Cessna 185 ZK-CAV: A 35 Year Dream Comes True
Here at LoosCo we are always interested in hearing how and where our cable is used. We especially like to hear that our cable is being trusted to maintain older aircraft owned and piloted by true aviation enthusiasts.
In the case of John Geary, owner of Martin Aviation in Manurewa, New Zealand, our aircraft cable found its way into his Cessna 185. Here’s a little history of the craft, told by John himself.
She is an early first model Cessna
185, assembled new in New Zealand in 1961. She originally went Topdressing cropdusting), spreading fertilizer for 2400 hours with Manawa Aerial Topdressing at Feilding (New Zeland).
Overhauled 1968, she then went to Mt. Cook Airlines and was fitted with skis for snow operations, taking tourists up to the glaciers and slopes at Mt Cook.
In 1977 the original 260 HP
engine was replaced with a 300 HP and she carried on skiing until 1985, having logged a total of 10500 hours of flight time.
She later went to Dalrachney Station in Lindis Pass ( a high country farm ) where she was used for transport/communications. She was still a workhorse, but nearly as intensive flying. She had, when I took her over in Dec 2009, some 11500 hours.
I love it even though I am now
BROKE!!!!!! - It’s the best thing I have done in a long time.
She is a 35 year dream for me: having a 300 hp Cessna 185 that can go quick and still get into small strips. I am hoping to treat her right as a pet, which any 50 year old deserves!
Cheers for now!
John G
Pictures are: 
1) Talking to the dog about her hangar!!!!
2) Standing in the sun outside,
3) Front view, taken at Lindis Pass,
4) Tying her down at Ardmore after we got her home
Well John, we can’t think of anything better than being able to help you keep your dream flying!
If you have a unique application or a lifelong dream that LoosCo aircraft cable or wire rope has played a part in creating, send us an email with your story and some pictures, and we’ll be sure to publish it here on The Wire.