A3-Land - 10 Days in Tonga

I am just back from 10 days in Tonga and the following are my desparation shots... the international terminal at Fua'amotu Airport is fine for photography  but the domestic is a disaster so the photos are full zoom and severely cropped. Nonetheless some interesting stuff...

The ship I went up on, Air New Zealand's Boeing 767-300 ZK-NCG, on its return Auckland-Tonga-Apia-Los Angeles-Apia-Tonga-Auckland service. This flight is to be cut in the very near future. At Fua'amotu on 30 December 2010. Photo : S Lowe

A desparation shot of Pacific Sun's ATR 42, DQ-PSA, on approach to Fua'amotu. Taken from the blowholes at Houma on 31 December 2010. Photo : S Lowe 

Chatham Pacific's Douglas DC-3 being towed out of the hangar for its Ha'apai flights on 6 January 2011. Photo : S Lowe

Operated by the Tongan Defence Force is Beech D18 N500MK. At Fua'amotu on 6 January 2011. Photo : S Lowe

Pacific Blue's Boeing 737-800 ZK-PBM at Fua'amotu readying for its flight to Sydney with some blue skies and sunshine on 6 January 2011. Unfortunately - or maybe fortunately - an hour earlier my flight home hadn't been able to land due to weather conditions. Given I had a dose of food posioning the night before I was happy not to fly. BEWARE the raw fish! Photo : S Lowe 

Chathams Pacific Beech Queen Air at Fua'amotu on 7 January 2011. This aircraft was flying most days as was the DC-3. Convair 580 ZK-CIF was also in Tonga but I only heard it fly once. What I presumed to be A3-FEW was in the hangar and seemed to be on heavy maintenance  Photo : S Lowe

Real desperation photos of Britten Islander A3-LYP which is used primarily for the service to 'Eua. At Fua'amotu on 7 January 2011. Photo : S Lowe 

A taste of Origin Pacific - Metroliner ZK-CIC arrives from Vava'u At Fua'amotu on 7 January 2011. Photo : S Lowe

An expensive ride home - Some 50 disrupts from the day before arrive and something like 100 southbounds going out. Air New Zealand ZK-NCJ Boeing 767-300 arrives from Auckland much to our relief on 7 January 2011. Photo : S Lowe