Tragedy

I need not put anymore than the header for this blog topic. The loss of the Air NZ owned Airbus A320 on 28Nov NZ time off the French Coast has been well and truly given enough press without my repeating it here. It has been a tough couple of days for all concerned as we come to terms with the losses.

However, in keeping with the spirit of this blog, herewith is an overview of ZK-OJL msn 2500:

ZK-OJL was never actually operated by Air NZ, but by low cost subsidiary Freedom Air. It was delivered to Auckland on 01Aug05 as "Freedom 6390" from Toulouse via Gander, Denver, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Apia. It then entered service 05Aug as SJ903 from Auckland to the Gold Coast returning to Auckland as SJ904 before positioning to Hamilton the same day as SJ7223. Its entry to service marked a 3 year advertising contract with Warner Brothers and the aircraft was adorned with decals covering much of the airframe as depicted in the attached images.

Taxiing for departure on its first flight for Freedom, Mike Condon photo

>ZK-OJL had the auspisious occasion of being the first Airbus A320 to visit Palmerston North, this taking place on 15Oct05 as SJ431 from Nadi and departing as SJ419 to Brisbane. On 03Nov05 the aircraft positioned from Hamilton to Christchurch as SJ7223 for a cabin re-configuration where additional seats were put into the aircraft.

In the first quarter of 2006 the Air NZ Group studied the regional market and it was concluded that two A320's would be leased abroad as aircraft utilisation was increased with the advent of another company, Zeal 320 Ltd, which allowed for both Freedom Air and Air NZ pilots to fly the A320's under one airline operator's certificate, whereas prior to this only Freedom pilots could fly the Freedom registered A320's and same for the Air NZ pilots. Incidentally, Zeal 320 Ltd ceased to exist from 26Nov this year and all aircraft returned to the Air NZ AOC!

ZK-OJK and ZK-OJL were identified as the aircraft to be leased out, the former going to TAM in Brazil as PR-MBJ in July 2006.

ZK-OJL flew its final flight with Freedom Air on 02May06 as SJ966 from the Gold Coast to Christchurch, its Warner Brother's decal already taken off bit by bit. (ZK-OJO then flew with the same design on it).
It flew an acceptance flight (in all white livery) from/to Christchurch on 22May06 as SJ7140 and was cancelled from the NZ register 24May06 and re-registered D-AXLA. As such, it departed Christchurch for Darwin and Bangkok on 25May06 flown by XL Airways crew.

The rest now is history with the aircraft, repainted in Air NZ livery (for the first time) crashing on an acceptance flight from Perpignan, France, late on the afternoon of 27Nov (French time) as flight GXL888T claiming the lives of 7 people, including 5 Air NZ staff.
The A320 was set to return to Frankfurt and be placed back on the NZ register for its re-delivery to Air NZ, with its planned route to be via Gander, Denver, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Apia to Auckland as ANZ6390, arriving on 05Dec. Sadly this will no longer be the case.


Not long before its ill fated acceptance flight, 27Nov Perpignan time, photo supplied

Sat 22 Nov - Sun 23 Nov 2008

Saturday 22 November 2008
Citationjet CJ3 ZK-TBM flew from Napier to Auckland late afternoon.


Gulfstream 550 N550GW arrived at Christchurch mid afternoon from Brisbane, where it had arrived a couple of days earlier from Kagoshima. The aircraft is based in Japan with Grand Warehouse.

Peter Van Dyk photo


United Airlines operated Boeing 747-400 N187UA through Auckland on the Air Pacific service from/to Nadi. This was the final flight to be operated by a United Airlines aircraft with DQ-FJK due to position from Singapore to Nadi 24Nov on completion of maintenance.

Colin Hunter photo


Sunday 23 November 2008
TAG Aviation Global Express HB-JEX made a 31 minute visit to Christchurch in the early hours of this morning, as recorded in the earlier blog postings.


Metrojet Gulfstream 550 B-KID touched down at Queenstown just on 0730 this morning direct from its Hong Kong base.


Citationjet CJ3 ZK-TBM was hot on the heels of B-KID into Queenstown, arriving at 0750 from Auckland. It spent several hours in the south before heading home to Christchurch.


Gulfstream G200 ZK-RGB returned to Auckland from Rarotonga.


Citation Mustang N2243W launched out of Hastings to Auckland, then south to Wanaka before returning home to Hastings. The Mustang carried Shrek the sheep (!!) from Auckland to Wanaka. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/33074/100m-merino-shrek-retires
This would have to be a global first, a sheep flying in a Mustang, or in a bizjet fullstop!



Emirates Boeing 777-300 A6-EBX made its first visit to Auckland today operating as EK432/433 from/to Brisbane.

Photos of TransPolar08 HB-JEX

Peter Van Dyk, President/CEO of Capital Jet Services, was on hand for the turnaround of Global Express HB-JEX at Christchurch in the early hours of 23Nov. His Canon EOS350D captured the following images:







During its 21min turn at Majuro 22Nov, photo via www.pacificmagazine.net

Transpolar '08 touches down at Christchurch

Excerpts from the offical website - http://www.transpolar08.com/

Tag TransPolar 08 is an attempt to beat the existing International Aeronautical Federation (FAI) record for flying round the world over both the North and South Poles. The flight on a Global Express, HB-JEX, departed from TAG Farnborough Airport near London on November 21st.

TransPolar08 will try to best Pan Am's Flight 50 record of October 1977 made in a Boeing 747SP. The average speed to beat is 423 knots.

Aziz Ojjeh, an accomplished pilot, wil lead the flight team. He is Vice President of TAG Group and its subsidiary Tag Aeronautics. He currently holds the FAI record for fastest eastbound flight around the world in a Challenger 601.

Ojjeh is accompanied by four pilots, an in-flight coordinator, flight engineer and an official observer.

HB-JEX departed Farnborough at 1005.54UTC 21Nov for Whitehorse, Canada via the North Pole. After a fuel uplift the Global headed southwest to Majuro, Marshall Islands where the aircraft spent just 29mins on the ground before continuing it southward trejectory to Christchurch touching down on runway 20 at 0036LT 23Nov. After just 31mins on the ground at Christchurch and uplifting 19500kg of fuel the jet was on its way again heading for an overfly of the South Pole then to Punta Arenas, a flight of around 10hr 53min. A brief stop for fuel again before heading to Sal, Cape Verde and then home to Farnborough.

The Capital Jet Services team were tasked with the smooth turn-a-round at Christchurch.

And from the NZ Herald

Christchurch only Australasian stop for round-world jet
12:08PM Friday Nov 21, 2008
Ground staff at Christchurch Airport will have to act like a Formula 1 pit crew this weekend as a jet stops off during an attempt at the fastest around the world flight.

The record for a flight which passes both poles is 54 hours, set by a Boeing 747SP 30 years ago.
The new record bid will be attempted in a Tag Aviation Bombardier Global Express, due to leave London on Saturday morning and aiming to touch down in Christchurch - its only Australasian stop - 12.30am Sunday.

New Zealand organiser Tony McFarlin of Capital Jet Services said the plane would need to take on about 24,000 litres of fuel during a stop which was hoped to take less than 30 minutes.

And their flight plan ex Christchurch:

DCT.CH.A338.GULAN/N0484F430.A338.REGAT/M084F430.DCT.80S165E/M084F410.85S165E/M084F450.89S165E.90S000W/M084F430.

80S070W.70S070W.60S070W/N0477F430.DCT.NAS.DCT

Foreigners at Ardmore

Some foreign registrations noted at Ardmore 21Nov.


Boomerang VH-DXW arrived in NZ back on 03Oct when it cleared customs at Kerikeri from Norfolk Island. It has since been noted at Hamilton and Stratford along with several other locations while on demostration flights. Today it was parked next to Premier Aircraft Sales building next to Cessna 172RG VH-MII with this aircraft having arrived at Kerikeri from Norfolk Island on 03Mar this year.

Mike Condon photo


Noted outside the Eurocopter facility was AS350B2 Squirrel VP-BFL. The Squirrel was first noted in NZ back on 27Dec07 on the deck of vessel "Karima" which has apparently been undergoing a refit somewhere in NZ. The AS350 was then noted at Ardmore 14Mar and has been in storage ever since.

Mike Condon photo

Sitting in a paintshop was a Kaman K-Max, not 100% sure if it was N312KA that has been working in NZ or another machine N358KA which has been reportedly sent to NZ.

Cessna demonstrator Cessna 400 N400NM remains at the Flightline facility.

Sunday 16 - Friday 21 November 2008

Sunday 16 November 2008
Business Jets Falcon 900EXE N146EX returned to Auckland from Nadi. During its time away from NZ the Falcon also visited Madang, PNG.

Monday 17 November 2008
Gulfstream G200 ZK-RGB departed Auckland for Rarotonga.

Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400 B-HKE made its first visit to NZ on the airline's CX107/108 service.

Tuesday 18 November 2008
Air NZ Boeing 747-400 ZK-NBW returned to Auckland from Singapore as ANZ6042 at the conclusion of its charter operation between there and Rockhampton.

Citation Mustang N2243W flew from Hastings to Palmerston North, Christchurch, Dunedin, then back to Palmerston North and Hastings.

New York ANG LC130 Hercules 83-0492 departed Christchurch for William Field.

Wednesday 19 November 2008
Network Jets Hawker 800XPi N805M flew home to Auckland from Maui via a techstop at Apia. The Hawker left Auckland back on 03Nov and visited Las Vegas, Wichita, Little Rock, Augusta, Toluca (Mexico), San Diego/Brown Field and Salinas.

Jetcity Learjet 36 VH-JCX arrived at Auckland from Melbourne.

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-700 VH-VBO departed Christchurch late tonight for Melbourne.

Thursday 20 November 2008
Citation 560XL VH-MXJ arrived at Dunedin just before 0600 this morning from Sydney.

Learjet 36 VH-JCX departed Auckland for Melbourne.

Embraer Legacy N580ML arrived at Auckland from Sydney this evening.

Friday 21 November 2008
Aero Commander 690 ZK-PVB returned home to NZ after several months overseas arriving at Auckland from Maroochydore via Lord Howe Island. The 690 had departed Auckland 23Feb and was noted at Dubai 30Aug and Bangkok 15Nov. It arrived at Broome from Juanda 18Nov then to Alice Springs 19Nov and from Mt Isa to Maroochydore 20Nov. The company's other Aero Commander ZK-MOH was noted at Dubai 07Oct with this after having departed during 2006!

Citation 560XL VH-MXJ departed Dunedin this morning for Essendon.

Embraer Legacy N580ML departed Auckland for Pago Pago and Honolulu.

Global Express XRS N57LE departed Auckland for Nadi and Las Vegas.

Modified C130 arrives at Christchurch

New York Air National Guard LC130H Hercules 83-0492 touched down at Christchurch mid afternoon 16Nov from Pago Pago sporting its new Hamilton Sundstrand NP2000 8 bladed propellors. According to Aviationweek.com this is the first of 12 to be retrofitted to improve support for remote deep-field camps in Antarctica. The composite blade system has already been used on the US Navy's E2C Hawkeyes.

Glen Reid was on hand to capture its arrival.

Sun 09 November - Sat 15 November 2008

Sunday 09 November 2008

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-700 VH-VBO arrived at Christchurch from Brisbane for maintenance, replacing Boeing 737-800 VH-VOK which then departed Christchurch for Brisbane.

Royal Australian Air Force C130J Hercules A97-464 departed Christchurch for Canberra as "Ausy 813".

USAF C130 Hercules 76-3301 departed Christchurch for William Field as "Skier 01".

Monday 10 November 2008

HNZ Bell 212 ZK-HNO was transported from Christchurch to Antarctica today onboard USAF C17 Globemaster 00-0181.

Uzbekistan Airways Boeing 767-300 VP-BUE arrived back at Christchurch at 0030 from Tashkent and Kuala Lumpur.

Tuesday 11 November 2008

Uzbek Boeing 767-300 VP-BUE departed Christchurch for Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent.

Western Australia based Pilatus PC12 VH-OOI arrived at Kerikeri a little before midday from Norfolk Island. After a few hours there it then continued to Auckland where it then overnighted.

Piper Malibu N9099Z flew from New Plymouth to Nelson.

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Air NZ Boeing 747-400 ZK-NBW positioned from Auckland to Rockhampton then continued to Singapore. It will shuttle several times between Singapore and Rockhampton on charter operations.

Citation Mustang ZK-MUS spent time in Christchurch today,a rriving from and returning to Wellington.

Gulfstream 4SP ZK-KFB departed Auckland for Cairns and Hong Kong and was noted arriving at Seoul 14Nov.

Westwind ZK-RML flew from Auckland to Suva, then to Brisbane before returning to Auckland mid morning the following day.

Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-JSU departed Hamilton for Brisbane this morning, then continued the following day to Darwin. To Jakarta-Halim 14Nov.

Pilatus PC12 VH-OOI departed Auckland for Norfolk Island where it overnighted and continued to the Gold Coast 13Nov.

Piper Malibu N9099Z flew from Nelson to Rangiora.

Thursday 13 November 2008

Global Express XRS N57LE launched from Auckland at 0600 today heading to Sydney, returning to Auckland later the same day.

A surprise visitor before sunup at Auckland today was Citation Sovereign VP-CRH which arrived at 0530 from Manila and Cairns. After just 5 hours on the ground, the C680 departed for Apia. It then continued to Honolulu and Long Beach 14Nov and to Opa Locka 15Nov (NZ dates).

Vanuatu Helicopters Hughes 500 ZK-HEL departed Kerikeri for Norfolk Island, however returned for unknown reasons to Kerikeri.

Friday 14 November 2008

Vanuatu Helicopters Hughes 500 ZK-HEL departed Kerikeri successfully today heading to Norfolk Island.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N581HA departed Auckland for Sydney as ANZ107 ex maintenance.

Saturday 15 November 2008

United Airlines Boeing 747-400 N197UA operated the Air Pacific service through Auckland today.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N582HA arrived at Auckland from Sydney as ANZ100.

Salt Air Gippsland Airvan ZK-MAB was observed flying the operator's Kerikeri-North Shore service, perhaps its first time flying this route.

Our Airline (nee Air Nauru) second Boeing 737-300 made a techstop at Auckland on its delivery flight to Australia. Registered as VH-NLK, the -33A (c/n 23635) machine arrived from Papeete and continued to Melbourne. It had flown from Santiago to Papeete via Easter Island 14Nov.

Navigating Northland - 11 November 2008

Late spring saw an opportunity to make a whirlwind tour of Northland by road. The distances between urban areas seem short on the map however the terrain makes for interesting driving and certainly illustrates the importance of aviation in the region as a means of expeditious transportation.

The journey commenced early with a bypass of North Shore/Dairy Flat to best make the most of the time available. A quick detour from State Highway 1 to the Kaipara Flats airstrip was met with a locked gate, our visit a little too early for the locals! The next port of call was to be the city of Whangarei and its airport located at Onerahi. Whangarei is the largest metropolitan centre in the Northland district and is home to a sizeable number of light aircraft as well as a crew base for Eagle Air Beech 1900D crews with two of the aircraft overnighting there. On an average weekday Eagle Air provides 9 flights to Auckland and 2 flights to Wellington with reduced frequency on the weekend.

Noted during two brief visits to Whangarei Airport during the day were:
C182 CGD and XLT, Hughes 300 IPM and HRL, Bell 206B HBB (minus blades), PA44 MBO (new scheme following major overhaul), C172 JIB, NCA, Let 29 SSU (following repaint), PA28 CNU, PA38 LFZ, MBZ, PAF and TWR, PA23 MCZ (derelict), Storm WOC, Spotscruiser VCP, Alpi Pioneer LPA and LPY, Airtourer DLO, FU24 DEQ, Beech 1900D EAA, EAG and EAN. Unfortunately being a weekday most of the hangers were closed.

At the St Johns Ambulance base located on the outskirts of Whangarei were Northland Emergency Trust Sikorsky S76’s IAL and ISJ with the former noted flying later in the day.

Continuing north towards Kerikeri the Heliops Robinson R44’s HXA and HXC sat quietly in their smart hanger.

At Kerikeri Airport Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 ZK-NER had just departed for Auckland. Kerikeri is serviced by both Air Nelson and Eagle Air, the former operating two daily flights to Auckland with Eagle providing three. As the Q300 departed Western Australia based Pilatus PC12/47 VH-OOI arrived from Norfolk Island. Registered to Cockles Pty, the PC12 later continued to Auckland. Earlier in 2008 Kerikeri was deemed to be capable of handling interntional flights under a certain weight and capacity and it has been used on a number of occasions for light aircraft entering and exiting NZ. Navy Seasprite NZ3604 had also recently arrived at Kerikeri and remained static early afternoon.

Kerikeri is home to commuter and charter operator Salt Air and the pride of the fleet, Cessna 208B ZK-MJL, was sitting outside their facility and departed for North Shore on one of the three daily scheduled flights south. The operator started services earlier this year and provides flights with the 14 seater from Kerikeri to Whangarei and North Shore, or direct if loads dictate. From North Shore they provide a free shuttle bus to Smales Farm and Auckland’s CBD. Brand new Gippsland GA8 Airvan ZK-MAB was housed in their hanger having arrived back at Kerikeri from Whangarei where it was painted in Salt Air’s scheme on 10Nov. The aircraft had arrived at Kerikeri from Latrobe Valley and Lord Howe Island as VH-BQY 31Oct and replaces numerically Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-TZR which transferred from Salt Air to Sounds Air. Also in the Salt Air hanger was their Bell 206B ZK-HFE.

Noted sitting inside the hanger connected to the terminal building were Tecnam Golf NOL and Socata TB10 MBR.

On the road to Paihia sits the grass strip at Harururu Falls, the spot where a tandem skydiving business operates from normally using C182 SBB however today C185E FNX was on the job. Paihia itself hosted Salt Air’s R44 HGM at the old amphibious base.

The last airport visited was North Shore/Dairy Flat with a number of aircraft present including the arrival of C208 MJL, C206 SKT, PA28 KCC, PA38 VBM, Robin TZL, Zenith JFN and C172 JAZ. Time constraints precluded a more detailed record being taken however a future visit will cover this off.

Wed 05 November - Sat 08 November 2008

Wednesday 05 November 2008
Citation X N712VP flew 3 demonstration flights from/to Auckland before crossing the Tasman to Essendon.

Global Express XRS N57LE flew from Auckland to Sydney, Essendon and back over the reverse routing.

Learjet 36 VH-JCX visited Auckland for the second day in a row, arriving from Papeete via Tonga and then continuing to Melbourne.

Challenger 300 VP-CLV made the short hop from Auckland to Kaitaia.

Citation Mustang N2243W flew Hastings to Woodbourne, then to Auckland and back to Hastings.

Uzbekistan Airways Boeing 767-300 VP-BUE arrived at Christchurch late Wednesday from Tashkent and Kuala Lumper as UZB3511.

Thursday 06 November 2008
Air National Westwind ZK-RML flew down and up the country today leaving Auckland for Queenstown, then north to Kerikeri before returning to Auckland.

Citation Mustang N2243W also visited Northland today and spent time on the ground at Kaitaia with Challenger 300 VP-CLV sharing the ramp. N2243W flew Hastings to Auckland, Kaitaia, Whangarei and back to Hastings.

Friday 07 November 2008
Uzbek Boeing 767-300 VP-BUE departed Christchurch for Tashkent via Kuala Lumpur and set to return in a couple of days time.

Saturday 08 November 2008
Challenger 300 VP-CLV departed Kaitaia mid morning for Auckland and Rarotonga.

Falcon 900EXE N146EX departed Auckland for Nadi.

Gulfstream G200 ZK-RGB arrived back at Auckland from Maui via Apia.

United Airlines Boeing 747-400 N105UA operated the Air Pacific service to Auckland today.

Piper Malibu N9099Z was noted flying from Rangiora to Ardmore.

Helicopters (NZ) Bell 212 ZK-HNO departed Nelson for Christchurch on the first leg of its journey to Antarctica. Next will be the hop to the frozen continent onboard the USAF C17.

Royal Australian Air Force C130J Hercules A97-464 arrived at Christchurch this evening from Richmond as "Ausy 813".

Thu 31 October - Tue 04 November 2008

Friday 31 October 2008
Salt Air took delivery of Gippsland Airvan VH-BQY at their Kerikeri base today with the aircraft arriving from Lord Howe Island.

Falcon 900EXE N146EX spent several hours in Wellington, arriving from and returning to its Auckland home.

Saturday 01 November 2008
United Airlines operated Boeing 747-400 N104UA through Auckland on behalf of Air Pacific.

Hawker 800XPi N805M flew back to Auckland from Queenstown.

AS350 Squirrel ZK-HNP made it back to mainland NZ this afternoon arriving at Whakatane from Raoul Island via L'Esperance Rock.

Severe gale force winds at Wellington during the afternoon didn't preclude Vincent Aviation's Reims/Cessna 406 ZK-VAF arriving back from Noumea and Norfolk Island.

Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed C130J Hercules A97-464 however was affected by the Wellington weather and its arrival at the Capital from Canberra was thwarted with the aircraft diverting to Ohakea.

Sunday 02 November 2008
Air National's Gulfstream 4SP ZK-KFB returned to Auckland early this morning following maintenance at Long Beach. It routed via Honolulu and Apia.

Pacific Jets Citationjet CJ3 ZK-TBM departed Christchurch for Queenstown, Brisbane and Hamilton Island.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N580HA departed Auckland as ANZ707 to Sydney following maintenance with Air NZ.

French Army Casa 235 105 arrived at Wellington from Noumea as "Cotam 1161".

Monday 03 November 2008
Hawker 800XPi N805M departed Auckland for Maui via a techstop at Apia.

Challenger 300 VP-CLV arrived at Auckland mid afternoon from Canberra. It was first noted in Australia on 30Oct flying from Sydney to Kingscote Island.

Citation X N712VP arrived at Auckland early evening from Sydney for demostration purposes. The "Ten" arrived at Maroochydore from Manila via Cairns 29Oct then to Brisbane and Sydney 30Oct. To Hamilton Island and back to Sydney 31Oct. 01Nov saw it fly from Armidale to Sydney.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N581HA arrived Auckland as ANZ700 from Sydney for maintenance with Air NZ.

Tuesday 04 November 2008
Jetcity Learjet 36 VH-JCX made an early morning techstop at Auckland enroute from Melbourne to Rarotonga.

Citation X N712VP flew a demonstration flight from Auckland to Napier and return.

Citation Mustang N2243W flew from Hastings to Auckland and return.

Learjet 35A ZK-XVL flew from Ardmore to Westport, Wellington, Taupo and back to Ardmore.

Citationjet CJ3 ZK-TBM flew from Sydney to Queenstown, then to Christchurch, Tauranga, Auckland and finally back to Christchurch.

Air NZ Boeing 747-400 ZK-NBU positioned from Auckland to Rockhampton as ANZ6029 this evening.

Atlas Air Boeing 747-400 freighter N418MC visited Christchurch today as part of its twice weekly around the world service for Air NZ. It arrived from Auckland and continued to Melbourne.

Citation 500 N800DT was observed carrying out circuits at Ardmore.

French Army Casa 235 105 departed Wellington for Noumea via stops at Whenuapai and Norfolk Island. Its visit may have been supported by a French Navy Gardian however its visit is unconfirmed.