Bell 429 ZK-IPJ

A brief respite in an autumnal weather front presented a few minutes of sunshine to catch Advanced Flight's recently acquired Bell 429 Global Ranger ZK-IPJ conducting a training exercise at Ardmore 28 May 2019. 

Imported as the last of three machines for Advanced Flight's recently awarded Police Air Wing contract, ZK-IPJ comes to NZ ex the Royal Australian Navy and its previous history along with additional images can be found HERE

The first 429 to wear the Police Air Wing colours of overall dark navy blue has been spotted at the operator's Pikes Point/Onehunga base wearing the identification "Police 11". 

Out of the 8 Bell 429's on our register, Advanced Flight operates all bar one, with the outsider being ZK-HUU operated by Bell 429 Operator Ltd registered to an Australian address but operated on behalf of its private owner based out of Queenstown. 

We caught up with the outgoing NZ Police Wing "squadron" back in March this year

https://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2019/03/police-formation.html

Airbus Helicopter H130 ZK-HXP

Spotted alighting from the Airbus Helicopters Ardmore facility on the afternoon of 27 May 2019 was the Advanced Flight operated Airbus Helicopter H130-T2 ZK-HXP/3. 

Registered to the Onehunga based company in March 2019, this example brings the NZ population to some 28 EC130's. 

Joint US/NZ Military Exercise - Update 30 May 2019

Firstly, thanks to Aaron Fox again for the provision of the identity of MH60 Black Hawk number 3, with it confirmed as being 05-20001.

After dark 28 May 2019 two Hawaiian based Boeing C17 Globemaster III's arrived into Whenuapai with 05-5150 arriving as TREK964 followed by 05-5148 as TREK965. Their nocturnal activity continued with both jets making the short hop to Auckland 29 May 2019 for fuel before embarking direct to Guam/Andersen AFB.

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Posted 13 May 2019:

United States Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III 09-9211 departed a blustery, wet Whenuapai after dark 12 May 2019 destined for Hickam.

Thanks to Noel Jones for the photo of the C17 and shots of the two MH60's, the third appeared to be in a hangar.

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Posted 12 May 2019: 

United States Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III 09-9211 arrived at Whenuapai on the evening of 11 May 2019 from Joint Base Lewis-McChord/Gray AAF via Hickam and Pago Pago as RCH557 and should have been carrying a third MH60 Black Hawk.

Thanks to A Fox, the first two US Army MH60's have been visually identified:
09-20270 
12-20478

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Posted 10 May 2019: 

United States Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III 07-7184 did depart Whenuapai direct to Guam/Andersen AFB as expected however not until the second hour (post 0100 local time) 08 May 2019. 

United States Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III 05-5147 made the short flight from Whenuapai to Auckland early afternoon 08 May 2019 for a fuel uplift and then departed direct to Honolulu/Hickam. 

The two MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were straight to work just after dusk 08 May 2019 and were noted operating in the Ardmore/Papakura area of South Auckland, home to a NZ Army base and Special Air Services training facility. It is reported the choppers are using the callsign CHUPA. 

Tragically a member of the NZ SAS team was critically injured during the evening exercise and was medivaced by the MH-60's to the Auckland Domain, adjacent to Auckland's main hospital.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12229480

Below average shot but a record none-the-less of the two US Army MH60's on location at the Papakura Army Camp 09 May 2019. 

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Posted 08 May 2019 : 

The NZ Defence Force announced at the end of April 2019 a joint US/NZ military exercise to be conducted across northern parts of New Zealand during much of the month of May.

AUCKLAND AND WAIOURU ALERT || Our personnel and a United States Army Aviation Regiment will conduct joint exercise in Auckland and Waiouru from 8-23 May 2019.

The exercise will involve a large number of military personnel, including special forces from both countries, as well as aircraft. Its purpose is to practise counter-terrorism integration techniques between the two countries.

Elements of it will be carried out in central Auckland, Whenuapai, Kaipara, Papakura and Waiouru. It will involve day and night flying, as well as live firing within the Kaipara Air Weapons Range.

The NZDF and US armies have trained together regularly for many years. The exercise has been planned since 2018 and is not in response to the recent events in Christchurch.

Members of the public may see personnel conducting military activities from helicopters in exercise areas.

There is no need for the public to be concerned if they see military action in Auckland over this period. We would like to thank the public in advance for their cooperation during the exercise.

The first movement associated with the exercise took place during the first hour of 07 May 2019 with the arrival at Whenuapai of United States Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III 07-7184 from Hickam and Pago Pago  as "Reach 607". It delivered two of three United States Army Sikorsky MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Tracking would suggest RCH607 started its journey from Charleston AFB and staged via McChord AFB and Travis AFB. It was expected to depart Whenuapai well after dark 07 May 2019 destined from Guam/Andersen AFB. Did it??

The second movement was the arrival of United States Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster III 05-5147 from Kadena and Guam/Andersen AFB as TREK913 just before 1400 07 May 2019 and appears to have been carrying exercise related supplies. 

Cessna A185F VH-TLO

Just over a month since the last tail-dragger delivery across the Tasman Sea we welcome another, this time a Cessna A185F VH-TLO. This former float configured example has graced the waters around Tasmania for much of its life in Australia but has now reverted to its conventional tail-dragger configuration. It embarked from Coffs Harbour on the afternoon of 27 May 2019 for the trip to Lord Howe Island where it then overnighted.  It then made the journey to Kerikeri and Mercer 28 May 2019 then onward to its new home of Nelson 29 May 2019. 

Thanks to Chase'n'Thyme for this class act shots at Lord Howe Island! We so appreciate having someone in this unique location to catch these transients.

Tigerair Australia Boeing 737-800 VH-VUB

Tigerair Australia Boeing 737-800 VH-VUB touched down at Christchurch mid morning 26 May 2019 from Melbourne as "TigOz 9002" for a planned maintenance visit with Air New Zealand.

This airframe was formally ZK-PBJ flying for then Pacific Blue and then Virgin NZ before integrating into the Virgin mainline fleet and becoming VH-VUB in early 2015 before transferring to subsidiary Tigerair Australia. 

750XL's depart for China

Hamilton-based aircraft manufacturer Pacific Aerospace dispatched not one but two of their 750XL utility turbine aircraft.

Flown by Steve Death and Reily Payne, the parachute configured Chinese bound 750XL's  ZK-KEI MSN 219 and ZK-KEK MSN 221 launched from Hamilton mid morning 25 May 2019 headed direct to the Gold Coast, but they ended up lobbing into Lord Howe Island for a quick slurp before continuing the Tasman Sea crossing. They both continued to Longreach and Darwin 26 May 2019 then to Manado, Indonesia on the 27th. 

Air New Zealand Boeing 777-200 fleet replacement announced

After months of speculation Air New Zealand earlier today announced its planned Boeing 777-200 fleet replacement selecting the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to fulfill its future plans. 

Powered by GE Aviation GEnx-1B engines, the order for now comprises of eight aircraft with the first due in 2022, which by then the 777-200 fleet will be roughly 17 years old. 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business-video/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503079&gal_cid=1503079&gallery_id=207320

An interesting artist's impression of the -10 flying over the Wanaka district, Central Otago.
Image courtesy of the Boeing Company.

YAK Attack

A chance visit to Ardmore on the afternoon of 24 May 2019 netted three members of the NZ Yakolev population.

North Shore based Yak 18T ZK-SSR accompanied recently imported Yak 52 ZK-DSJ on a departure to the north, presumably both destined for North Shore/Dairy Flat. The latter was imported from South Africa where it was registered ZU-DSJ. 

http://nzcivair.blogspot.com/search?q=zk-dsj

Soon after, New Plymouth domiciled Yak 52 ZK-YKA arrived with Brett Emeny at the controls.

Fog Diversion

While fog conditions caused mayhem for those wishing to travel in or out of Christchurch by air on the morning of 25 May 2019, it created excitement among Auckland aviation enthusiasts. The fog presented an opportunity for Singapore Airlines to lob their Airbus A350-900 into Auckland for the first time on a techstop as SQ297 from Singapore, with its planned landing at Christchurch thwarted by visibility severely hampered by persistent fog. 9V-SMD took the honors of becoming the first SQ Airbus A350 to visit Auckland arriving early afternoon having held for a couple of hours north of Christchurch following a failed attempt to land.

After uplifting a well deserved drink of Jet A1 the A350 made the journey south to Christchurch for a successful landing several hours behind schedule.

Meantime, local airline's were busy creating capacity to accommodate passengers affected by the inclement conditions with Air New Zealand deploying an Airbus A321NEO ZK-NNC on four domestic services and Boeing 777-200 ZK-OKJ which flew an Auckland-Christchurch-Auckland rotation.

Rodent Eradication - Lord Howe Island

A major rodent eradication project is underway on the unique Tasman Sea island of Lord Howe with two Helicopter Resources PTY AS350B2 Squirrels deployed from the Australian mainland. VH-HRD and VH-SRB are understood to have flown from Port Macquarie to Lord Howe Island earlier in May 2019 ahead of the project which will have NZ connections with the supply of pilots and products.

https://lhirodenteradicationproject.org/

Like similar eradication programmes, this one has met with resistance

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/may/07/a-nasty-place-at-the-moment-lord-howe-island-tense-as-rat-baiting-begins

Farewell Hong Kong Airlines

Hong Kong Airlines is the latest carrier to withdraw services from Auckland with the airline departing for the final time on 21 May 2019.

The airline commenced operations on the Hong Kong-Auckland route in November 2016 running daily services and this increased to twice daily on a seasonal basis during 2017/2018. However in February this year the airline announced it was to withdraw from the market

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/110605774/hong-kong-airlines-pulls-out-of-new-zealand

The final flights were flown by Airbus A330-200 B-LNE with it arriving just after noon on 20 May 2019 as HX27, and departing 12 hours later during the first hour of 21 May 2019 as HX28 heading back to Hong Kong.

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Post from 11 November 2016 : 

A new entrant to the New Zealand scene has made its first visit with Hong Kong Airlines introducing daily, year round services to Auckland from Hong Kong from 11 November 2016. 

The airline operates a fleet of 34 aircraft comprised of 11 narrowbody Airbus A320, 14 Airbus A330-200's and 9 of the larger -300 series. Of the 14 -200's, 5 of these are dedicated freighters. 

The first service, HX021 (radio callsign Bauhinia ~ Hong Kong Orchard Tree)  arriving at 0730 11 November, was operated by Airbus A330-200
B-LNF. its departure was a little late, scheduled off at 1030 but eventually away just after 1100.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiAImZ2opdU

Leonardo AW169 ZK-IZB

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust (ARHT) second Leonardo AW169 ZK-IZB MSN 69083 was delivered to Auckland by ship and the helicopter first noted at the operator's yet to be operational Ardmore base on 05 March 2019. It was officially placed on the NZ register 22 March 2019 as ZK-IZB - the registration in recognition of long standing support from Auckland based radio station ZB, formally known as 1ZB. 

Along with sistership ZK-HLH, ZK-IZB has been housed at the ARHT Ardmore base which is still undergoing conversion from its previous role as a helicopter training facility. 

I finally caught up with ZK-IZB for the first time on the afternoon of 21 May 2019 and had hoped to catch both 169's on location simultaneously but ZK-HLH was out and about around the Coromandel Peninsula on crew training. 

Airbus A320 ZK-OJO retires / exported

Like ZK-OJN before it, the prearranged lease for ZK-OJO to head for a Canadian start-up carrier was cancelled and the aircraft's owner has found a new home for it with Turkish carrier Onur Air. The Airbus A320 was noted outside at Christchurch on the morning of 17 May 2019 wearing its new identity of TC-ODE and as such it escaped a foggy 25 May 2019 morning for Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur.

Meantime the former ZK-OJN, now registered TC-ODD, has entered service in a hybrid livery maximising the colours it wore in Air New Zealand service.

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Posted 20 March 2019: 

Air New Zealand Airbus A320-232 ZK-OJO has been retired from the airline's service at the conclusion of flight NZ888 from Sydney to Christchurch where it touched down at 0031 18 March 2019. The aircraft had criss-crossed the Tasman Sea starting before day break 17 March as NZ701 from Auckland to Sydney, then to Norfolk Island as NZ762 returning to Sydney as NZ763. 

ZK-OJO was delivered to the Air New Zealand Group in 2006 and initially operated on behalf of budget arm Freedom Air where it wore the colourful Warner Brothers/Movie World scheme. 

It was then merged into the Air New Zealand fleet two years later. 

Like ZK-OJN, ZK-OJO is destined for Canadian start-up carrier Jetlines.

https://jetlines.ca/

Auckland June 2006

Auckland April 2016

Cirrus SR22 N738NZ

Cirrus Aircraft 2019 edition Cirrus SR22 N738NZ arrived at Auckland 16 May 2019 from Norfolk Island. 

On delivery to manufacturer's Fielding based distributor, the Cirrus was shipped to Australia for construction and embarked from Redcliffe/QLD 15 May 2019 for Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. 

Arriving to a showery Auckland afternoon. 

Falcon 7X A56-001 - first visit to New Zealand

Delivered to 34 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force on 16 April 2019, Dassault Falcon 7X A56-001 MSN 283 is the first of three such aircraft ordered to replace the VIP squadron's three Challenger 604's. 

As ASY314, the 7X made its way from Canberra to Norfolk Island 14 May 2019, then continued to Wellington 15 May 2019 arriving just after midday.

This is the third Dassault product utilised by the RAAF in a VIP role, the first being a trio of Falcon 20's from 1967 until 1989, then five Falcon 900's from 1989 until 2002.

https://australianaviation.com.au/2019/04/raaf-to-replace-challenger-cl-604-with-dassault-falcon-7x/

Airbus A321NEO ZK-NNE delivered / Enters service

Airbus A321NEO ZK-NNE entered commercial service on the morning of 11 May 2019 operating as NZ516 from Christchurch to Auckland, then returning to Christchurch as NZ523.

ZK-NNE arriving back to a foggy Christchurch having left from an even foggier Auckland!

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Posted 09 May 2019:

Air New Zealand's fifth 214 seater Airbus A321NEO has been delivered with ZK-NNE MSN 8799 arriving into Christchurch before dawn 06 May 2019 as ANZ6098 from Kuala Lumpur and Cairns. 

ZK-NNE first flew on 10 April 2019 under the manufacturer test registration of D-AVZF as AIB799A conducting a 4.5 hour flight from/to Finkenwerder. A second flight was undertaken two days later followed by a customer acceptance flight on 26 April 2019. 

It departed for Muscat 02 May 2019 and spent two nights there before heading onto Kuala Lumpur for a night, then through to Cairns (crew change) and onto Christchurch. 

https://aibfamily.flights/A320/8799

This is the second New Zealand registered airliner to wear this particular identity.  The first was Britten-Norman BN2A-2 Islander operated by Friendly Island Airways. With a MSN of 661, the Islander was first registered G-AZDL back in August 1971 and delivered to Cook Island Airways, Rarotonga as ZK-KHA in October 1973. It remained ZK-KHA when it moved to Tonga Air Services in December 1979 but following conversion to a BN2A-20 and change of ownership to Friendly Island Airways of Tonga in December 1985 it was re-registered ZK-NNE. It kept its ZK marks when the Tongan operator was changed to Royal Tongan Airways in June 1989 but was exported to Fiji in November that year to become DQ-FET flying for Fiji Air. It later went onto fly with Vanua Air Charter and Air Fiji before being withdrawn from service at Suva.

Airbus A320 ZK-OJN retires / exported

Airbus A320 ZK-OJN was cancelled from the NZ register 01 May 2019 having already had its future identity of TC-ODD applied a few days earlier. It departed under its Turkish registration for Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur on 03 May 2019 then to Ahmedabad and Istanbul 04 May  on delivery to Onur Air https://www.onurair.com/en/.

It is understood ZK-OJO is now also destined to head for Turkey with the Canada Jetlines start-up operation now delayed.

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Posted 07 February 2019:

Hot on the heels of Airbus A320 ZK-OJA retirement, ZK-OJN MSN 2594 has flown its last sector for Air NZ arriving in Christchurch at the end of flight operations 03 February 2019. The Airbus started its day out of Auckland as NZ523 to Christchurch, then flew to Queenstown as NZ647 and back to Christchurch as NZ646. It then hopped across to Brisbane as NZ805 returning to Christchurch as NZ804 touching down at 2358 03 February 2019. 

This example was delivered to the Air NZ Group in mid November 2005 and was operated under the Freedom Air air operator's certificate on a mixture of Freedom Air and Air New Zealand flights, wearing full Air New Zealand livery but crewed by Freedom Air. It flew the low cost carrier's final flights between Auckland and the Gold Coast 29 March 2008 and was the first Airbus A320 in the fleet to receive the modern Panasonic inflight entertainment package introduced in September 2008. 

It is understood ZK-OJN is destined for low cost carrier start-up Canada Jetlines to be followed by ZK-OJO. Note this corrects information in our blog post yesterday regarding ZK-OJA. ZK-OJA is supposedly now to be "stored" Christchurch pending disposal. Thanks PVS!

Departing Auckland on its second last day of service.