Changes Afoot............

Tasman Cargo Airlines hand has been forced to replace the ageing Boeing 727-200 freighter VH-DHE from 01 September this year following the implementation of revised aircraft noise restrictions in Australia.
As a consequence of this move, the operator has leased European based Boeing 757-200 freighter G-BMRJ with this aircraft arriving at Auckland on the evening of 30Aug from Singapore and Sydney as DHK757. It is understood G-BMRJ will be in the region for at least 6 months while Tasman Cargo Airlines source their own aircraft.

The setting of our watches to the rumbling departure of DHE at 8pm most week nights is now a thing of the past with it flying its last HJ1/2 service from Auckland to Sydney and back tonight.

G-BMRJ rests outside the Air NZ Jet Base 31Aug, Wayne Grant photo

VH-DHE on its dedicated freight apron in January 2009, Mike Condon photo

Royal Brunei

Royal Brunei introduced their recently acquired Boeing 777-200 to their Auckland schedules from 31Aug replacing the Boeing 767-300 on the route.

V8-BLA, ex 9V-SVF, had the honours of operating the first service while Boeing 767-300 V8-RBG flew the last service by the type for Royal Brunei through Auckland the previous morning.

All services to/from Auckland will now be operated by the 777.

Wayne Grant photo

Farewell Cargolux

In July of this year Cargolux signalled their intention to withdraw from the Australasian market after a decade of operations as a result of the continued high operating costs of this around the world flight (which was previously operated twice a week and reduced to once per week sometime ago).

The last flight operated through Auckland 30 August 2010 with Boeing 747-400 freighter
LX-MCV arriving from Hong Kong and Melbourne and then departing for Los Angeles as CV731.


Photos supplied

A40 Albatross

The wildfires that caused chaos across Russia late July/early August this year drew my memory back to November 1992 and the visit to NZ of Beriev A40 Albatross '378' for the Auckland Air Expo airshow. The example flown to NZ via Singapore and Australia was first flown in 1986 and made made public 3 years later so it was quite a coup for the aircraft to visit downunder just a short time later. This aircraft was specifically designed for anti-submarine warfare however other variants were designed for use as water bombers.

The off shoot of the A40 is the BE200, specifically designed for fire fighting, and 5 of these aircraft are in service with the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. They also have 2 more on order and during the wildfires announced their intentions to purchase another 8.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriev_A-40
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriev_Be-200
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB7cEOMHqVs


Carrying out its display at Auckland 21Nov92

And the following of it parked at Whenuapai 19Nov92, all photos Mike Condon

Harking Back..........

It seems incredible how quickly a year can fly by, and as I trawled through some records I stumbled across this photo of the three Mitsubishi MU2's at Wellington during their brief visit to clear formalities on 24 August 2009 as they neared the end of their flying lives as RNZAF instructional airframes at RNZAF Woodbourne joining another example that had arrived just under two weeks earlier.


Check out http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Postwar&action=display&thread=9538&page=8 and scroll down to see some great images of all four "Rice Rockets" at Woodbourne in military grey minus any markings.

Beech 18 N500MK (2005)

At Ardmore August 2005 - Mike Condon photo

Operated on behalf of the Tongan Royal Family, 1946 vintage Beech 18 N500MK made its one and only visit to New Zealand during 2005. It arrived at Auckland direct from Tonga 23 August 2005 and proceeded to Ardmore two days later where it was to undertake a paint spruce up and other maintenance work.

The Beech finally departed Ardmore 09 December 2005 for Kerikeri and Norfolk Island on its return to Tonga.

Is this aircraft still active in Tonga, and how about the other Beech 18 operated by the Tongan Air Wing, AW-01?

Sat 21 - Sun 22 August 2010

Saturday 21 August 2010
Red Dot's Global Express XRS N2T arrived back at Wellington today from Nadi.

Sunday 22 August 2010
Citation 550 VH-CCJ arrived at Queenstown from Brisbane and Sydney.

Tecnam P2006T ZK-TTW departed Ardmore for Auckland and Norfolk Island on its way to Australia for a demonstration tour.

Arriving at Ardmore recently at the conclusion of an instrument training detail, Mike Condon photo

A long way from home.... Challenger 300 XA-JGT arrived at Auckland from Tahiti late this afternoon during a wintery squall. After clearing formalities, the Challenger continued to Rotorua.

Short finals for runway 23L at Auckland, Wayne Grant photo

Air National's Bae 146-200 ZK-ECO arrived back home at Auckland this afternoon from Melbourne. It had departed back on 13Jul for Sydney and Essendon and was used as a tool for the Australian Election campaign that concluded 21Aug. ZK-ECO is known to have visited the following Australian airports during its 5 weeks away:
Sydney, Essendon, Brisbane, Canberra, Launceston, Devonport, Coolangatta, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Newcastle, Cairns, Townsville, Richmond AFB, Hobart, Ballina, Emerald and Rockhampton!

Palmerston North based Piper PA46 Meridian N598C made its first visit to the South Island today flying from Palmy to Hokitika and back.

Rugby!

Head over to this link: www.3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/08/rugby.html and
www.3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/08/local-support.html

Short Lived

The recent (12Aug) suspension of services by Palau based Pacificflyer citing regulatory 'issues' with opening new routes, but perhaps more likely unable to pay the lease for the Airbus A310 they have been using, drew my memory back to another short lived operation from Palau.

During 2004 Palau Mirconesia Air, in conjunction with Auckland based Airwork, operated services from the island to a number of nearby destinations with ideas of 'longer haul' flights to Japan using 737-300 equipment. The first service took to the air on 05 August 2004 and the final flight took place on 23 December the same year with the operator attributing its demise to high costs and under-performing sales.

ZK-PLU is seen here on 10 July 2004 about to taxi out from Auckland for Cairns where it then overnighted before continuing to Palau. It departed from Koror 27 December 2004 for Cairns and arrived at Auckland the following day. The aircraft returned to NZ soon after the airline's suspension of services and was subsequently leased out in Europe. It departed Auckland 14 April 2005 still registered ZK-PLU and was subsequently re-registered LN-KKS on arrival in Norway.

Mike Condon photo

Mon 16 - Fri 20 August 2010

Monday 16 August 2010
Gulfstream 550 VH-LAL departed from Queenstown late afternoon on its return to Essendon.

Vans RV10 ZK-RVT arrived back at Auckland direct from Coolangatta.
See www.nzcivair.blogspot.com/2010/08/wannabe-globetrotter.html

Tuesday 17 August 2010
Piper PA24 ZK-BAZ departed Kerikeri for Norfolk Island today. The aircraft is away for the next few weeks.

Wednesday 18 August 2010
As previously blogged, Legacy VH-VLT arrived at Auckland in the first hour of today from Sydney and Essendon. It departed just before lunch for Brisbane, Hamilton Island and Essendon.

Citation VII VH-DHN arrived at Wellington from Coolangatta.

Thursday 19 August 2010
Citation VII VH-DHN departed Wellington just prior to 0800 for Suva and Global Express N2T departed just prior to 0900 for Nadi.

Learjet 36 VH-JCX made a medivac flight from Nadi to Auckland this morning before departing for Sydney.

Cessna 172 ZK-JOM departed from Auckland before sunrise for Norfolk Island and Nadi on export to Fiji.

Singapore Airlines operated a charter flight through Auckland today with Boeing 777-200 9V-SVI operating as SQ8281/8282 from/to Singapore.

Piper Meridian N598C was noted flying out of Palmerston North today and conducted training in the Wanganui area before returning to Palmerston North.

NYANG Lockheed C130 Hercules 92-1095 arrived at Christchurch from Pago Pago as SKIER95.

Friday 20 August 2010
Challenger 601 N939CC arrived at Auckland mid morning from Nadi as TWY939.

Wayne Grant photo. Aircraft is now hangered with Air National/Sky Care.

Legacy Visit

Based at Melbourne's Essendon Airport with charter operator Marcplan, Embraer 135BJ Legacy VH-VLT made its NZ debut by visiting Auckland 18Aug arriving during the first hour of the day from Essendon and departing just after 1130 for Brisbane.

VH-VLT was delivered to Essendon on 28Jan this year.




MRC photo

Farewell SUI - updated 29 August

Air New Zealand said farewell to Boeing 747-441 ZK-SUI "Queenstown" 17Aug with the Jumbo flying its final passenger service for the airline as NZ99 from Auckland to Tokyo/Narita. It later positioned to Xiamen, China as ANZ6043 for maintenance with TAECO and subsequent lease to Air Atlanta Iceland as TF-AMX who inturn will sublease the aircraft to Saudi Arabian Airlines. ZK-SUI was delivered to Air NZ during 1995 and during its time with the airline upto its arrival in China late 17Aug had accumulated 8991 cycles and some 77237 hours in the air.

Just airborne from 23L at Auckland 16 August 2008, John Rankin photo

Departing 23L at Auckland earlier in 2010, Jonathan Rankin photo

ZK-SUI (at left) shadowed by ZK-NBT (under tow) 17Aug10, VJ Bhana photo

On its final takeoff roll from Auckland 17Aug10, VJ Bhana photo

ZK-SUI in the foreground of an Air NZ 747 convention at Auckland

15 June 2010, Steve Lowe photo

06 August - 15 August 2010

Friday 06 August 2010
Vincent Aviation's Jetstream 31 ZK-JSH returned home to NZ today arriving at Nelson from Brisbane via Norfolk Island and Wellington. The J31 had departed NZ 27 April and known movements saw it visit Norfolk Island, Nadi, Tonga, Apia, Wallis Island, Port Vila, Honiara, Horn Island, Darwin, Ambon (Indonesia), Manado (Indonesia) and Mount Isa.

NZ Aerial Mapping Piper PA23-250 Aztec ZK-FMU departed Kerikeri for Norfolk Island and continued to Lord Howe Island the following day, possibly on export to The Philippines.

Beechjet 400 VH-IPG departed Auckland for Sydney while Gulfstream 4 VH-DBT departed Queenstown for Essendon.

Noted at Cairns today was Eurocopter AS350 ZK-IJF operated by Joe Faram from Gisborne.

Saturday 07 August 2010
Dunedin was visited by two Qantas Boeing 737-800's today as a result of poor weather at Queenstown. VH-VXE arrived from Sydney and Christchurch and later departed to Auckland while VH-VXS arrived from Brisbane and Christchurch and also later departed for Auckland.

Sunday 08 August 2010
Virgin Blue Boeing 737-800 VH-VOK arrived at Christchurch from Melbourne for maintenance with Air NZ.

Monday 09 August 2010
Manawatu based Vans RV10 ZK-RVT departed Auckland direct to Coolangatta. The owners had proposed to fly around the world however according to their blog this was scuttled due to regulatory problems.

Two RAAF King Air 350's arrived at Christchurch today from East Sale in the form of A32-343 and A32-372.

Tuesday 10 August 2010
Pratt Industries Global Express VH-VGX spent a few hours at Auckland today, arriving from and returning to Essendon.

Wednesday 11 August 2010
Air Chathams Convair 580 ZK-CIE departed maintenance at Palmerston North for Auckland and Tonga.

USAF Boeing C17 02-1102 arrived at Christchurch from Hickam in preparation for WINFLY 2010.

Thursday 12 August 2010
RAAF King Air 350 A32-372 departed Christchurch on its return to Australia.

Luft Aviation Challenger N360SL arrived at Rotorua late tonight from Sydney and Auckland.

Friday 13 August 2010
Little Aviation Gulfstream 550 VH-LAL made its NZ debut when it arrived at Queenstown from its Essendon home this afternoon.

VH-LAL arriving at Essendon 19Apr at the end of its delivery flight, Gordon Reid photo

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

RAAF King Air 350 A32-343 departed Christchurch on its return to Australia following some unplanned maintenance activity.

Saturday 14 August 2010
Deerjet/Beijing Capital Airlines Gulfstream 550 B-8108 arrived at Wellington in the first hour of today from Sydney as CBJ190.

Peter Van Dyk photo

Sunday 15 August 2010
Oakley (Sunglass company) Global Express XRS N2T arrived at Wellington Sunday afternoon from Kailua-Kona.

Avenir Bermuda Boeing BBJ VP-BJJ arrived at Christchurch mid morning from Jakarta/Halim for a maintenance with Air NZ's Alititude business unit joining BBJ VP-BEL which arrived 03Jun and is expected to depart at months end.

Arriving at Christchurch, Bargeld01 photo

USAF Boeing C17 02-1102 flew south from Christchurch to Antarctica's Ice Runway.

Deerjet Gulfstream 550 B-8108 departed Wellington for Nadi and Luft Aviation's Challenger N360SL departed Rotorua direct to Melbourne/Essendon.

Recent Activity

The last couple of weeks have seen quite a few visitors to our shores.

Citationjet CJ2+ F-ONYY made two visits during the last week of July with stops at both Auckland and Queenstown. This aircraft is based at Noumea's Magenta airport as is King Air 300 F-GICA which also made a visit to Auckland at months end.

John Rankin photo

GV Executive Gulfstream 550 HB-JEV spent a couple of days at Auckland in its role as carrier of the Youth Olympics flame on its around the world trip. It used the callsign "BATMAN 252".
See www.singapore2010.sg/public/sg2010/en/en_youth_olympics_flame


Noel Jones photos

Global 5000 SP-ZAK, all the way from Poland, arrived at Christchurch from Manila using the cool callsign "JEDI 10A" on 01Aug and departed back to Manila 05Aug.

Barry Hudson photo

Tony McFarlin photo

Making its first visit to NZ was Linfox's Learjet 35A VH-LPJ. It is seen here at Auckland before departing to Christchurch and home to Essendon.

VJ photo

Also making its NZ debut was Citation Sovereign VH-VPL which made a night time visit to Auckland 29Jul.

VJ photo

Featured recently (http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2010/07/unexpected-visitor-to-dunedin.html), Falcon 900 VP-BMB made its way back to NZ 25Jul arriving at Nelson from Sydney. It then continued to Auckland 29Jul before departing (twice) on 31Jul. It made an air turnback while on its way to Darwin.

Noel Jones photo

Brand new King Air C90GTi ZK-MMM arrived at Ardmore 22Jul from Sydney and Auckland nearing the completion of its delivery flight to a Nelson owner.

Andrew Underwood photo

In addition to those mentioned above, NZ also hosted Learjet's VH-LJJ and VH-CMS (Auckland) , Challenger 604 VH-ZUH (Queenstown), Falcon 2000 VH-CRW (Napier), Gulfstream 4 VH-DBT (Dunedin and Queenstown), Beechjet 400 VH-IPG (Auckland and Tauranga), USAF Gulfstream 550 09-0525 (Wellington), RAAF C17 A41-207 returned to uplift the four Australian Army Black Hawks from Christchurch, RAAF C130J A97-447 (Christchurch and Woodbourne), and locally based Global Express N57LE made a rare visit to another NZ domestic port by spending the night at Dunedin 28Jul.

Warner Brothers Special Scheme and A320 ZK-OJL

On August 5th 2005 Freedom Air rolled Airbus A320-232 ZK-OJL resplendent in the accompanying scheme as part of a marketing alliance with Warner Brothers and their theme park interests on Australia's Gold Coast.

North Island Notables for August 2005 had the following:

Freedom Air took delivery of their second A320-232, ZK-OJL, at Auckland on August 01 with the aircraft arriving from Honolulu and Apia as flight SJ6390. The delivery flight followed the same path as ZK-OJK, departing Toulouse for Gander and Denver for its first night stop, then to Los Angeles and Honolulu. The aircraft entered service on August 05 as SJ903 from Auckland to Gold Coast Airport in a special Movie World livery which will be worn for 3 years as part of a deal with Warner Brothers.

ZK-OJL was tragically lost in an acceptance flight accident in France on 27 Nov 2008 (additional info after the photos below).

Herewith is an overview of ZK-OJL (ex F-WWID) msn 2500:

ZK-OJL was never actually operated by Air NZ, but by low cost subsidiary Freedom Air. On its Airbus test registration, the airframe made its first flight on 30Jun05 It was delivered to Auckland on 01Aug05 as "Freedom 6390" from Toulouse via Gander, Denver, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Apia. It then entered service 05Aug05 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.

ZK-OJL had the auspicious honour 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 (2008) 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 was not to happen.

Other Boeing Business Jets

Continuing the earlier theme of Boeing's BBJ product, the following are other types of Boeing used in the specialised field of either military VIP activity of personal transport.

Chilean Air Force Boeing 737-300 922 at Wellington 20 November 2006, PVD photo


USAF Boeing 757-200 02-4452 departing Auckland 15 October 2007, Wayne Grant photo


USAF Boeing 757-200/C32A 98-0001 at Christchurch 08 January 2008, Tony McFarlin photo


UAE Boeing 747-400 A6-UAE turns onto the localiser for runway 02 at Christchurch 01 Sep 2007. Barry Hudson photo


Bahran Boeing 747-SP A9C-HMH prepares to depart Auckland 30 March 2005, MRC photo


Boeing 757-200 HB-IEE touching down at Auckland 24 November 2005, MRC photo


Comco Boeing 757-200 N610G lifting from runway 34 at Wellington 20 November 2006, Wayne Grant photo


Aramco Boeing 767-200 N767A arriving at Auckland 18 October 2009, MRC photo

Google Boeing 767-200 N2767 at Christchurch 28 December 2006, Tony McFarlin photo

Boeing 727 VP-BAP at Invercargill 18 October 2007, MRC Collection

Boeing 737-200 VP-CBA at Auckland 01 April 2010, MRC photo

Mexican Air Force Boeing 757-200 XC-UJM launches from Auckland 07 September 2007, Colin Hunter photo