United States Military Visitors to Christchurch

Some fantastic shots arrived in our email last week detailing some of the visiting United States military aircraft that have graced the Deep Freeze apron at Christchurch International. The seasonal Antarctic activity has seen multiple flights with C17 Globemaster III's to the ice and exercise Southern Katipo '17 saw the C130H Hercules from Minnesota and an Alaskan based C17 Globemaster III visit on numerous occasions. 

Thanks to those contributing these awesome shots.

A rare tail strip! And potentially a first visit? USAF Air National Guard Martinsburg, West Virginia C17 Globemaster III
 01-0196 arrived Christchurch from Ohakea on the evening of 06 November as Reach 404.  It departed 08 November for Kalaeloa/John Rodgers Field/HI.  

RAAF Lockheed C130J A97-448

Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed C130J Hercules A97-448 turned up at Ohakea on the afternoon of 03 November 2017 from Richmond and has since commenced operations with exercise "Southern Katipo 2017". 

This airframe is one of two RAAF J models to have a trial satellite communications suite installed as clearly seen with the distinctive aerial hump on the upper fuselage. 

https://www.inmarsat.com/news/inmarsats-global-xpress-exceeds-expectations-in-royal-australia-air-force-trials/

A97-448 at Woodbourne 05 November 2017. 

Luftwaffe Airbus A340-300 16+01

Touching down to a grey Auckland evening 05 November 2017 was the German Air Force/Luftwaffe Airbus A340-300 16+01. The ex Lufthansa now government VIP configured airliner made its way to New Zealand from Sydney in support of the visiting President of the German Bundestag (Federal Parliament) Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The President and his entourage traveled on board the A340 from Singapore to Perth, then onto Sydney however their journey to Wellington was made via a chartered Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800, VH-YIL, operating as VOZ9014, and it arrived in the NZ Capital at 1915 05 November 2017, around the same time as the A340 touched down at Auckland.

The President and his entourage made their way to Auckland 07 November on board VH-YIL and after a few hours in the City of Sails departed for Singapore on the Airbus A340.

This is the second visit to NZ by this particular A340. The first was in November 2014 when it carried German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/2014/11/vvip-departures.html

German Quartet take flight

The unique group of visiting German aircraft have taken flight and spread themselves around New Zealand before heading to Australia. 

The first to make a move was the TBM900 D-FSBG. It flew from Auckland to Rotorua 21 October and remained there until 26 October when it departed for Kerikeri. Them high performance single then flew direct to Queenstown 29 October. It accompanied Citation Mustang D-IJHO 01 November flying from Queenstown to Hobart and Melbourne/Moorabbin. 

Piper Cheyenne II D-INFO was the next visitor to take flight and it departed Auckland for Nelson 22 October and continued to Christchurch 23 October. From there the Cheyenne flew via a Mt Cook National Park scenic to Wanaka on 26 October. It flew to Christchurch and Taupo 30 October. On the first day of November D-INFO made its way from Taupo to Kerikeri then to Auckland. 02 November saw it head back to Kerikeri from where it embarked 03 November for Lord Howe Island and the Gold Coast.

Arriving Christchurch.

Parked up at Wanaka. 

Citation Mustang D-IJHO flew from Auckland to Taupo 23 October and on 26 October flew to Kerikeri arriving at the same time as the TBM900. It departed 29 October for Queenstown and crossed the Tasman to Hobart and Moorabbin 01 November. 

Finally, Citation 551 D-IHAG departed Auckland 25 October for Dunedin. It made the short hop to Wanaka 27 October from where it departed for Wellington 30 October. From Wellington to Queenstown 02 November then to Hobart 03 November.

D-IHAG parked up for the visit to Wanaka. 

And short finals runway 34 at Wellington. 

All four aircraft are expected to rejoin the "formation" at Bankstown, Sydney today.

Corporate Corner 01 October - 31 October 2017

Executive Airlines Citation Sovereign VH-EXG flew from Queenstown to Napier and Sydney 01 October. It then flew from Sydney to Nadi and Essendon 03 October. 

Deerjet Gulfstream G550 B-8132 arrived at Auckland 02 October from Shenzhen/Boan marking its first visit to the country. The G550 once work a colour scheme similar to South Korean carrier Asiana but has recently received a repaint and now wears a more contemporary colour scheme and the titles Hunter. it departed Auckland 07 October for Sydney. 

Arriving Auckland 02 October 2017 

Falconair PTY Falcon 20-F5 VH-FAI briefly visited Auckland 03 October arriving from and returning to Sydney. The jet is frequently employed in the air ambulance/aeromedical role. 

Falconair PTY Falcon 2000 VH-FJO arrived in Wellington mid afternoon 04 October from Sydney. The same afternoon/evening it flew to Christchurch then to Palmerston North. The jet then flew from Palmerston North to Christchurch and 05 October then from Christchurch to Palmerston North, Christchurch and back to Palmerston North 06 and 07 October. 09 October saw the Falcon hop to Whanganui then onto Auckland. It departed Auckland 10 October on return to Sydney then to Perth.

Short finals runway 34 at Wellington 04 October 2017. 

Execujet Australia Global 6000 VH-IEJ visited Auckland 05 October, arriving from and returning to Sydney.

Lockheed Martin Gulfstream G650ER N650VC arrived in Wellington 05 October from Melbourne. It had arrived in Sydney 03 October from Honolulu and the following day flew to Norwa, East Sale and Melbourne.
It departed Wellington mid afternoon 06 October for Papeete and Martin State Airport, Baltimore/MD.

Nice coverage of N650VC arriving at Wellington 05 October 2017. 

Avwest PTY Global Express N599CH arrived in Christchurch late afternoon 06 October from Perth. The Western Australian based Global had arrived into Perth the previous day from Muscat. The owners Bell 429 GlobalRanger ZK-HUU was noted departing Ardmore mid morning 06 October and it made its way south to Christchurch via a couple of intermediary stops for fuel. The Global departed Christchurch for Queenstown and Perth 10 October. N599CH returned to NZ 27 October arriving in Christchurch from Perth where it was again met by ZK-HUU.

Jetcity Learjet 45 VH-LJX briefly visited Auckland 06 October arriving from Nadi and departing for Essendon.

Beech King Air 350 F-OZEN arrived Auckland 09 October from Noumea and returned north 10 October.

Brenzil PTY Falcon 7X VH-CRW concluded its visit to Napier and departed direct to Brisbane 10 October.

Business Aviation Solutions Global Express VH-SGA arriving in Wellington 11 October from Essendon. Early afternoon 12 October saw the aircraft fly to Hamilton, then the 6 minute hop to Tauranga from where it departed direct to Essendon.

Marcplan Gulfstream G450 VH-MBP briefly visited Auckland 12 October, arriving from and returning to Sydney.

Execujet Global Express VH-ICV arrived in Auckland 12 October from Sydney. It returned to Sydney 14 October.

VH-ICV rotates from Auckland's runway 23L 14 October 2017. 

Crown Global Express VH-CCV arrived in Auckland 13 October from Melbourne and returned to Melbourne 14 October.

VH-CCV departing Auckland 14 October 2017.

Business Jets Falcon 900EX N146EX departed Auckland 13 October for Essendon. It later made its way to Sydney and Brisbane from where it returned to Auckland 20 October.

N146EX sprints down runway 23L at Auckland 13 October 2017. 

ANZA Challenger 604 N604AU arrived at Palmerston North 17 October from Sydney and Auckland. It departed early 18 October for Tauranga, Auckland and Sydney. From Sydney to Auckland, Tauranga and Palmerston North by the looks of it 19 October. From Palmerston North it flew to Auckland and Sydney 24 October.

Gulfstream G650 VP-CJR arrived at Auckland 19 October from Hangzhou.

VP-CJR arriving Auckland on a stunning spring day. 

Nucap Industries/Chartright Air Inc Global Express C-GNRS touched down at Wellington 20 October from Maui as HRT924. This aircraft visited NZ in January this year. It departed Wellington late 24 October destined for Tokyo/Haneda.

C-GNRS short finals runway 34 at Wellington 20 October 2017. 

Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors have recently taken delivery of Gulfstream G650 N829JV (MSN 6044) with the jet arriving at Auckland from Las Vegas and Los Angeles 24 October. After just over an hour on the ground N829JV departed for Melbourne/Essendon. From there it flew to Sydney, then to Melbourne/Tullamarine 27 October from where it departed late the same night destined for Auckland arriving in the early hours of 28 October.
The owners have previously visited NZ with their Global Express N801KF.

N829JV parked neatly at Essendon. 

Western Air Charter Gulfstream 5 N416RJ as EDG4 "Jetedge 4"arrived at Auckland 24 October from Sydney where it had arrived the previous afternoon. The Gulfstream departed Auckland 27 October heading back to Sydney.  This particular airframe, MSN 587, visited New Zealand during 2014 when operated by Ford Motor Company as N300K.
http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/search?q=n300k

Arriving Auckland 24 October 2017. 

CAT Aviation AG Falcon 7X HB-JOB as CAZ901 "Eurocat 901" arrived at Auckland 24 October from Bangkok/Don Meung. The Falcon made its way to Queenstown 29 October.
https://www.cat-aviation.com/

Arriving Auckland 24 October 2017. 

Nanshan Jet Boeing 737-7GJ BBJ B-5286 made its way to Auckland 25 October arriving direct from Singapore. It departed early afternoon 31 October for Darwin and Singapore.
http://en.nanshanjet.com/

B-5286 lifts off Auckland's runway 05R 31 October 2017. 

Stork Ltd Belize-based Falcon 7X VP-BZE, operated on behalf of Lord Ashcroft, arrived at Auckland early 26 October from Perth. The jet's visit was unusually brief with it departing late the same day destined for Papeete and Belize City.

Royal Australian Air Force Challenger 604 A37-003 arrived at Wellington 28 October from Canberra. it departed 29 October for Port Moresby and Canberra.

A37-003 flares to land at Wellington. 

Air Charter AG Challenger 601 HB-IKS arrived at Wellington 28 October from Sydney on its annual spring-time visit to the Capital.

Netjets Global 5000 N110QS touched down at Auckland early on the morning of 29 October from Teterboro/NJ via a techstop at Kona/HI. This is the first Netjets operated aircraft to visit our shores for a very long time. It visit was brief with it departing at 0117 local 30 October for Honolulu and Kona.

Tagjet Asia/Sky Clipper Ltd Gulfstream G650ER VP-CYZ arrived at Queenstown early afternoon 29 October direct from Hangzhou as TBJ87. It headed to Auckland arriving late the following morning.

VP-CYZ soon after its arrival at Queenstown. 

 

Pulling onto the Skycare ramp at Auckland. 

Air Alsie Falcon 7X OY-EJD arrived at Auckland mid afternoon 31 October from Kona/HI as "Mermaid 608".

OY-EJD arriving at Auckland. 

Korean Air Special Livery

Korean Airlines Boeing 777-3B5/ER HL8250 has recently re-entered service resplendent in the carrier's 9th children inspired livery. The aircraft visited Auckland 01 November 2017 as KE129/130. 

United Airlines INAUGURAL Boeing 777-300ER Landing + Takeoff | Auck...

Canadian Airvan

As a follow up to posts in recent weeks on the Gippsaero GA8 Airvan, Fredrick K Larkin has kindly sent in these fantastic shots of a Canadian based example that he had the pleasure of taking a ride in just last week. He writes:

I recently flew aboard C-GGTA, a Gippsaero GA8-TC Airvan operated by FlyGTA Inc out of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (CYTZ). We did a local flight around downtown Toronto and enjoyed the sound of the eight seater's 320hp Lycoming. 

This example, C/N GA8-TC-320-17-239, was built in 2017 and delivered in April. I am surprised only three of these machines are on the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register.

For those interested, GTA is used in common parlance around Canada and refers to the Greater Toronto Area. 

http://www.flygta.com

United Airlines resume Auckland services

United Airlines has resumed services between San Francisco and Auckland with the first flight of the season arriving into Auckland on the morning of 31 October utilising Boeing 777-300ER N2136U.

United operate a fleet of 14 -300's with the first example, N2333U, delivered in February this year. Four aircraft were delivered in March, one in May and five in June with the most recently delivered  aircraft, N2534U, entering service in October. 

The carrier will ramp up from 6 times per week to daily from late December with through until 24 March 2018.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-airlines-resumes-seasonal-service-to-new-zealand-300544870.html