Air New Zealand Boeing 767-300 ZK-NCI bows out - and end of the line

Air New Zealand has flown its final Boeing 767 service with -319ER ZK-NCI MSN 26913 taking out the honour of being the last of its type in operation after 32 years of globetrotting.

Its last week in service was on the well traveled route between Auckland and Sydney - a staple city pair operated by the wide-body twins with it running the double daily NZ101/102 and NZ105/108 services culminating in the final flight as NZ108 31 March touching down at Auckland on runway 05R at 2350 and arriving on the gate 6 minutes later. 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11829230

ZK-NCI made its first flight on 27 October 1994 and was allocated Boeing test registration N6009F but presumably never wore these marks. It was delivered to Auckland 09 November arriving direct from Paine Field/WA under the command of Captains Greg Vujcich and Roger Sutton, F/O Tony Hay and S/O Noel Farquhar. Following the 14-hour delivery flight the aircraft had completed 27 hours and 12 landings.

Its first scheduled service was as NZ133 from Auckland to Brisbane on 15 November with Captain John Hancock and F/O Tony Harcourt.

With ZK-NCI entering service, Boeing 767-209ER ZK-NBH MSN 22682 was withdrawn from service and its last revenue service was as NZ104 from Sydney to Auckland on 09 November flown by Captain Steve Hoyle and F/O Mike Fransham.

Delivery/entry to service information with thanks to the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand Aerolog December 1994 edition. 

ZK-NCI had the honour of flying the Americas Cup from San Diego to Auckland after Team New Zealand won the 1995 regatta and wore the slogan on the forward fuselage "Airline of the World's Greatest Sailors".

Auckland 31 March 2011. 

Last daylight landing at Auckland, ZK-NCI arrives runway 23L as NZ102 31 March 2017. 

Last daylight departure from Auckland as NZ105 heads to the holding point for her second to last passenger flight for Air New Zealand, 31 March 2017. For the record keeps, NZ105 pushed back at 1626, was airborne at 1642 and landed Sydney 1749 arriving on blocks at 1756. The return flight, NZ108, was off blocks Sydney at 1908 and airborne from runway 16R at 1928. 

Air NZ Boeing 777 visits the Capital

Air New Zealand widebody airliner visitors to Wellington have over the years been primarily limited to the Boeing 767's and more recently Boeing 777-300's on promotional visits carrying no passengers or the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner visit a while ago on a charter flight. However the backlog of passengers created by Wellington airport being closed with low cloud/mist/fog from late morning 29 March through until the early hours of 30 March saw the national carrier provide additional capacity through the scheduling of extra Airbus A320 services and most notably the operation of a Boeing 777-200 for the very first time. Correction thanks to Evan - The 777-200 was utilised post the Christchurch 2011 earthquake and was used Christchurch-Wellington. I'll have to hunt out the details when I have time!

ZK-OKG arrived in Wellington just before noon 30 March from Auckland as NZ6149 and departed 90+ minutes later heading back to Auckland as NZ6150. This domestic operation follows last week's addition of the type flying between Christchurch and Auckland to cater for demand associated with concerts staged by singer Adele. 

The fog enveloping Wellington airport 29 March saw the first time SQ291 from Singapore and Canberra be forced to divert with Boeing 777-200 9V-SQJ ending up in Auckland and then positioning back to Canberra under the same flight number. 

For those curious about the sea fog phenomenon that usually occurs in the summer months check out http://blog.metservice.com/Wellington-Airport-Sea-Fog

Air China Specials - Part Two

We mentioned a few days ago the arrival of Air China's Boeing 737-800 B-1761 into Auckland from Guangzhou via Darwin as CCA002A. It then conducted a training/route proving flight to Wellington and back 25 March before ultimately carrying Chinese Premier Li Keqiang late on the afternoon of 26 March after he and associated delegation arrived in Auckland from Sydney onboard Air China Boeing 747-400 B-2447 as CCA002. 

The Boeing 737-800 returned to Auckland from Wellington 27 March and departed mid afternoon 28 March for Sydney, then flew onto Darwin and Guangzhou 29 March while the Boeing 747-400 departed Auckland mid morning 29 March for Peking. 

Arriving Wellington for its brief visit 25 March 2017.

B-2447 arriving in Auckland 26 March 2017. 

Boeing 737-800 BBJ D-AACM

Spending a couple of nights in Auckland earlier this week was ACM Air Charter's Boeing 737-8JM (BBJ2) D-AACM. The Boeing Business Jet arrived late afternoon 25 March from Brisbane as "Bavarian 10" and departed early afternoon 27 March for Pago Pago and Los Angeles as "Bavarian 15". The BBJ had spent 6 weeks parked in Brisbane having carried singer Adele to Australasia however for her domestic Australia and flight to New Zealand she chartered a local Global Express, VH-CCD.

Air New Zealand Boeing 767-300 ZK-NCG bows out

The time has come for Air New Zealand's Boeing 767 fleet to be wound down to just one aircraft following the retirement of -319ER ZK-NCG after she arrived in Auckland from Melbourne as NZ126 during the first half hour of 26 March 2017. This leaves just ZK-NCI to ply the Tasman for the next 4 1/2 days with retirement flight planned to be NZ108 Sydney-Auckland 31 March. 

Arriving Auckland 27 April 2016. 

Arriving Auckland 27 October 2016. 

ZK-NCG MSN 26912 first flew on 28 July 1993 and was delivered to Air New Zealand 11 August 1993 arriving in Auckland 12 August as NZ6300 direct from Paine Field bringing the -300 series fleet to three aircraft with ZK-NCE and ZK-NCF already in service at that time.  She entered service 17 August 1993 as NZ137 from Auckland to Brisbane.  ZK-NCG was retrofitted with winglets in July 2009.

ZK-NCG was the lucky recipient of a Lord of the Rings promotional decal in 2003. 

ZK-NCG looking top notch with her winglets and Pacific Wave

Air China Specials

The visit to New Zealand by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and associated entourage has seen the State carrier Air China provide two aircraft in support of their travels.

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/03/chinese-premier-to-visit-new-zealand.html

Boeing 737-800 B-1761 arrived in Auckland 24 March as CCA002A from Guangzhou and Darwin and its visit is primarily to provide dedicated transportation for the Premier from Auckland to Wellington and back. Leading up to its official duties the 737 flew a route/training exercise from Auckland to Wellington and back 25 March. 

Arriving Auckland from Darwin 24 March. 

Boeing 747-400 B-2447 arrived in Canberra 22 March from Peking as CCA002 and made the short hop to Sydney 24 March.
This particular airframe has been the Jumbo of choice for a number of previous VVIP government visits B-2447

Royal Canadian Air Force Challenger

A surprise visitor to Auckland 24 March was the Royal Canadian Air Force CC144 Challenger 144614 from Rarotonga as "Canforce 3027".
This is one of four Challengers operated by 412 Transport Squadron based out of Ottawa, Ontario.

Corporate Corner 17 March - 24 March 2017

Skye Gryphon Challenger 604 N525SD arrived in Napier 17 March having flown from Papeete to Bora Bora, back to Papeete then onto NZ. It departed for Queenstown 19 March and flew onto Hobart 21 March.

At Napier 18 March, C Ford photo

Western Air Charter Gulfstream 5 N776RB arrived Auckland early evening 18 March from Sydney as EDG76 carrying singer Justin Beiber. The GV entered the region on 05 March arriving in Perth from Van Nuys via Nadi and went onto visit Melbourne, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Sydney before reaching NZ. It departed Auckland mid morning 19 March for Queenstown. It headed back to Auckland 22 March for a refuel prior to a direct flight to Santiago, Chile. 

Departing Auckland 19 March for Queenstown

Returning to auckland 22 March from Queenstown

Brenzil PTY Falcon 7X VH-CRW concluded its unusually long Auckland layover 18 March with a flight to Taupo. It then departed Taupo direct to Brisbane 19 March.

Oaktree Capital Management Gulfstream G550 N525KF departed Auckland 19 March for Napier and then after a brief layover onto Queenstown. It returned to Auckland from Queenstown 22 March and headed to Kona 23 March. 

Departing Auckland 19 March

Flying Lion Falcon 7X VP-BZE departed Queenstown 19 March for Honolulu and Los Angeles.

Jetflight Air Services Gulfstream G650 N650AB returned home to Auckland from Maui 19 March.

Marcplan Gulfstream G450 VH-MBP arrived Auckland after sunset 19 March from Essendon. It then made a trip to Christchurch 21 March arriving back in the early hours of 22 March.

Resting at Auckland 22 March

Jet Aviation Business Jets (HK) Gulfstream G650 VP-COR flew from Queenstown to Wellington 19 March then onto Rotorua 20 March. It made the short flight to Auckland 22 March before heading home to Hong Kong.

Sky River Management Falcon 900 N826K flew from Queenstown to Auckland 19 March then continued to Rarotonga 21 March.

Prime Jet LLC Gulfstream 4 N40VC arrived in Napier 20 March from Kona via a techstop at Pago Pago. It flew south to Queenstown 23 March. 

N40VC at Napier, Chris Ford photo

The Whitewind Company Global 6000 N711LS made a brief appearance in Queenstown 21 March arriving from Melbourne and departing for Sydney. This example last visited NZ during 2015 spending two weeks in the country in January where it spent time in Auckland, Hamilton, Napier,  Christchurch, Queenstown and Invercargill and then returned the following month it visited Rotorua, Taupo, Palmerston North, Napier, Ohakea and Auckland.

Crown Global Express VH-CCD arrived in Auckland 21 March from Melbourne carrying singing superstar Adele. In association with her concerts, Singapore Airlines Cargo operated two Boeing 747-400 freighters, 9V-SFO and 9V-SFQ, between Avalon and Auckland flying two return flights each.

The Global made a round trip from Auckland to Queenstown and back 22 March.

two photos above capture VH-CCD arriving 21 March

VH-CCD taxis to the FBO 22 March while N776RB rolls out, both arriving from Queenstown. 

Munich-based bairline (http://www.bairline.de/) Citation X OE-HUB arrived in Auckland late 21 March from Maui via Tarawa.

EWA West LLC Global Express N70EW arrived in Auckland 22 March from Bora Bora via Papeete. The Global arrived Papeete 17 March from Houston/Hobby. 

Honeywell Gulfstream G650 N922H arrived in Nelson 22 March from Auckland. It departed 23 March for Wellington then onto Honolulu and Provedence/Rhode Island.

N922H at Nelson 22 March 

Arriving Wellington after sunset 23 March

Las Vegas Sands Gulfstream 4 N588LS arrived in Auckland 23 March from Pago Pago.

Paradox International Birds LTD Global Express N700GX arrived in Auckland early 24 March from Abul Aziz Shah/Kuala Lumpur.

Flight to the Lights

Following the amazing images of the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) captured by NASA's Boeing 747SP "Sofia" during a night flight from Christchurch back in July 2016, an avid group of astronomers and like minded people were drawn to the idea of chartering an aircraft to conduct a similar flight.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/82294032/Skimming-through-the-stratosphere

Dunedin travel agency Orbit Travel (apt name!) were commissioned to investigate and ultimately market the charter flight and the logical platform chosen to perform this rather interesting flight was an Air New Zealand Boeing 767-319ER, namely ZK-NCG, although initial plans had indicated a Boeing 787-9 might have been the aircraft of choice - that will have to wait until next time. 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/85024281/we-have-lift-off--inaugural-aurora-flight-set-for-takeoff-from-dunedin

Just a couple of days before its retirement, ZK-NCG positioned from Auckland to Dunedin 23 March as NZ6233 and a few hours later departed on its round trip of some 7 hours in duration as NZ1980 (radio callsign "Southern Lights") crossing the international dateline and flying as far south at 66S. 4635S17027E 48S171E 54S174E 60S178E 65S176W 66S179E 66S164E 63S165E 60S166E 54S168E 4657S16958E

It arrived back into Dunedin during the predawn hours of 24 March. It was promptly on its way north to Auckland as NZ6234 to pickup its scheduled run to the Cook Islands.

The following images/screenshots were taken by and are copyrighted to Stephen Voss via the Flight to the Lights facebook page. What an amazing spectacle!

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/once-in-lifetime-experience-1-news-reporter-awestruck-first-commerical-flight-southern-lights?auto=5370196734001