31 March 2012

Jetstreams for Air New Zealand




The decaying outer shells of two Jetstream aircraft, which for years have been stark reminders of the end of an airline, are finally being put to good use. The aircraft, once operated by Origin Pacific Airways, have been bought by the Air New Zealand Aviation Institute for use in a component of its recently launched aircraft engineering training programme. They are now being dismantled in the Air Nelson Technical hangar before being shipped off to the institute's school of engineering campuses in Auckland and Christchurch, the aviation institute's general manager Jignasha Patel said.

For the full story see : http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/6659348/Aviation-institute-finds-use-for-two-Jetstreams

Meanwhile, in Christchurch, I photographed the remains of Fokker Friendship ZK-BXI when getting off the Hokitika flight a couple of weeks ago...

Philip Flyer...

Learjet 45 VH-VVI of Careflight Group on an air ambulance flight to Auckland on 27 March 2012. Photo : S Lowe

30 March 2012

25 Years Ago - More from March 1987

Cessna 177 Cardinal ZK-EFH - taken at Wellington on 16 March 1987 by S Lowe... does anyone have any idea who was operating this aircraft at this time???

Piper Pa23 Aztec ZK-FHO - taken at Wellington on 16 March 1987 by S Lowe... again, does anyone have any idea who was operating this aircraft at this time???


Not great light for Skyferry's Cessna 206 ZK-DOA - taken at Wellington on 18 March 1987 by S Lowe.

Helicopter NZs Bell 212 ZK-HNZ was employed on ferrying pilots to and from ships using the Port of Wellington - taken at Wellington on 18 March 1987 by S Lowe.


A couple of Rutan Long Ezes... Above ZK-EZE at Christchurch on 8 March 1987 and below ZK-ZAP at Rotorua on 25 March 1987. Photos : S Lowe


Newly arrived for Warbirds at the Christchurch air show was Douglas DC-3 VH-SBT. Photo taken on 29 March 1987

Also at the Christchurch air show, de Havilland 89 Domine ZK-AKU. Photo taken on 29 March 1987





25 Years Ago - PDL International Air Race 5

The 28th and 29th of March 1987 saw the finish of the PDL International Air Race from Singapore to Christchurch... The following were some of the entrants...

Entrant Number 37...
Piper Pa24-260 Comanche VH-CXB at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 38...
Beech B60 Duke VH-BKN at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 39...
Piper PA-39-160 Twin Comanche C/R ZK-DQS at Christchurch on 8 March 1987 before heading off to Singapore. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 41...
Piper Pa31T-500 Cheyenne I at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe


Entrant Number ???...
Piper Pa31P Pressurised Navajo ZK-ZNZ... (I don't know the entrant number)... at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe


29 March 2012

25 Years Ago - PDL International Air Race 4

The 28th and 29th of March 1987 saw the finish of the PDL International Air Race from Singapore to Christchurch... The following were some of the entrants...

Entrant Number 29...
Cessna T210N Centurion ZK-ETI at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
 Entrant Number 31...
Cessna 210L Centurion VH-ROH at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
 Entrant Number 32...
Piper PA-46-310P Malibu at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 33...
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-52 at Christchurch on 29 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 36...
Mooney M20K VH-ARE at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe

28 March 2012

25 Years Ago - PDL International Air Race 3

The 28th and 29th of March 1987 saw the finish of the PDL International Air Race from Singapore to Christchurch... The following were some of the entrants...

Entrant Number 21...
Cessna 182R Skylane ZK-NPC at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 22...
Lockheed P3 Orion NZ4206 at Christchurch on 29 March 1987... get those people out of my photo!!! Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 23...


Boeing 727-100C NZ7271 at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 25...
Partenavia P68B ZK-ERA at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 28...

Beech 58 Baron VH-BGQ  at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe

27 March 2012

25 Years Ago - PDL International Air Race 2

The 28th and 29th of March 1987 saw the finish of the PDL International Air Race from Singapore to Christchurch... The following were some of the entrants...

Entrant Number 14...
Piper PA32-300 Cherokee 6 ZK-DBC at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
 Entrant Number 15...
Cessna 210N Centurion ZK-TWA at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 18...
Piper PA-39 Twin Comanche C/R VH-KMV at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 19...
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo C/Colemill Panther N7XB  at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe
Entrant Number 20...
Cessna 210N Centurion ZK-KKL at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe

26 March 2012

Gisborne Looking to Improve its Air NZ Service



The closure of the Waioeka Gorge between Gisborne and Opotiki has caused many problems for people wanting to travel to and from Gisborne. Obviously many people are looking to fly and are put off by the high fares. Air NZ is often put in a no win situation with people in the regions served by Beech 1900s and Bombardier Q300s wanting the same sort of fares offered on Airbus and Boeing services on the main trunk. Yet flying in NZ has never been cheaper with so many doing it! This comment from Saturday's Gisborne Herald is a really balanced piece that looks to how the region can look to boost its air services.

While on the Gisborne Herald site search "Air New Zealand" to see what others have been saying.


Recent complaints by the Mayor, councillor Alan Davidson, the Gisborne Herald editor and others are not a constructive way to deal with the issues they present. Air New Zealand is not raising fares as a result of the closure of the Waioeka Gorge — such claims are simply untrue. In fact, average fares to and from Gisborne have actually fallen by 2 percent over the past four years. This reduction is quite remarkable when you take into account general inflation and the skyrocketing cost of jet fuel, now Air NZ’s single largest expense, which has gone up by 100 percent over a similar period and now totals $1 billion in cost per annum. In addition, capacity to and from Gisborne is up 9 percent during this period, and is set to increase further. Air NZ has confirmed extra 50-seat Q300 flights during Easter, and will soon finalise plans for up-gauging a daily Beech 1900D (19 seats) Gisborne-Auckland return service to a daily Q300 (50 seats) return service. This is expected to begin in late April. It is worth pointing out that load factors have not significantly increased since the gorge closure and continue to sit around the 80 percent level. The Gisborne Chamber of Commerce has been working to improve air services by directly engaging with Air NZ. We negotiated the Q300 flights. (Note: this came at a subsidy gifted to Air NZ of over $100,000 a year for three years, 90 percent of which was paid by Eastland Community Trust. Ed.) Recently we worked with council staff to survey 1000 airport customers coming to and from Gisborne (the report can be found on the Chamber’s website). Of note, 52 percent of air travellers are coming and going on business, and a lot of travellers would like to see fights extended to Christchurch. On the 14th of this month the Chamber, Tourism Eastland and Peter Higgs of the District Council met with Carrie Hurihanganui of Air NZ. It was a very productive meeting and others will follow. But some things will hold us back. Air NZ asked for a strategy document of what Gisborne was looking to achieve in the next two-to-five years. Tourism Eastland is close to completing its new strategy and the council has its 10-year plan, but we do not have a plan or an economic development agency that would deliver growth in employment and wages. In addition, negotiations between Eastland Infrastructure and Air NZ (and other carriers) on landing fees are soon to begin. There has not been a landing price increase for 10 years, and you can’t run a safe and efficient airport or cover your cost of capital or do any improvements without some kind of increase. The tourism situation is always difficult. Air NZ received $323,000 of subsidy from our community to get the larger Q aircraft here. Now no subsidy is required. Tourism Eastland receives about the same every year, mostly through targeted rates, and the Eastland Community Trust has been pumping millions into tourism, but we have yet to see a lot of growth in the sector. It is less than 4 percent of our regional GDP. But I don’t hear anyone complaining about these ongoing subsidies. That’s just the way it works, here and all over the country. And having nice facilities and events is good for the region. Air NZ has two roles. To support, grow and connect regional New Zealand. And to deliver a dividend to its shareholders. The bottom line is that if more people fly here, we will get more destinations and bigger aircraft which are generally cheaper to run. And the way to achieve better air services here is through face-to-face talks and building on points of agreement.

25 Years Ago - PDL International Air Race 1

The 28th and 29th of March 1987 saw the finish of the PDL International Air Race from Singapore to Christchurch... The following were some of the entrants...

Entrant Number 1...

Piper PA-28RT-201T Turbo Arrow at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe

Entrant Number 2...
Piper PA-46-310P Malibu N2482Y at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. It became ZK-MBU in 1993. Photo : S Lowe

Entrant Number 5...
PA-39 Twin Comanche C/R VH-HLP at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe

Entrant Number 7...
Piper Pa32R Lance 9V-BNM at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. Photo : S Lowe

Entrant Number 8...
SOCATA TB.20 Trinidad 9V-BNQ at Christchurch on 28 March 1987. In 1991 it came to New Zealand and became ZK-JCC and in 2000 it was reregistered as ZK-CCA. Photo : S Lowe

25 March 2012

Tyrrell Aviation - Flying between New Plymouth, Hamilton and Gisborne


Dan Tyrell, who had been a pilot since 1972, and was the founder of a successful Taranaki engineering company with strong links to the oil industry, formed Tyrell Aviation Limited on the 26th of April 1994, offering aircraft maintenance, helicopter flight training and aerial spraying, and general charter and aerial work from New Plymouth. Registered to Tyrrell Aviation were Hughes 269C ZK-HEL (c/n 300896) and Cessna 337A Skymaster ZK-KLB (c/n 337-0320).


Cessna 337 ZK-KLB at Ardmore.

On the 22nd of June 1995 the company announced that it had bought the assets of the defunct Kiwi West Aviation, including Beechcraft
Beech 65-B80 Excalibur Queen Air ZK-TAK (c/n LD-384), and that it hoped to reinstate a New Plymouth-Hamilton service the following week. The initial plans for the proposed service, which was aimed at business people, envisaged that the plane would be based at New Plymouth with an early morning and late afternoon New-Plymouth-Hamilton-New Plymouth service being offered on weekdays. Dan Tyrrell told the Taranaki Daily News, “Later the company would introduce a service between Hamilton and Gisborne, and later still one between New Plymouth and Palmerston North. Before that happened a second Excalibur would be bought and six more pilots employed.”

Beech Queen Air ZK-TAL on departure from Hamilton on 27 September 1995.

In preparation for the service the aircraft was repainted and reregistered as ZK-TAL. Delays in completing the paperwork, however, meant the air service did not begin until the 4th of September 1995. By this stage the company had revisited its plans and the aircraft was based in Hamilton. The first flight each day left Hamilton at 7.00am for New Plymouth, returning at 8.40am. The aircraft then departed for Gisborne at 9.00am, leaving there for Hamilton at 10.20am. The afternoon services started at 3.30pm with a Hamilton-New Plymouth return service being offered followed by a Hamilton-Gisborne return service. To meet CAA requirements the company, the aircraft was flown with two pilots, the company engaging three teams of two pilots.


Tyrrell Aviation timetable

Loadings, however, did not meet expectations. The service, which was primarily for business people, was suspended over the traditionally quiet Christmas period. On the 10th of January 1996 the Gisborne Herald announced that the company would not be resuming the service and that passengers were being rebooked on Air New Zealand Link flights via Auckland and Wellington. The aircraft was subsequently sold to Yellow Fin Holdings Ltd, was reregistered as ZK-PHA, and operated Port Hutt Air’s air freight service between the Chatham Islands and the mainland.

Beech Queen Air ZK-TAL at Hamilton on 16 December 1995.


24 March 2012

25 Years Ago - March 1987

Boeing 727-2U5 V8-BGI of Royal Brunei Airlines was a rare visitor to Christchurch. Photo taken on 4 March 1987 by S Lowe

Meanwhile later in the day the weather had improved for the arrival of Australian Airlines Boeing 727-276 VH-TBP at Christchurch on its weekly flight from Hobart. Photo : S Lowe

Being prepared for its delivery to Eurocity Express was Newmans Air DHC Dash 7 ZK-NEX. It became G-BNGF. Photo taken at Christchurch on 8 March 1987 by S Lowe  

Air Safaris GAF N24A Nomad ZK-NME arriving at Christchurch on 8 March 1987 to fly tourists from a cruise liner over Mount Cook. It is still wearing its Polynesian Airlines colours with whom it had operated as 5W-FAT. Photo : S Lowe

NZ Forest Products Piper Pa31T3 1040 Cheyenne at Rotorua on 25 March 1987. This machine also operated an Auckland-Tokoroa air service - see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/06/forestry-towns-businessliners.html.  Photo : S Lowe

21 March 2012

ATR Update 6

 
 
20 March 2012
Mount Cook Airline expects to be able to get almost all passengers to their destinations today as more aircraft become operational following its full fleet inspection. “Of the 4,000 passengers we will be moving around the country today we expect there will be fewer than 50 who we can’t get to their destination,” says General Manager Sarah Williamson. Mount Cook was able to bring two ATRs back into service earlier than expected this morning which meant it began the day with four aircraft operating. “With additional support from our jet and Q300 fleets we’ve been able to replace almost all the lost capacity and we expect the picture to be very similar tomorrow,” says Ms Williamson.

20 March 2012

ATR Update 5


19 March 2012
Mount Cook Airline says it expects to be able to accommodate around 97% of passengers booked to travel tomorrow as more aircraft become operational following its full fleet inspection. “As a result of more aircraft re-entering service we will be able to get nearly all of our passengers to their destination, albeit there will be changes to the timing of some flights,” says Mount Cook Airline General Manager Sarah Williamson. Five ATR aircraft will be operational by the end of tomorrow, with a further two expected to be back in service by Thursday. Mount Cook will also have the support of additional Air New Zealand aircraft to operate some of its sectors. Ms Williamson says three ATR aircraft have been confirmed as requiring work which is expected to be completed by Sunday. One aircraft remains in the hangar for pre-planned maintenance. Customers who are booked to fly should visit www.airnewzealand.co.nz to check their flight status, or call the contact centre on 0800 737 000. Extra staff are working to assist customers calling in. Flight numbers for Mount Cook begin with the number 5 - e.g. NZ5XXX. “I would like to thank Mount Cook customers for their patience and understanding,” says Ms Williamson. “We would like to assure them that we are working as quickly and thoroughly as we can to get our aircraft back flying. The safety of our customers, our staff and our aircraft is paramount and non-negotiable for Mount Cook and Air New Zealand.”

Source : http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/press-release-2012-mount-cooks-atr-fleet-update-5