Sat 17 - Sun 18 October 2009

Saturday 17 October 2009

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N589HA arrived at Auckland from Sydney as ANZ700 for maintenance with Air NZ.

Jetconnect Boeing 737-400 ZK-JTS arrived at Christchurch ex Wellington as QFA6019 for a C check with Air NZ.

Sunday 18 October 2009

Vistajet Global Express OE-LXR jetted into Auckland from Kansai early this morning as "Vistajet 700". It then departed mid morning for Queenstown having been met at Auckland by Eurocopter EC130 ZK-IFC.

At Auckland, 5am Sunday, MRC photo

The Aramco Gulfstream 5 N585A, resident at Auckland since 10Oct, was joined by another company machine today with Boeing 767-2AXEREM N767A arriving from Daharan and Singapore.

Short finals runway 23L, Auckland, MRC photo

Thu 01 Oct - Fri 16 Oct 2009

A fairly quiet first couple of weeks for NZ hence not a great deal to report. Activity around Samoa has been frantic however with visitors ranging from Centurion and Arrow Air freighters to the one and only Antonov 225!

Thursday 01 October 2009
Citation VII VH-DHN arrived at Auckland from Coolangatta and Sydney.

Friday 02 October 2009
Thai based medivac Learjet 35 HS-CFS made for an interesting arrival at Dunedin this evening with it arriving from Ujang, Darwin and Brisbane.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N588HA departed Auckland as ANZ6311 for Sydney where it then operated HAL450 to Honolulu.

Air Chathams Convair 580 ZK-CIF departed Auckland for Tonga.

Saturday 03 October 2009
Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N590HA arrived at Auckland as ANZ6316 from Sydney.

Learjet 35 HS-CFS departed Dunedin for Brisbane, Darwin and Singapore.

Air Chathams Convair 580 ZK-CIE arrived at Auckland from Tonga.

United States Navy Boeing E6B 163919, as previously mentioned, arrived at Christchurch from Hickam AFB as "Razz 87".

Sunday 04 October 2009
Challenger 601 HB-IKS arrived at Wellington from Sydney on its annual visit downunder.

Monday 05 October 2009
Virgin Blue Boeing 737-700 VH-VBN arrived at Christchurch from Melbourne.

United States Navy Boeing E6B 163919 departed Christchurch for Perth.

Tuesday 06 October 2009
Virgin Blue Boeing 737-800 VH-VOX departed Christchurch for Melbourne at the conclusion of its most recent stint flying for Pacific Blue (in whos livery it wears).

Air National's BAe 146-200 ZK-ECO carried out a test flight at Auckland today.

Citation VII VH-DHN departed Auckland for Nadi and flew to Port Vila and back to Nadi 07Oct.

Royal Australian Air Force King Air 350 A32-437 arrived at Ohakea from Norfolk Island as ASY858 today.

Wednesday 07 October 2009
Challenger 601 HB-IKS flew from Wellington to Narita via a techstop at Port Moresby.

RAAF King Air 350 A32-437 made the short trip from Ohakea to Woodbourne and back.

Thursday 08 October 2009
Citation VII VH-DHN arrived at Auckland from Nadi today and as at 16Oct was still hangered here.

Air National BAe 146-200 ZK-ECO made its first overseas trip when it departed Auckland for Sydney.

RAAF King Air 350 A32-437 departed Ohakea for Norfolk Island.

Friday 09 October 2009
Pelair Westwind VH-NGA made a short visit to Auckland arriving from Apia and departing for Sydney on a medical evacuation flight.

Air National BAe 146-200 ZK-ECO flew from Sydney to Christchurch where it cleared formalities before heading to Woodbourne.

Saturday 10 October 2009
Aramco Gulfstream 5 N585A flew from Christchurch to Auckland this afternoon.

Qantas/Jetconnect Boeing 737-300 ZK-JND departed Auckland on its delivery flight to Tucson via stops at Apia and Honolulu.

Sunday 11 October 2009
Flying Lion Falcon 7X VP-BZE, carrying Lord Ashcroft, arrived at Auckland mid morning from Hong Kong.

Sportscruiser ZK-CXY commenced its delivery flight to Australia today with it departing Hamilton for Auckland and Norfolk Island.

Monday 12 October 2009
Air National BAe 146-200 ZK-ECO departed Woodbourne for Queenstown, Sydney and finally back to Auckland.

Walker Air Falcon 900C VH-LAL arrived at Auckland from Essendon and Sydney.

Tuesday 13 October 2009
Vincent Aviation Jetstream 31 ZK-JSH departed Auckland for Norfolk Island and Port Vila on an Airways Corporation calibration mission. It was noted heading for Honiara 14Oct.

Flying Lion Falcon 7X VP-BZE was into Wellington just on 0630 this morning from Auckland before continuing a short time later to Tonga. It was also noted during the week at Port Vila and Honiara.

Falcon 900C VH-LAL flew back to Sydney from Auckland this afternoon.

Wednesday 14 October 2009
Careflight Learjet 45 VH-CXJ spent a short time on the ground at Auckland early today arriving from Norfolk Island and departing for Coolangatta.

Thursday 15 October 2009
Falcon 900 G-SIRO arrived at Auckland from Vavau and Tonga today and is beleived to be hangered here for the next couple of months. It had arrived at Vavau 14Oct from Barbados via Mexico and Hilo.

Friday 16 October 2009
Cessna 402 ZK-PVC flew from Norfolk Island to Auckland this afternoon at the conclusion of its survey work in Fiji.

Cessna U206G ZK-SDG was noted departing Kerikeri for Norfolk Island this morning.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N590HA departed Auckland for Sydney as ANZ707.

Federal Aviation Challenger 601 N87 arrived at Christchurch this evening from Pago Pago as "Flightcheck 87".

Mercury Rising!

United States Navy Boeing E6B "Mercury" Bu 163919 arrived at Christchurch on the afternoon of 03Oct from Honolulu's Hickam AFB using the callsign "Razz 87".

From internet sources, the US Navy have 16 of these aircraft which are code named "Looking Glass" and are commonly referred to as TACAMO (Take Charge And Move Out) aircraft. The E6B is an updated combination of the old E6A Navy TACAMO aircraft and the USAF EC135 Airborne Command Post. By combining the two the aircraft has the capability to control all US strategic nuclear assets.

This is an Airborne Strategic Command Aircraft with a crew of 22 and has an impressive array of communication devices including a trailing VLF (very low frequency) antenna for submarine communications.

Torin Wilson photo