Couple of Logo Jets

Auckland has been visited by a couple of logo jets during the month of July, both celebrating the recent Football World Cup staged in Brazil.

The first was key sponsor of the event Emirates with their Airbus A380 A6-EEQ with the aircraft visiting a couple of times during the month.

The second was an unexpected visit by Qantas Boeing 747-400 VH-OEJ.  It made a techstop at Auckland 21 July on its way from Dallas/Fort Worth to Brisbane as QFA8.

Special thanks to those supplying these images. 

Challenger 604 N604AU

Challenger 604 N604AU has been an Australian resident for a number of years now and is operated by Jetcity of Melbourne/Essendon on behalf of owners Tyremax Pty Ltd. 

The jet makes roughly a dozen trips per year across the Tasman and most recently arrived at Auckland from Sydney 28 July returning to Sydney the next afternoon.

It is seen here departing off runway 05 right at Auckland 29 July. 

AirVenture Monday, July 28, 2014 Update

Also, check out the Live ATC link for some of the action:
http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=KOSH

Bird bath for a Goose

We mentioned in our Military Movers post a few days ago the existence of three United States Air Force Lockheed MC130H Hercules on exercise "Black Frontier" operating out of Whenuapai.

The aircraft have been flying spasmodic details since their arrival in the country and yesterday two of them were out conducting local flights using the callsigns GOOSE66 and GOOSE72.

88-0191 under goes a bird bath indicating its probable return from a low level over ocean detail. 

89-0280 departing runway 21. 

Royal Horse Float arrives

Dubai Air Wing/Royal Flight Boeing 747-412F A6-GGP arrived at Auckland on the morning of 30 July after a non-stop flight from Dubai using the callsign "Dubai 8".  This particular airframe was first operated by Singapore Airlines Cargo as 9V-SFH before moving to Great Wall Airlines as B-2429.  The aircraft replaced a Boeing 747-200F, A6-GDP, in 2010 and retains the basic colours of its previous operator. 

The super sized luxury horse float is operated on behalf of the Godolphin Stables ( http://www.godolphin.com/)  and its arrival at Auckland is the aircraft's second visit to New Zealand with the first being earlier this month when it flew to Ohakea direct from Dubai on 03 July!  It departed for Sydney and Singapore on 05 July.

A6-GGP is expected to depart Auckland tomorrow afternoon for Singapore.

Gulfstream 650 VP-CZZ departs

Gulfstream 650 VP-CZZ departed Christchurch 28 July for Queenstown where it then remained overnight and departed the next afternoon for Hong Kong.

Stunning shot of VP-CZZ lifting off runway 02 at Christchurch. 

Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZE takes to the skies again

Air New Zealand's recently acquired Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZE has taken to the skies again, this time making its first visit to another New Zealand airport - RNZAF Base Ohakea!  The distinctive black machine departed from Auckland on the afternoon of 28 July for the journey south to Ohakea, an alternate airport used by the Air New Zealand amongst a number of others, in the event a landing at Auckland is not possible be it due to fog/runway obstructed etc.  After a period of time on the ground at Ohakea, ZK-NZE departed in a westerly direction carrying out a pseudo oceanic flight over the Tasman Sea before returning to Auckland during the hours of darkness.

A trip to Christchurch is planned for this coming Thursday ahead of its inaugural passenger flight which according to media reports will be a trip from Auckland to Sydney and back in "early August".

Farewell ZK-SUH

Boeing 747-475 ZK-SUH has departed Auckland for the final time lifting off runway 05 right just moments before sunset last evening as ANZ6074 to Los Angeles where it will overnight and then make the short flight to its final resting place at Victorville.

Stunning file shot of ZK-SUH departing Auckland. 

Fantastic shot of ZK-SUH still registered N891LF as seen at Paine Field on 04 November 1994.

Corporate Corner

The following is a review of notable corporate jet movements across New Zealand over the last few weeks.
For the purposes of simplicity we will exclude the often seen VH visitors which have included VH-LJX, VH-WXK, VH-CXJ, VH-SSZ, VH-FOL, VH-VRE and VH-JCR.

Lowes Companies Falcon 7X N55LC made an expected visit to Christchurch 21 June after it diverted while enroute Honolulu to Queenstown.  After a short time on the ground the Falcon continued to its original destination.  It then made its way to Sydney 26 June and remained in Australia until 11 July when it departed Brisbane for Honolulu.

Kleinheinz Capital Partners Falcon 900 N312PV arrived at Queenstown 27 June from Melbourne.  It departed for Nadi and Honolulu 30 June.

Tag Aviation Asia Global 5000 B-KEZ touched down at Auckland from Cairns 03 July as "Tagjet 26".  It departed the following day for Hong Kong via Cairns.  It returned to Auckland on the evening of 26 July from Melbourne and departed the next morning for Cairns and Hong Kong.

Clive Palmer's patriotic Global Express M-ATAR arrived at Queenstown 10 July from the Gold Coast and Canberra.  It then continued to Christchurch the next day for parking and remained there until 13 July when it positioned back to Queenstown before flying to Canberra, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Gulfstream 650 VP-CZZ marked the types first visit to Christchurch when it arrived from Hong Kong via Queenstown 19 July.

Luft Aviation Charter Challenger 604 N360PL made its first visit to NZ arriving at Auckland from its Essendon home on 23 July.  It flew to Wellington the next evening then onto Christchurch, Auckland and Essendon 25 July.

AH Aviatoni Global 6000 M-AHAA arrived at Auckland on the morning of 25 July flying in from Singapore.  It departed just a few minutes before midnight the same day on its return to Singapore.
This aircraft visited NZ for the first time in May this year http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/05/global-6000-m-ahaa.html

Jetcity/ANZA Challenger 604 N604AU arrived at Auckland on the evening of 27 July from Sydney.

Air NZ Fleet Update - Revised to reflect delivery of ZK-OXF

During MRC Aviation's time off air the New Zealand national carrier has been busy with aircraft exiting the fleet, new addition(s) and the first Link aircraft rolled out in the latest livery.

First came Eagle Air's Beech 1900D ZK-EAL with this aircraft conduction a test flight from/to Hamilton on 21 June and then being registered ZS-EAA on 27 June.  It departed Hamilton for Norfolk Island under its South African markings 04 July and and the following day flew to Brisbane, Mount Isa, Darwin and Bali.
See : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/departed-these-shores.html

Air New Zealand Airbus A320 ZK-OJC became the first regional configured machine to receive the airline's new livery and it re-entered service 22 June as ANZ801 from Christchurch to Brisbane.

ZK-OJC at Cairns earlier this month, thanks to http://fnqskies.blogspot.co.nz/

A second Airbus A320 re-entered service following application of the new livery, this time it was on domestic configured ZK-OJS operating as ANZ358 from Christchurch to Wellington on 25 June.  This aircraft had earlier worn just the black tail scheme.

Airbus A320 ZK-OXA, delivered in the black tail only scheme, has since received the latest rendition of the fern livery and it re-entered service 02 July as ANZ504 from Christchurch to Auckland.

The first Link aircraft to receive the full black fern livery was rolled out at Christchurch 06 July when Air Nelson's Q300 ZK-NEQ broke the covers of the paintshop.  It re-entered service the following day as RLK702 from Christchurch to Palmerston North.
See : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/the-new-link-look.html

The biggest news for the airline was the delivery of Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZE to Auckland on the afternoon of 11 July direct from Paine Field as ANZ6789.  Air NZ is the launch customer for the -9 variant and it is expected to carry out some training/proving flight exercises over the coming days following ground based training activities since its delivery.
See : http://aviationshotzphotography.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/air-new-zealand-b787-9-zk-nze-delivered.html

Air New Zealand retired Boeing 737-3U3 ZK-NGD from service 13 July when the jet arrived at Christchurch from Wellington as ANZ357.   The aircraft was delivered to the airline in 1999 and arrived at Christchurch 06 November that year from Honolulu and Apia as ANZ6733 in company with ZK-NGE.
The aircraft was built on order for Garuda where it was to have become PK-GGH but it was not delivered and it went onto become N930WA with Winair in late 1998.  It became ZK-NGD in March 1999 and flew from Salt Lake City for Gander as ANZ6733 on 21 March.  It then flew to Shannon the next day and arrived at Warsaw 23 March where it then entered service with LOT.
See : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/a-lot-of-memories.html


Also bowing out of service was Boeing 747-475 ZK-SUH "Dunedin".  Its last commercial flight for the airline touched down as ANZ7 from San Francisco on the morning of 16 July.  This aircraft was built on order for Canadian Airlines as C-FBCA but was not delivered and it went onto become PP-VPI with Varig in May 1991.  It was returned to its lessor, ILFC, as N891LF in August 1994 and delivered to Air NZ as ZK-SUH in November 1994.

ZK-NZE stands next to ZK-SUH at Auckland 19 July 2014, supplied. 

Air New Zealand's Airbus A320 fleet grew to 23 aircraft on the night of 25 July when their tenth domestic configured sharklet sporting ZK-OXF arrived at Auckland.  As ANZ6399, ZK-OXF had made the trip from Toulouse via Muscat, Singapore and Cairns and touched down at Auckland at 2344 local time.  It is anticipated the 171 seat jet will enter service by months end.

In's and Out's

In addition to the Air NZ fleet coming and going, there have been a couple of other import/export movements.

Cessna 206 VH-PMH arrived at Kerikeri from Lord Howe Island 20 June having crossed from Port Macquarie two days prior.  It understood to be an import and was noted at Ardmore 24 June outside Flightline.

Link to photo

At the Gold Coast a few days prior to its Tasman Sea crossing. 

Also on 20 June, Cessna 310 ZK-DEM made a trip across the Tasman and returned a few days later. 

For a review on the flight, check out http://ardmorepilot.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/trans-tasman-adventure.html and http://ardmorepilot.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/trans-tasman-adventure-part-2.html

Kaipara Excavators Beech C90 King Air N890LG departed Ardmore for Auckland and Norfolk Island 21 June and flew onto Brisbane the next day.  It subsequently went onto make a visit to Toowoomba before returning to Brisbane 24 June.  Then on 11 July it flew back to Toowoomba.  It would appear the aircraft has severed its ties with NZ and taken roost in Australia.  N890LG was delivered to Ardmore on 13 January 2011 and has been a weekly visitor to Westport in support of the owner's business interests.

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/BEECHCRAFT-KING-AIR-C90GTi/2008-BEECHCRAFT-KING-AIR-C90GTi/1321375.htm

At Ardmore soon after its arrival in summer 2011. 

Visiting Gippsland Airvan VH-BYI concluded its demo trip departing Kerikeri for Norfolk Island 23 June.

Beechcraft B200GT King Air N57BY touched down at Ardmore on the afternoon of 04 July arriving from Sydney via Auckland.  It had arrived into Sydney the previous evening from Bali via Broome and Alice Springs and is apparently replacing Nelson based King Air ZK-MAN operated by Tasman Helicopters. 

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/BEECHCRAFT-KING-AIR-B200/1990-BEECHCRAFT-KING-AIR-B200/1325313.htm

Interestingly, this airframe c/n BY-57 (aptly registered!) visited the South Pacific in September 2013 in company with a gaggle of European aircraft. 

http://www.mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/busy-times-in-pacific.html

Over the numbers at Ardmore. 

Pilatus PC12/47E VH-YOJ arrived at Auckland direct from Hobart 09 July and flew to Napier and Fielding 10 July.  It is understood this aircraft will become ZK-TFL and be based out of Springhill.

At Auckland 10 July. 

The hangar at Fielding was packed with three PC12's.  ZK-TIL, NZ's first PC12, is currently hangared with the distributor who also had VH-OOI visiting.  The part time Norfolk Island resident had arrived at Fielding back on 21 May from Norfolk via Kerikeri and departed Fielding for Ardmore 16 July.  The following day it flew to Kerikeri and onto Norfolk Island. 

And lastly Piper PA22 Pacer VH-BRG arrived at Kerikeri from Norfolk Island 16 July.  A very informative news article was recently published, so check it out at stuff.