3rd Level New Zealand

23 April 2024

Air Ambulances at WLG

22 April 2024

ATRs Commence Kerikeri Flights

Air New Zealand commenced ATR flights to Kerikeri today with ATR 72-600 ZK-MVQ flying the first return service, NZ5266 northbound and NZ5267 southbound. Over the winter Kerikeri's Monday morning service from Auckland will be operated by 68-seat ATRs rather than the normal Bombardier Q300.

The flights leave Auckland at 8.30am to arrive at 9.20am and the return flight departs at 9.50am on Mondays only.

This is the first time ATRs have operated a regular schedule to Kerikeri.

The move is short-lived and will go through to September when the ATR flights revert back to Bombardier Q300s.

I've tried to hurriedly stitch something together of the 49 year old air service, but I have a few gaps and a few questions which I will finish with...

The air service Auckland to Kerikeri effectively replaced NAC's service between Auckland and Kaikohe, which in 1970 was taken over by Geyserland Airways, and the Mount Cook Airlines amphibian service between Auckland and Paihia.

Mount Cook Airlines introduced the first Auckland-Kerikeri service on the 12th of January 1975 with Britten Norman Islander ZK-MCC flying the first services. Mount Cook operated four flights a day to Kerikeri with a lesser schedule over the winter.

On the 3rd of May 1977 Mount Cook Airlines upgraded the Kerikeri service to a 48-seat Hawker Siddeley 748. The first 748 flight into was operated by ZK-MCA under the command of Captain Geoff Williams and First Officer David Wyatt with Chief Purser Trevor Edlin and Steward Wally McKee looking after the cabin. This was a direct flight from Christchurch, the scheduled first flight breaking down in Auckland.

The first Hawker Siddeley 748 Series 2A flight to Kerikeri. ZK-MCA and Britten-Norman BN2A-26 Islander, ZK-MCC, taken at Kerikeri on 3 May 1977. Pictured left to right are: David Wyatt, co-pilot on the HS748; Bruce Packer, pilot of the BN Islander; Captain Geoff Williams, operations manager and pilot of the HS748; Anna Laloli, Miss Airport 1977; Wally McKee, steward; Trevor Edlin; chief purser. Photographer unknown. S Lowe Collection

Failing to generate an adequate the level of patronage to make the service viable the Hawker Siddeley 748s were withdrawn from the Kerikeri service on the 31st of March 1979 in favour of an Islander service over the winter. The 748s returned for the 1979/1980 summer when one 748 flight was operated daily alongside two Islander flights. The 748s flew their final service to Kerikeri on the 31st of March 1980 and they never operated this route on a scheduled basis from this point on.

In mid-1982 the Islander was replaced with a faster Piper Pa31-350 Navajo Chieftain, ZK-MCM. While the nine seat Chieftain did not have quite the load hauling capacity of the Islander it was faster and, probably more importantly for the passengers, distinctly quieter to fly in.

Boarding for Auckland. Piper Chieftain ZK-MCM at Kerikeri on 3 March 1992

Further development of the air service occurred on the 16th of January 1984 when an 18-seat de Havilland Canada Twin Otter, ZK-MCO, was introduced to the service. Two Rotorua-Auckland-Kerikeri return flights per day were flown each day. The Twin Otter plied the Auckland-Kerikeri route for the next two years with two flights being offered each day in the winter and three flights being offered over the summer.

Northern News, 17 January 1984

In mid-1986 the Twin Otter was moved south to Queenstown and the Piper Chieftain returned to the Kerikeri run. Again ZK-MCM was used and this was supported by ZK-EBT leased from Airwork. The Chieftain flew four return services a day to Kerikeri with at the peak of summer a fifth flight being offered.

The Chieftain was to maintain the Kerikeri service until the 31st of October 1993.

On the 1st of November 1993 Eagle Air took over the Kerikeri service with 15-seat Embraer Bandeirante ZK-MAS operating the first Eagle flight to Auckland. The Bandeirantes were operated until the early 2000s when they were replaced by the 18-seat Beech 1900s.

Operated by Eagle Air, Air New Zealand Beech 1900 ZK-EAR at Kerikeri on 5 July 2011.

Kerikeri's last Beech 1900 flights were operated on the 8th of February 2015. ZK-EAM flew the last two Auckland-Kerikeri return flights as NZ2654/NZ2689 and NZ2662/NZ2665.

Also on the 8th of February 2015 Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEC, operated by Air Nelson, flew Air New Zealand flight NZ8674 from Auckland to Kerikeri on the overnight service inaugurating the introduction of the 50-seat Bombardier Q300s to Kerikeri.

Air Nelson continued to operate the Q300s Air New Zealand air service to Hokitika until the the 18th of November 2019 when it ended all operations with the cessation of its Air Operating Certificate. From the 19th of November 2019 the Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 aircraft were transferred to the Air New Zealand Air Operating Certificate.

Air New Zealand Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEU arrives in Kerikeri on 19 March 2024

So many questions...

Given the first scheduled 748 flight broke down, when did the first flight fly in from Auckland? Any details?
Did Eagle Air happen to operate Metroliners to Kerikeri? If so, any details of crew etc?
When was the last Bandeirante flight operated to Kerikeri? Are there any details of crew etc?
When was the first Beech 1900 flight operated to Kerikeri? Are there any details of crew etc?
Any photos and details of crew for today's first
Would anyone happen to have any photos of the various types at Kerikeri?

Any responses gratefully received to Steve - westland831@gmail.com

Another lesson in noting things down as they happen today to preserve the history for tomorrow

21 April 2024

ATRs Commence Hokitika Flights

Air New Zealand commenced scheduled ATR-72 services to Hokitika for the first time today with ATR 72-600 ZK-MVQ operating the first return service under the command of Captain Brendan O'Halloran and First Officer Ben Rochford with Dale and Vinay in the cabin. In a nice touch, First Officer Ben Rochford, a son of Hokitika, flew the sector into his Hokitika hometown as NZ5834 with Captain Brendan O'Halloran flying the return sector to Christchurch as NZ5837.

Air New Zealand ATR 72-600 ZK-MVQ at Hokitika on 21 April 2024 inaugurating the weekly Sunday afternoon flights between Christchurch and Hokitika.

While the ATR-72s have flown in Hokitika before on charters this is the first time it has been used on scheduled services. The 68-seater ATR is the largest aircraft to be used on scheduled services to Hokitika, a big step from the 3-seat Fox Moth with which Bert Mercer launched Hokitika's first air service 90 years ago in December.

The ATR 72 will operate to Hokitika over the winter on Sunday afternoons. The one ATR 72 flight will are replacing Hokitika's two Sunday Bombardier Q300 flights between Christchurch and Hokitika .

The flights leave Christchurch at 4.20pm to arrive at 5.05pm and the return flight departs at 5.35pm.

The move is short-lived and will go through to September when the ATR flights revert back to Bombardier Q300s.

Scheduled trans-alpine flights between Christchurch and Hokitika have been operated for the last 55 years. The ATR 72 is the ninth type of aircraft used on regular scheduled flights between the two centres.

NAC Fokker Friendship ZK-BXI flew the first scheduled trans-alpine flights between Christchurch and Hokitika on the 20th of December 19868. The flights were under the command of Captain R W Patterson and First Officer R F Trowsdale with a local woman, Joan Gilbert, as hostess.

NAC Fokker Friendship ZK-BXG at Hokitika a few days before the DC-3 service ended. The DC-3's wing is to the left of the photo. Photo taken at Hokitika on 2 June 1970 by B Whebell

During the 1972/73 summer holidays NAC chartered a Mount Cook Airlines Hawker Siddeley 748 aircraft to operate their Christchurch-Hokitika Hokitika service to relieve the pressure on their network from Christmas holiday travel. The 48 seat aircraft, which had a slightly bigger passenger capacity than NAC's 40 seat Fokker Friendship flew to Hokitika daily for about a month.

Mount Cook Airlines' Hawker Siddeley 748 ZK-CWJ at Hokitika on a NAC service on the 2nd of January 1973.

NAC continued to operate a daily Friendship service into Hokitika until the 31st of March 1978.

For more see : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2012/07/hokitikas-nac-de-havilland-days.html

For more see : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2013/03/south-westland-skiplane-air-service.html

On the 1st of April 1978 the merged Air New Zealand took over the Friendship service to Hokitika continued this until the 30th of October. 1988 when the service was handed over to Air Nelson. The final official Air New Zealand Friendship services were operated by Friendships ZK-BXI which flew the northbound Christchurch-Hokitika-Westport-Wellington sectors. ZK-BXE flew with the southbound Wellington-Westport-Hokitika-Christchurch sectors as NZ703, was flown to Christchurch under the command of Captain David McDonald and First Officer First Officer Francis van Woerkom.

Fokker Friendship Mk 500 ZK-NFH at Hokitika on 18 March 1984

For more see : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2012/03/air-new-zealands-hokitika-service.html

Soon after the Air New Zealand service started Westland Flying Services started flights twice daily flights from Hokitika and Greymouth to Christchurch using a Cessna 402 ZK-DHW. These flights operated three days per week starting on the 5th of December 1979. This was the first time that a schedule was operated through Hokitika that was conducive for business travellers. However, the Cessna 402 was not ideal and patronage did not build sufficiently. The service operated through till the 30th of January 1980.

Westland Flying Services Cessna 402 ZK-DHW at Hokitika in 1979.

For more see : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/04/hokitikas-westland-flying-services.html

Air Nelson commenced its service to Hokitika on the 31st of October 1988. A plethora of aircraft types were chartered to operate their Hokitika service until their airline's first Fairchild Metroliner III ZK-NSW started services to Hokitika on the 21st of November 1988. For the next

Air Nelson's first Fairchild SA227AC Metroliner III, ZK-NSW (c/n 508), in full Air Nelson colours scheme at Hokitika on 8 August 1989.

Over the next 14 years the Metroliner was to become a familiar aircraft in the skies above Hokitika with up to four flights a day being operated to Christchurch. However, another type was operated by Air Nelson in this time. During the winter of 1994, Saab 340s replaced the Metroliner on the first flight out of Christchurch each morning. This proved popular in view of the often difficult alpine passes during the winter.

Saab 340 ZK-FXA doing the morning Christchurch-Hokitika-Christchurch service on 14 June 1994

In 2002 Air Nelson retired its Metroliner fleet in favour of Eagle Air's Beech 1900s. The final flight Air Nelson Metroliner flight, NZ8609, was crewed by Captain Dave Horrell and First Officer A. Virtue in Fairchild Metroliner ZK-NSY on the 11th of August 2002. On that day the Hokitika Air Nelson staff finished, Eagle Air opting for contractors rather than employees.

For more see : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2012/03/air-nelsons-hokitika-service.html

Eagle Air took over Air New Zealand's Christchurch-Hokitika flights on Sunday the 11th of August 2002. During that afternoon Air Nelson flew the normal afternoon Mertroliner services with Beechcraft 1900D ZK-EAH flying the final early evening flight from Christchurch to Hokitika (Eagle 884) to inaugurate Eagle Air’s Hokitika service. The aircraft overnighted and then operated the morning service to Christchurch.

Eagle Air Beech 1900D ZK-EAA taxis to the terminal at Hokitika on 5 July 2010.

Eagle Air was keen to grow the Hokitika service and from the 12th of February 2007, Eagle contracted Air National to operate a mid-morning Christchurch-Hokitika-Christchurch weekday service using British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft as well as the Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon flights to Hokitika. taking Hokitika to 5 flights a day on weekdays. Air National Jetstreams were operated until early 2011.

Air National BAe Jetstream 32 ZK-ECN arriving at Hokitika on an Eagle Air flight on 17 December 2009.

Air New Zealand's decision to withdraw the Beech 1900 fleet meant the end of the Eagle service to Hokitika. The final flights were flown on the 1st of May 2016 with Beech 1900 ZK-EAC flying the three return Hokitika-Christchurch services. The final flight out of Hokitika was flown by Tom McGeoch and Alister Dumbleton. A couple of hours later the final Christchurch to Hokitika flight was flown by Captains Chris Mortimore and Trent O'Shea before they positioned the Beech back to Hamilton ending Eagle Air's almost 14 year service to Hokitika.

For more see : https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2012/06/to-hokitika-by-eagle-air.html

Eagle Air's multiple Beech 1900 flights to Hokitika were replaced by a twice a day schedule using 50- seat Air Nelson's Bombardier Q300s. The Air Nelson schedule saw twice daily Bombardier Q300 flights between Hokitika and Christchurch. Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEG operated the first day of the full Air Nelson schedule on the 2nd of May 2016. Air Nelson continued to operate the Q300s Air New Zealand air service to Hokitika until the the 18th of November 2019 when it ended all operations with the cessation of its Air Operating Certificate. From the 19th of November 2019 the Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 aircraft were transferred to the Air New Zealand Air Operating Certificate.

Air Nelson Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEZ at Hokitika on 4 February 2019

Air New Zealand continues to operate Bombardier Q300s to Hokitika, and from today, for albeit a short time, ATR 72s will join them on the trans-alpine service.

6th Caravan for Barrier Air

Joining the Barrier Air fleet in October this year will be Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX ZK-ROW. The Cessna Caravan EX is the latest generation of its type and has only around 200 hours on her. The aircraft will be reregistered as part of the Barrier Air registration series as ZK-SDA.

What became ZK-ROW arriving in Auckland on 31 July 2022 at the end of its ferry flight from the USA, Cessna 208 Grand Caravan EX N932DT

In New Zealand registration at North Shore on 11 October 2022

Barrier Air fly serve 6 centres, from Auckland to Kaitaia, Great Barrier Island and Whitianga, and from Great Barrier Island to North Shore and Tauranga. Given Barrier Air's dynamism it will be interesting to see what transpires next, a matter of watch this space!

20 April 2024

Cook Strait Commuters

More from my visit to Wellington Airport on 19 April 2024...

A couple of shots of Originair's British Aerospace Jetstream 32 ZK-JSJ

Sounds Air's Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-PDM

The longest serving in the Sounds Air fleet, Cessna 208 Caravan ZK-PDM

And another of the Sounds Air fleet, the larger Cessna 208B Grand Caravan ZK-SAY

19 April 2024

EVO at Last

Golden Bay Air's Britten Norman BN2A-26 Islander ZK-EVO entered service on the 19th of November 2022 operating the morning Takaka to Wellington service. The Islander, purchased after the collapse of Fly My Sky, had flown to Nelson on 16th of August 2021 where local aircraft engineering company Repaircraft did a superb job of readying the Islander for service with Golden Bay Air.

Up to now it has eluded me but I was delighted to see it scheduled to fly to Wellington when I had time after a meeting... Despite the bitingly cold wind it was worth that wait...

Also great to meet up Wellington/Kāpiti spotter Tim Gorman, aka ZKaviation... a most enjoyable afternoon Tim