Hi Fly Airbus A340-500 CS-TFX departs

Hi Fly's Airbus A340-500 CS-TFX has departed Auckland lifting off into the Hauraki Grey skies late morning 30 November destined for Cairns as HFY731.

Since the sun stayed well and truly obscured by overcast skies, we'll say thanks to Ted in Vancouver for sharing this great shot of the aircraft arriving there mid June this year.

Also, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nM3XigXpAo for its arrival into Auckland.

And a nice video of its departure from Papeete earlier this week.

Whenuapai 29 November - military

RNZAF base Auckland aka Whenuapai is home to the air force's transport and fixed wing maritime patrol aircraft. The 40 Squadron Boeing 757's were both on location 29 November with NZ7571 conducting circuits and NZ7572 parked up. Only one Lockheed C130H Hercules was noted and only one Lockheed P3K Orion however NZ4201 returned from a training detail as KIW544 while NZ4205 was working south of New Zealand. 

Republic of Korea P3 Orion 950901

Republic of Korea Lockheed P3 Orion 950901 arrived in Whenuapai late on the evening of 16 November from Townsville as KNX1. The aeroplane had encountered technical issues at Townsville delaying its Tasman crossing and it appears the issues continued as it was subsequently hangared in Whenuapai awaiting spares. It was eventually noted conducting engine runs 24 November and then a one hour test flight 26 November. It then went on to fly "patrols" 28 and 29 November using the callsign "Korean Navy 01". 

Whenuapai 24 November 2016, VJ photo

Arriving Whenuapai at the conclusion of a three hour "patrol" flight, followed by a run through the bird bath!

Bulldog ZK-WUF

A nice surprise parked at Ardmore 24 November was the Scottish Aviation Bulldog Series 120 Model 121 ZK-WUF c/n BH120/315. The two place ex RAF training aircraft moved to New Zealand with its then owner in May 2002 and was placed on the ZK registered two years later. It was originally domiciled at Whenuapai until its sale when it moved to the Hawkes Bay but it has since migrated back to the Auckland region. 

Hifly Airbus A340-500 CS-TFX

Portugese charter operator Hi Fly Airbus A340-500 CS-TFX arrived in Auckland 28 November from Papeete as HFY731. The airliner, configured with 36 business and 201 economy class seats, is on an around the world 22 day tour on behalf of Safrans du Monde and had arrived Papeete 24 November (local date) from Lima and Easter Island. 

http://www.hifly.aero/images/specs/Specs%20A340-500_TFX.pdf

https://www.safransdumonde.com/en/world-tour/world-tour-air-cruise-2016

Conditions for this beauty's arrival were far from pleasant :-(

AS350 Squirrel ZK-HJZ

A recent addition to the Inflite fleet at Mechanics Bay is this AS350B2 ZK-HJZ/4

Thanks to Bluebus we have the following review:

Did you know that the first AS350 Squirrel flew in June 1974 with the 8th production machine eventually reaching NZ as ZK-HEA/2. Now the 230th airframe built in 1980 has reached our shore. Assembled for the North American market as a Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale (SNIA) AS 350D Astar powered with the Lycoming LTS-101 engine it was registered C-GLNH and served most of its time with various operators in Quebec and finally at Pit Meadows, British Columbia. It was upgraded to an Aerospatiale B2 model in 2005, and then moved west to the States and joined Soloy Helicopters LLC at Wasilla in Alaska in January 2014 as N360SH. I hear that it had the Soloy SD2 conversion and its ownership passed into TVPX Ars Inc of Concord, Maine from April 2016 who supplies an aircraft ownership trust service - especially for foreign operators. It is understood the airframe has amassed some 22000 hours. 

This is the fourth use of the marks HJZ. They have previously been worn by a Bell 47G-5, a short time Squirrel that was with Heliquip International for a rebuild and more recently a Robinson R44 Astro. 

The helicopter was repainted by Transvisual Refinish, Wiri. 

At Mechanics Bay heliport 21 November 2016. 

Boeing C-40A 165833

United States Navy Boeing 737-7AFC (C-40A) Clipper 165833 made its second visit to New Zealand this month arriving in Whenuapai during the evening of 23 November from Guam/Andersen via Nadi as CNV7866. The same aircraft had visited Wellington and Whenuapai 13 November.

The Clipper departed Whenuapai 24 November for Nadi and continued to Andersen 25 November.

Departing Whenuapai 24 November. 

King Air 350ER N350ER

Aptly registered Beech King Air 350ER N350ER touched down to a gloomy Auckland afternoon 19 November after a direct flight from Melbourne/Essendon. Emblazoned with "Special Missions" titles, the King Air is on a demonstration tour of Australasia and arrived in Darwin from Surabaya 11 November. It continued to Brisbane the following day then to Sydney 13 November. To Bankstown and Canberra 15 November then a day trip to Nowra and back 16 November. It conducted a demonstrator flight from/to Canberra 17 November prior to heading onto Essendon.

The King Air flew from Auckland to Wellington on the morning of 21 November then to Ohakea 22 November where a demonstration flight was conducted. It continued to Auckland later the same afternoon. A demonstration flight was flown from/to Auckland 23 November and the twin departed 24 November heading to Canberra. 

http://beechcraft.txtav.com/en/king-air-350er

Arriving in Auckland 19 November. 

Corporate Corner 12 November to 24 November

ANZA/Tyremax Challenger 604 N604AU arrived in Auckland late evening 12 November from Sydney.

Avwest Global Express N599CH departed Queenstown for Sydney 13 November and returned to Queenstown two days later. it departed 16 November for Perth.

Luft Aviation Charter Challenger 604 N360PL arrived in Auckland 13 November from its Essendon base. The following day it flew to Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown then to Wellington and Essendon on the 15th.

Execujet Gulfstream G650 VP-CJR arrived in Auckland 13 November from Guangzhou. It was briefly hangared at Auckland before flying to Palmerston North 17 November.

Avcair PTY Learjet 60 VH-XPN made a brief visit to Queenstown 13 November arriving from and returning to Brisbane.

Execujet Global Express VH-OCV arrived in Auckland 14 November from Sydney. From Auckland to Rotorua and Queenstown 15 November then to Essendon 17 November.

Netjets Global Express 6000 N151QS arrived in Auckland 16 November from Sydney and departed for Honolulu and San Jose 17 November.

Leonard Green and Partners Gulfstream 4 N950LG had arrived in Queenstown from Pago Pago via Auckland on 07 November. It flew to Christchurch 09 November then to Wellington and Rotorua 10 November. From Rotorua back to Christchurch 16 November, to Queenstown 18 November then exited the region 20 November flying to Pago Pago and Kona. In our previous review we neglected to advise this airframe was once an Australian resident flying as VH-OSW.

K-5 Aviation Airbus A319ACJ D-ALXX concluded its Auckland layover departing for Jakarta/Halim 13 November as "Kayak 52".

Tanya M Johnson Global Express N9TJ had arrived in Auckland 09 November from San Diego/Brown Field via Nadi. It flew to Nelson 11 November and departed for Brisbane 13 November. It later went on to visit Sydney and headed to Port Vila 19 November from where it flew direct to Carlsbad, CA 20 November.

Royal Australian Air Force Challenger 604 A37-002 made a brief night time visit to Whenuapai 17 November arriving from and returning to Canberra.

Afflilated Managers Group, Inc Falcon 900EX N993AM arrived in Christchurch 19 November from Sydney. The trijet had flown from Mauritius to Kingscote via Perth 12 November and then onto Melbourne two days later before heading to Sydney 15 November. From Christchurch the Falcon flew to Kerikeri 22 November then to Auckland, Brisbane and Hong Kong 24 November. 

Larry Page and Sergey Brin Gulfstream G650ER N998PB arrived in Auckland 20 November direct from Moffett Field, CA. The long range corporate is no stranger to our region and was most recently noted departing Nadi for Moffett Field 11 November. The owner's super yacht "Senses" is moored at Silo Marina, Auckland.

United States Navy Gulfstream C37B 166376 arrived in Whenuapai late 18 November from Kaneohe Bay as Navy VV100. It flew to Wellington and Brisbane 20 November and onto Singapore/Paya Lebar 21 November.

Royal Australian Air Force Challenger 604 A37-003 made a brief night time visit to Whenuapai 21 November arriving from and returning to Canberra.

Crown Melbourne Ltd Global Express VH-CCD visited Queenstown late afternoon 24 November arriving from Essendon and departing for Sydney. 

Lockheed P3 Orion 158563

The United States Navy Lockheed P3 Orion 158563 has concluded its New Zealand deployment departing Whenuapai at noon 23 November for Darwin as VVRD02. After overnighting in the Northern Territories the Orion continued to its Kadena, Japan. 

158563 had arrived in Wellington on the evening of 13 November from Darwin and after a short time on the ground continued to Whenuapai. It participation in exercises associated with the Royal New Zealand Navy's 75th anniversary was somewhat limited and its capabilities utilised in providing aerial reconnaissance of area affected by the Kaikoura Earthquake. 

Boeing 777-300 RP-C7778 returns

The Philippine Airlines Boeing 777-3F6(ER) RP-C7778 made a more "spotter" friendly visit to Auckland than its eastbound journey arriving late morning 22 November from Lima, Peru. It remained in Auckland until just after 1900 23 November when it departed for Francisco Bangoy/Davao.

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Making a nocturnal techstop in Auckland 18 November was Philippine Airlines Boeing 777-3F6(ER) RP-C7778. The newly delivered jet arrived from Davao, Philippines and continued to Lima, Peru as PAL1 carrying President Rodrigo Duterte and entourage to the annual APEC leaders meeting.

RP-C7778 taxiing for departure in the predawn hour. 

RP-C7778 was delivered from Paine Field to Manila arriving 29 October. 

Lining up to depart Paine Field on its first flight 07 October 2016. 

International Naval Review

The Royal New Zealand Navy's 75th anniversary culminated in a public open day held on the Auckland waterfront 20 November. An estimated crowd of 35000 made the most of pleasant weather conditions to check out the ships from various nations excluding the American, Canadian and Australian ships that had been redeployed to assist with earthquake recovery activity in Kaikoura and were on the 20th providing the people of Wellington with a spectacle as they entered the harbour line astern and spent the day/night in the area.

Of all the ships on show in Auckland, just three had helicopters deployed and the following were noted (with thanks to Padre007 and Magnaman)

Japan Marine Self Defense Force DD-110 Takanami
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takanami-class_destroyer
Noted tucked away in the destroyer's hangar was Mitsubishi SH60K Seahawk 8432

Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) FFG-546 Yangcheng
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_054A_frigate
Outside on the helideck but later slipped into its hangar was the Harbin Z-9 9806

Indian Navy P-59 INS Sumitra 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Sumitra_(P59)
Tucked away in the frigates hangar was Hindustan Aeronautics Chetak IN-492.

All three helicopters were on their respective ship helidecks for the Naval Review conducted the day prior: http://www.helis.com/database/ops/174/

Ardmore Visitors

As mentioned just over a month ago, Airbus EC135 HB-ZSW has been in the country following the arrival of super yacht "Vibrant Curiosity". The curiosity of Magnaman and some great timing had him catch a hangar shot of the helicopter at Ardmore 21 November. 

Another super yacht tender is currently located at Ardmore with Airbus EC145 N145LL turning up a few days ago after its home "Senses" sailed into Auckland harbour. This helicopter spent summer 2015/2016 around New Zealand and the owners Gulfstream G650 N998PB has recently arrived in Auckland. 

AS350 Squirrel N261AW

A recent arrival in Wanaka is the Eurocopter AS350 B2 Squirrel N261AW MSN 3969. The helicopter has already been placed on the Kiwi register as ZK-ICX with The Helcopter Line, Queenstown. 

It was most recently operated by All Wool Aviation LLC of Coral Gables, FL. 

And a shot of her back in 2010 https://www.flickr.com/photos/maydayrelay/5403110765

Black Falcon Formation Team

RNZAF base Whenuapai hosted 9 Beechcraft Texan's last Friday night with 5 aircraft arriving from Ohakea via Tauranga and 4 arriving via the West Coast. All 9 were to have flown as the Falcon formation for the Royal New Zealand Navy 75th anniversary fleet review on the Saturday however as can be seen in the photos below the weather was atrocious and the flypast cancelled. The aircraft departed Whenuapai for Ohakea in four waves making formation takeoffs into the murk. 

NZ1409 and NZ1410 were first to depart followed by NZ1401, 1403 and NZ1406. Then it was the turn of NZ1405 and NZ1404 and finally NZ1407 and NZ1408. 

A news article from November 2015

http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/113534-black-falcons-named-tauranga.html