It is truly incredible how quickly time flies and even more so when you go hunting for something in particular and so easily end up side tracked!
The current header photo of MRC Aviation is the photo of the first visit to NZ of an Ilyushin 86. On 05 May 2001 RA-86125 of East Line Airlines, callsign ESL9671, arrived at Ohakea from Moscow via Dhaka and Darwin and departed the following day for Christchurch and Brisbane. The aircraft was operated for the United Nations carrying NZ peacekeeping troops to and from East Timor. The IL86 was back to Ohakea 08 May 2001 from Brisbane and flew to Auckland, Brisbane and Darwin 13 May 2001. From Darwin to Brisbane and Ohakea 22 May 2001 and onward to Auckland and Brisbane the next day.
It was ten years ago on 01 May when Freedom Air started a brief foray operating domestic jet services within New Zealand following the collapse of Tasman Pacific Airlines of NZ who operated the franchise arrangement as Qantas NZ in late April 2001. Effective from 01 May 2001 Freedom Air International commenced domestic passenger services between Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch utilising Boeing 737 aircraft. Services on the first day of domestic operations were flown by Boeing 737-300 ZK-FDM. Certain days of the week (Wed thru Mon) were operated using the Airwork (NZ) Ltd Boeing 737-200QC ZK-NQC complete with freedomair.com titles. This aircraft commenced operations with Freedom Air on 2 May and effective from 31 May the airline's domestic schedule was expanded to two aircraft, ZK-NQC and ZK-FDM. This was made possible by the introduction to international operations of Boeing 737 5W-ILF of Polynesian Airlines alongside Freedom's other 737 ZK-SJB.
Also taking place late April/early May 2001 was the visit to Wellington by Virgin Blue Airlines Boeing 737-7Q8 VH-VBA "Brizzie Lizzie". It arrived at Wellington 29 April from Kona and Nadi and departed for Coolangatta and Brisbane 01 May. It visit was a waving of the flag exercise for the carrier and promote its desire to enter the NZ market (which of course it did as Pacific Blue and ironically is now teamed up with Air NZ in a Tasman alliance).
On 16 May Air Nelson took delivery at Nelson of ex Kendall Saab 340A VH-LPI which later became ZK-NLG and entered service still in Ansett livery on 25 May.
Air NZ Maintenance at Auckland had a busy month with visits from Air Canada Boeing 747-433SCD C-GAGM (arrived 10May and departed 27 May), Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-443 G-VLIP (arrived 17 May for pre delivery modification direct from the factory and departed 18 June) plus another Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-443 G-VROM (arrived 31 May and departed 16 July). G-VGAL had arrived in March.
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| From let, G-VROM, G-VGAL and G-VLIP at Auckland 31 May 2001, MRC photo |
Eagle Air had announce earlier in the year a fleet replacement programme for their aging Metroliner and Bandierante fleet with brand new Beech 1900D aircraft. On 09 May 2001 a short term lease Beech 1900D, N84802, arrived at Hamilton from Noumea having flown from Wichita via Adak, Midway and Funafuti. It flew a local flights at Hamilton 01 June and flew for a period of time as ZK-JNG on scheduled services for the Air NZ Link operator.
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| At Hamilton 26 May 2001, Mike Condon photo |
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| Auckland 01 Oct 2001, Mike Condon photo |
Other deliveries during this period included the arrival of Ted Smith Aerostar VH-UYU, now ZK-TSA, Cessna U206G VH-WCN, later became ZK-PJB and Fatman VH-BIF (to ZK-ESL).
Departures from NZ saw Airtrainer CT4E ZK-JMX depart on 05 May 2001 for the Royal Thai Air Force and FU24A-954 Fletcher ZK-EMK on 27 May 2001 on delivery to PNG.
