, with Mainland Air’s Phillip Kean and one other crew member joining him for the journey.

The plane would leave Dunedin today or Tuesday, depending on the weather.

If the skies did open, the trip would have to be delayed, Mr Kean said.

‘‘When you’re flying these older and more delicate airplanes, if you’ve got time to spare; go by air. If you’re in a hurry, catch a bus.’’

The model was mainly used for passenger work during World War 2, and this plane once flew twice a day between Invercargill and Dunedin.

The 1943 model with twin Gipsy Queen engines was destined to be sold in Australia, before the Historic Places Trust stopped the sale, keeping the piece of history grounded on New Zealand soil. It was close to Mr Kean’s heart.

‘‘I used to watch...