Airbus A330-200 VP-CBE

Hong Kong Jet's Airbus A330-200 VP-CBE conducted a day trip to Christchurch 30 July arriving early morning from Auckland and returning back to Auckland early afternoon.

Gulfstream G650 VP-CJR

As we mentioned in the most recent "Corporate Corner", Execujet Asia Gulfstream VI (G650) VP-CJR touched down at Auckland lunchtime 28 July from Hangzhou, China. 

Our North American correspondent Larkair informs us this particular aircraft, MSN 6158, first flew as N668GA and subsequently took up the Isle of Man registration of M-ABIZ with Blue Reef Buildings. However its time registered as such was brief and the jet arrived at Montreal/Dorval 03 June 2016 for storage and appears to have taken up the VP markings whilst there on 07 July. 

Nice to see another G650 out and about and it shares the same scheme as recently arrived N946JB MSN 6157 now based at Auckland.

Virgin ATR72-600 VH-FVN - updated

ATR72-600 VH-FVN concluded its maintenance visit with Air New Zealand and departed Christchurch on the morning of 31 July heading direct to Brisbane as VOZ9947. 

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This first Virgin Australia Regional Airlines ATR72-600 VH-FVN, has crossed the Tasman and landed at Christchurch on the evening of 18 July from Brisbane as VOZ9948. 

The turboprop was delivered to the operator's Perth home in September 2012 and ferried to Brisbane early the next month before entering service a few days later between Brisbane and Gladstone. At the time of commencing services Skywest was still independently owned and it wasn't until the end of October that year that Virgin announced its intention to acquire Skywest.

Virgin Australia Regional operate a fleet of 14 ATR72's.

G Weatherby photo

Boeing 767-319ER ZK-NCL bows out

The sun has set on another Air New Zealand Boeing 767-319ER with ZK-NCL MSN 28745 concluding its lifetime of service with the carrier. Its last day of operation was 26 July 2016 with it flying a routine so often flown - NZ101 Auckland-Sydney, NZ102 Sydney-Auckland, NZ105 Auckland-Sydney and finally NZ108 Sydney-Auckland.

Its life with the carrier started on 29 October 1997 when it was registered to the airline and it arrived into Christchurch direct from Paine Field as NZ6300 on 30 October for pre-service maintenance. It was quietly ushered into passenger life on 03 November flying as NZ181 Christchurch-Sydney, NZ182 Sydney-Christchurch, NZ195 Christchurch-Melbourne and NZ196 Melbourne-Christchurch.

With ZK-NCL retiring from service this leaves Air New Zealand with ZK-NCG, ZK-NCI and ZK-NCJ. The airline recently announced intentions for the Boeing 767 fleet to be completely retired early 2017. 

Arriving at Auckland late April 2016. 

Day 5 - EAA Airventure at Oshkosh 2016

USAF C-5 Galaxy Arrival - EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016

Emirates Airbus A380 A6-EON

Emirates operated their LA Dodgers logo jet to Auckland 29 July for the first time with Airbus A380 A6-EON flying as EK412 from Dubai and Sydney. The logo was applied to celebrate the airline's 2nd daily flight from Dubai to Los Angeles which commenced at the beginning of this month, and to being the baseball team's official airline.  

A video can be found HERE

Day 4 - EAA Airventure at Oshkosh 2016

RAAF Boeing 737 Wedgetail A30-006 - updated

The brief visit was RAAF Boeing 737 Wedgetail A30-006 saw the unusually configured jet depart from Whenuapai mid morning 29 July for Christchurch where an approach and overshoot was conducted before heading home to Williamtown.

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Royal Australian Air Force No 2 Squadron AEW&C Boeing 737 Wedgetail A30-006 has made its way across the Tasman arriving at Whenuapai late afternoon 28 July from its Newcastle/Williamtown home north of Sydney. 

First visit to NZ by this particular airframe delivered in May 2007 and awesome to see it wearing commemorative nose art for the squardon's 100th anniversary. 

 http://www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum/research/units/2sqn.htm

Corporate Corner

As already mentioned, CML Aviation Gulfstream G350 (G-IV-X) VH-NKD made its first visit to New Zealand arriving at Auckland from Brisbane 20 July. It departed for Adelaide 23 July.

Executive Airlines VH-EXG arrived at Auckland in the predawn hours of 21 July from Melbourne and departed a short time later for Sydney.

There has been a distinct lack of local jet activity with the Mustang fleet of ZK-JAK, LCA, RJZ and YDZ all taking time out while CJ4 ZK-OCB has been chilling at Queenstown and even Nextant 400 ZK-NXJ has had a reasonably quiet time with just a Fiji return and a trip to the Cook Islands and back.

However of interest was the flight of Mustang ZK-YDZ 23 July with the VLJ departing Ardmore for Napier, perhaps a candidate for a life with Skyline?

Wanaka-base Challenger 300 N300NZ arrived at Queenstown 24 July from the Gold Coast. The jet has in recent weeks been noted around Southeast Asia.

Wilderness Point Associates Gulfstream G650 N946JB arrived to a blustery pre-dawn Auckland 24 July direct from Los Angeles. It was then parked in the Rank hangar alluding to the possibility it has become an Auckland resident!

Jetflight's Gulfstream G650 N650AB returned home to Auckland 25 July arriving from Maui. It  departed our shores 6 weeks ago escaping winter! Meanwhile fellow hangar resident Falcon 900EX N146EX has been scooting around Europe but is gravitating towards home with it arriving into Appleton, WI from Shannon, Ireland 24 July local date - perhaps a visit to Oshkosh just down the freeway is on the cards!

Pratt Aviation Global Express VH-FGJ arrived at Auckland 25 July from Essendon and departed the next day for Wellington then after several hours onto Essendon.

Hong Kong Jet/Hainan Air Group corporate Airbus A330-200 VP-CBE arrived Auckland before sunrise 26 July from Clark International, Philippines. The jet spent Christmas 2014 parked at Auckland. 

ANZA/Tyremax Challenger 604 N604AU departed Auckland for Sydney 27 July.

Execujet Asia Gulfstream G650 VP-CJR arrived at Auckland 28 July from Hangzhou. This aircraft comes with two previous identities - the first being Gulfstream's N668GA (tying in with its MSN 6168) and then becoming M-ABIZ with Blue Reef Buildings early last month before taking up its current identity earlier this month.

Textron Aviation Beech King Air 350 N136KF - updated

Arriving to a very blustery Auckland afternoon 24 July was the Textron Aviation Beech King Air 350 demonstrator N136KF. The 2016 edition King Air wears the MSN FL-1036 and arrived into Cairns from Bali and Darwin 16 July then flew to Wellcamp and Archerfield 18 July. Onto Sydney 19 July followed by a demonstrator flight 20 July. Two days later it flew from Sydney to Canberra and back before capitalising on strong tailwinds to make the journey from Sydney direct to Auckland on the 24th.

This particular example spent time in Australia during February/March this year on a demo trip.

The King Air was out and about 25 July flying from Auckland to Hamilton, New Plymouth, Whanganui and back to Auckland over the course of the day. The 26th saw it depart Auckland for Nelson, then the short hop to Woodbourne from where it continued onto Twizel/Pukaki then direct to Auckland spending a couple of hours on the ground at each stopover. On the 27th it flew Auckland-Napier-Gisborne-Auckland before heading to Australia on the 28th flying from Auckland to Norfolk Island, Brisbane and Bankstown. 

Day 3 - EAA Airventure at Oshkosh 2016

7

Vans RV10 VH-ICY

M & T Smits PTY Ltd of Seymore, Victoria Vans RV10 VH-ICY has made the Tasman crossing with it departing Archerfield for Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island 26 July then onto Auckland and New Plymouth 27 July.

At Wagga Wagga June 2015, MJG photo
http://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/photo/au/ICY/8048

Mass Arrivals at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016 - Sunday

Check out the Live ATC feed available HERE, plenty to select from and listen to how they push tin (or in many cases for visitors to Oshkosh - carbon fibre!).

Day 2 - EAA Airventure at Oshkosh 2016

Two-Ship F-4 Phantom Flybys/Low Approaches - EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016

Outstanding!

Farewell SOFIA

Boeing 747SP N747NA operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has concluded its deployment to Christchurch and departed 26 July for Honolulu/Hickam and Palmdale, CA. 

SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) is NASA's flying telescope and it arrived in Christchurch 06 June from Palmdale and Honolulu and flew its first mission on the night of 09 June and the second mission was conducted on the night of 14 June. The aircraft then developed an engine fault which saw it grounded awaiting a replacement number one engine and this arrived on boarding chartered Boeing 747 freighter N356KD direct from San Bernardino on 19 June. With the engine change completed and niggles rectified SOFIA was back in the skies on the night of 28 June and has since flown 14 observation flights with the final being conducted overnight 20-21 July.

http://aviationphotodigest.com/nasa-sofia/

Day 1 - EAA Airventure at Oshkosh 2016

Brilliant compilation from Day One of EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2016. And wow - not one but two F4 Phantoms!! Thanks to the guys from Pilot Post for the YouTube upload.

United Airlines Boeing 787-9 N17963

United Airlines commenced scheduled services to Auckland last month operating three times per week to San Francisco utilising Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner equipment with intentions to deploy the larger -9 Dreamliner from late October when frequency increases to daily. 

However the airline flicked a -9 to Auckland on 10 July with N17963 operating the UA917/916 rotation. 

N17963 sits on the gate at Auckland preparing for departure to San Francisco. 

More USAF C17 Activity

The support activity around the visit to Australasia of United States Vice President Joe Biden continues to generate transporters to our region. The two Boeing C17 Globemaster III's that arrived into Whenuapai from Melbourne 18 July departed on the morning of 22 July with 08-8195 as RCH388 making the short hop to Auckland for a fuel uplift due to heavy payload and then onto Hickam while 00-0184 as RCH389 departed direct to Hickam. Meanwhile southbound was 02-1105 as RCH485  and it touched down at Whenuapai mid afternoon. 

00-0171 spent the night of 21 July at Melbourne arriving from Hickam and Richmond as RCH369 and it departed for Sydney and Hickam 22 July. 

Nearing the end?

The delivery of Airwork Flight Operations/Parcel Air Boeing 737-400 converted freighter ZK-PAT earlier this month brings the fleet to the required three aircraft to conduct week night freight operations on behalf of NZ Post and Air Freight NZ between Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch. Initial indications were the Fokker F27, Convair 580 and Metroliner operations would be concluded by May this year however this has rolled on and with the three types still in use albeit considerably scaled back.

F27's resting at Auckland in the winter sun, early July 2016. 

Convair corner at Christchurch mid July 2016. 

Beech 1900D ZK-EAJ exits

Former Air New Zealand Link/Eagle Airways Beech 1900D ZK-EAJ has left the country having changed ownership to Manila Aerospace Products Trading on 08 July. It departed from Auckland for Norfolk Island and the Gold Coast 11 July and then to Charleville and Alice Springs 12 July. It seems to have taken an extended layover at Alice as it wasn't until 21 July that the journey recommenced with a flight to Broome then onto Surabaya, Indonesia 22 July.

While not 100% sure it is understood this aircraft is destined for service in Myanmar.

ZK-EAJ was withdrawn from service on 08 November 2015 when it arrived in Hamilton from Auckland as NZ2215.

At Auckland August 2015. 

And at Hamilton Christmas Eve 2015. 

Boeing 777-300 VH-VOZ departs

Virgin Australia's Boeing 777-300 VH-VOZ concluded its maintenance visit with Air New Zealand at Auckland and departed early afternoon 21 July as VOZ9943 heading direct to Los Angeles.

VH-VOZ under tow post engine runs 20 July. 

Thrush SR2 VH-NVN

Well, its not often these days we have agricultural aircraft delivered to New Zealand, and its even stranger to have two arrive by air in a short period of time! So it is with pleasure we report the delivery of Thrush Aircraft Inc SR2-T34 VH-NVN c/n T34-389DC. This 2012 model PT6 powered workhorse was first registered N30564 and appears to have been shipped to Australia where it became VH-NVN from late August 2012 operated by Agair Logistics PTY of Stawell, Victoria. It is from here the aircraft positioned to Hobart 20 July 2016 and from there flew to Queenstown 21 July 2016 on its delivery flight to a South Island owner where it will be registered ZK-DUZ. 

Its arrival is hot on the heels of Gippsland GA200C VH-SZV/ZK-DPC earlier this month. 

Queenstown 21 July 2016. 

VH-NVN at Denniliquin, NSW 03 October 2013, R J Deerness photo

On the subject of Thrushes, and with sincere thanks to R Deerness:

There have been two other turbine Thrushes in New Zealand. The first was ZK-WBQ T34-101DC ex VH-WBQ, imported by Kairanga Aviation in December 1994. It remained in service until mid 1999 when it was replaced by Cresco ZK-PWT. The Thrush was eventually sold to an engineering company in Canberra where it remained in storage until it resurfaced at Dalby in 2013 as VH-DUM. 

The second turbine Thrush was ZK-UDC, a Garrett G-10 powered version imported direct to New Zealand in 1995 for Central Airspread (1991) Ltd. It only stayed seven months before being sold to AG Airwork as VH-UDG. 

USAF C32's depart

The two United States Air Force Boeing 757-2G4(WL) / C32 VVIP transports departed Auckland 21 July at the conclusion of the brief visit to our shores BY United States Vice President Joe Biden and entourage. 

98-0001, as SAM701, and 98-0002 as SAM821 departed mid afternoon heading for Honolulu/Hickam. 

Gulfstream G350 VH-NKD

First time visitor to New Zealand is this recently delivered Gulfstream G350 (G-IV-X)  VH-NKD. 

Operated by CML Aviation of Brisbane, the G350 arrived at Auckland from its home port on the afternoon of 20 July. 

VH-NKD was delivered to Australia on 26 April 2016 arriving at Sydney from Singapore/Changi and replaced a Hawker 900XP of the same registration which departed Sydney for Noumea and Majuro 07 January this year and has since become N313ZP.

Lockheed LC130H Hercules 92-1094

United States Air Force Lockheed LC130H Hercules 92-1094 was noted conducting a post maintenance test flight from/to Christchurch 18 July as "Skier 94". It looks like the C130 made its last flight on 29 February 2016 arriving at Christchurch from William Field as "North 73". 

92-1094 rests up next to 73-3300 at Christchurch earlier in the month.