Saga International Balloon Fiesta

Something completely different to our normal blah blah blah posts

The 2017 Saga International Balloon Fiesta was held at the beginning of November on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

http://www.sibf.jp/en/

With sincere thanks to one of our roving reporters, we decided these photos from the fiesta were just way to awesome to languish in the email inbox so without further ado - enjoy!

Thai Airways Dreamliner

Thai Airways have this year taken delivery of two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, HS-TWA and HS-TWB. Both aircraft are to be full time employed operating solely between Bangkok and Auckland on daily services with the first of these arriving into Auckland 17 November 2017 as TG491 flown by HS-TWB.

Thai has operated 6 of the smaller Dash 8 Dreamliners since mid 2014 and their first Dash 9 was delivered mid September this year while today's visitor was delivered 31 October 2017.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11944272

While the Dreamliner is scheduled to operate daily services, today (18 November) the type is being substituted by Boeing 777-300 HS-TKX. 

Singles across the Tasman

A couple of single engine aircraft have crossed the Tasman Sea recently.

The first was Cessna 182T Skylane VH-KHW (182-81680). Most recently registered to Port Augusta, Western Australia address, the 2005 edition Cessna arrived at Kerikeri 06 November 2017 from Port Macquarie via a brief fuel top-up at Lord Howe Island. The 182 continued onto Tauranga the same day and was inducted to a local maintenance provider so nice to see another aircraft soon to join the register.
It made the simple transition to ZK-KHW on 28 November to a private owner in Te Puke. 

The second aircraft was Piper PA46-310P Malibu VH-JVX. This 1984 model is registered to Thermaguard PTY Ltd of Mt Gambier, South Australia, and it departed from its home port 13 November 2017 for Hobart from where it embarked on its Tasman Sea crossing to Queenstown 14 November. The same evening it was noted heading for Nelson. However it may well have ended up at Motueka in lieu of Nelson as it was noted there 16 November undergoing maintenance.
It was registered ZK-ORZ on 24 November to Heli Lease of Taupo.

And updating the 750XL's - ZK-KDN departed Darwin 15 November for Manado. 

Chilean Air Force Boeing 767-300 985

Making its second visit to Auckland this year was the Chilean Air Force VIP transport Boeing 767-300 985.  It spent a couple of hours on the ground 12 November 2017 carrying Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria and entourage home to Santiago from the APEC 2017 summit held in the Vietnam city of Da Nang.

Arriving Auckland 12 November 2017. 

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.co.nz/search?q=985

Piper Cheyenne 400LS VH-PFQ

The New Piper Aircraft Inc Piper PA42-1000 Cheyenne 400LS VH-PFQ has arrived in New Zealand after an early evening arrival into Auckland 12 November as "Aircorp 1". VH-PFQ started its day at Maitland/NSW and staged via the Gold Coast and Norfolk Island. It continued to Paraparaumu 13 November.

Its arrival is a little perplexing considering the Airways Corporation recently registered VH-BUR in NZ as ZK-FIS - as previously posted.

VH-PFQ conducted calibration duties during September 2016 and has a past NZ history having flown as ZK-RUR from 1996 until 2008 when it was exported to Indonesia where it became PK-ZGZ. 

VH-PFQ arriving Auckland 12 November 2017. 

Cessna 208B N578AZ

Arriving at Ardmore late afternoon 10 November 2017 was Cessna 208B Grand Caravan N578AZ. 

The 2003 edition Caravan, MSN 208B-1019, was previously operated by Horizon Management Corp as N787RA and became N578AZ in August this year with Southern Wings Aircraft Sales of Oklahoma City. 

The 208 made the trip from Merced/CA to Honolulu 07 November then an early start 09 November for the flight south to Apia from where it made its way to Auckland and Ardmore 10 November. 

It is due to head for Dunedin this morning where it will undergo NZ certification ahead of entry to service for the busy summer tourist season flying out of Queenstown. 

N578AZ is set to join the Milford Sound Flights Ltd/Real Journeys fleet as ZK-MCI joining fellow Grand Caravans ZK-MCL and ZK-MSF. Its arrival sees the NZ population of 208's reach 19 aircraft.

Pacific Aerospace Xstol's head offshore - Updated 12 November 2017

The spate of Pacific Aerospace 750XL exports continue with the departure from Hamilton 09 November 2017 of ZK-KDN MSN 209.  The aircraft capitalised on favourable wind conditions across the Tasman Sea by flying from Hamilton direct to the Gold Coast bypassing the normal Lord Howe Island fuel stopover. It flew onto Longreach 10 November. 

From our earlier post, ZK-KDO and ZK-KEB were cancelled from the ZK register 07 November 2017 as exported so presumably they have adopted Chinese identities. 

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Post from 01 November 2017:

Another Pacific Aerospace 750XL has made its way offshore with ZK-KDP MSN 212 departing from Hamilton 01 November 2017 for Lord Howe Island and the Gold Coast. It continued to Longreach and Darwin 02 November and to Manado, Indonesia 03 November. 

ZK-KDP on its brief layover at Lord Howe Island 01 November 2017. 

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Post from 25 October 2017:

The first Pacific Aerospace 750XL's to depart New Zealand by air for some time took flight 21 October 2017 when ZK-KDO MSN 211 and ZK-KEB MSN 213. Departing within 10 minutes of each other, the 750's launched from the manufacturer's Hamilton home for Lord Howe Island then onto the Gold Coast. From there the duo departed 22 October for Longreach and Darwin.  They both departed for Manado, Indonesia 23 October as their journey to the World Fly-In Expo to be held at Wuhan, China from 4 November. 

also see
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2017/08/our-aircraft-manufacturer.html

Thanks to Delticman, ZK-KDL MSN 208 was the last 750XL delivered by air with it departing NZ in February this year heading to Thailand for parachute operations. Meanwhile, ZK-KDJ MSN 207 remains static at Darwin having arrived in early December 2016.

Tasman Cargo Airlines Boeing 757-200 VH-TCA

Tasman Cargo Airlines Boeing 757-200 VH-TCA, operating on behalf of global freight logistics company DHL, has been rolled out wearing new decals to promote the TV series "The Grand Tour". DHL has been the official logistics partner for the TV show since its inception in 2016. 

http://www.delivered.dhl.com/en/articles/2016/09/dhl-buckles-up-for-the-grand-tour.html

The jet's first flight with Jeremy Clarkson on the tail took place 11 November 2017 to coincide with Tasman Cargo's only scheduled daylight service between Auckland and Sydney, which takes place on Saturday's. Today's flight operated a couple of hours earlier than normal to allow time at Sydney for promotional activities. 

LATAM Boeing 787-8 CC-BBI

Making a special visit to New Zealand this week was LATAM's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner CC-BBI. The aircraft, using the callsign "LAN Peru 1261" (LPE1261) arrived at Auckland mid morning 07 November 2017 from Lima, Peru, carrying the country's national soccer team to New Zealand ahead of their 2018 World Cup playoff against the All Whites at Wellington this coming weekend. The team themselves are understood to be traveling by Air New Zealand to the Capital for the game. 

CC-BBI was delivered to LAN in September 2014 and visited New Zealand on a number of occasions wearing the old livery but has now adopted the LATAM scheme and has had added along the fuselage a red and white strip, presumably specifically for the carriage of the Peruvian soccer team. 

The Dreamliner departed Auckland at noon 08 November 2017 heading direct to Santiago as LAN1232, a different callsign/identifier to the inbound leg.