Sad News

It is with sadness we have learnt of the fatal crash of Dyn Aero WT9 Dynamic F-JUKE 28 March on Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador.

Piloted by Swiss born owner Eric Guilloud, ASN Aircraft Accident website reports he was on a 20 month circumnavigation of the world. For more information from ASN click HERE

A news article (linked from ASN) can be found HERE and HERE

Eric and F-JUKE visited NZ extensively in December 2013/January 2014 

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/search?q=f-juke

Copy of Coulson Aviation USA C-130 End of Season Demo

Nice video clip of Coulson's Lockheed C130 N130FF. This aircraft has recently returned to the USA having spent summer stationed at Avalon near Melbourne. 

Pictorial Parade No. 1 (1952) HD

Thanks to Ben :

Interesting Archive NZ footage from 1952 regarding the deployment of Vampires to Cyprus. Scroll through to 5min 10 seconds to find the segment. 

Last Texan deliver gets underway

The remaining two Beechcraft T-6C Texan II's for the Royal New Zealand Air Force have embarked on their delivery flight from the Wichita factory for Ohakea.

N2773B (NZ1410) and N2786B (NZ1411) departed Beech Factory Airport 28 March NZ date for Des Moines and Ottawa. By the time this is read the two aircraft should have made their way to Goose Bay.

File photo

Gulfstream G550 N96UA

This rather impressive Gulfstream G550 N96UA, operated by Cambridge Flight Support on behalf of clothing manufacturer Under Armour, arrived at Auckland during the very wee small hours of 28 March from Easter Island. Later the same day it flew from Auckland to Taupo and back.

Gulfstream G650 N1AL

Arriving at the Pacific Island paradise of Aitutaki (AIT/NCAI) in the Cook Island Group was ALC6091 LLC Gulfstream G650ER N1AL. This possible first of type visitor jetted in from Papeete 26 March local date. The same day/evening it flew to Maui and Van Nuys and as this post goes to air it seems the aircraft is due Van Nuys to Honolulu.

Challenging Times

This week it has been the turn of the Bombardier Challenger business jet to be the dominant type visiting NZ, a switch for the procession of Gulfstreams earlier in the year that then switched to a gaggle of Falcon 7X.

We've already mentioned a few of the arrivals in a previous post, but to sumarise:

Challenger 604 M-AAEL arrived Auckland 25 March from Cebu via Cairns and today has flown to Queenstown.

Challenger 605 N567YX arrived Auckland 26 March from Shanghai via Biak. 

Not previously mentioned is Challenger 604 VH-BLM. It has made its first trip to NZ and arrived Auckland 26 March from its Gold Coast home via Sydney. VH-BLM was delivered to the Gold Coast just on a year ago arriving 31 March 2014 from Honolulu and Pago Pago. Business Aviation Solutions is currently listed as operator of this 1999 model Challenger.

ANZA Aviation/Jetcity Challenger 604 N604AU arrived Dunedin 27 March from Sydney.

In other jet news, Global 5000 B-KMF flew from Auckland to Queenstown 27 March while Citation X N950M departed Nadi for Kona while in the opposite direction flew Global 5000 N50DS.

NASA Balloon Launch underway

http://www.csbf.nasa.gov/newzealand/wanaka.htm

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-csbf-ldsd

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nasa-s-weather-balloon-finally-get-lift-off-6270983

Comings and Goings

Overseas corporates are shuffling around the region in the last couple of days.

The trio visiting Queenstown (see here) departed for Melbourne 25 March with Gulfstream 4 VH-TXS continuing onto Perth while Boeing BBJ B-8273 and Gulfstream G550 B-8260 remained overnight joining Gulfstream G550 B-8270.

Reliance Industries Airbus A319CJ VT-IAH departed Auckland mid afternoon 25 March for Sydney and it will probably end up at Melbourne for the Cricket World Cup final on Sunday.

TAG Aviation Asia Global 5000 B-KMF arrived at Auckland mid morning 25 March as TBJ20 from Shanghai/Pudong via a techstop at Port Moresby.

Aggregrate Assets Ltd Challenger 604 M-AAEL also made its way to Auckland 25 March arriving mid afternoon from Cebu via Cairns. 

As this is read, BAA Jet Management Challenger 604 N567YX will be arriving at Auckland from Shanghai/Pudong via a techstop at Biak.

Citation X N950M departed Auckland this morning heading to Nadi.

Sunny Snaps

A visit to Auckland International was made 25 March in the hope of catching Airbus A319CJ VT-IAH departing (timing fail so didn't get it......)

However the nice light conditions did see a few snaps taken

Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 9V-SKF lifts off runway 05R as SQ286 heading to Singapore. The daily SQ285/286 service only has a few more days to run being operated by the A380 and will revert to Boeing 777-300 equipment from Monday 30 March. The A380 will return to Auckland fro 26 October. 

Emirates Airbus A380 A6-EDZ arriving ex Melbourne as EK406. This is one of several in the Emirates fleet sporting the Cricket World Cup decal and by media accounts this would have been the jet carrying the NZ Black Caps cricket team to Melbourne yesterday in preparation of the Cup's final this coming Sunday. 

Fiji Airways Airbus A330 DQ-FJV departs for Nadi as FJ410. The widebody is operated twice a week between the two countries. 

Whilst off field Air NZ's Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZF departed for Perth as NZ175 and is often the case in easterly wind conditions a right turn off runway 05R is made for a quicker intercept of the southern route to its destination.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ANZ175

And an oddball shot of a patch of cirrus cloud refracting the setting sun's rays creating an interesting effect.

 

Airbus A319CJ VT-IAH

Reliance Industries Airbus A319CJ VT-IAH touched down at Auckland before sunrise 24 March from Jakarta/Halim. The corporate configured jet's visit coincided with the semi final cricket match played between NZ and South Africa with Reliance a significant sponsor of the event. 

It looks like its been almost 4 years since the last Indian registered aircraft visited NZ. Challenger 605 VT-APL arrived into Queenstown from Perth 28 April 2011 and departed for Brisbane 04 May.

Photos : Supplied

New Zealand C17 Low Level

Stumbled across this short video taken from a visiting USAF Boeing C17 Globemaster III during a November 2013 visit to New Zealand.

The video's first segment, shot under clear skies, quickly took me home to the West Coast as it begins near Mt Camelback near Kokatahi inland from Hokitika and continues to the southern end of Lake Kaniere!
http://www.mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2013/11/aloha-timaru.html

Jets at Queenstown

Historically this time of year sees visiting jet activity tapper off - however the morning of 23 March at Queenstown saw the arrival of three jets flying in from Perth bucking the tradition. 

First up was Revesco's Gulfstream 4 VH-TXS followed a short while later by Nanshen Jets Gulfstream G550 B-8260. And rounding off the arrivals was a first time visitor, Deer Jet's Boeing BBJ B-5273. The two Chinese jets arrived in Perth from Shanghai in company with Star Jet's Gulfstream G550 B-8270. 

Global Express HB-JGE

TAG Aviation's Global Express HB-JGE has spent the last 36 hours at Hamilton having arrived from Christchurch on the morning of 22 March and departing late 23 March heading to Tokyo/Narita.

Itinerants depart

Two itinerant visitors departed NZ 23 March having spent extended periods of time in NZ.

Australian Aerial Mapping Cessna 404 Titan VH-LAM arrived at Auckland from Nelson 22 March and departed 23 March for Lord Howe Island and the Gold Coast. VH-LAM had made its way to NZ last month and spent considerable time flying over Southland.

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2015/02/cessna-404-titan-vh-lam.html

Cessna 402 VH-SVQ, also in the country on aerial survey work, was last
noted at Nelson late February.

On the subject of VH registered aircraft - does anyone know where Cirrus SR22 VH-ZDL is? It arrived at Kerkeri 01 March and was noted flying southbound the same day but no reports of it since.

Diamond DA42 Twin Star 9M-MDI has been in the country since last December and on 23 March it flew from Hamilton to Auckland and Norfolk Island. Today it is set to continue to Lord Howe Island and the Gold Coast.

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/12/twin-star-9m-mdi.html

At Wanaka 23 December 2014. 

Fifty Years and still going strong - the RNZAF C130 Hercules

The venerable Lockheed C130H Hercules has reached the significant milestone of fifty years in service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

NZ7001 c/n 4052 US serial number 64-15094 was the first of three C130 aircraft approved for procurement by the NZ Government on 17 June 1963 at a total cost of $9.62 million. NZ7001 made its first flight on 

19 November 1964 and was handed over to the RNZAF on 24 March 1965.

Much of the flight testing for the H model Hercules was carried out on this airframe by the manufacturer. NZ7001 arrived at Wellington 14 April 1965 in company with NZ7002 c/n 4053 and NZ7003 c/n 4054 to be operated by 40 Squadron, Whenuapai. 

The aircraft has since undergone several life extension programmes, most recently from March 2011 through until February 2013 when '01 was inducted to Safe Air's Woodbourne maintenance facility and the installation of new cockpit instrumentation and communications along with specific mechanical and structural component changes were carried out in conjunction with L-3IS of Waco, Texas.

The diverse workload of the Hercules has been well portrayed in recent events from being employed to carry an Asian elephant from Auckland to Niue to then deployment on humanitarian aid missions to Vanuatu post tropical cyclone Pam.

Keep a look out for NZ7001 now featuring a 50th anniversary logo on the tail - you can't miss it!

The addition of two Lockeed C130H Hercules was approved by Government in May 1967. NZ7004 and NZ7005 arrived at Whenuapai 09 January 1969 joining the existing 3 aircraft with 40 Squadron.

Check out the YouTube video below - sadly just 2 minutes is dedicated to the C130 delivery and ceremony at Wellington. If you persevere for a few minutes you'll find some footage of some period helicopter action that maybe of interest!

NASA balloon launch from Wanaka - DELAYED AGAIN

A couple of weeks ago we made mention of the pending NASA balloon launch from Wanaka. This has been postponed several times but by the time this was published it should be in launch mode! However it has again been delayed:

Latest press release can be found at the NZ Herald

NASA heavy-lift balloon scheduled for Monday 23 March lift-off

WANAKA, New Zealand - 

Following a week of unsettled upper-atmospheric and surface weather in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Pam, NASA is targeting Monday, March 23, for the first launch attempt of the heavy-lift super pressure balloon from Wanaka, New Zealand.

“Mother Nature has finally given the ‘go’ for launch,” said Debbie Fairbrother, chief of NASA’s Balloon Program Office. “The team is focused and ready to move forward on this potentially record-breaking flight.”

Lift-off is scheduled between 8:30 and 11 a.m. from Wanaka Airport. Updates will be posted on Queenstown Lakes District Council social media accounts and are also available live via Radio Wanaka 92.2 FM.

Once launched, the pumpkin-shaped balloon, made from 22-acres of material and as large as a football stadium when fully inflated, will ascend to a constant float altitude of 110,000 feet (33.5 km). The balloon will travel eastward carrying a 5,000-pound (2,267 kg) payload consisting of tracking and communications instruments. NASA expects the SPB to circumnavigate the globe once every one to three weeks, depending on wind speeds in the stratosphere.

As the balloon travels around the Earth, it may be visible from the ground, particularly at sunrise and sunset, to those who live in the southern hemisphere’s mid-latitudes, such as New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa. Anyone may track the progress of the flight, which includes a map showing the balloon’s real-time location, at:

http://www.csbf.nasa.gov/newzealand/wanaka.htm

NASA seeks to fly the balloon for an ultra long-duration, potentially up to 100 days, at a stable float altitude. The current record for an SPB flight is 54 days.

The science and engineering communities have previously identified ultra long-duration balloon flights at stable altitudes as playing an important role in providing low cost access to the near-space environment for science and technology.

Maintaining a constant float altitude in the stratosphere is a formidable challenge for airborne systems, including balloons. Most standard heavy-lift zero pressure balloons can vary in altitudes as great as 45,000 feet (13.7 km) due to the alternating warming and cooling of the day and night cycle. In response, mission operators typically release excess weight in the form of ballast to maintain altitude. However, the SPB is designed to maintain a positive internal pressure and shape irrespective of its environment, which keeps the balloon at a constant float altitude. Put another way, in much the same way a car tire pressure changes based on the environment around it while maintaining its volume, so does the SPB.

This March test mission is set to validate the SPB technology, which has been under development by NASA for 15 years, according to Fairbrother.

NASA’s scientific balloons offer low-cost, near-space access for scientific payloads weighing up to 8,000 pounds for conducting scientific investigations in fields such as astrophysics, heliophysics and atmospheric research.

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia manages the agency’s scientific balloon program with 10 to 15 flights each year from launch sites worldwide.

For more information on the NASA Scientific Balloon Program, visit:

http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code820/index.html

Dubai World Record Eagle Flight

This interesting video was shown on NZ TV news networks last week.

Corporate Corner

Shell's Falcon 7X VQ-BSN departed Auckland on the afternoon of 14 March for New Plymouth from where it embarked after just a couple of hours on the ground for Melbourne. The jet flew onto Perth the next day then crossed back to Brisbane 16 March. It then made its way to Canberra and Kuala/Lumpur/Abul Aziz Shah 17 March. 

Brenzil PTY Falcon 7X VH-CRW concluded its almost month long visit to NZ and departed from Taupo direct to Brisbane 17 March. 

Also winding up its Kiwi excursion on the 17th was Falcon 900LX 

F-HNDO. It left Auckland late evening flying direct to Easter Island. Perhaps its visit was in conjunction with the Volvo Round the World yacht race.

Flying Lion/Stork Ltd Falcon 7X VP-BZE arrived at Wellington late morning 17 March from Auckland. It departed soon after the lifting of curfew the next morning heading to Niue where it spent much of the day before departing direct to Belize. 

Japat AG Falcon 7X M-MNBB made a late night arrival into Dunedin 20 March arriving direct from Honolulu. 

7500311 Inc Trustee Citation C750 N950M arrived at Auckland 19 March from Sydney. The highspeed Citation, known as the X, crossed the Pacific 11 March and flew from Apia to Sydney before continuing to Melbourne later the same day. It then flew back to Sydney 16 March. 

In other bizjet news, Marcplan's Gulfstream G450 VH-MBP arrived at Queenstown from Essendon via Sydney 20 March while Chartright Air Gulfstream 4SP C-FORB departed Auckland for Papeete 21 March. 

Meanwhile, Maxem Aviation Challenger 601 VH-MXK wound up its Dunedin layover and departed for Queenstown, Essendon and Perth 21 March.

TAG Aviation Global Express HB-JGE arrived at Hamilton a short time ago from Christchurch.

King Air 200 N283KA arrives in NZ

Arriving at Auckland late 20 March from Nadi was Coral Sun Airways1975 edition King Air 200 N283KA. This airframe was mentioned in a post earlier this month, click here.

The King Air made its way to Tauranga lunchtime 21 March and is seen outside the Sunair hangar.

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200 heads home

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200 VN-A150 departed Auckland early yesterday afternoon on its journey home to Hanoi as "Vietnam One".

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/269082/nz-and-vietnam-set-$2-point-2-billion-trade-target

Brand New Virgin

Virgin Australia took delivery of brand new Boeing 737-8FE (WL) VH-YIY "Stanwell Park" MSN 40701 at Melbourne 07 March with the 2015 edition airliner making its Trans Pacific crossing from Boeing Field via Lihue and Nadi as VOZ9940.

Its first revenue flight was marked with a trip to Auckland from Melbourne as VOZ148 on 18 March and it has since then been in and out on several occasions. 

On a side note - All Boeing 737-800's once operated by Virgin's NZ arm Pacific Blue/Virgin Australia (NZ) have now been moved to the parent company's air operators certificate and taken up VH markings with 

ZK-PBL being the last aircraft to undergo the transition. Its last flight under the NZ ensign was as VOZ161 from Auckland to Brisbane 13 March and it re-entered airline service with business class installed and registered 

VH-VUQ on 18 March as VOZ308 flying from Brisbane to Melbourne.

Garden City Helicopters head offshore and other Vanuatu notes

Garden City Helicopters have dispatched two helicopters offshore as part of the massive relief effort required in Vanuatu following last weekends devastating Tropical Cyclone "Pam" that hit the island group head on as a category 5 storm.

Aerospatiale AS350BA Squirrel ZK-HUG and BK117 B2 ZK-HGU departed their home base of Christchurch 19 March for Wanganui, Hamilton and Kerikeri having had ferry tank bladders installed prior to departure. This morning they have embarked from Kerikeri for Norfolk Island and presumably will continue to Noumea and onto Port Vila.

The two NZ based machines will join Garden City's Vanuatu Helicopters Robinson R66 YJ-VHL. 

Vanuatu Helicopters on Facebook

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/67430829/garden-city-helicopters-to-fly-special-mission-to-vanuatu

http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/christchurch-helicopter-company-aids-vanuatu-recovery-2015031813

ZK-HGU at Christchurch in late February shortly after its delivery flight from Ardmore where it was prepared by Airwork. 

Shot from the past - ZK-HUG at Greymouth in 2010 when it was employed as the local rescue helicopter. 

The relief effort providing much needed shelter, food and other essential supplies has seen a number of military flights undertaken by both the RAAF and RNZAF.

15 March, the day immediately after the massive storm pummeled the region, Boeing C17's A41-209 and A41-210 along with C130 A97-466 flew round trips from Amberley to Port Vila and return and these flights were complemented by RNZAF C130 NZ7001 flying from Whenuapai then returning south via Noumea. 

16 March saw USAF Boeing C17 08-8199 arrive Port Vila from Kadena and depart for Andersen as Reach 287. RAAF C17 A41-208 flew Amberley to Townsville and Port Vila and return to Brisbane, no doubt repartiating evacuees. C17 A41-209 flew from Amberley to Port Vila and also returned to Brisbane. RNZAF C130's NZ7001 and NZ7004 both flew from Whenuapai to Port Vila and returned to Auckland carry Kiwi's home.

In addition, Challenger 604 VH-BLM made a round trip from the Gold Coast to Port Vila and back. 

17 March and King Air P2-SWZ was noted flying from Port Moresby to Honiara then onto Port Vila before returning over the reverse route. Air NZ operated Airbus A320 ZK-OJM from Auckland to Port Vila and back as ANZ6878/6879 while the RNZAF had a less than successful day with both Boeing 757 NZ7571 and C130 NZ7001 departing Whenuapai for Port Vila but sadly both returned to Whenuapai due to mechanical issues. RAAF C130J's A97-440 and A97-447 were both planned to operate from Richmond to Port Vila and Brisbane 

18 March saw C130 P2-LAC was chartered by Digitel to fly resources from Nadi to Port Vila having positioned from Port Moresby two days prior.  RNZAF C130 NZ7001 successfully made it to Port Vila and is understood to have made a round trip to the badly affected island of Tanna.

19 March and a trio of C17's made the trip from Australia to Vanuatu. A41-207 and A41-208 flew to Port Vila from Townsville and returned to Amberley while RAF C17 ZZ178 flew from Amberley to Port Vila and back having arrived at Amberley from Hickam the previous evening.

RNZAF Beech King Air 200 NZ7122 departed Whenuapai for Norfolk Island and Noumea - perhaps it is also headed for Vanuatu? If so this would be the type's first non training deployment overseas. 

Today Port Vila is expecting to receive C17 ZZ178 from Townsville and depart to Amberley and C17 A41-208 arrive from Richmond and depart to Amberley while C130J A97-447 was to operate Townsville to Port Vila and Richmond. 

NZ7001 departing Auckland last weekend on quite a different tasking - to carry an Asian elephant to Niue!

Gulfstream 4 C-FORB

Chartright Air of Toronto Gulfstream 4SP C-FORB, operated on behalf of entrepreneur Steve Hudson,  touched down at Auckland early afternoon 19 March having crossed the Tasman from Melbourne. The aircraft, recently repainted, was first noted in the region on 11 March when it arrived at Nadi from Honolulu and flew onto Sydney the following morning. It then made the flight south to Melbourne 16 March.

This particular airframe, MSN 1336, has visited our shores previously when it was marked as N235LP and operated by Crest Aviation. It had arrived at Auckland 31 December 2006 from Queenstown and flew to Rotorua and Nadi 03 January 2007. 

Auckland 02 January 2007. 

Vietnam Visitor

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200 VN-A150 touched down at Auckland yesterday morning after a very early morning start from Canberra as "Vietnam 1". 

The aircraft is carrying Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to the region and his visit to NZ marks 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

Mr Dung is accompanied by more than 100 senior ministers and business leaders who arrived at Sydney 16 March direct from Hanoi and continued to Canberra 17 March. 

It has been several years since Vietnam Airlines graced our skies. In September 2009 VN-A141 made its way to the Australasia and arrived at Canberra direct from Hanoi on the 6th then flew to Sydney two days later. On the 9th it crossed the Tasman to Auckland from where it departed on the 12th returning to Hanoi.