Gulfstream 450 N903G

Canal Air Gulfstream 450 N903G arrived at Auckland early on the evening of 30Nov from Honolulu and Pago Pago.

Wayne Grant photo

Long Haul Arrival

1981 Cessna 180K N6TK touched down at Auckland just on 2109 30Nov from Pago Pago following a 12hr+ flight.  It had first been noted just over a week ago flying from Lompoc, California to Hilo and then onto Pago Pago.   Thanks to QW for pointing out http://www.earthrounders.com/ where the pilot is featured prior to departing Florida on an around the world trip.
 

First time visitors to Auckland

Saturday 27Nov saw two first time visitors to Auckland.  First up was Marcplan's Gulfstream 450 VH-MBP (delivered to Australia in July this year) arriving from and returning to Essendon.

Wayne Grant photo

It was followed by Skytrader's Airbus A319CJ VH-VHD arrived from Melbourne and departed for Sydney carrying music group U2.

Colin Hunter photo

Atlas 747-200 freighter at Christchurch

Atlas Air were tasked to provide cargo capacity between Auckland and Avalon moving stage equipment from the recent U2 concert.

Boeing 747-200 freighter N524MC touched down at Auckland 26Nov and made its way to Avalon the following day.  On its return leg to Auckland the flight was diverted to Christchurch when the runway lights at Auckland failed.  It remained at Christchurch for crew rest and headed north 28Nov before carrying out another four trips between Auckland and Avalon in addition to flights operated by Singapore Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400 freighter equipment.

Departing Christchurch 28Nov, NZAV8 photo

"International" Arrival direct to Ardmore

Aerostar 601 ZK-JOS, registered to Coventry Motors Ltd, arrived at Ardmore direct from the Chatham Islands 25Nov having arrived at the island on 23Nov from Napier.  The Chatham Islands are part of New Zealand therefore its not technically an 'international' flight!!

Mike Condon photo

Galaxy's (ies?) at Auckland

New Zealand's two resident Gulfstream G200 Galaxy's were parked in close proximity 24Nov and captured by Wayne Grant.  N533GA departed Auckland 25Nov for Christchurch and Queenstown.

RNZAF Supporting Mine Disaster Rescue Operations

The ongoing struggle to reach 29 miners 'missing' at the Pike River Coal mine on the South Island's West Coast continues to draw incredible media attention both nationally and internationally, plus a massive amount of rescue preparedness for when the time comes to extract the miners.

The NZ Defence Force has been employed to carry out logistics work and support including the provision of two 'robots' usually tasked with bomb disposal duties and these have been carried to the coast via the Wellington based Westpac Rescue BK117 ZK-HLF.  In addition the RNZAF have UH1H NZ3807 in the region to provide support for lifting equipment to drilling sites above the mine.

RNZAF Beech 200 King Air's have been tasked with VIP duties carrying a range of government officials and police personnel to the Coast while Air NZ Link's Eagle Air has carried out extra services to and from Hokitika due to high demand from both families travelling to the region and media staff.

RNZAF Lockheed C130 Hercules NZ7001 made the types first known visit to Greymouth 23Nov arriving from Whenuapai and Auckland carrying a small payload of equipment.  Ian Coates reports this is the first 4 engine aircraft to Greymouth since the days of De Havilland Heron ZK-BBM.
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/07/air-north-to-tokoroa.html

As the runway is too narrow to turn an aircraft of the Hercules size, it was forced to provide its own push back power therefore it landed on runway 01 with a short "push back" onto the taxiway and departed off runway 19 with another short "push back" to the runway threshold.
http://www.aip.net.nz/pdf/NZGM_51.1_52.1.pdf

NZ7001 above and below at Greymouth, Ian Coates photos

More Global Action

Westfield's operate a sizeable fleet of aircraft including Global Express N36LG.  The aircraft arrived at Napier direct from Sydney 19Nov and then to Auckland 22Nov before returning home to Sydney 23Nov.

Being relocated at Auckland prior to departure 23Nov, Wayne Grant photo

Global 5000 N900GX

Dallas based Global 5000 N900GX, registered to Hrznar LLC, made a brief visit to Auckland 21Nov on its way from Kahului, Maui to Invercargill.

Wayne Grant photo

Noel Jones photo

Pilatus PC12's in the Country - updated

Western Australia based Pilatus PC12 VH-OOI arrived into Ardmore from Norfolk Island via Auckland 19Nov.  The PC12 is no stranger to our shores having most recently visited in October this year.  The owners have a property on Norfolk Island.  It departed Ardmore for Auckland and Norfolk Island 21Nov. 

At Kerikeri 11Nov 2008, Mike Condon photo





Arriving at Auckland 21Nov, Wayne Grant photo



A visitor from far afield touched down at Christchurch on the afternoon of 20Nov when Pilatus PC12 PH-PNG arrived from Hobart.  The Dutch based machine had arrived Darwin from Bali 14Nov, then flew to Ayres Rock 15Nov, Bankstown 16Nov and to Hobart 18Nov.  From Christchurch to Auckland mid afternoon 21Nov and to Noumea 22Nov.

At Malta 02Nov10, photo by Brendon Attard via planespotters.net

Arriving at Auckland 21Nov, Wayne Grant photo

West Coast Mine Explosion - Updated

The gas explosion at the Pike River Coal mine site located 50km northeast of Greymouth Friday afternoon trapping 29 miners underground generated a degree of aviation activity.  Following the extreme circumstances surrounding the recently rescued Chilean miners, this event has generated significant media interest from around the world.

As a result of this, Citation X VH-RCA made its third Tasman crossing this month arriving at Christchurch around 0200 20Nov from Sydney carrying Australian media while Queensland

VH-RCA at Christchurch, M Hayes photo

Government's Hawker 850XP VH-SGY flew from Brisbane direct into Hokitika 20Nov (the nearest sizeable airport to the site some 90km southwest of the mine) carrying expertise and specialist equipment to assist with search and rescue efforts which could be on a scale not seen in NZ previously.  It promptly departed for Christchurch and then back to Brisbane.

VH-SGY at Christchurch, M Hayes photo

Garden City Helicopters Beech King Air 200 ZK-FDR, a regular visitor to the West Coast on aeromedical transfer flights, departed Greymouth after dark Friday for Christchurch, and then made a round trip to Hokitika and back.

In addition, media report three rescue helicopters have been deployed to the location from nearby Greymouth, and further afield from Nelson and Christchurch.

Acernus/Vincent Aviation Citation Mustang ZK-MUS made a visit to Greymouth on Saturday afternoon, arriving from and returning to Wellington.

ZK-MUS caught departing Ardmore earlier this month, C Hunter photo

Eagle Airways provided an additional service between Christchurch and Hokitika on the Saturday afternoon using Beech 1900D ZK-EAM.

Gulfstream 450 N192NC

Gulfstream 450 N192NC arrived at Auckland just on sunset 18Nov from Melbourne having jetted into Australia 4 days prior arriving at Sydney from Honolulu via Nadi.  It flew south to Melbourne 16Nov.  It departed Auckland late 19Nov direct to Honolulu.

Arriving Auckland 18Nov, VJ Photo

Chilean Air Force Boeing 767-300

Fuerza de Chile (Chilean Air Force) Boeing 767-3Y0ER 985 made a techstop at Auckland 18Nov, arriving from Beijing and departing for Santiago.  The aircraft was carrying the country's President, Sebastian Pinera, and delegation returning from the recently concluded APEC summit held in Japan.

This aircraft was delivered to Chile in August 2008 and today was its first visit to NZ.  Previous VIP visits to NZ have been conducted using Boeing 737-330 922 and Gulfstream IV 911.

"Chile Air Force 1" exits runway 05R at Auckland, John Rankin photo

Another Citation X Visitor

Austrian based Citation X OE-HUB, registered to Vienna Jet,  arrived at Auckland 18Nov from Phuket via a techstop at Darwin.

Arriving at Auckland 18Nov, John Rankin photo

Global Express XRS VH-OCV

Nelson Corporate Aviation/Execujet Australia Global Express XRS VH-OCV arrived at Christchurch on the afternoon of 17Nov from its Sydney base.  VH-OCV was delivered to the region in February this year replacing a Challenger 604 of the same registration.  It made its first visit to NZ on 09Feb this year when it flew from Sydney to Auckland and onto Tonga in support of Saudi delegation.

The Global Express Australasian population has reached 14 machines being made up of:
Global Express ; VH-TGQ, VH-VGX, VH-VLA, N18WF, N360LA and N889CP
Global Express XRS; VH-LAW, VH-OCV, N900LF, N18WZ, N36LG and N888GX
Global 5000; VH-DNK, VH-LEP

Arriving at Christchurch 17Nov, Matt Hayes photo

Citation X VH-RCA

Citation X VH-RCA arrived at Auckland late 16Nov from Sydney and departed the following morning on its return to Sydney.   VH-RCA has already visited Auckland this month with a brief stop off on Sunday arriving from and returning to Sydney. There are currently three of the type in Australia with the other's being VH-TEN and VH-XCJ.

Early on 17Nov, Wayne Grant photo



Czech Mate

Visitors from Europe to this part of the world are few and far between so it was a pleasant surprise to have arrive at Auckland 15Nov Czech registered Embraer Legacy OK-SUN.  This corporate version of the Embraer 135 arrived at Darwin from Bali on 10Nov then flew to Ayres Rock two days later.  After catching the sunrise on 13Nov it flew onto Sydney.  The aircraft, using the callsign ABP240, is operated by ABS Jets http://www.absjets.com/en/fleet/abs-jets-fleet.php

The last OK registered aircraft to visit was Airbus A320 OK-GEB flying on behalf of Air Calin this time last year.

OK-SUN arriving at Auckland 15Nov, Wayne Grant photo

Silver Bullet

Cathay Pacific Cargo have became a reasonably regular visitor to Auckland this year with a number of their normally Melbourne-Hong Kong CX022 services re-routed via NZ to assist with equine transportation.  On Mon 15Nov the service came to Auckland direct from Sydney and arrived in daylight (just) which provided the opportunity to capture one of their "Silver Bullet" Boeing 747-464F aircraft, B-HUO.

Arriving just on sunset 15Nov, Wayne Grant photo

Hawaiian Arrival

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N587HA arrived at Auckland 13Nov from Sydney as ANZ700 for maintenance with Air NZ.  N585HA, a non winglet machine, departed Auckland the previous evening for Sydney as ANZ709 at the conclusion of its maintenance visit that had commenced 06Oct when it positioned into Auckland from Honolulu.

Arriving at Auckland 13Nov, Wayne Grant photo

"New" Cessna Caravan Arrives

Arriving at Timaru 11Nov was Cessna 208B N832SA (208-0832) nearing the conclusion of its delivery flight from the USA which saw it depart from Hollister for Hilo then onto Pago Pago before flying 10Nov to Gisborne and Christchurch.

This particular aircraft is the first Caravan in NZ to be retro fitted with a 900hp Garrett (Honeywell) TPE331 engine, a significant increase in the available power of the PT6 engine that comes standard on a Caravan producing 650hp.  The 'upsized' power of the new engine makes this modified Caravan ideal for parachute operations and it is was registered to Skydive Queenstown 17Nov as ZK-KPH. http://www.texasturbines.com/ttcaravan/TTcaravan.htm

On arrival at Timaru under the command of veteran ferry pilot, Jim Hazleton

Showing off the Caravan's retro fitted engine.  Simon Brown photos

Red Nose Day???

Well, not really, however Air Pacific's 737-800 DQ-FJH has been forced to wear one on loan from Virgin Blue thanks to it encountering a high flying bird while passing 13000ft inbound to Auckland from Nadi last Friday causing damage beyond repair to its nosecone!

Noel Jones captures DQ-FJH departing Auckland on Saturday following its nose job.

Qantas Airbus A380-800 VH-OQA

The media attention surrounding the air turnback of Qantas' Airbus A380-800 VH-OQA to Singapore 04Nov as a result of an uncontained engine failure drew the author's attention to the first visit to NZ of an A380 on 10 October 2008 when VH-OQA, recently delivered to Qantas, was the guest appearance at the opening of terminal extension works at Auckland Airport.

Mike Condon photo

Mike Condon photo

USAF C32A Visit

The much publicised visit or US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to NZ saw Boeing C32A 99-0003 arrived at Wellington just on sunrise 04Nov from Port Moresby and fly south to Christchurch 05Nov.

Arriving at Christchurch, Matt Hayes photo (note Challenger N696HS in the background).