Visiting Challenger - updated

Operated by Melbourne based Jetcity, Challenger 604 N604AU is seen in the photo having arrived at Wellington 25Sep from Napier. The Challenger had arrived at Wanganui from Sydney and Palmerston North 18Sep and flew back to Palmerston North 23Sep before then heading to Napier 24Sep. Its movements seem to be partially aligned to significant charter activity around NZ with the likes of Metro POB, POF, Boeing 737-200 NQC, Chieftain VIP, Jetstream JSH, Convair CIF, Titan NDY, Cessna 402 VAD and King Air MKG all employed in some way or another.
N604AU departed Wellington on the afternoon of 26Sep for Brisbane.


Phil Craig photo

Snowbird

Skytrader's Airbus A319-115LR VH-VHD "Snowbird 1" arrived at Christchurch from its Melbourne base 22Sep and this morning is venturing south to the Antarctic's Ice Runway
for the first time this season.

VH-VHD has recently returned to Australia following an Captains Choice VIP passenger charter which saw the aircraft fly from Sydney to Cairns and Narita in early September then stops at Almaty, Kiev, Muscat, Addis Ababa, Kilimanjaro, Mahe, Halim/Jakarta and back to Sydney and Melbourne on 14Sep.


At Christchurch 22Sep, Tony McFarlin photo

Airbus A320 ZK-OJP

Air NZ have released this video to announce a special livery to be carried on their next Airbus A320 to be delivered in January 2011, ZK-OJP. This aircraft will be employed on domestic only services due to a revised configuration specific to internal flying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1XubCSbP6g&feature=player_embedded

Rockers Arrive

Rock group "Metallica" touched down at Christchurch this afternoon from Sydney on board Gulfstream 550 N55AL for two concerts in the Garden City before heading to their next venue, Japan, later in the week. The group's gear arrived via a Singapore Airlines Cargo 747-400 freighter over the weekend.


Short finals for runway 20 at Christchurch, Bluebus photo

ZK's Abroad

A significant number of aircraft are currently domiciled abroad, mostly earning their keep in a commercial capacity. The following is a brief outline of what I know of and I'd appreciate feedback to amend/correct/add to these details!

Agusta 119 Koala ZK-ISR is touring Europe at present and seems to be operating from the super yacht "Senses". It was photographed at Durban in December last year, Norwich, UK in June this year, Riga, Latvia and Liege, Belgium last month. It is registered to owners in Tauranga.

At Ardmore soon after its delivery in January 2009, MRC photo

Cessna 206 ZK-JAO departed NZ in February of this year and was subsequently noted carrying out parachute operations from Coffs Harbour. It arrived at Camden near Sydney in May and has been struck of the NZ register as "revoked".

At Ardmore October 2009, MRC photo

Wingnut/Execujet Gulfstream 550 ZK-KFB is based at Melbourne/Essendon.

Arriving at Auckland June 2010, Wayne Grant photo

Cessna 421 ZK-LOY departed NZ 14 Sep 2006 on an around the world trip and flew in an easterly direction as far as Male in the Indian Ocean where it appears to have been resident for the last three years or so awaiting "attention"....
http://www.pbase.com/image/101612905

At Ardmore December 2005, MRC photo

Aerial Mapping Aero Commander 690 ZK-MOH departed from NZ May 2006 and has not returned! It has been noted operating through Africa and Europe.

http://www.nzam.com/article.asp?id=saudi_border

At Auckland February 2006, MRC photo

Citation Mustang ZK-MOT is resident at Sydney's Bankstown Airport and is for sale having been replaced by a brand new example, ZK-MUS.

Leaving Auckland March 2010, MRC photo

Aerial Mapping Cessna 402 ZK-PVC flew from Auckland to Norfolk Island in early June this year and later continued to Fiji.

MRC photo

Auckland based Airwork operate 3 ZK registered Boeing 737-300 freighters in Australia and to the Pacific Islands of Vanuatu and Solomon Islands on behalf of Toll Holdings.

ZK-TLA arriving at Auckland in September 2009, Wayne Grant photo

ZK-TLC departing Auckland in September 2007, John Rankin photo

ZK-TLD at Auckland in September 2010, Wayne Grant photo

Vincent Aviation have a large presence in Australia with a number of aircraft deployed from their Darwin hub primarily on the VH register. However in recent months Dash 8-102 ZK-VAC has been operating in Australia on charter flights for Air Cruising Australia.

At Wellington October 2005, Mike Condon photo

Also currently flying from Vincent's Darwin base is 1900C ZK-VAE having arrived in the Northern Territories in December 2009.

At Woodbourne August 2005, Mike Condon photo

In addition to the aircraft mentioned above, Air Chathams have aircraft operating in the Kingdom of Tonga as Chathams Pacific Airlines. Currently stationed out of Tonga is Metroliner ZK-CIC and Convair ZK-CIE along with Embraer 820C ZK-RDT which has recently undergone an ownership change back to its previous operator, Great Barrier Airlines.

See
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/08/metroliners-of-air-chathams.html
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/08/embraer-820c-zk-rdt.html

Soundsair Caravan ZK-SAA is operating in the Northern Territories of Australia on lease to Kakadu Air.

Gisborne based Kiwi Air http://www.kiwiairltd.co.nz/ operate a large number of Pacific Aerospace 750XL's on survey work around the world.

The following is known to have departed NZ:

750XL ZK-FNZ ideparted May 2008

750XL ZK-JBC departed April 2006

750XL ZK-XLA currently in NZ

750XL ZK-XLB departed June 2008

750XL ZK-XLE currently in NZ

750XL ZK-SWA departed 2008

Cresco ZK-LTP departed June 2010

Reims/Cessna 406 ZK-XLF currently in NZ

Pacific Aerospace 750XL's also feature with parachute operators in Europe and have remained on the ZK register. These include:

ZK-JFM in Sweden and departed May 2008

ZK-JHM in Switzerland and departed March 2009

ZK-JGI in Sweden and departed June 2010 (after rebuild)

ZK-JQK in England and departed June 2005

ZK-KAY also in England and departed June 2004

http://www.airliners.net/photo/North-West-Parachute/Pacific-Aerospace-750XL/1308943/M/

Pacific Aerospace have 750XL ZK-KAK located in the Americas on demo duties with it having departed NZ back in September 2009.

Stevenson Skywork Kaman K-1200 ZK-HEE has been working in Australia and was noted in Western Australia during April 2009. Is it still abroad?

North Shore Helicopters Eurocopter EC130 ZK-IGM has, to my knowledge, never been to NZ and is a European resident.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Eurocopter-EC-130B-4-(AS-350B-4)/1411737/M/

Helicopters NZ often have helicopters overseas and the most recent departure was that of Bell 412 ZK-HVM which was noted at Mechanics Bay earlier this month and it has since been shipped to Australia and cropped up at Redcliffe near Brisbane.

Something at last!

Following a busy first week of September, the remainder has been decidedly dull with a planned visit by Phenom 300 PT-PVY to Auckland been postponed/cancelled due to a technical problem and the aircraft remains parked at Sydney.

Gulfstream 450 N703LH broke the visitor drought and arrived at Christchurch 18Sep from Haneda and Port Moresby.


At Christchurch, Bargeld01 photos

Challenger 604 N604AU, operated by Jetcity, arrived at Wanganui from Essendon, Sydney and Palmerston North. The aircraft will be around NZ for the next week or more.

01-07 September 2010

01 September 2010
DHL Boeing 757-200 freighter G-BMRJ flew is first freight run on behalf of Tasman Cargo Airlines from Auckland to Sydney and back replacing Boeing 727-200 freighter VH-DHE. See earlier post.

02 September 2010
Nil significant activity

03 September 2010
As previously blogged, Toll Holding Boeing 737-300 freighter ZK-TLD arrived at Auckland during the morning from Brisbane as AWK01.

04 September 2010
A massive 7.1 earthquake struck Central Canterbury at 0435 this morning closing the airport at Christchurch until early afternoon and causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure across the region.
Two Australian TV channels flew across to report on the natural disaster, the first arriving via Citation X VH-RCA from Sydney which then positioned to Dunedin and the second on board Learjet 60 VH-EXJ, flying from/to Sydney and making its first visit to NZ registered as VH-EXJ. This airframe has been a regular visitor to our shores when it was VH-OCV in the earlier part of the decade before having a short stint in The Philippines as RP-C2956.

VH-EXJ at Christchurch, Matt Hayes photo

In addition to the two corporate visitors to Christchurch, the NZ Airways Corporation utilised Cessna 402 ZK-VAD to carry out a calibration sortie prior to the airport reopening and it was soon followed by Christian Aviation Piper PA31 ZK-CAL from/to Ardmore and Beech 58 N254F from Ardmore.

Challenger 300 N818RC made its second visit to NZ this year when it arrived at Auckland from Kona and Apia. It spent a night at Auckland in late May.

05 September 2010
Jetstar Airbus A320 VH-VGP was noted at Christchurch this morning wearing a special decal to show the airline's support for "Powderfinger", an Australian band.


Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 N586HA arrived at Auckland from Honolulu this afternoon for maintenance with Air NZ.

Hawker 800 N838JL arrived at Auckland after dark from Honolulu via Christmas Island and Pago Pago.

Qantas operated Boeing 747-400 VH-OJE through Christchurch today on the airline's scheduled QF45/46 service from/to Sydney for additional capacity following the disruptions incurred the previous day.

06 September 2010
Hawker 800 N838JL departed Auckland for Honolulu via Pago Pago and Christmas Island.

Wayne Grant photo

Embraer Legacy PP-VVV arrived at Auckland late today from Brisbane. This Brazilian based aircraft had arrived at Brisbane from Hawaii and Nadi 29Aug and had visited Sydney, Rockhampton, Townsville and Melbourne during its time in Australia.

Citation VII VH-LYM arrived at Auckland from its Darwin base via a techstop at Sydney.

07 September 2010
Challenger 300 N818RC departed Auckland at midday for Melbourne and Perth.

Wayne Grant photo

Embraer Legacy PP-VVV departed Auckland for Apia.

Wayne Grant photo

Foreign Flyables in NZ - Part Two

Continuing the documentation of foreign registered aircraft in NZ, there are only three (to my knowledge) Australian registered aircraft gracing our skies, excluding the Jetstar fleet which moves back and forth across the Tasman onto the NZ domestic network.

Piper PA32R-201T VH-AQM arrived at Auckland (where it was photographed) on 24Aug10 and was noted flying from North Shore to Napier and back 31Aug.

Via Wayne Grant

Bell 47J Ranger VH-JEY is hangered at Ardmore having first been noted there 14 July 2009.
It is registered to Phil Maguire who owns a local helicopter training organisation at Ardmore.

Mike Condon photo

Piper PA32R-300 VH-JMT arrived in NZ during March of 2009 and is registered to John Millar of Otatara, Invercargill. It is seen here at Ashburton in May 2009.

Dave Paull photo

Fugro Aero Commander 500 VH-KAV arrived at Auckland on 26Nov09 and was later noted flying out of both New Plymouth and Wanganui in the early New Year. To the best of my knowledge, the aircraft is still somewhere in NZ.

At Auckland, Wayne Grant photo

Is Cessna 182RG VH-MII, arrived at Kerikeri from Norfolk Island in March 2008 and was for sale at Ardmore having spent a few years in the country prior to 2008 also, still in the country?

Additionally, it has been recorded that Cessna 180A JA3109 resides at North Shore, is this still the case? Plus, in Rangiora is Fleet 80 Canuck C-FDQM, refer www.nzcivair.blogspot.com/2008/07/canadian-fleet.html

Toll 737 freighter

Auckland based Airwork operate a contract in Australia on behalf of Toll Priority freight and provide 3 737-300 freighters to fly services mostly up and down the Eastern seaboard and services to Honiara and Vanuatu.

Boeing 737-3B7 ZK-TLD arrived at Auckland from Brisbane mid morning on 03Sep, presumably for maintenance with Airwork.

Wayne Grant photo

Foreign Flyables Part One Update Two!

An avid aviation adventurer has kindly provided photos of 1946 Taylorcraft BC-12D N44022 in action from Kelly Field near Mercer south of Auckland.



Thanks to "CKE" for providing these great shots.

Foreign Flyables Part One Update

Phil Craig has kindly supplied the following shots of Stampe N10702 and Chipmunk N861WP taken at Masterton in April this year.

Recent Visitor...... revisited

Spotted over the South China Sea recently at FL450 having recently departed Singapore heading for Japan was Mexican Challenger 300 XA-JGT which was a recent visitor to Auckland and Rotorua.

Photos thanks to Bargeld01 as he cruised along at FL360!

Foreign Flyables in NZ - Part One

New Zealand is home to a number of foreign registered airworthy aircraft that for one reason or another have not made it to the ZK register.

The following is a record of those I know about, are there any others? Please note, I'm only mentioning airworthy examples.

Piper PA30 N2V arrived at Ardmore in early June this year and is still resident.

Wayne Grant photo

Rank Group's Global Express N57LE lives at Auckland and is seen here parked at Nadi, Fiji in 2009.

Mike Condon photo

Piper Merdian N598C is based at Palmerston North and it arrived in NZ mid June of this year.

At Adak 15Jun10, Rob Leach photo

Beech Duke N60TE spends most of its time at Dunedin, however it is seen here at its second home of Ardmore in March 2009.

Mike Condon photo

Business Jets/Sleephead Beds Falcon 900EX N146EX is an Auckland resident. It is seen here at Christchurch November 2007.

Mike Condon photo

Beech 58 Baron N146WA lives at North Shore and has done since July 2008. It is pictured here at Ardmore in February 2009. It is currently in Australia where it has spent the last couple of winters on vacation.

Mike Condon photo

Around the World traveller Piper PA31T Cheyenne N178SG is currently resident at Ardmore having arrived there in in January of this year. The owner intends to continue his journey over time back to his home country of France.

At Ardmore 10 March 2010, Mike Condon photo

Beech 58 Baron N254F arrived at Auckland on delivery in late October 2009. It seems to have spent time at Hamilton registered to Kiwi Lion LLC however it is now hangered at Ardmore where it is pictured in March 2010.

Mike Condon photo

Cessna 172S N510LP is registered to Southern Cross Aviation of La Paz, Arizona but has been noted several times at Ardmore where again it is pictured on 27 January 2010.

Mike Condon photo

Avions Mudry CAP10B N780S is registered to a Timaru owner and was first made known to the author when it visited Hokitika in November 2008 where it is pictured.

Mark Hampton photo

Piper Malibu N9099Z, delivered to NZ in June 2007, is now based at Nelson having previously lived at Rangiora.

At Auckland nearing the end of its delivery flight 13Jun07, Mike Condon photo

Other USA registered aircraft airworthy in NZ are:

Masterton based Chipmunk N861WP and Stampe SV4C N10702

Motueka based NA Harvard N4269P

On tour around the South Island is Robinson R44 N502KG

Does anyone know if the following are still about and airworthy?

Luscombe Silvaire 8A N45856

Luscombe Silvaire 8E N1757K

Stampe SV-4C N147W

Taylorcraft BD-12D N44022

Travelair 4000 N8134

Changes Afoot............

Tasman Cargo Airlines hand has been forced to replace the ageing Boeing 727-200 freighter VH-DHE from 01 September this year following the implementation of revised aircraft noise restrictions in Australia.
As a consequence of this move, the operator has leased European based Boeing 757-200 freighter G-BMRJ with this aircraft arriving at Auckland on the evening of 30Aug from Singapore and Sydney as DHK757. It is understood G-BMRJ will be in the region for at least 6 months while Tasman Cargo Airlines source their own aircraft.

The setting of our watches to the rumbling departure of DHE at 8pm most week nights is now a thing of the past with it flying its last HJ1/2 service from Auckland to Sydney and back tonight.

G-BMRJ rests outside the Air NZ Jet Base 31Aug, Wayne Grant photo

VH-DHE on its dedicated freight apron in January 2009, Mike Condon photo

Royal Brunei

Royal Brunei introduced their recently acquired Boeing 777-200 to their Auckland schedules from 31Aug replacing the Boeing 767-300 on the route.

V8-BLA, ex 9V-SVF, had the honours of operating the first service while Boeing 767-300 V8-RBG flew the last service by the type for Royal Brunei through Auckland the previous morning.

All services to/from Auckland will now be operated by the 777.

Wayne Grant photo

Farewell Cargolux

In July of this year Cargolux signalled their intention to withdraw from the Australasian market after a decade of operations as a result of the continued high operating costs of this around the world flight (which was previously operated twice a week and reduced to once per week sometime ago).

The last flight operated through Auckland 30 August 2010 with Boeing 747-400 freighter
LX-MCV arriving from Hong Kong and Melbourne and then departing for Los Angeles as CV731.


Photos supplied