OFF AIR

Emirates Skycargo Boeing 747-400 visit

Emirates SkyCargo aircraft visiting New Zealand is nothing unusual with the operator having flown Boeing 777 freighters through both Auckland and Christchurch on numerous occasions. 

However 09 April marked the first time one of SkyCargo's two Boeing 747-4HA(ER) freighters has visited with OO-THD arriving in Auckland late afternoon from Singapore and Sydney as UAE9425. The Jumbo is operated by ASL Airlines Belgium, formerly known as TNT Airways. 

The freighter overnighted in Auckland and departed late morning 10 April for Los Angeles and Bermuda delivering Emirates Team New Zealand racing catamaran "Aotearoa"

https://youtu.be/t9iBOVibxJs

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/328262/team-nz-sets-sail-for-america%27s-cup-challenger-campaign

Corporate Corner 02 April - 09 April 2017

Business Aviation Solutions Challenger 604 VH-BLM made its way from Rotorua to Auckland 02 April. It departed for Cairns 04 April. 

Planair Enterprises Ltd Falcon 7X VQ-BAA arrived in Auckland late 02 April from Perth having arrived in Western Australia the previous evening from Mauritius. The Falcon is operated by SonAir Airline Services and is based in Luanda, Angola. The tri-jet made the trip from Auckland to Wellington mid morning 04 April. It headed to Canberra 05 April then to Melbourne and Sydney/Bankstown 07 April. It flew back to Melbourne and onto Jakarta/Halim 08 April.

Executive Airlines Citation 680 Sovereign VH-EXQ arrived in Wellington just after the conclusion of curfew 04 April from Brisbane. It departed for Canberra 06 April. 

Rocky Mountain Aviation LLC Gulfstream G550 N97FT arrived in Wellington as "Jetedge 97" late afternoon 04 April from Las Vegas via a techstop in Pago Pago. 

Mandarin Air Gulfstream G280 B-8280 arrived in Auckland mid afternoon 04 April from Cairns. It departed for Sydney 08 April. 

Gojet PTY Embraer Phenom 100 VH-PNM arrived Queenstown 04 April, arriving from Essendon and Hobart. It departed over the reverse route 05 April.

Gulfstream G550 B-KCK made only its second visit to New Zealand arriving in Auckland 06 April from Hong Kong. Its first visit to our shores was back in December 2012. B-KCK flew from Auckland to Queenstown 09 April.

Royal Australian Air Force Challenger 604 A37-003 arrived in Auckland late morning 06 April from Sydney as ASY318. It departed for Sydney and Canberra 07 April.

CML Aviation Gulfstream G350 VH-NKD briefly visited Auckland 06 April arriving from and returning to Sydney.

Gulfstream 5 XA-MPS arrived in Auckland 06 April from Nadi where it had spent the previous few days having arrived from Honolulu on the 3rd. It flew south to Queenstown 08 April.

Avwest PTY Global Express N599CH touched down in Queenstown mid afternoon 07 April from Essendon.

K5 Aviation Global Express D-ARKO arrived in Auckland 08 April from Bangkok/Don Mueang as "Kayak 55".

Extra Dash 8 for Jetstar - temporarily?

Eastern Australia Airlines Dash 8-315Q VH-SBW crossed the Tasman 05 April arriving Auckland from Brisbane via Norfolk Island in an all white livery devoid of titles having last month visited Townsville where its Qantas Link identity was removed.  Its Tasman crossing was significantly delayed as a result of inclement weather at its staging point and destination. 

It is understood this aircraft will be operating in New Zealand on behalf of Jetstar covering for planned maintenance of their dedicated fleet with the first aircraft to head back to Australia being VH-TQK. 

For a history of VH-SBW please click http://www.aussieairliners.org/dhc-8/vh-sbw/vhsbw.html

At Brisbane 02 April 2017. 

Farewell Air New Zealand Boeing 767-300(ER)s ● Melbourne Airport

Boeing, Boeing, Gone.........

With sincere thanks to Paul Sheehan's expansive historical records contained in his "The Aircraft of Air New Zealand and affiliates since 1940" published by Transpress in 2003

http://www.transpressnz.com/AirNZAircraft.html

Widebody "Twins"

September 1985 saw the arrival of the first new Boeing 767-219ER, ZK-NBA MSN 23326 and this was followed in March 1986 by ZK-NBB MSN 23327 and September 1986 by ZK-NBC MSN 23328. ZK-NBA was transferred in June 1997 into Ansett Australia's fleet as VH-RMC. However, this particular aircraft remained only a year with Ansett and was then leased out to Swiss World Airlines as HB-IIX. Swiss World soon developed financial problems and in December 1998 the aircraft was reclaimed by Air New Zealand. It was parked at Melbourne for a couple of months before being returned to Air New Zealand's livery and in March 1999 it took up operation of the airline's new second daily return service between Auckland and Melbourne. On 27 October 1987, ZK-NBD MSN 23058 was obtained from Varig, Brazil (ex PP-VNM) and this aircraft, a model 767-205, was disposed of on 05 July 1990 to become DQ-FJA with Air Pacific. For the first month or two of service ZK-NBD operated in its Varig colours with Air New Zealand titles.

The fifth 767 to join the fleet arrived new from Boeing and was registered ZK-NBE MSN 24150 and was leased from ILFC. This was terminated in May 1993 and the aircraft exported to Transbrasil as PT-TAG. 

At the end of 1989 two 767-209's were obtained from China Airlines of Taiwan and became ZK-NBF MSN 22681 (ex B-1836 dubbed "Ping") and ZK-NBH MSN 22682 (ex B-1838 dubbed "Pong"). These two models flew with the airine until mid 1995 when their leases expired and both departed to Air Canada as C-FVNM and C-FUCL. In 1990 two 767-204's were added from Brittania Airways with ZK-NBI MSN 23072 (ex G-BLKV) and ZK-NBJ MSN 23250 (ex G-BLKW) entering the fleet.

From 01 June 1992 until 01 December 1992 ZK-NBI was leased out to Air Aruba and for the northern summers of 1992, 1993 and 1994 ZK-NBJ was leased to LOT of Poland. In mid 1997 ZK-NBI departed to Air Europa, Palma de Mallorca, Spain as EC-GOJ at the end of its lease and ZK-NBJ returned to Britannia in the UK on a six month lease from May 1997. ZK-NBJ returned to the fold where it remained until November 2002 and was subsequently withdrawn from use and later became a rescue fire service training aid at Auckland Airport. 

For the summer season 1995/96 Air New Zealand leased Boeing 767-204ER G-BRIG (MSN 24757) from Brittania Airways and a 767-35D(ER) SP-LPA (MSN 24865) from LOT of Poland to cover extra services flown over this period. Both aircraft remained in their respective registration markings and returned to their owners at the end of the summer rush. SP-LPA returned on to Air New Zealand for the summer seasons of 1999-2000. 

The Boeing 767 proved to be a great success and it was a logical step for the airline to include the stretched 300 series into its fleet. ZK-NCE MSN 24875 was the first to arrive on 14 June 1991 followed by ZK-NCF MSN 24876 on 14 February 1992. The third 300 delivered was ZK-NCG MSN 26912 on 11 August 1993 followed by ZK-NCH MSN 26264 on 10 October 1994, ZK-NCI MSN 26913 on 08 November 1994, ZK-NCJ MSN 26915 on 21 April 1995, ZK-NCK MSN 26971 on 23 June 1997, ZK-NCL MSN 28745 on 29 October 1997, ZK-NCN MSN 29388 in April 2000 and ZK-NCO MSN 30586 on 01 September 2000. 

The only other 767-300 in the fleet was 767-35H(ER) ZK-NCM MSN 26389 which belonged to Itochu Aerospace Finance. It was originally delivered new to China Southern Airlines in October 1992 as N800CZ and came to Air New Zealand in April 1996. When ZK-NCN was delivered in April 2000 the lease on ZK-NCM was terminated and it was subsequently leased by the owners to Canadian Airlines International as C-GGBJ. It is of interest here to note that this aircraft was the first in Air New Zealand's fleet to be completed in the Pacific Wave livery. 

For the Northern summer of 1998 ZK-NCM was leased out to Airtours International together with Boeing 747-219 ZK-NZZ. 

In October 2001 Air New Zealand planned to lease in from ILFC its 13th Boeing 767-300 with ZK-NCP MSN 28206, a series 3Q8ER. This aircraft which first flew in March 1998 as N601LF was first leased to Transaero Airlines from March 1998 until February 1999 and then to LAPA as LV-ZPL from June 1999 until April 2001. However, with the downturn in traffic as a result of the September 11 attacks this planned lease never went ahead. 

The Boeing 767-200 fleet initially wore Maori names:

ZK-NBA Aotearoa V - Land of the Long White Cloud

ZK-NBB Arahina - Being Guided

ZK-NBC Atarau - Moonlight

ZK-NBD Aparima - In Company of Five

ZK-NBE Aranui - Main Pathway

ZK-NBF Ararangi - Pathway in the Heavens

ZK-NBH Awatere - Swift Flowing River

ZK-NBI Arawhata - A Way Up

ZK-NBJ Awarua - Two Rivers

From what we can remember, the 767 has operated to the following airports (obviously a large number are Japanese domestic airports visited during charter operations over the years):

Adelaide, Akita, Alice Springs, Aomori, Apia, Auckland, Avalon, Bangkok, Brisbane, Brunei, Cairns, Canberra, Chitose, Christchurch, Darwin, Denpasar/Bali, Dunedin, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gold Coast, Guam, Hakodate, Hamilton, Hanamaki, Hiroshima, Hobart, Ho Chi Minh, Honiara, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Izumo, Kagoshima, Kansai, Kobe, Kochi, Komatsu, Kuala Lumpur, Kumamoto, Launceston, Los Angeles, Matsuyama, Melbourne, Miyazaki, Nadi, Nagoya, Narita, Newcastle, Niigata, Noumea, Obihiro, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Papeete, Perth, Port Moresby, Rarotonga, Richmond/Sydney, Rockhampton, San Diego, Sapporo, Sendai, Seoul, Shanghai/Pudong, Shizuoka, Shonai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Tonga, Tottori, Townsville, Toyama, Ube,

Wellington, Yamagata and Yonago.

While hunting through some images I came across this blast from the past - all three types now relegated to the history books for Air New Zealand. 

Corporate Corner 25 March - 01 April 2017

Marcplan Gulfstream G450 VH-MBP departed Auckland 25 March for Wellington and went onto launch from the Capital right on 0600 (conclusion of curfew) 26 March heading to Sydney and Essendon.

Las Vegas Sands Gulfstream 4SP N588LS departed Auckland for Cairns 25 March.

EWA Holdings Global Express N70EW arrived Christchurch 25 March from Auckland and flew onto Queenstown 28 March. From Queenstown back to Christchurch and onto Papeete 30 March. It continued to Los Angeles the next morning. 

Crown Global Express VH-CCD departed Auckland 25 March for Macau. 

Tiriac Air Global 5000 YR-TIK concluded its Dunedin visit departing 25 March for Darwin, Bangkok/Don Meung and Bucharest. 

Prime Jet LLC Gulfstream 4SP N40VC departed Queenstown for Pago Pago and Kona 26 March and flew onto John Wayne/CA 29 March. 

Touch Lucky Investments Gulfstream G550 N588PX arrived in Auckland 26 March from Hong Kong and departed 29 March for Easter Island.

Royal Canadian Air Force Challenger 144614 (featured in an early blogpost) arrived in Christchurch 26 March from Auckland. It departed 28 March for Sydney and Darwin then continued onto Kuala Lumpur 29 March. 

Bairline Citation X OE-HUB departed Auckland 28 March for Mopah located in the Papua district of Indonesia. It was back home at Munich by 30 March (NZ date) then flew to London/Luton 31 March (again NZ date). 

Paradox International Birds Global Express N700GX departed Auckland 28 March for Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. From there it headed to Montreal 29 March.

Zetta Jet Global Express N588LQ arrived in Wellington 28 March from San Francisco via a techstop in Honolulu. It made its way to Auckland 30 March then direct to San Francisco 31 March. 

Business Aviation Solutions Challenger 604 VH-BLM arrived in Queenstown 29 March from Essendon. From Queenstown to Rotorua 01 April.