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Bert Mercer

1886 – 1944

New Zealand aviator

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About Bert Mercer

Lived 1886 – 1944 (aged 57). Bert Mercer was a New Zealand aircraft pilot.

James Cuthbert Mercer (16 September 1886 – 30 June 1944) was a pioneer New Zealand aviator, establishing the country's first commercial airline, Air Travel (NZ) Ltd, in 1934 based around services operating between Hokitika and settlements in South Westland.

Early life Mercer was born in Dunedin and when he left school, he worked as a bicycle and car mechanic. Mercer learned to fly while working as a mechanic at the Sockburn airport in Christchurch and became the Canterbury Aero Club's first instructor when it formed in 1928.

Career In 1934 Mercer set up Air Travel (NZ) Ltd, which became the first licensed airline to commence services in New Zealand with its inaugural flight on 18 December from Hokitika. Very shortly after the airline began delivering mail. When the service began operating in 1934 along the West Coast, Mercer used a de Havilland Fox Moth.

Death and legacy

Mercer died in an aircrash in 1944 when the company's de Havilland Dragon ZK-AHT, piloted by Colin Lewis, crashed on Mount Hope of the Two Thumb Range, en route from Nelson to Westport. In 1945, Air Travel (NZ) Ltd came under government control but continued until 1967 when the national air carrier NAC began flights into Hokitika. Eleven pilots flew for Air Travel (NZ) Ltd between 1934 and 1947.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
James Cuthbert Mercer

People in Bert Mercer's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bert Mercer's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bert Mercer?

New Zealand aviator

When was Bert Mercer born?

Bert Mercer was born on 16 September 1886.

When did Bert Mercer die?

Bert Mercer died on 30 June 1944.

What was Bert Mercer's occupation?

Bert Mercer was an aircraft pilot.

What nationality was Bert Mercer?

Bert Mercer was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bert Mercer

· Wikidata: Q4895219

· DBpedia: Bert Mercer

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bert Mercer. https://biography.guide/bert-mercer/

MLA: "Bert Mercer." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bert-mercer/.

Chicago: "Bert Mercer." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bert-mercer/.

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