Ten Minutes at Taupō

A flying visit of me and my car to Taupō yielded the following...

Three visitors from Ashburton, Piper Cherokees ZK-DEK...

ZK-DEL...

...and Piper Archer ZK-EBZ

Parked up was Taupos Floatplane Cessna 206 ZK-EFI...

Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 waiting for its next flight to Wellington...

and Cessna 206 ZK-SKZ.

Arriving at the pumps was Helicopter Services BOP's Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-HKC

...while Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEP arrived from Auckland

A Gisborne overnighter

I had a quick trip to Gisborne on Thursday and back Friday. Sadly, not a lot to photograph at Gisborne Airport...

Bombardier Q300ZK-NEP was arriving at Gisborne on 14 February 2019.
Air New Zealand operate daily flights to Auckland and Wellington

 

Air Napier is the only other "airline" serving Gisborne with a five day a week service to Gisborne. This largely carries freight but Air Napier are at the moment extending passenger services.
Piper Cherokee 6 ZK-ELK at Gisborne on 15 February 2019

The only other shot I took was Cessna 182 Skylane ZK-JRY at Gisborne on 14 February 2019

More from Monday...

These are the rest of the aircraft I photographed on the way home on Monday 11 February 2019... 

At Dunedin...

NZ Flying Doctor Service's Beech Super King Air ZK-FDR

 Ace Aviation's PA22-160 ZK-TDA 

Air New Zealand ATR 72-600s, ZK-MVH above and ZK-MVI below...
MVI was my ride to Christchurch

Air New Zealand Airbus 320 ZK-OXH.

At Christchurch...

Two more Air New Zealand ATR 72-600s, ZK-MVP above and ZK-MVR below...
MVR was my ride to Hamilton

 

My first view of Air New Air New Zealand's de-korued ATR 72-500, ZK-MCB... MCB is the only -500 series ATR I haven't flown on.

Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 ZK-PLS arriving from Blenheim

The Saga of Originair Continues

Originair continues to struggle to get airborne again. The company's reservations system has now pushed out the start of flights for another month until the 22nd of March.

Originair's last flights were flown on the weekend of the 30 November-3 December by Skyline Aviation.

The Originair's Facebook page continues to invite people to "book now"...

Mainland Trainers!

On Monday 11 February 2019 I had the pleasure of meeting up with Phil, Shirley and Jordan Kean from Dunedin's Mainland Air and catching up on their training aircraft. The company is kept happily busy with some 35 trainee pilots on their courses at any one time. In addition to the aircraft below Mainland Air operates Piper Chieftains and Senecas on charter work, aerial survey and air ambulance work. Only Chieftain KVW was in the hangar with the rest of the aircraft being kept busy elsewhere.

The new look of multi engine training for Mainland Air is Tecnam P2006T ZK-MTW... spot the cirrus!

 

Single engine training is provided in Cessna 152s... The company currently operates 5 - ZK-FGC

ZK-NSC

ZK-NSM

ZK-NSY

and ZK-NSZ

For my profile on Mainland Air's airline operation see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/10/mainland-air-last-airline-to-operate-to.html

Six from Taieri

Arriving back from a local at Taieri on 10 February 2019 was Cessna 337 Sky Master ZK-DFT.
This aircraft previously saw airline service with Air Central (see https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2013/11/air-central-north-island-commuter.html) and Taupo Air Services (see https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/03/taupo-air-services.html)

 

The Otago Rescue Helicopter, Kawasaki BK117 ZK-HUP at Taieri on 10 February 2019

Fokker D-VII Replica ZK-MKE at Taieri on 10 February 2019

Beech A36 Bonanza ZK-PVA on finals for Taieri on 10 February 2019

Out for a scenic from Taieri on 10 February 2019 was Tecnam P96 Golf ZK-WNG

Newly completed RANS S-6S Coyote after a washdown on a very hot day at Taieri on 10 February 2019

Airvan Enters Service

Golden Bay Air's Gippsland GA8 Airvan ZK-ZUG entered service on the 7th of February 2019 flying a Takaka-Wellington return service.

The factory new Airvan arrived in the country from the factory as VH-BFN on the 28th of December 2018. It was been painted in Golden Bay Air colours and readied for service at Repaircraft in Nelson taking to the air in its New Zealand registration ZK-ZUG about the 21st of January 2019.

Since then Golden Bay Air pilots have been busy doing ratings and training while the compnay completed procedural development work and sought the necessary approvals prior to entering service.

Golden Bay Air's Richard Molloy siad "The Airvan will  primarily be used on our Takaka-Karamea-Nelson-Takaka routes and will share the Takaka-Wellington route with our other aircraft. The Airvan seats the pilot and 7 passengers plus great views!"

Richard tells me ZUG "has also been flying the Takaka-Karamea-Nelson-Takaka circuit and is well booked over next few weeks."

Golden Bay Air's Gippsland Airvan at Wellington on 10 February 2019

A look inside the Airvan. These photos were posted on the Golden Bay Flying Club Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/gbflyingclub/

 

Some West Coast Helicopters

The West Coast rescue helicopter, MBB-BK117 ZK-HGU is operated by GCH Aviation. It is seen at Greymouth on 5 February 2019

The Helicopter Line's Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-HGV at Fox Glacier on 6 February 2019

Tekapo Helicopter's Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-HIY at Fox Glacier on 6 February 2019

The Helicopter Line's Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-HNB at Fox Glacier on 6 February 2019

Fox/Franz Heli Services' Hughes 500D ZK-HNJ at Fox Glacier on 6 February 2019

Fox/Franz Heli Services' Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-ICI at Fox Glacier on 6 February 2019

Tekapo Helicopter's Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-ICR was working for DOC in the Fox Glacier Valley on 6 February 2019

Carrying both Inflite Charter and Mountain Helicopters titles, Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-HKY at Fox Glacier on 7 February 2019

Mountain Helicopters' Aerospatiale Squirrel ZK-HYO at Fox Glacier on 7 February 2019

Robinson R44 ZK-HHI at Hokitika on 7 February 2019

  

Anderson Helicopters' Bell Longranger ZK-IFA at Hokitika on 7 February 2019