Mid Winter 2005 Visitor

Boeing’s most recent 777 variant, the -200LR “Worldliner” arrived at Auckland July 19 2005 as part of a world tour which sees it visiting 24 cities. It is able to fly further non-stop than any other commercial jet on the market and will have the capability of flying from Auckland to New York direct, or even to London with a reduced load. Resplendent in Boeing’s house colours, N6066Z (c/n 33782) arrived as “Boeing 002” from Sydney where it had arrived two days earlier from Singapore. The 777 was open to the media and airline staff on July 20, which incidentally was the 40th Anniversary of the opening of Air New Zealand’s Jet Base at Mangere. Four circuits were carried out that afternoon with the first take off at maximum thrust, high rotate example and the final landing demonstrating a maximum energy stop culminating in a very short landing roll. July 21 saw the 777 depart direct to Mexico City with the aircraft nearing the end of its globe trotting tour. From Bermuda to Newark on July 27, then to Cincinnati and Boeing Field July 28.

This particular airframe was subsequently delivered to Pakistan International Airlines and became AP-BGZ in March 2006.


Under tow to the jet base on a wintery afternoon!