Making a rare overseas trip is this Sydney/Bankstown based Citationjet CJ3 VH-MIF operated by well known Australian Dick Smith. It arrived at Queenstown from Bankstown via Sydney 13 September. VH-MIF has been an Australian resident since 2006 when it arrived at Horn Island on 25 July of that year from Kansai via Guam and entered the VH register on 19 September.
The only "overseas" record we have for this aircraft was a trip from Bankstown to Lord Howe Island and back on 21 December 2011.
Dick Smith is well known for setting up the electronics chain of shops and also his adventures with a notable solo circumnavigation of the planet in his Bell Jetranger VH-DIK during 1983.
In February 2000 he and co-pilot John Wallington successfully flew a hot air balloon in a westerly direction from NZ to Australia. They departed from Kaitaia 22 February 2000 in VH-DSE with top cover provided by his then Citation 550 VH-MGC.
His most recent foray to NZ was on 07 January 2006 when he flew from Sydney to Hari Hari on the South Island's West Coast in his Cessna 208B VH-SHW to commerate the 75th anniversary of the first solo crossing of the Tasman Sea by Guy Menzies. VH-SHW flew across to Christchurch 08 January then to Whangarei 12 January before heading off to Lord Howe Island the following morning.
