Herd of Rhinos - Repost

A glitch saw the original blog go AWOL, therefore.....

The most exotic collection of aircraft to visit New Zealand in a long time took place 23Mar with the arrival at Auckland from Pago Pago of 5 newly delivered Boeing F18F Super Hornet’s (Rhinos) on their delivery flight to the Royal Australian Air Force as part of the defence force’s retirement plan of the General Dynamic F111’s later this year. A44-202, 203, 204, 205 and 206 arrived in numerical order and were closely followed by Omega Tanker Douglas DC10-40 N974VV and in turn RAAF Boeing C17 Globemaster A41-206. All aircraft originated at NAS Lemoore, California with stops at Hickam and Pago Pago for crew rest. The aircraft departed for Amberley 26Mar.

More Gulfstreams!

Registered to Execujet Australia and operated out of a SE Asia location, Gulfstream 5 N371JC made a whistle-stop visit to Auckland 29Mar having arrived from Singapore's Seletar Airport and departed for Kaitaia.

3M Gulfstream 5 N73M arrived at Auckland on the afternoon of 29Mar from Maui joining Gulfstream 5's N50KC and N132LD parked at Auckland.

Land of the Rising Sun!

Sheryl Handley was on location at Tauranga prior to its departure.

A6M “Zeke’ N712Z departed from Tauranga for Woodbourne and Wanaka 27Mar having arrived at the Port of Tauranga from Long Beach, California via Port Chalmers the previous weekend The aircraft is in NZ for the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow. It flew south accompanied by Kiwi Air’s PAC 750XL ZK-XLE.
A6M2-21 c/n 3869, recovered from Babo airfield, Irian Jaya, Indonesia in 1991, P&W R-1830 motor. Restored to airworthy in Russia as an A6M3-22, flying as N6582L, later N712Z since 28 April 1998, code X-133 Registered to Liberty Aero, Santa Monica, operated by Southern CA Wing CAF and flying from their base at Camarillo.

Rhinos Depart

As mentioned in mainstreak media, the 5 RAAF F/A 18F Super Hornets departed Auckland for RAAF Amberley on Friday 26Mar in company with DC10 N974VV and a RAAF C17.

Wayne Grant was on hand to capture their departure from Auckland's runway 23L.

Gulfstreams Galore

Gulfstream 550 N546QS arrived Auckland from Lihue 22Mar and departed for Singapore 24Mar.




Gulfstream 4 N810TM arrived at Christchurch from Hobart 20Mar and has been in Australia since 10Feb when it arrived at Brisbane from Nadi.


Gulfstream 4 N404AC arrived at Queenstown 21Mar from Melbourne via Christchurch.


Gulfstream 4 N345AA arrived at Queenstown from Sydney 20Mar and flew to Napier 25Mar.

Gulfstream 5 N132SD arrived at Auckland from Honolulu 25Mar.

In addition to those pictured, Gulfstream 550 B-KID arrived Auckland from Hong Kong 22Mar while Gulfstream 5 N50KC arrived at Napier from Los Angeles 21Mar and has since visited Gisborne, Auckland and Kaitaia.

Balloons over Waikato 2010

The 11th Balloons over Waikato launched today with foggy skies and no actual flying taking part.

Some 18 balloons were on location at Innes Common this morning including the special shapes as shown below.

Check out http://www.balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz/index.asp?pageID=2145852973

RV7 VH-ZIC

Arriving at Kerikeri from Norfolk Island 18Mar, and photographed at Ardmore 20Mar, is this great looking Western Australia resident, RV7A VH-ZIC. The aircraft is in NZ to participate in the Classic Hits Air Safari 2010.
http://www.flyingnz.co.nz/safari/

Burnt Pine Oddities

Norfolk Island's Burnt Pine Airport is hosting a gathering of light aircraft from both Australia and New Zealand at present and Lindsay Sowerby, Captain of NZ214 (ZKNGG) today was kind enough to capture the accompanying shots.

Cirrus SR22 ZK-STU flew Kerikeri to Norfolk Island 18Mar while Dyn Aero ZK-WIK, Cessna 182 ZK-JCV, Mooney ZK-RMM, Beech 36 ZK-NAZ and Beech 58 N146WA flew the same route 19Mar all the while being over taken by Thunder Mustang ZK-TMG on its speed record breaking flights from Auckland to Norfolk Island and return. http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=experimental&thread=10891&page=2

Also arriving at Norfolk Island 19Mar where Diamond DA40 VH-DIV from Camden and Lord Howe Island and Cirrus SR22 VH-DLS from Tamworth, Bankstown and Lord Howe Island. I suspect RV4 VH-ZRV also arrived 19Mar. These three aircraft are enroute Ardmore for the Classic Hits Air Safari 2010 starting from Ardmore 23Mar along with RV7 VH-ZIC and 60 other aircraft.

Rapide takes to the air

DH89A N89DH c/n HB-724 registered to Training Services Inc of Virginia Beach took to the skies over Ardmore 19Mar leaping off runway 21 at 1715 for its first flight following an extensive rebuild with Avspecs. The aircraft is marked as G-ADDD, however on this occasion the G was for some reason removed.

Colin Hunter was on hand to capture its short take off roll.

http://www.warbirdrestoration.co.nz/current.html#dragon

Thu 25 Feb - Wed 10 Mar 2010 - catchup time

Thursday 25 February 2010
Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-KAX visited Ohakea today, arriving from and returning to Hamilton.

Friday 26 February 2010
Vincent Aviation Dash 8 ZK-VAC departed from Auckland for Norfolk Island and Brisbane on its delivery flight to the operator's Darwin base where it will join the gaggle of Beech 1900's. Its departure leaves Vincent's only aircraft in NZ being a Jetstream, ZK-JSH. Vincent Aviation are understood to be taking delivery of ex Macair Saab 340B's VH-UYA and VH-UYN for their Australian operations.

Skytrader's Airbus A319 VH-VHD arrived at Christchurch tonight from Hobart and Pegasus Field as "Snowbird 1".

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

Saturday 27 February 2010
Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N582HA arrived Auckland as ANZ100 from Sydney. It is due to depart for Sydney 12Mar.

Airbus A319 VH-VHD flew from Christchurch to Hobart today.

Airwork Citation Ultra ZK-AWK flew from Auckland to Palmerston North, Napier and back to Auckland today, its first flights outside of the Auckland region.

Sunday 28 February 2010
Piper PA34 ZK-KLW, recently registered to Australian interests, departed Ardmore for Kerikeri and Norfolk Island and arrived at Canberra 01Mar from Lord Howe Island and Bankstown.

Ingham Enterprises Citation VII VH-ING made its way across the Tasman from Bankstown to Hamilton via Sydney.

Monday 01 March 2010
Cathay Pacific's final Boeing 747-400 service to Auckland for the current season was flown today by B-HUG as CPA107/108 from/to Hong Kong. This flight reverted to being operated by Airbus A340-300 aircraft from 02Mar, the first being flown by B-HXB.

Beechjet 400 VH-IPG spent a short time at Auckland, arriving from and returning to Sydney.

Tuesday 02 March 2010
Aerospatiale AS350 Squirrel ZK-IAZ was noted flying from Brisbane to Coffs Harbour today, and it was cancelled from the NZ register on export 03Mar to Atlantick PTY of NSW.

Piper PA24 ZK-PMC was noted flying westward out of New Plymouth today and it was later confirmed by media that it was being flown by John Funnell on a supply mission to drop urgent equipment and other items to Trans-Tasman rower Shaun Quincey.

Citation VII VH-ING departed Hamilton on its return to Sydney and Bankstown.

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-800 VH-VOL arrived at Christchurch from Melbourne while heading in the opposite direction was 737-700 VH-VBZ.

Wednesday 03 March 2010
Today heralded the first visit of a Jetconnect Boeing 737-800 to Wellington with ZK-ZQC arriving just before 0100 as QFA117. It visited again this afternoon as QFA47/48.

Thursday 04 March 2010
Skytrader's Airbus A319 VH-VHD made its way back to Christchurch today, arriving directly from Hobart.

Friday 05 March 2010
Airbus A319 VH-VHD flew the last flight of the 09/10 Antarctic season when it departed Christchurch for Pegasus, returning to Christchurch later the same day.

Saturday 06 March 2010
Airbus A319 VH-VHD departed Christchurch for Melbourne concluding this summer's ice operations.

Execujet/Nelson Aviation Global Express XRS VH-OCV arrived at Auckland direct from Hong Kong where it had arrived two days ago from Sydney.

Transmile Boeing 727-200 freighter 9M-TGG departed Auckland for Brisbane, Darwin and Kuching and the conclusion of its wet lease to Tasman Pacific Airlines.

Making late night arrivals into Auckland where Beechjet 400 VH-IPG from Sydney and Hawker 850XP VH-SGY from Brisbane on medivac flights. Both aircraft departed during the early hours of Sunday morning for their respective points of origin.

Sunday 07 March 2010
Global Express XRS VH-OCV departed Auckland for Sydney.

Monday 08 March 2010
Packer's Global Express N889CP, a long time Sydney resident, arrived at Auckland on its first ever visit today from its home base.

Air National's BAe 146-200 ZK-ECO stretched its legs by departing Auckland for RAAF Amberley.

Tasman Pacific Airlines Boeing 727-200 freighter VH-DHE arrived home to Auckland from Brisbane at the conclusion of its maintenance visit in Malaysia.

Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-400F/SCD freighter B-HUL was in and out of Auckland this evening, arriving from Melbourne and departing for Hong Kong.

Tuesday 09 March 2010
Global Express N889CP departed Auckland on its return to Sydney.

BAe 146-200 ZK-ECO pushed westward today leaving Amberley for Alice Springs and Learmonth.

Jetcity Learjet 36 VH-JCX flew back and forth across the Tasman tonight, flying from Melbourne to Wellington and back.

Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300 9V-SYK flew a charter flight from Singapore to Christchurch and return today.

Singapore Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400 freighter 9V-SFG flew a special charter flight from Singapore to Auckland and back today as SQC7228/7227.

Wednesday 10 March 2010
Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-400 freighter B-LIC made an early morning visit to Auckland, arriving from and returning to Hong Kong as CPA8023/8022.

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-800 VH-VOL departed Christchurch early today for Melbourne and in the opposite direction flew 737-800 VH-VON.

Point Cook Air Pageant 28Feb 2010

The RAAF Museum at Point Cook, southwest of Melbourne, was the focal point for an Air Pageant held on Sunday 28 February. http://raaf.gov.au/raafmuseum/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Base_Williams
This free event ran from 1pm until 4.30pm with almost continous flying by a large number of military aircraft, past and present. Changing sky conditions thanks to a blustery southerly made for challenging photo taking!
The following images are in order of time taken.