OFF AIR

Yes indeed, its that time of the year when MRC Aviation takes a break from transmission.  Be sure to keep up-to-date with activity on the many other blogs in the Links section. 

Check back late next month for a resumption to posts.

2013 - A Year in Review by SpeedbirdHD

Oh to have a grandstand seat like this guy has at LAX!

Sovereign Plus on NZ Soil

The visit last week of Cessna demonstrator Citation Sovereign+ N510WD initially heralded no locally based images but with thanks to the team at Dunedin we can now share a couple of it parked visiting NZ soil.

The jet has since returned to duties around South East Asia.

B Smaill photos

Boeing 777-300ER ZK-OKR enters service

Air New Zealand's latest widebody jet, Boeing 777-300ER ZK-OKR, has entered commercial service this morning operating from Auckland to Nadi as NZ56 and returning to Auckland as NZ57.  Tonight it is expected to operate NZ6 to Los Angeles.

ZK-OKR abeam downtown Auckland, Will Kirk photo

RAAF Orion

Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed P3 Orion A9-751 emerged from the Air New Zealand paint shop at Christchurch over the weekend and departed 16 June "Ausy 217" for Edinburgh, north of Adelaide.  

This aircraft arrived at Christchurch on 16 May from Edinburgh via an approach into Queenstown (no landing).  Its arrival back in May saw A9-760 exit the paint shop and depart for Richmond on the 18th.

Our records show the following RAAF P3 visits to Christchurch since the repaint program began:

A9-662 17MAY12-15JUN12 

A9-656 15AUG12-21SEP12

A9-664 16NOV12-18DEC12

A9-752 01FEB13-04MAR13

A9-661 XXMAR13-10APR13

A9-753 27APR13-28MAY13

A9-757 23JUN13-Late JUL13

A9-658 19OCT13-15NOV13

A9-665 14NOV13-15DEC13

A9-659 14DEC13-04FEB14

A9-760 16APR14-18MAY14

Thanks to Matt Hayes for these awesome shots of A9-751 departing. 

Mighty planes: NOAA P3 Orion

Another informative doco from the Mighty Planes series.

N1RP updated

Earlier today we mentioned the visit of Gulfstream 550 N1RP to our shores.  Late last night it departed Auckland for Christchurch and launched from there at midday today for Invercargill from where it embarked four hours later on a flight direct to Honolulu.

Penske Racing only took delivery of their brand new jet mid last month, so its very bright and shiny!

The Gulfstream 550 shares the same scheme as another Penske machine, G450 N500RP

 http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/gulfstream-450-n500rp-drops-into.html

Captured during its 4 hour layover at Invercargill. 

Gulfstream 550 N1RP

2013 edition Gulfstream 550 N1RP touched down at Auckland just before midday 15 June from Brisbane.  After spending the afternoon and early evening in the City of Sails, the 550 made its way south to Christchurch for the night.

N1RP first entered the region at Brisbane on 09 June arriving from Fort Worth via Honolulu.  It carried onto Perth 10 June then to Adelaide and Essendon the next day.  13 June saw the jet head north to Sydney and later that day onto Brisbane.

Mighty Planes: Omega 707

Another brilliant documentary from the recent Might Planes series, this time outlining the Boeing 707 tankers in service with civilian contractor Omega.  The documentary features two ex Royal Australian Air Force machines, one on a mission and the other undergoing a major overhaul and modifications program.

Sovereign+ Visit (Departure info added)

Cessna Aircraft Company in 2012 launched a modified version of the popular 680 Sovereign mid range business jet and simply added a + (plus) sign to signal the new variant.

Demonstrator N510WD arrived in New Zealand  yesterday to display its capabilities to prospective operator/s.  It had arrived at Bankstown from Seletar via Darwin on the evening of 09 June.  The same aircraft was demonstrated in Australia during the first week of March this year.

N510WD started 13 June in Noumea and flew direct to Queenstown before hopping across to Dunedin and then north to Auckland.  Early the next morning it departed Auckland for Brisbane, Mackay and Perth. 

NZ has had one Sovereign on the books, N121TL which later became ZK-JTH with this airframe residing in NZ from October 2009 through until May 2012 when it returned to the USA and took up its old marks of N121TL.

The following is a press release issued by Cessna at the time of the type's first delivery in December 2013:

WICHITA, Kan., Dec. 23, 2013 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, is today beginning deliveries of the newly certified Citation Sovereign+ midsize business jet.
The new Citation Sovereign+, whose name now includes a “+” to more clearly differentiate it from its predecessor, brings increased range, updated technologies and enhanced performance to the company’s established Citation Sovereign business jet.

Brad Thress, Cessna senior vice president of Business Jets, says: “The Citation Sovereign+ makes a great airplane even better. We started with an aircraft popular for having one of the most comfortable cabins in its class, not to mention superb performance and reliability. We increased the full fuel payload, added winglets, cutting-edge Garmin G5000 avionics, auto throttles and outstanding performance for hundreds of dollars less per hour than any aircraft in its category. Our customers are looking forward to seeing the aircraft with winglets, giving it a distinct appearance as well as an aerodynamic boost that means 150 additional nautical miles of range.”

Cessna achieved Federal Aviation Administration certification on the new Sovereign+, clearing the way for deliveries to order holders from around the world.

Featuring winglets and the new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines providing 5,852 pounds of thrust, the Citation Sovereign+ has a range of 3,000 nautical miles (3,452 statute miles), a top speed of 458 knots (527 miles per hour) and a direct climb to 45,000 feet.

The new cockpit is designed around the Cessna Intrinzic™ Flight Deck powered by Garmin G5000 avionics. An integrated, workload-reducing auto throttle system streamlines the pilots’ tasks. New cabin amenities include the integrated Cessna Clairity™ cabin management system with user-friendly touch-screen controllers and all new, larger and more comfortable seats.

Cessna is offering the Sovereign+ with a unique Sovereign Shield program covering all scheduled maintenance and parts costs for the aircraft’s first five years or 1,500 flight hours, practically eliminating maintenance-related direct operating costs and allowing owners to operate the Citation Sovereign+ for far less than other business jets in the midsize category.

In service since 2004, the Citation Sovereign has reached a fleet of 349 aircraft worldwide and amassed more than 802,000 flight hours. Cessna announced plans for the new Sovereign+ at NBAA in October 2012. The first production aircraft rolled off the assembly line in Wichita in early March followed by first flight of the unit in April. 

http://www.cessna.com/citation/sovereign

Sovereign+ N510WD at Essendon during its March 2014 Australian visit, Transair photo

Gippsland Airvan VH-BYI update

As a follow on to our post from earlier this week, GA8 Airvan VH-BYI is actually in the country on demonstrator duties and following a two day visit to Kerikeri it flew to New Plymouth on the afternoon of 11 June.  The next day it flew across to Taupo where it spent a couple of hours before trundling north to Ardmore arriving a little before 1700 and parking near Eagle Flight Training where it is expected to remain static this weekend.

Resting in the winter sunshine at Ardmore

Mighty Planes: Blue Angels

Great doco to watch on a winter's day/evening!

Boeing 787-9 out and about

Air New Zealand's soon to be delivered (this time next month) Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZE wearing its Boeing test registration was out and about today NZ time on a flight from Boeing Field across to Moses Lake and back as "Boeing 003".

Check out : http://kpae.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/paine-field-june-11.html

New Zealand Warbirds 70th D-Day Anniversary

21 Years ago........

I was recently asked to provide some photos for an upcoming project and ended up scanning a large number of prints to send off.  One of the many processed was of Saab 340A SE-ISD (340A-145) having just arrived at Nelson on 28 May 1993 concluding its delivery flight from Sweden where it had flown for Swedeair and then three days later marked as ZK-FXQ and still in the basic livery it was delivered in with the addition of the Air New Zealand Link titles.

The lease of ZK-FXQ from Saab concluded in March 1997 and the aircraft was returned to Sweden as
SE-ISD. It was leased to Golden Air through until April 2011 when it became SP-KPU with Sprintair as a freighter.

RNZAF Texan II update

Computer generated image

In January this year the RNZAF announced the order of Beechcraft T6 Texan II high performance training aircraft to replace the existing NZ Aerospace CT4E Airtrainers. 

For our earlier posts please see

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/texans-for-rnzaf.html

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/texan-order-confirmed.html

The first of the RNZAF T-6C Texan pilot training aircraft fresh out of the paint shop in this stunning, and somewhat quintensially Kiwi black RNZAF livery.

NZ1401 will shortly undergo acceptance test activities before being used to train the first RNZAF Qualified Flying Instructors in Wichita, Texas, home of the Beechcraft manufacturing plant.

The aircraft will then begin its 26 stop delivery flight to New Zealand with an expected arrival date in country of around 20 August 2014. The aircraft will remain in Beechcraft ownership for maintenance training purposes as it common practice with first of type until the official handover to the RNZAF in November.

NZ1401 planned delivery route

Another GA8 Airvan for NZ?

Victorian aircraft manufacturer Gippsland have a reasonable presence in New Zealand with 11 of their popular GA8 Airvan's and 8 GA200 Fatman's on the ZK register.

Yesterday GA-8-TC 320 VH-BYI, c/n 09-120, arrived at Kerikeri from Norfolk Island.  This 2009 edition had flown from Tamworth to the Gold Coast, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island during 08 June.

Of the 11 Airvan's currently registered there is only one other turbo charged variant and it is operated by Air Safaris as ZK-SAU.

On the move at the Gold Coast early on the morning of 08 June. 

Gulfstream 550 VP-CKG

South East Asia based Gulfstream 550 VP-CKG arrived into Auckland late 07 June from Port Moresby via a brief visit to Suva.  The next day the 550 flew onto Palmerston North where another brief visit was conducted before making its way to Christchurch for the night.  Yesterday morning it returned to Auckland for a fuel stop before heading to Shanghai/Pudong. 

Departing Auckland 08 June. 

And at Christchurch on the evening of 08 June. 

Medics

Sundyne PTY Citation III VH-SSZ made an early morning visit to Auckland today arriving from and returning to Sydney.

West Air Holdings/Global JetCare Learjet 36A N41GJ jetted into Invercargill late this morning from Salinas, California via Honolulu, Pago Pago and Auckland.  We believe this is the first visit to NZ by this medivac aircraft however it has ventured into the region before with a visit to Papeete in February 2013 and then just last month it was in Sydney arriving on 7 May from Salinas via Honolulu, Pago Pago and Nadi and departing the next day for Pago Pago, Honolulu, Salinas and Salt Lake City.

N41GJ at Invercargill, R Sadler photos

Ex Kiwi off to a new home

Pacific Jets of Christchurch took delivery of Citationjet CJ3+ ZK-TBM, c/n 525B-0027,  in July 2005 and operated the aircraft for the next eight years before it was exported to Australia and arriving at Bankstown from Christchurch via Canberra on 03 September last year and cancelled from the NZ register the following month to become VH-ARZ.

It has since undergone heavy maintenance and transformed to become P2-MEH for Tropicair of Port Moresby.  It flew a test flight from/to Bankstown 06 June before making its way to Archerfield on the evening of 07 June where it is seen in the photo below.   On 08 June it conducted a local flight from/to Archerfield before heading to Cairns and today it should continue onto PNG.

Four Holers at Rarotonga

Thanks to Ewan for these great historical shots.

The first is of a long since disappeared Air New Zealand Douglas DC8, ZK-NZD, arriving at Rarotonga a few moons ago.  This particular jet went onto to be converted to a freighter and was operated by Air New Zealand in that configuration for sometime.

The second shot is of a disappearing breed, the Boeing 747-400 ZK-SUH.  This visit to Rarotonga, on 01 June, was the last scheduled service by the type to the Cook Islands. 

Boeing 777-300 ZK-OKR from above

As a follow on from our lunchtime post today, herewith are some shots as seen from the TV helicopter employed to catch ZK-OKR arriving at Auckland this morning on its delivery flight from Paine Field, Seattle.

Thanks to Will Kirk for these great shots!

Airbus A320 VH-VGF

As we alluded to yesterday, Jetstar's brightly painted Airbus A320 VH-VGF operated across their New Zealand domestic network today, 08 June, starting off with a Christchurch-Wellington-Christchurch, then a direct flight to Auckland before then making two trips from there to the Capital and back.

Thanks to all those providing coverage of its first foray around the network!

Departing Christchurch

Rolling runway 34 at Wellington

Airborne 34 at Wellington

Parked at Auckland Domestic

And departing Auckland for Wellington

Air New Zealand takes delivery of 777-300 number Six

Air New Zealand has taken delivery of its sixth Boeing -300 series 777 with ZK-OKR touching down at Auckland this morning after a direct flight from the manufacturer's Seattle/Paine facility as ANZ6391.  The jet rendezvoused with a Helitranz camera equipped helicopter for an Auckland City flyby and we should have some shots from this vantage point later today.  ZK-OKR followed the airline's other widebody aircraft wearing the same livery, Boeing 777-200 ZK-OKC, down the approach into Auckland.

For earlier posts:

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/05/air-nzs-latest-777-300er-takes-flight.html

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/05/boeing-777-300er-zk-okr-update.html

The arrival of ZK-OKR will ultimately see Boeing 747-400 ZK-SUH retired from service in the coming weeks.

Bell 429 VP-CUL

First noted in New Zealand late January this year, Cayman Island registered Bell 429 VP-CUL c/n 57015 appears to have come ex Japan where it flew as JA429B.  The helicopter has since been spied at the Pikes Point http://www.aip.net.nz/pdf/NZPK_51.1_52.1.pdf located midway between Auckland Airport and Auckland City and operated by Advanced Flight.

It was observed arriving and departing from Ardmore on the afternoon of 04 June before heading out to Waiheke Island.

Low Fares Forever

Jetstar celebrated their 10th birthday on 25 May and to celebrate this milestone they have repainted Airbus A320 VH-VGF in a special colour scheme to advertise "Low Fares Forever" and twitter name #Jetstargeneration. 

The jet has made its first foray to NZ since returning to Australia from Singapore last month and this morning arrived at Christchurch under the cover of darkness from Melbourne as JQ171.  It was anticipated the aircraft would depart to Sydney by the time this is read but sources indicate it may well end up on a couple of domestic sectors within NZ tomorrow so keep an eye out.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHVGF

Photos of its first visit to Cairns can be found

http://fnqskies.blogspot.co.nz/2014/05/jetstar-a320-vh-vgf-in-special-all-over.html

http://ybbn.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/jetstars-new-10th-year-anniversary-a320.html

And thanks to Transair for these shots taken on its arrival at Melbourne 23 May from Singapore/Seletar

Corporate Corner

It has been a few weeks since we last reviewed any corporate jet activity, perhaps because there hasn't really been anything to review!  But this week there has been a few here and there, so without further adieu:

Westfield's Global Express N18WF spent several hours at Auckland on the first day of June arriving from and returning to Sydney.

Also arriving in the country on the 1st was Falcon 50 VH-FOL and it touched down at Queenstown from Brisbane.  It returned across the Tasman on the 4th.

Rainbow Aviation's Global 5000 N755RA arrived at Auckland on the night of 02 June from Singapore/Seletar and departed for Melbourne/Essendon 04 June.  It has since gone onto visit Adelaide and Sydney.  The aircraft last visited in March this year. 

As mentioned in our "Deepwave" post, Gulfstream 5 N677F duly arrived at Christchurch on the afternoon of 03 June from Pago Pago and departed on its first mission 06 June.  The schedule for its flying can be found at https://www.eol.ucar.edu/dw/deployment-schedule.  Perhaps the dates quoted are for those viewing from the USA considering first flight (RF01) was listed as 05 June, or maybe they are just one day behind scheduled start-up.  For those following the aircraft's activity via Flightaware, it can be tracked http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N677F and tonight is using the callsign SIQ1, or Science Quest One.

Touchdown runway 20 at Christchurch 03 June. 

Another US government Gulfstream 5 arrival and this time its C37A 166375 from the US Navy.  It arrived at Whenuapai 04 June from Canberra and departed for Andersen AFB, Guam, 06 June as "Navy VV375".  

This jet made its last visit to NZ in February this year. 

Premier Jets Learjet 36 N361PJ, a dedicated aeromedical jet, arrived at Hamilton after dark 06 June from San Jose via Hilo, Honolulu and Pago Pago.  N361PJ was most recently in NZ in June 2012 and strangely enough arrived at Hamilton on the 12th departing on the 13th!

Ardmore Air Display Part Three

Last weekends air display at Ardmore hosted by the Warbirds Association saw the museum's resident A4 Skyhawk and Macchi wheeled out into the winter sunlight and these two "warbirds" were joined on the flight line by the three ex RNZAF Strikemasters, two of which are airworthy and a third recently imported and being prepared to fly.  Ardmore's resident Aero L39 ZK-WLM flew a spirited display while De Havilland Venom ZK-VNM whistled in from Ohakea at the hands of its owner making for a very pleasant addition to the assembled "squadron".