Bob Dylan Down Under

American singer-song writer, poet and painter Bob Dylan, who turns 70 next month,  has been rocking around Australasia for the last couple of weeks on board AVN Air's Gulfstream 4 N473CW, callsign "North Shore 473".  He arrived Auckland at the unearthly hour of 0430 on the morning of 29 April from Sydney and is expected to jet off to Fiji 01 May. 

Wayne Grant photo

Jumbos at Christchurch

With Air NZ introducing the Boeing 777-300ER to the NZ2/1 services from Auckland via LA to London and return there has been a surplus of Boeing 747-400 aircraft lurking around the hardstands at Auckland as the type nears retirement.  As a result of parking constraints both ZK-NBW and most recently ZK-NBV have been moved to the Antarctic Apron at Christchurch and are now in a state of 'storage' for the foreseeable future.

With thanks to Barry Hudson for providing the following

Southern Business

As previously mentioned, two corporates rocked into Queenstown on Sunday 24 April in the form of Gulfstream 5 N410M and Global Express N624BP.

Other business orientated visitors in the south included Nelson based King Air 350 ZK-MMM, Citation Mustang ZK-MUS at Wanaka and Citatiojet 3 N91GT which flew Wanaka-Queenstown-Essendon 25 April.

Omaka Artwork

Will Mallinson has kindly provided the following images from this weekend's Omaka Airshow, stunning stuff.

Mon 18 - Sun 24 April 2011 - catchup time

Reverting to a format I've used previously, its time for a quick catchup of recent activity around our countryside.

Mon 18 April
Lancair IV-P VH-OPR arrived at Queenstown from Hobart.   A nice looking machine!
http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6289186

Korean Kamov KA32 HL9470 scuttled into the Wellington region today on its way to a boat moored at the city's harbour.  The Kamov had started its day at Ashburton and staged via Kaikoura.  It has been resident at Dunedin since late February when it returned from Antarctica.

Global Express XRS VT-STV departed Christchurch Monday evening for Bali.

Tue 19 April
Air NZ positioned Boeing 747-400 ZK-NBW to Christchurch from Los Angeles for long term storage as a result of the introduction of the Boeing 777-300 fleet to services through to London. 

Aerial Mapping's Aero Commander 690 ZK-PVB embarked from Auckland for Lord Howe Island and Charleville and has since crossed the Continent and arrived in Indonesia.

Wed 20 April
Queensland Government's Hawker 850XP VH-SGY arrived at Auckland late this evening from Brisbane and departed a few hours later in the early hours of Thursday heading back to Brisbane.

Making its first flight post import from Australia was Ardmore based BAC167 Strikemaster ZK-STR.
http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/2011/04/first-flight.html

EC Menzies have been long time operators of private aircraft based out of Essendon and their Merlin III N90GT has visited NZ a number of times over the years.  Today however their Citationjet CJ3 N91GT arrived at Wanaka from Essendon via Queenstown.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vj_bhana/5220242392/

Thu 21 April
Fugro's Aero Commander 500 VH-FGZ flew from Auckland to New Plymouth this morning having conducted survey flights the previous day.

Fri 22 April
Virgin Blue's recently delivered Boeing 737-800 VH-YFC arrived at Christchurch before sunrise from Melbourne.  It arrived on delivery at Brisbane 05 April from Honolulu and Nadi.

Vincent Aviation's recently acquired Jetstream 32EP ZK-ECI (previously operated by Air National) undertook its first flights for the Wellington charter operator when it flew from Auckland to Kerikeri and back.  The same day it flew to New Plymouth and Nelson.  ZK-ECJ and ZK-ECR have also been transferred to Vincent Aviation.
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/04/jetstreams-are-go.html

Sat 23 April
Returning to NZ after almost 6 years absence was RNZAF Lockheed P3K Orion NZ4204.  It has been in long-term preservation at L3 Communications Greenville, Texas facility since September 2005 and has undergone a massive upgrade programme.

Virgin Blue Boeing 737-800 VH-VOW departed Christchurch for Melbourne late tonight ex maintenance.

Skyline Aviation Beech King Air 200 ZK-PLK flew a medivac trip from Napier to the Chathams and back.

Sun 24 April
Virgin Blue 737-800 VH-VOV arrived at Christchurch from Melbourne for maintenance.

Two corporate arrivals at Queenstown from Honolulu within 10 minutes of each other this morning with Gulfstream 5 N410M arriving first as "Jetspeed 410"  and followed by Global Express N624BP.

A third corporate arrived at Auckland Sunday, this time a Global Express from China Southern Airlines registered B-8101 from Sydney as MU9492.  The Global had arrived at Sydney around midnight last night from Shenzhen.

Atlas Air Boeing 747-400 freighter N429MC arrived from Male as NEB020 and later departed for Los Angeles as GTI5458.

From the shoe box - Boeing 767-300 ZK-NCN April 2006

Air NZ terminated the lease of Boeing 767-300 ZK-NCN (29388) during the first quarter of 2006 and it flew its final flight for the airline on 28 February 2006 arriving at Auckland as NZ86 from Hong Kong.  It flew to RAAF Richmond for a repaint with Air NZ subsidiary company Tasman Air Services on 20 March and returned to Auckland on 29 March in flyglobespan colours.  On 07 April the 767-300, the first of its type to be operated by the Glasgow based airline, departed from Auckland registered G-CDPT direct to Orlando, Florida with a planned flight time of 14hr 43mins. 

The aircraft was subsequently leased to Air India, Garuda Indonesia and Gabon Airlines during the Northern European winter months.  Flyglobespan ceased flying in December 2009 having declared bankruptcy.

This aircraft was subsequently returned to the owner, ILFC, and re-registered N381LF in March 2010 before becoming EI-UNC in August the same year and starting a new life with Russian carrier Transaero.

Mike Condon photo

ZK-NCO (30586) was retired from Air NZ service on 07 July 2007 and became G-CEOD, also with Flyglobespan.  It departed for Darwin and Abu Dhabi 12 September.  It returned to the lessor, Celestial Aviation Trading, in March 2010 and was delivered to Kenya Airways in August that year as 5Y-KYW.

Another Boeing 737 converted freighter for Airwork/Toll

Arriving just prior to 1700 on 17 April from Honolulu and Apia was Boeing 737-300SF N919GF painted in partial Toll livery and nose gear markings "TLE" confirming its future ZK registration marks.

This airframe is no stranger to NZ and Australia having once flown with Freedom Air on lease from TACA as N371TA from April 1996 until April 1997.  It then headed to Varig as PP-VPF, then flew in Hungary as LZ-HVB before being purchased by Aurora Aviation and become N919GF and conversion to a freighter.

Indian Visitor

Global Express XRS VT-STV, owned by the Sun TV Network in Chennai (http://www.sun.in/Default.aspx) arrived at Christchurch just before midday 17 April from Bali.

A moment before touchdown on runway 20 at Christchurch.

Another Saab for Vincent

Saab 340B ZK-VAB/3 (340B-357 ex VH-UYA) was registered to Vincent Aviation during March having ferried to Wellington from Townsville and Brisbane on 04 Nov 2010.  It flew from Wellington to Auckland 14 April and is set to fly onwards to Brisbane, possibly via Norfolk Island 15April.

The aircraft wears a revised Vincent scheme, very smart indeed.

RAAF King Airs

Two Royal Australian Air Force King Air 350's touched down at Dunedin after dark 12 April from Hobart on one of their regular navigational exercises.  A32-350 and A32-372 were photographed the following morning once the early mist cleared.

South Island Snaps

Gulfstream 550 N92LA has been in the country since its arrival at Auckland 01 April and it spent a few days at Kaitaia then back to Auckland where it was hangered until 06 April when it slipped off to Queenstown.  On 09 April it headed to Woodbourne and Nelson where it is seen in this photograph taken 10 April by Peter Campbell.

Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III A41-206 arrived at Christchurch 09 April from Hickam/Honolulu as ASY402 and it departed 10 April for Amberley after uplifting a consignment of equipment used for the earthquake recovery mission.
Tony McFarlin photo.

Another new International Airline to New Zealand

Hot on the heels of Air Asia X commencing services to Christchurch last weekend, China Southern Airlines (IATA: CZ ICAO: CSN "China Southern")  inagurated services to Auckland from 09 April with the arrival of their Airbus A330-200 B-6059 direct from Guangzhou/Canton.   The service will initially operate three times per week on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

China Southern is one of the world's largest airlines with 420 aircraft flying to 172 cities across 30 countries and the reportedly carried 76.5 million passengers in 2010.   They operate 10 Airbus A330-200 aircraft with another 12 on order and also operate 8 -300 series A330's.

The carrier flew a charter flight to Auckland on 05 February this year with Airbus A330-300 B-6086
http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2011/02/china-southern-airlines.html

Colin Hunter photo

Expressions of Interest Sought.........................

2011 is the 100th anniversary of US Naval aviation and to celebrate this milestone a number of airshows are being held. Wayne Grant is looking to see if anyone is interested attending two such shows, a week apart, in Florida during eary November, and this time would also be maximised visiting airports in the region.


Alternatively, significant events are being held in California mid October that may better suit someone interested in joining him.

Estimated duration of time abroad is 10-14 days.

Anyone interested can they please contact Wayne direct at agairnz@ihug.co.nz

Thanks.

Photos MRC Collection

Medivac Lears

Australasia is home to a number of medical evacuation equipped Learjets and the type is popular across the globe in this role.  Learjet 36 N363PJ visited Auckland on 07 and 08 April as it flew from the USA via all stops to Melbourne and then outbound over the reverse route.

N363PJ has visited NZ a couple of times already this year, Wellington 22 February and Dunedin 08 March.

Wayne Grant photo

Careflight Learjet 45 VH-CXJ spent a short time on the ground at Auckland 06 April arriving from Niue where it had arrived 05 April from Townsville and Port Vila.  The Lear departed Auckland for Coolangatta then to Port Moresby.  Careflight also operate another Learjet 45 VH-VVI and a Learjet 36 VH-CMS.

Jetcity operate Learjet's VH-JCR, VH-JCX and VH-LJJ on a mix of medivac and passenger charter operations.

Newest International Carrier to NZ

Malaysia based Air Asia X (IATA : D7  ICAO: XAX "Xanadu") announced in December 2010 their intention to commence direct flights to Christchurch from Kuala Lumpur from April 1st 2011 using Airbus A330-300 equipment.  True to their word, the low cost carrier, part owned by Richard Branson, commenced services with a late night arrival on April 1st using Airbus A330-300 9M-XXH.   The service will operate 4 times weekly, with two flights departing Christchurch at 0125 (Mon and Sat) and the other two at the more sociable hour of 1510 (Tue and Thu). 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Asia_X

The first daylight visit took place April 5th and Graham Weatherby was on hand to photograph 9M-XXG arriving, thanks!

Air New Zealand Link at Auckland

Making up the bulk of movements at Auckland is the Air New Zealand group of airlines made up of Eagle Air, Mount Cook Airline and Air Nelson.

Eagle Air operate roughly 40 departures daily with Beech 1900D aircraft to Kerikeri, Kaitaia, Whangarei, Tauranga, Whakatane, Gisborne, Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo, Wanganui, Masterton and Blenheim direct from Auckland.

ZK-EAA departing on a training flight 31 March 2011

Mount Cook Airline operate around 7 departures daily with ATR72-212 aircraft to Napier and Palmerston North from Auckland.

ZK-MCJ heading off Napier 31 March 2011



Air Nelson operate some 33 departures daily with Bombardier Q300 aircraft to Kerikeri, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Blenheim and Nelson.

ZK-NEH 31 March 2011

ZK-NFB 31 March 2011





French Connection

Unfortunately no European airlines are directly represented with services to New Zealand.  Air Calin operate twice a week from Noumea to Auckland using A330 equipment on a Thursday and A320 on a Sunday.  Air Tahiti Nui operate twice a week from Papeete using A340 aircraft on Thursday's and Sunday's.  Both carriers codeshare with Air NZ and vice versa.

Airbus A330-200 F-OHSD arriving from Noumea 31 March 2011

Above and below, Airbus A340-300 F-OLOV arriving from Tahiti 31 March 2011