Emirates Upsize Christchurch service and other changes.

Announced in early September, the much anticipated addition of the Airbus A380 to the Christchurch airliner scene has come to fruition with Emirates introducing the superjet to their daily service from/to Sydney in lieu of the Boeing 777-300ER. 

The flight originates in Dubai and stages via Sydney to arrive Christchurch at 1350 as EK412 - this inherits the service once operated to Auckland using the same flight number. Departure is scheduled for 1845 back to Sydney and Dubai as EK413. 

http://www.christchurchairport.co.nz/en/about-us/media-centre/media-releases/2016/christchurch-to-welcome-world%E2%80%99s-largest-passenger-aircraft-every-day-from-october-30/

Boeing 777-300 A6-EBQ operated the last EK419 Christchurch-Sydney-Bangkok-Dubai service departing NZ 30 October.

The first of the new Dubai-Sydney-Christchurch daily services was operated by Airbus A380 A6-EUG.  This Airbus was only delivered to the airline on 25 October and is their 83rd A380!

Meanwhile, Emirates Dubai-Auckland-Dubai direct services have from today been upsized to the Airbus A380 having been serviced by the Boeing 777-200LR since its introduction earlier this year. The airline's Sydney-Auckland-Sydney service is now known as EK418/419 and operates from Dubai to Bangkok then Sydney and is operated by the A380. The last Boeing 777-200LR service was flown by A6-EWF on 30 October while the first Airbus A380 service was operated by A6-EUF on 31 October.

So from 31 October Auckland will receive 4 Emirates A380's and 1 Singapore Airlines A380 through until the end of March. 

Singapore Airlines Equipment change

As per the 2015/2016 summer season, Singapore Airlines have upsized their daily Auckland SQ285/286 operation from Boeing 777-300's to Airbus A380's.

The final 777-300 flight was flown by 9V-SNB while the first Airbus A380 flight, arriving Auckland 31 October, was operated by 9V-SKH. 

Korean Airlines Equipment change

Korean Airlines have made a seasonal adjustment to their daily Auckland operation with Boeing 747-8 aircraft replacing Boeing 777 variants on the KE129/130 service from/to Incheon. The reintroduction of the -8 was heralded by HL7630 on the morning of 31 October. 

From 31 October the mighty -8 will arrive into Auckland 0825 and depart at 1005 with a reduction in frequency to 5 days per week (Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun) and then to 4 days per week (Mon/Tue/Sat/Sun) for the week commencing 28 November. From 05 December it is back to 5 days per week (Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun) then daily from 12 December through until 26 February inclusive. It then reverts to 5 times per week with the -8 running until 26 March then reverting to Boeing 777-200's. 

Air China Equipment change

Its a busy period for international carrier's through New Zealand with multiple changes and new operators commencing services.

To start with, Air China have introduced the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to their Peking-Auckland service from 30 October with aptly registered
B-7879 operating CCA783/784.

Video link can be found HERE

The Dreamliner replaces Airbus A330-200's with B-6075 "Zijin Hao" livery operating the type's final flight to Auckland 29 October. 

Air China have a fleet of 7 Dreamliners with the first aircraft delivered May this year and the seventh aircraft delivered just a few days ago. 

First Dreamliner visits Dreamy Locations

As Air New Zealand phases the Boeing 767-300 from service, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is finding its way to new destinations and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands has become the latest Pacific Island to receive the airliner.

ZK-NZG was the Dreamliner of choice operating NZ46 arriving at Rarotonga on time at 1330 29 October local time/date and departing at 1455 heading back to Auckland as NZ45.

Stunning day, stunning background - E Smith photo

The Boeing 787-9 has already ventured on numerous occasions  to Apia and Tonga with Papeete joining the club today with ZK-NZF operating as NZ40/41.

ZK-NZF passing south of Auckland heading to Papeete 31 October. 

Wanderings Part Three

A few more from Taumarunui taken on 15 October plus a few others thrown  in. 

Cessna 150H ZK-CTB departs Taumarunui for the short flight home to Te Kuiti. 

Cessna 172S ZK-EJS is a Taumarunui resident. 

Long-time Ardmore resident is this Piper PA32-260 ZK-ENZ registered to an owner at Whenuapai. Not sure the last time I saw it fly. 

Cessna 177B ZK-JDJ was a visitor to Taumarunui . 

Pacific Aerospace Fletcher EX ZK-JQB tied down at Te Kuiti. 

Jodel D9 ZK-KMM hangared at Taumarunui. 

Pacific Aerospace Cresco ZK-LTT at Te Kuiti

Tairie resident Beech A36 ZK-PVA visiting Ardmore last week

Cessna 172S ZK-RQA outside the Whanganui Aero Club hangar 15 October. 

Sounds Air Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-SAN was a visitor to Taumarunui carrying participants for the Tiger Moth Club fly-in who elected to leave their aeroplanes tucked away at home in Marlborough. 

Cessna T206H VH-NVC

Making its New Zealand landfall at Auckland 28 October was the Cessna T206H Stationair VH-NVC. The aircraft had flown from Caboolture, QLD to Lord Howe Island the previous afternoon before embarking on its direct flight to Kerikeri however it diverted enroute to Norfolk Island. After clearing formalities at Auckland the Stationair continued to Ardmore and was later noted outside Flightline.

Subsequently became ZK-NVC with George Bostock Ltd, Hastings from 08 November. 

In other VH news, three Diamond Twin Stars turned up at Hamilton 26 October:

http://nzcivair.blogspot.co.nz/2016/10/hamilton-deliveries.html

INAUGURAL | Cathay Pacific A350-900 Takeoff from Auckland Airport

Royal Australian Air Force Airbus A330-MRTT A39-001

Royal Australian Air Force Airbus A330-MRTT A39-001 spent a couple of hours on the ground at Christchurch 28 October arriving from Amberley, near Brisbane, and departing for Darwin using the callsign ASY744.

Royal Australian Air Force C27 Spartan A34-001

Making its first visit to New Zealand, and only the second visit of its type to our shores, was Royal Australian Air Force Alenia C27J Spartan A34-001. The "battlefield" lifter arrived at Whenuapai late afternoon 27 October from its RAAF Richmond base west of Sydney as "Ausy 753". The following morning the Spartan made the short flight south to Auckland where it spent just over an hour on the ground before departing on its return home to Richmond. 

A34-001 MSN 4179/AUS01 was delivered to Australia in June 2015 and is operated by 35 Squadron. It is the first of ten such medium lift transporters with the squadron taking delivery of the third Spartan

(A34-003) earlier this month.

RAAF photo

First Commercial Airbus A350XWB introduced to New Zealand service

Yesterday (28 October) marked the first commercial service by an Airbus A350XWB to New Zealand as Cathay Pacific introduces the type on their daily CX197/198 rotation from/to Hong Kong replacing Airbus A340-300's.

B-LRC had the honours of operating the first flight touching down on time after conducting a flyby of downtown Auckland.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11737002

From 01 December through until 28 February 2017 the A350 will operate the morning CX117/118 thrice daily service through Auckland with CX197/198 moving to Boeing 777-300ER's and at this early stage it is envisaged all flights (10 per week) for the month of March will be operated by the A350.

Cathay plan to have 10 A350's in operation by the end of 2016 and an additional 12 entering service during 2017.

Like the recently retired from service Boeing 747-400 passenger fleet, the Airbus A340-300's are expected to bow out of the airline's schedules by end of 2017.

Final Cathay Pacific A340 service to Auckland Airport | Landing and Takeoff

Cathay Pacific Airbus A340-300 farewelled from Auckland

The final Cathay Pacific Airbus A340-300 has been farewelled from Auckland with B-HXG wearing the One World livery departing as CX198 to Hong Kong 27 October. With the fleet now numbered at just seven aircraft, and dwindling to four by the end of 2016, the now well used A340's are being replaced with Airbus A350-900XWB's with the first set to arrive tomorrow as CX197. 

The cessation of A340 operations by Cathay now leaves just Air Tahiti Nui operating the type through Auckland and these are to be replaced by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners before the end of 2019. 

B-HXG, the last X A340 to visit Auckland. 

The A340 will be well remembered for its very long takeoff rolls maximising the available runway as seen here rotating between A2 and A3. 

Wanderings Part Two

As timing would have it, the northbound leg of our wanderings had us stage via Taumarunui where the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand was gathering for its annual spring fly-in https://www.tigermothclub.co.nz/

Spring however had turned a little wintery across the nation for the weekend preventing a number of expected participants from making it. 

ZK-TAZ was one of four Chipmunks on the field to commemorate its 70th birthday. 

Wanderings Part One

A handful of local photographic opportunities have presented themselves in recent weeks, so here goes

Cessna U206G ZK-EFI was nose into the stiff breeze on Lake Taupo 13 October. 

Cessna U206G ZK-FPO was also on Lake Taupo 13 October with numerous feathered friends. 

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-JMP was in full employment at Taupo 13 October. 

Also earning its keep was the Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-JQK seen here returning to Taupo 13 October. 

John Funnell departed in his Piper PA24-260 ZK-PMC

Receiving some TLC was the Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-SDT. 

Needing some TLC was the GAF N22C ZK-SNZ. I think she has been retired from flight operations. 

Cessna 172N ZK-UWE has been a Taupo resident for years, and sure enough picketed exactly where I saw it several years ago.