Interesting to spy Cessna 404 Titan VH-ZUI turning up at Auckland just on dusk 29 June 2018 after a direct flight from the Gold Coast. It departed Auckland late morning 30 June destined for Hamilton. The light utility twin appears to be a re-import to New Zealand having spent a few years in the country as ZK-NDY. It was imported to the country as N6764D back in September 2007 and briefly flew with Coastair.
China's Hainan Airlines has introduced the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to its twice weekly service through Auckland as from 13 June 2018 with B-2729 touching down from Shenzhen as CHH7931.
It departed a couple of hours later as CHH7932 on return to Shenzhen.
Hainan operate a fleet of 25 Boeing 787's of which nine are the smaller -8 series. Schedules indicate they will operate the type until 24 October 2018, then a one off Airbus A330-300 on 28 October 2018 before commencing three weekly flights using the -9 series with the first due to arrive 01 November 2018 and operate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Express Freighters Boeing 767-300 freighter VH-EFR returned to service 30 June and after positioning from Brisbane to Sydney headed off to Auckland arriving in the early hours of 01 July. With its return to work, Boeing 767-300 freighter N647GT wound up its "down under" experience and departed Sydney 01 July for Taipei as PAC9630.
Sydney-based Express Freighters, operating on behalf of Qantas Freight, fly Boeing 767-300(ER) freighter VH-EFR on scheduled cargo operations between Sydney-Auckland-Christchurch-Sydney 6 times per week and a one a week trip between Australia and Hong Kong. The aircraft flew a delayed Sydney-Auckland-Christchurch routine 17 June 2018 before then heading to Brisbane where it has presumably been inducted for a planned maintenance visit.
Arriving at Sydney 18 June 2018 as substitution for VH-EFR was split personality Polar Air Cargo/Atlas Air Boeing 767-300(ER) (BDSF) freighter N647GT. Operating as QF7542, the 767 was ferried from Cincinnati via Los Angeles and Honolulu. It entered service on the "milk run" from Sydney to Auckland that same night.
The BDSF designation is to distinguish this freighter conversion as that conducted by Israeli Aerospace industries (IAI) Bedek Aircraft Group.
Sadly the current Qantas Freight schedule does not provide daylight viewing of their aircraft as they visit our shores so thanks to www.16right.com for this image of N647GT arriving into Sydney.
However, on night/day one of operations its departure from Christchurch was delayed until around 0900 affording the opportunity to catch it in partial daylight!
Vistajet Malta Global Express 9H-VJO arrived at Auckland 23 June from Hong Kong as VJT889. It departed on the evening of 27 June heading to Kona/HI. From there the Global flew south to Papeete 29 June (NZ date). It then crossed the Pacific to Cairns arriving 01 July. This is only the second visit by this airframe to NZ. The first was in October 2016 when it visited Napier arriving from and returning to Newark/NJ via techstops at Honolulu in each direction.
9H-VJO arrives at Auckland 23 June 2018.
Avwest PTY Global Express N599CH returned to Christchurch 23 June from its part-time Perth home. After a brief layover the Global continued to Queenstown. From Queenstown to Canberra 26 June, then the next day to Sydney from where it arrived back at Christchurch via Queenstown 28 June.
Chilling at Queenstown.
Textron Aviation Inc Cessna 680A Sovereign Latitude demonstrator N985BC arrived at Auckland 24 June from Sydney. It departed Auckland mid morning 25 June for Wellington and carried media from TVNZ current affair's show "Seven Sharp". A few hours later the jet conducted a Wellington-Wellington demonstration flight. The Latitude departed Wellington 26 June for Melbourne/Essendon. It conducted a demonstration flight 27 June before flying upto Sydney. It later flew to Brisbane before exiting the region 30 June flying from there to Darwin and Singapore/Seletar. It had flown from Singapore/Seletar to Darwin and Sydney 23 June.
N985BC during its brief visit to Darwin 23 June 2018.
Arriving at Auckland 24 June 2018.
And inbound Wellington on a stunning winter's day, 25 June 2018.
SG Aviation Global Express VH-SGA touched down at Auckland late 26 June from Melbourne/Essendon having arrived there earlier in the day from Singapore/Seletar. It departed Auckalnd mid morning 28 June for Essendon.
Royal Australian Air Force Challenger 604 A37-001 arrived in Wellington late 28 June from Canberra. It returned to Canberra the following evening.
Business Aviation Solutions Falcon 50EX VH-FJQ paid its first visit to New Zealand arriving during the very cold, dark hours of 30 June from the Gold Coast and Rockhampton. https://www.navair.com.au/new-aircraft-dassault-falcon-50/ VH-FJQ was delivered to Bankstown just over a year ago arriving on 19 June 2017 from Hilo via Pago Pago and the Gold Coast.
Unfortunate news out of Belgium in the last 24 hours following the landing accident of Lockheed L12A Electra Junior NC14999 MSN 1252. The vintage twin was caught in a gust of wind on landing at Zwartberg Airfield, veered off the runway and collided with a hangar. It appears the aircraft has sustained significant damage but thankfully no injuries to those onboard or on the ground.
The Kiwi Connection harks back to the 2000's when the Twelve was shipped to New Zealand from the USA by American owner Pat Donovan who temporarily re-located to Blenheim at the top of the South Island. The aircraft was overhauled at Omaka and from memory debuted at the Easter 2006 Warbirds over Wanaka airshow arriving at the event 11 April. On 17 April the L12 was badly damaged at Forest Field, a grass airstrip in Canterbury. Near the end of its landing roll the starboard main undercarriage collapsed. Aircraft veered off the runway and suffered substantial damage to the fuselage, flaps and propellers when the other main undercarriage leg sheered off. It was subsequently dismantled and trucked back to Omaka three days later where JEM Aviation were tasked with bringing this fine aeroplane back to life.
Pat and his beloved aircraft returned to the USA in early 2009 with N14999 flying from Omaka to Auckland 23 January, then onto Pago Pago 24 January, to Christmas Island 25 January then to Hilo/HI 26 January. The long trip from Hilo to Santa Maria/CA was conducted 03 February.
Touching down at Auckland early afternoon 04 July was DHL Air's Boeing 767-3JHF(ER)(WL) G-DHLH. This 2012 edition custom built freighter flew from the operator's East Midland airport to Hong Kong 03 July then onto Auckland as DHK1P.
G-DHLH is set to enter service on behalf of Tasman Cargo Airlines from Saturday 07 July operating in lieu of Boeing 757 freighter VH-TCA with the narrowbody aircraft set to head for Singapore on a planned maintenance layover.
Across the wires earlier this week is the rather unusual use of a United States Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber employed in a search and rescue role!
The B52 may well be the same aircraft that passed through Darwin last month. 60-0062"Cajun Fear" arrived in the Northern Territories 17 June 2018 from Diego Garcia as "BULGE01" and departed the following day for Guam/Andersen.
Bulge 01 departing Darwin 18 June 2018.
In a Dramatic Open Ocean Search an Air Force Crew Finds Paddlers Missing Six Days. The lost canoe was located by the crew from one of the B-52H after it was compared to a similar one that appeared in a Disney cartoon.
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress crew from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and deployed to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam are being hailed as heroes. The B-52H located the lost crew of an open ocean Polynesian-style canoe after they were missing at sea for six days.
The traditional Pacific Island-style canoe carrying six paddlers had become lost after sailing from nearby Piagailoe Atoll on June 19. The journey from the atoll to Guam was only supposed to take one day — meaning the paddlers, who had minimal supplies had been missing at sea for nearly a week.
Following the location of the canoers from the USAF B-52H, the six-member crew of the ocean-going canoe rendezvoused with a merchant vessel in the area that was directed to their location to effect rescue. The merchant vessel provided the canoers with water, food and navigational assistance so they could safely return to land.
The eight-engine, long range B-52H bomber joined the search when the crew from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., was on a routine flight during a deployment to Guam. The heavy bomber crew responded to a call from the Coast Guard for assistance in the search on June 25.
“This was a unique situation for us,” Capt. Sean Simpson, one of the bomber’s crew, said in an Air Force statement. “It’s not every day the B-52 gets called for a search and rescue.”
Initially the crew of the B-52H was unfamiliar with the type of vessel they were searching for. Coast Guard personal compared the small, difficult to spot indigenous canoe with the boat from the Disney cartoon “Moana”. Capt. Simpson told media, “We asked for more details about the vessel and the dispatcher told us, ‘It’s just like the boat from [the Disney film] ‘Moana.’”
The B-52H crew were able to locate the canoe and its crew at sea only three hours after being called into the search and rescue operation.
“We spotted this vessel from about 19,000 feet,” 1st Lt. Jordan Allen told Air Force media in the statement. “It’s really a small miracle that we were able to see it, because there was quite a bit of clouds.”
Six passengers aboard a canoe were located in a joint search and rescue mission June 25, 2018, in the Pacific Ocean Southwest of Guam. Crew members flying a B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron (EBS), stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), La., and deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, successfully located six passengers who had been missing for six days and relayed their location to the U.S. Coast Guard. (courtesy photo)
“Search and rescue isn’t something people typically think of when they talk about the B-52, but our training and adaptability really paid off,” Lt. Col. Jarred Prier, the bomb squadron’s director of operations, said in the statement. “Being a part of this successful search and rescue operation speaks to the diversity of our skill set and shows our importance here in the Pacific.”
Last month's visit by the PLAAF IL76 evoked memories of the first of its type to visit Whenuapai, a Pacific Express operated charter flight delivering a GR3 Harrier for the Air Expo '92 event.
Here is a YouTube video of a video (!) including TV advertisements from that era. Well worth a watch on a dreary, winters day.
It is with pleasure we announce the delivery to New Zealand of a North American T-28B Trojan bringing the local population of the type to three.
Built for the United States Navy in 1955 and assigned BuNo 137801 with a construction number of 200-0164, this T28B was imported to Australia in 2004 where it became VH-DUD. Following its military service the Trojan was registered N57973 and spent time with owners in Oregon then moved to Arizona before its move to Australia. Its first flight post import was conducted from Albury/NSW on 09 September 2004 painted as US Navy 137801/NJ-973 and it retains these colours.
The warbird departed Archerfield/QLD for Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island 05 July 2018 then onto Kerikeri and Ardmore 07 July before its final push to its new home of New Plymouth maybe today or Monday.
There it will join New Zealand's other airworthy T28, ZK-JGS marked as BuNo 140563/NJ-563.
Our third T28, ZK-TGN, is still undergoing repair works following its undercarriage issues and subsequent wheels-up landing at Ardmore in late September 2016.
Nadi-based Fiji Airways introduced their most recent acquisition to its operation 08 July when Airbus A330-200 DQ-FJP"Island of Vatulele" operated as FJ411 from Nadi to Auckland, returning to Nadi as FJ410.
DQ-FJP, in full Fiji Airways livery but still wearing its previous identity of S7-VDM, touched down at in Nadi on 27 June as SEY9778 after a direct flight from Abu Dhabi where pre delivery maintenance was carried out at the conclusion of its flying with Air Seychelles.
With a serial number of 807, this A330-200 was first flown in late 2006 and entered service with Jet Airways in January 2007 as VT-JWE. While retaining its Indian identity, the A330 was sub-leased to both Gulf Air and Oman Air before exiting the fleet to become A6-EYZ with Etihad from 2013 but was then sub-leased to Air Seychelles who in turn re-registered the aircraft S7-VDM until its retirement from operations in April this year.
After years of deliberation, the NZ Government has finally announced its intention to procure four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime partrol aircraft to replace the six vintage Lockheed P3K Orions with 5 Squadron from 2023. The base of operations for the aircraft will be located at Ohakea making use of the facility's longer runway complex.
Then addition of the Beech King Air 350i to the RNZAF inventory will allow this light twin to be utilised for maritime training and inshore patrol activities thus allowing the more costly P8 platform to deploy potentially less frequently than the current fleet of P3 Orions.
Over the last few years we've posted several times on the subject aircraft
While it is nothing new for this particular airframe to be overseas, it is the first time since becoming New Zealand registered. Airways Corporation Piper PA42 Cheyenne 400LS ZK-FIS is currently working around the South Pacific Islands on calibration duties for the respective aviation air service providers as part of an ongoing arrangement which used to see the same aircraft, then registered VH-BUR, carry out the work.
The Cheyenne flew from Auckland to Norfolk Island and Port Vila 12 June 2018 and flew onto Honiara 15 June 2018. It appears to have since conducted visits to Santa Cruz/Luova, Seghe, Auki and Munda before exiting the Solomon Islands 20 June 2018 heading to Nauru. It was then due to continue to Tarawa 21 June 2018.
The visit to New Zealand by Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Illyushin 76 21047 has generated considerable interest with some aviation enthusiasts traveling great distances, including Australia, to catch a glimpse of this aircraft. While the IL76 itself is note "rare", the presence of a Chinese military aircraft in the region most certainly is!
As part of its participation in Skytrain 18 the IL76 conducted two simulated search and rescue exercises 19 June 2018. Both flights of two hours duration were conducted from/to Whenuapai with the first departure at 0930 and the second at 1300. The jet was observed to head out towards designated military area M204 east of Great Barrier Island. During its 90min turn around at Whenuapai the IL76 received a cursory wash down via the airbase's rescue fire equipment, no doubt an attempt to remove ocean spray.
The four-holer concluded its time in New Zealand on 22 June 2018 with it making a short hop from Whenuapai to Auckland to maximise fuel uplift for the journey to Cairns. The jet conducted a low approach and overshoot at Whenuapai before heading across to Auckland. Performance characteristics of the IL76 prevented it from operating Whenuapai-Cairns direct.
Interestingly, NZ2353 reverted to its previous civilian markings to become VH-ZPE from 05 July 2018 with Hawker Pacific.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted 26 June 2018:
Royal New Zealand Air Force King Air 350i NZ2353 has conducted its first international navex/trip since introduction to service last month. As "Kiwi 561" the King Air made its way from Ohakea to Dunedin then onto Hobart 19 June 2018. The following day KIW561 flew to Tamworth and Cairns.
Cairns is where this aircraft underwent extensive maintenance with Hawker Pacific before its delivery to the RNZAF.
Wearing the manufacturer serial number 69082 and test registration
I-RAIR, the first of two AW169 flew last month wearing the corporate colours currently adorned by their fleet of Westpac sponsored BK117's operating from Auckland CBD heliport at Mechanics Bay. The new base for the two AW169's is yet to be determined following recent changes in the Mechanics Bay heliport lease.
SOFIA concluded her New Zealand deployment last month departing Christchurch 20 July 2018 for Hickam and Palmdale/CA. The image below depicts the tracks flown during the 6 week visit to our region.
Awesome shots of SOFIA returning from the season's final flight conducted overnight 18-19 July 2018.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) operated Boeing 747SP N747NA dubbed SOFIA (for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) has once again arrived in New Zealand. The one of its kind flying telescope touched down at Christchurch late morning 02 June 2018 from Honolulu/Hickam having the previous night crossed from its Palmdale/CA home.
N747NA will operate 19 flights over 7 weeks from Christchurch conducting aerial surveys of the night skies. An outline of this year's operation can be found HERE
SOFIA has been out of the air for over six months on an extended heavy maintenance visit with Lufthansa Technik AG in Hamburg. It had arrived in Germany back on 20 November 2017 and was expected to return to service mid January 2018 however the C-check inspection found additional work to be carried out and it eventually test flew 11 May 2018 before heading home to Palmdale arriving 18 May 2018.
Our Airline, branded as Nauru Airlines, operate a mixed fleet of Boeing 737-300 passenger and freighter aircraft on both schedule and adhoc charter operations.
The Brisbane-based carrier was employed to support the movements of American rapper Kendrick Lamar for the New Zealand portion of his tour. While the artist traveled on chartered Global Express VH-SGA, the support crew jetted around on the Our Airline aircraft.
Freighter configured Boeing 737-300 VH-VLI arrived in Dunedin from Adelaide 16 July 2018 and then flew to Auckland and Brisbane 18 July 2018.
Passenger configured Boeing 737-300 VH-XNU arrived in Dunedin from Adelaide and Brisbane 16 July 2018 and flew onto Auckland and Brisbane 18 July 2018.
Air New Zealand's strategy to provide equipment to cover the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Rolls Royce engine issues saw the carrier take delivery of Boeing 777-35E (ER) ZK-OKT. With the MSN of 32644, this example arrived to a damp Auckland 05 August 2018 from Taipei as EVA361 under its previous identity B-16717 in the livery of Taiwanese carrier EVA Airways. She was delivered in November 2010 and withdrawn from service as recently as 29 July 2018.
ZK-OKT is expected to enter service in a couple of weeks time.
Business Aviation Solutions Falcon 50EX VH-FJQ departed Auckland 03 July for the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
Vistajet Malta Global Express 9H-VJU arrived in Auckland before sunrise 07 July from Singapore/Seletar as VJT974. First visit to NZ by this aircraft. It departed mid morning 08 July for Papeete.
Christ Holdings Challenger 605 N913TK arrived to a blustery Wellington 08 July from Kona/HI via a fuel stop at Pago Pago. It departed over the reverse routing 16 July.
Jet Aviation Business Jets (Hong Kong) Global Express VQ-BCC arrived in Auckland during the pre-dawn hours of 09 July from Macau. It departed 10 July for Hong Kong.
Textron Aviation Cessna Citation CJ3+ demonstrator N542CJ arrived in Wellington 09 July from Essendon. it flew to Napier 10 July from where it then conducted a demo flight which saw it land at Hastings then returned to overnight at Napier. It flew to Auckland on the morning of 11 July then conducted an interesting flight to the Chatham Islands and back. Demonstration to Air Chathams perhaps! On 12 July it headed to Brisbane and Cairns and exited the region 13 July for Japan.
Resting at Sydney earlier in the month, G Hutchison photo
Skyline Aviation Citation Sovereign ZK-RXD paid its first visit to Auckland 09 July when it arrived from Napier and Port Vila. It departed the following morning for Rotorua and Napier.
Execujet Australia's most recently delivered Global Express, a 6000 version, made its first NZ visit when VH-YAI arrived at Queenstown 15 July from Sydney. It departed 21 July for Sydney. It returned to NZ 27 July arriving at Auckland from the Gold Coast and departed the next day for Queenstown and Sydney. It was delivered to Sydney 29 June. Meanwhile, Execujet have divested themselves of two Global Expresses with VH-ICV and VH-OCV exiting the region in June 2018.
Business Aviation Solutions Global Express VH-SGA arrived in Auckland 16 July from Adelaide. It flew to Dunedin 17 July returning north to Auckland in the early hours of 18 July. From Auckland to the Gold Coast 21 July. The Global carried hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar.
Business Aviation Solutions Challenger 604 VH-BLM arrived in Auckland 19 July from Sydney. It flew to Queenstown and Christchurch 20 July and flew over the reverse route 29 July.
Canadian Utilities Falcon 7X C-GCUL made a nocturnal techstop through Auckland 21 July arriving from Perth and departing for Santiago.
Careflight Nextant 400XTi VH-OVS arrived in Napier 22 July from its Darwin base via Sydney as "Careflight 46". Sources indicate the jet was in for a maintenance visit with Skyline. First visit to NZ by this aircraft.
Lifeflight Australia Learjet 45 VH-VVI visited Auckland 23 July arriving from and returning to Brisbane.
Minsheng Gulfstream G650 B-3255 arrived in Auckland 24 July from Hong Kong. It departed 26 July for Hangzhou. It returned to Auckland 28 July arriving from Hangzhou.
Vistajet Malta Global Express 9H-IGH arrived in Dunedin 24 July from Bora Bora via Papeete as VJT780. It departed for Sydney 25 July. First visit to NZ by this aircraft.
Revesco Aviation Challenger 601 VH-MXK arrived in Queenstown 26 July from Brisbane and Sydney. It flew to Auckland 31 July.
Vistajet Malta Global Express 9H-VJI arrived in Dunedin from Singapore/Seletar 29 July and departed 31 July for Abul Aziz Shah as VJT813. First visit to NZ by this aircraft.
Australian Corporate Jet Centres PTY Challenger 604 VH-SCR made its first NZ visit when it arrived in Queenstown 29 July from Essendon. It was delivered to Australia in March this year and while registered to an Essendon address it is based out of Perth.
Marcplan Embraer Legacy VH-VLT visited Queenstown 30 July, arriving from and returning to Essendon.
