Had to be done....

A revisit to Ardmore prompted by folk in the know afforded me the opportunity to catch the rare Bell P39 Airacobra ZK-COB conduct its second post restoration test flight on the afternoon of 27 February 2019. The aircraft flew for around 30 minutes and it is expected two or three flights will be made later today, 28 February. 

The New Zealand Warbirds at Ardmore will be hosting the aircraft in their hangar this weekend (02-03 March 2019) so if you've not had the chance to check it out then this will be the only opportunity. It is destined for a container and shipment to Virginia/USA in the first half of March.... 

P39 AIRACOBRA on display at NZ Warbirds at Ardmore - for this weekend for two days ONLY.

Sat 02 and Sun 03 March

Thanks hugely to her owner Jerry Yagen and Pioneer Aero Ltd.

All being well, it will be containerised next week and shipped to its owner, so it will be your last chance to see her, up close and personal.

Entrance Fee
NZ Warbirds members: FREE (you can join on the day 👍)
Adults: $15.00
School age children: $5.00
Pre-school: FREE
Open: 10:30am to 3:00pm.

Sorry there are no discounts, we are an unfunded Charity, this is our standard entrance fee to see 2 hangars of WW1 & WW2 operational aircraft, NZ Squadron dioramas and a huge scale model collection- the P39 is an amazing added bonus.

Hope to see you there 👍👍👍

Please share this post to all your friends and help us try and raise some much needed funds to help us 'Keep 'em Flying' - Thanks heaps.

Bell P39 Airacobra 42-20341/ZK-COB - FIRST FLIGHT!

Exciting times once again at Auckland's Ardmore Airfield as the highly anticipated first flight of Jerry Yeagen's P39F Airacobra ZK-COB took place on the afternoon of 26 February 2019 at the hands of NZ Warbirds President Frank Parker. The aircraft was promptly taxied to and departed from runway 21 lifting off at 1437 accompanied by a locally based Harvard for use as chase and air-to-air plane. After several orbits of Ardmore the P39 touched down again at 1451.

Big shout out to the team at Pioneer Aero! Congratulations on bringing this magnificent aeroplane back to life!

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Posted 21 December 2018: 

The much anticipated first flight of the Airacobra under rebuild at Ardmore continues and ahead of its first flight the aircraft has been placed on the NZ register as of 14 December 2018 as ZK-COB with Pioneer Aero Ltd of Ardmore. The NZ CAA records the type as a Bell P-39F.

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Posted 21 November 2018:

This past weekend's Warbirds Open Day at Ardmore debuted three new aircraft to the amassed crowds and this included the yet to be completed Bell P-39Q Airacobra. Fantastic to see this unique aeroplane on static display.

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Posted 31 October 2018: 

A significant restoration project has been quietly underway at Ardmore as the team at Pioneer Aero worked to resurrect a Bell P-39Q Airacobra. The remains were delivered to Ardmore back in mid 2015 and have been steadily worked on combining two airframes and a considerable portion of new build items.  

https://warbirdwatcher.com/2015/05/26/new-projects-arrive-at-pioneer-aero/

http://www.aviationnews.co.nz/news/128/28/New-projects-for-local-restorer/

Warbirdsnew.com reports : Commissioned by US aviation collector Jerry Yagen, this P-39Q is a project based upon a Soviet Air Force Lend-Lease example recovered from a crash site in Russia back in 1995. So far the aircraft has no publicly acknowledged identity, but she is being restored to represent P-39Q 42-20341. 

http://www.pioneeraero.co.nz/project/p-39f-1be-airacobra/

http://photorecon.net/pioneer-aero-ardmore-nz-28-march-2018/

Image from Pioneer Aero's facebook page from July 2018. 

BN2 Islander ZK-MCE

Ex Milford Flight Seeing Britten Norman BN2A-26 Islander ZK-MCE has migrated north as it prepares for the delivery flight to Nadi based Pacific Island Air where it will join another ex Milford machine, ZK-DBV. For our earlier post, check out http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2018/12/islanders-to-pacific-farewell-zk-dbv.html

ZK-MCE, to become DQ-MCE, ferried from Christchurch direct to Ardmore 25 February 2019 ahead of having ferry tanks installed to achieve the range required to fly from NZ to Fiji.

It departed Ardmore 01 March 2019 for Kerikeri, then direct to Port Vila/Vanuatu.

Soon after arriving Ardmore 25 February 2019. 

Meantime, ZK-MCD, also registered to Pacific Island Air, is now listed for sale via Dennis Thompson International 

http://dtiaircraftsales.com/aircraft/1974-britten-norman-islander

Surveillance Australia Dash 8-202Q VH-LCL - Updated 26 February 2019

Fugro LADS Dash 8-202Q VH-LCL has concluded its NZ tasking and departed Invercargill 23 February 2019 for Hobart as ASY1011. It then continued to Adelaide under its Australian civil callsign, "Navy Survey". 

From what we noted it flew round robin survey flights from Invercargill on 11, 18, 20, 21 and 22 February. 

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Posted 15 February 2019:

Dash 8-202Q VH-LCL arrived at Invercargill from Adelaide and  Hobart 10 February 2019 as ASY1011. Operated on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy, the normally Far North Queensland based aircraft is in New Zealand for seabed survey activity and last visited in 2016 where it flew from Christchurch.

VH-LCL conducted a survey flight 11 February of just over 7 hours duration.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASY1011

Sikorsky S76B JA6766

New Zealand's sixth Sikorsky S76 arrived in the country earlier in February 2019. Registered JA6766 MSN 76-0447 was registered ZK-IBI to Oceania Aviation.

Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) operate the other five S76's with their two most recently examples, ZK-HQC and ZK-HQO, yet to enter service.

Great Sounding B-52 Flying Over - to be replicated at Masterton today week?!

BUFF over WOW!

Thank goodness a press release has been made about this most exciting news - I've was bursting to inform everyone of the upcoming historical event!

Announced through NZ media channels yesterday afternoon was the commitment by the United States Air Force to provide a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress to open the February 23rd 2019 Wings over Wairarapa airshow to be held Masterton's Hood Aerodrome on 23 February 2019. 

This will be a first for New Zealand airspace as to the best of a collective knowledge base of aviation historians we have never had a BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fella) in our skies.

The B-52 will be deployed from Guam's Anderson AFB and route via overhead Masterton on its way to the bi-annual Australian International Airshow hosted south of Melbourne at Avalon. One can expect an element of tanker support from most likely two or three Boeing KC135's. 

https://nz.usembassy.gov/new-zealand-debut-of-b-52-stratofortress-at-wings-20th-anniversary-air-festival/

The Cold War era strategic bomber are regularly stationed at the US territory of Guam providing a show of strength from the island's key geographical location. Several times a year one or two B-52's make the journey to Australia conducting bombing runs at target ranges in the Northern Territories and periodically they are deployed for operations from Darwin (pictured below during a diversion event in mid November 2018). 

Congratulations to those involved in bringing this aircraft to our skies!!

Ex Kiwi Blunty landing incident

Ex Royal New Zealand Air Force BAC-167 Strikemaster NZ6362, now registered N167BA with Blue Air Training LLC of North Las Vegas, had a landing gear collapse at its home airport on the afternoon of 08 February 2019.  No details as to the extent of damage - anyone read anything?

NZ6362 was active in New Zealand as ZK-NTY from 2014 until early 2017 when it, along with NZ6370/ZK-BAC, were exported to the USA. 

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/search?q=nz6362

Farewell to Air Asia - again

During early November 2018 Malaysian based airline Air Asia announced its intention to reduce flying activities to New Zealand and ultimately suspend flights from 10 February 2019. 

The final D7/XAX206/207 service from Kuala Lumpur to the Gold Coast and Auckland was flown by Airbus A330-300 9M-XXB. The KL-Gold Coast link will continue on a daily basis year round. 

Previous posts re Air Asia's NZ operation can be found HERE

November 2018 Press Release - Air Asia News Room and STUFF

Air Chathams ATR72 ZK-MCO enters service

As well covered across at 3rd Level NZ, ex Mt Cook Airline ATR72-500 ZK-MCO has been delivered to and subsequently entered service with Air Chathams providing a platform for the airline to conduct Tauck Tours charter flights domestically. 

Mentioned in a post last month, Australian based airline Alliance has, for the last few years, been contracted to fly the Tauck Tours charters and have used Fokker 50 VH-FKO each year. However nearing the conclusion of their contract Alliance ferried the Fokker 50 back to Australia and have since conducted flight operations with Fokker 70 VH-NKU (very briefly) and then Fokker 70 VH-QQX. The  Fokker operated what I thought was to be its flight on 07 February 2019 when VH-QQX flew from Queenstown to Auckland, however it then flew an Auckland-Queenstown flight 09 February. It then flew from Queenstown to Auckland and onward to Brisbane 10 February. 

On 07 February 2019 Air Chathams ATR72-500 ZK-MCO flew a series of what appears to be proving flights with it heading around the tour circuit - Auckland-Wellington-Woodbourne-Te Anau-Queenstown-Auckland. Then on the 8th it flew from Auckland to Wellington and Woodbourne. On the 10th it flew Woodbourne to Te Anau and Wellington.

ZK-MCO arriving Auckland from Nelson  24 January 2019 

ZK-MCO at Auckland 02 February 2019 

http://www.tauck.co.nz/tours/australia-travel/new-zealand-tours-nan-2019.aspx

Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-KEH

Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-KEH MSN 218 departed Hamilton 05 February 2019 for the Gold Coast on the first leg of its delivery flight to China. It pressed onto Longreach and Darwin 06 February. 

At Hamilton post second test flight. 

Arriving Darwin. 

Gippsaero GA8 Airvan VH-OHN

Gippsaero GA8 Airvan VH-OHN MSN GA8-14-206 arrived in New Zealand 07 February 2019 concluding its delivery flight from Australia. 

The smartly appointed Airvan flew from Archerfield to Lord Howe Island 05 February, then to Norfolk Island 06 February. On 07 February it continued to Auckland where customs clearance was conducted then proceeded onward to Woodbourne on delivery to Picton based Pelorus Air.

It was registered ZK-PEL on 13 March 2019. 

VH-OHN resting at Lord Howe Island 06 February 2019. 

http://www.pelorusair.com

Boeing 787-9 N840AN

American Airlines fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner's has reached 41 units with the introduction to service of N840AN MSN 40656. Built at the Boeing's Charleston facility, the 787 conducted its first flight on 08 January 2019 and was delivered to Dallas-Fort Worth 10 days later. 

08 February 2019 marked the aircraft's first visit to Auckland, however it has already visited Australia operating the mega carrier's Los Angeles-Sydney-Los Angeles run on 05 February 2019. 

N840AN exits Auckland's runway 05R at taxiway A3 having arrived from Los Angeles as AA83 08 February 2019. 

RNZAF SH2G(I) Seasprite NZ3612

The Royal New Zealand Air Force's Whenuapai based 6 Squadron has been operating variants of the Kaman Seasprite maritime helicopter since 1997 and are now onto their third batch of airframes in support of Navy. 

Go to http://www.adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzseasprite.htm for a comprehensive precis of the Seasprites. 

Kaman SH2G(I) NZ3612 made a brief appearance at Auckland International 05 February 2019 gracing the ramp at fixed base operator Skycare for VIP passengers to alight, presumably associated with the lead up to Waitangi Day in the Far North. 

Military Movers - January 2019

Seasonally quiet month lived up to expectations with just a handful of visitors, most of which have been represented on the blog with their own posts.

The first foreign military movement for 2019 was that of a somewhat exotic and first of type to NZ Royal Navy Agusta Westland AW169 Wildcat ZZ515 on deployment with frigate HMS Montrose. The helicopter made an unexpected visit to Auckland International 16 January 2019. 

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2019/01/hms-montrose-and-her-wildcat.html

Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed C130J Hercules A97-448 was the second visitor to our shores and it oddly made landfall at Whangarei on 18 January 2019 arriving from Richmond and departing for Brisbane. The Whangarei Airport company reported the Hercules was on a medivac flight. 

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2019/01/raaf-herk-visits-northland.html

United States Air Force Boeing C40 Clipper 01-0015 arrived in Wellington 22 January 2019 from Hickam and Pago Pago as SPAR55. It departed for Christchurch 25 January then out to Pago Pago 26 January. 

Republic of Singapore Boeing KC135R 752 visited Auckland 25 January 2019 arriving from and returning to Singapore/Paya Lebar as SAF9815. 

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2019/01/republic-of-singapore-air-force-boeing.html

United States Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III 08-8193 arrived in Christchurch 27 January 2019 from Hickam as RCH476. It has since started flight operations between NZ and Antarctica. 

The Lockheed LC130 Hercules team continue to ply their trade between William Field and Christchurch. 

Canadian Helicopters Squirrels at Nelson

Thanks to Richard Currie for sending these great shots of two Aerospatiale AS350 Squirrels parked at Nelson 02 February 2019. 

Both Squirrels, operated by Canadian Helicopters, have previous NZ history flying for Helicopters (NZ). 

C-GDWM, an AS350B2 MSN 2463, was registered ZK-HNZ between December 1997 and May 2007. It was then re-registered ZK-HDO before being cancelled October 2011 on export to Laos as RDPL-34185. 

C-GHVU, as AS350B2 MSN 2132, was registered ZK-HFH between December 2001 and June 2009, then as ZK-HVU from September 2013 until July 2018 when it took up its Canadian identity.

These two helicopters are in addition to the examples seen in NZ during Spring 2018.

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2018/10/canadian-helicopters-squirrels.html

Corporate Corner - January 2019

Execujet Challenger 604 VH-VSZ started the year's visiting jet movements with the aircraft briefly visiting Queenstown 01 January 2019 arriving from and returning to Sydney. The Challenger returned to NZ 03 January arriving in Rotorua from Sydney and Auckland. Onto Queenstown 04 January. From Queenstown to Sydney 07 January. 

ABS Jets Embraer Legacy OK-SUN has visited NZ before, back in 2010 and 2017, and it has returned again arriving at Nelson from Papeete via a techstop at Auckland 01 January 2019. It then made its way to Napier 06 January then a quick flight to Rotorua 10 January. From Rotorua to Auckland 20 January then back to Rotorua and onto Melbourne 23 January. From Melbourne back to Auckland 28 January.

Western Air Charter Global Express N228SS departed Queenstown for Napier and Rotorua 02 January 2019, then flew Rotorua back to Napier and onto Honolulu 06 January as EDG28.

Kayne Andersen Capital Gulfstream G650ER N801KF spent several hours at Queenstown 02 January 2019, arriving from and returning to Auckland. It departed Auckland 08 January for Los Angeles and Burbank.

Avcair PTY Phenom 300 VH-NSQ departed Auckland 03 January 2019 for Napier, Queenstown and Brisbane.

Journey Aviation Gulfstream G550 N588TN departed Queenstown 03 January 2019 for Honolulu.

Reliance Industries Global Express VT-AHI arrived in Auckland 03 January 2019 from Jakarta/Halim. It then flew onto Christchurch 08 January. The Global departed during the first hour of 12 January destined for Halim and then onto Mumbai. First visit to NZ.

LuxAviation Germany Global 5000 VP-CES arrived in Auckland 03 January 2019 from Sydney. It then flew to Rotorua on the morning of 07 January returning later the same day. From Auckland to Jakarta/Halim 08 January.

Business Aviation Solutions Citation VII VH-DHN briefly visited Wellington 04 January 2019 arriving from the Gold Coast and departing for Sydney.

MKAir7X Pty Falcon 7X M-GMKM departed Queenstown 04 January 2019 for Sydney, Melbourne and Male. It then arrived into Zurich 07 January.

Western Air Charter Gulfstream G550 N885GM arrived in Queenstown 04 January 2019 from Sydney as "Jetedge 85". It departed 08 January for Bora Bora and then conducted a round trip to Papeete and back 10 January. From Bora Bora to Papeete and Los Angeles 11 January.
First visit to NZ.

Sunset Aviation Global Express N283DM departed Auckland 04 January 2019 for Kona as TWY66.

Vanguard Aviation Citationjet CJ1 VH-DAA arrived in Auckland 05 January 2019 from Archerfield and the Gold Coast. Onwards to Nelson 06 January. From Nelson to Auckland and Norfolk Island 11 January, then to the Gold Coast and Archerfield 13 January.  First visit to NZ by this machine.

Air Tiger 1 LLC Gulfstream 5 N50KC departed Napier 05 January 2019 for Honolulu and Teterboro/NJ as EJM659.

Executive Airlines Citation Sovereign VH-EXG visited Queenstown 07 January 2019, arriving from Essendon and Hobart and departing for Essendon.

Lj Associates Global 5000 N267BW arrived in Queenstown 07 January 2019 from Kona/HI. It departed 10 January for Sydney. It then went on to visit Kingscote returning to Sydney 16 January. From Melbourne to Nadi and Kona 18 January. First visit to NZ.

Avwest PTY Global Express N599CH arrived in Christchurch 07 January 2019 from Perth.

Avcon Jet Gulfstream G550 OE-ICQ arrived in Auckland 08 January 2019 from Hong Kong as "Asterix 64L" making its first visit to our shores.

Qris Consulting Global Express N66866 arrived in Christchurch 10 January 2019 from Hong Kong. It then continued to Queenstown 13 January and then to Auckland 14 January. From Auckland to Shenzhen 18 January.   First visit to NZ.

Adolf Wuerth GmbH Falcon 7X D-ASSY arrived in Christchurch 10 January 2019 from Melbourne.
After just a short time on the ground the 7X continued north to Auckland. It departed for Brisbane 15 January then to Darwin 16 January. First visit to NZ.

Skyservice Business Aviation Challenger 350 C-FEDG arrived in Queenstown 12 January 2019 from Papeete and Auckland. It departed Queenstown for Napier 18 January. From Napier to Pago Pago and Kona 24 January.
The smart looking jet had made its way to Papeete 06 January from Maui via a brief stop at Lanai.

Lewis Aeronautical Falcon 7X N747RL arrived in Auckland 12 January 2019 from San Antonio/TX and Papeete ahead of the owner's DH98 Mosquito ZK-BCV first flight from Ardmore. The Falcon flew from Auckland to Queenstown 14 January returning to Auckland the following afternoon. It departed Auckland for Papeete and San Antonio 17 January.

M.r.v.l Investments Challenger 604 N604AU arrived in Queenstown 13 January 2019 from Sydney. It departed late 14 January on return to Sydney.

Execujet Australia Hawker 800XP VH-RIU arrived in Christchurch after dark 13 January 2019 from Sydney. Onto Nadi 14 January. From Nadi to Sydney 17 January.

Metrojet Gulfstream G650 B-KEY arrived in Auckland mid morning 14 January 2019 from Hong Kong. It departed 16 January on return to Hong Kong. The 650 made its way back to Auckland 28 January arriving from Hong Kong.

Langley Aviation/Tesco Stores Gulfstream G550 G-LSCW departed Auckland 14 January 2019 for Honolulu. It had arrived from Hong Kong back on 31 December 2018.

Sofrano Investments Beech 350 King Air F-OZEN arrived in Auckland 15 January 2019 from Magenta. It visit was brief with a departure around an hour later destined for Noumea. The King Air returned to NZ 27 January arriving in Kerikeri from Magenta and departing soon after for Noumea.

Jet Avation Business Jets Hong Kong/Star Vision Holdings Gulfstream G650ER VP-CVA arrived at Napier direct from Punta Arenas/Chile 16 January 2019. It departed Napier late morning 19 January direct to Hong Kong. First visit to NZ. This 650 had flown from Hong Kong to Papeete 02 January local date and after a few days departed direct to Rio de Janiero/Brazil.

Deerjet/Bairong Group Gulfstream G650 B-3255 arrived in Auckland from Hong Kong 17 January 2019. It departed for Sydney 20 January.

Crown Global Express VH-CCV arrived in Christchurch from Melbourne 17 January 2019 and departed on return to Melbourne the next day.

PF Travel LLC Falcon 50EX N98AC arrived in Auckland 20 January 2019 from Kona via a tech stop at Pago Pago. It flew to Queenstown 22 January and remained there until 26 January when it headed back to Auckland and onto Papeete. It then flew onto Bora Bora 27 January. First visit to NZ.

BH2 Aviation Gulfstream G650 M-BADU jetted into Queenstown 20 January 2019 from Boraldi-Almaty/Kazakhstan via a techstop at Manila. It departed for Melbourne 24 January.  From Melbourne it departed late 27 January for Macau and Astana/Kazakhstan.  First time visitor to NZ.

Viper Capital Falcon 7X N37TY arrived in Christchurch 20 January 2019 from Hobart. The 7X had passed over NZ five days earlier when it flew from Papeete to Hobart.

Pelair/Go-Jet Learjet 36 VH-SLJ arrived at Whenuapai 20 January 2019 from Nowra. It conducted target towing duties 21 and 22 January as "Baldock" and departed on return to Nowra 23 January.

Australian Corporate Jet Centre Hawker 800XP VH-OFJ made its first visit to NZ when it arrived in Hamilton from the Sunshine Coast 21 January 2019. Its visit was brief with the Hawker departing the same day for Essendon.

At Essendon 12 February 2018. 

State of Queensland Hawker 850XP VH-SGY briefly visited Auckland 24 January 2019 arriving from and returning to Brisbane.

Bruce Karsh Gulfstream G550 N525KF arrived in Auckland 25 January 2019 from Melbourne and departed the following evening direct to Van Nuys. The Gulfstream had arrived Melbourne 22 January from Honolulu, then flew to Sydney 23 January returning to Melbourne the following day.
This aircraft first visited NZ back in March 2017.

Execujet Asia Gulfstream G650 VP-CJR arrived in Auckland 25 January 2019 from Hangzhou.

Executive Aviation Taiwan Global 5000 B-98888 arrived in Auckland 26 January  2019 from Taipei/Songshan and departed the following day on its return to Songshan. First visit to NZ. This Global is a regular visitor to the island nation of Nauru.

EliteAvia/OJets Global Express 9H-OJS arrived in Auckland 27 January 2019 from Singapore/Seletar and Darwin as EAU39S. It departed for Papeete and Punta Arenas 28 January.
This machine is Shanghai/Pudong based and is making its first visit to NZ.

CML Aviation Gulfstream G350 VH-NKD arrived in Queenstown 27 January 2019 from Sydney and Essendon. It departed 31 January for Sydney.

Shortstop Jet Charter Falcon 900 VH-OAA arrived in Queenstown 27 January 2019 from Essendon and Sydney. It departed 31 January for Auckland, Sydney and Essendon.

Metrojet Gulfstream G650 B-KEY arrived in Auckland 28 January 2019 from Hong Kong.

Business Aviation Solutions Falcon 50 VH-FJQ arrived in Auckland 29 January 2019 from the Gold Coast and Apia. It departed on return to the Gold Coast 30 January.

Noumea Renting Citationjet CJ3 F-ONCP made a nocturnal visit to Auckland 31 January 2019 arriving from Magenta and Suva and departing for Noumea and Magenta.

Very recently registered to Deerjet Falcon 8X VP-CST arrived in Queenstown 31 January 2019 from Shenzhen.