31 March 2011

Expansion Sought for Rotorua's Air NZ Domestic and International Flights


There have been a couple of articles about air services in Rotorua's Daily Post. On the domestic front...

Rotorua Airport manager George White is working on a business plan that may include lobbying Air New Zealand to establish direct flights between Rotorua and Queenstown. Rotorua International Airport may lobby Air New Zealand for direct flights between Rotorua and Queenstown. The airline won't be drawn on whether such a service would be viable but tourism leaders say it could be a short-term fix to counter tourist cancellations resulting from the disasters in Christchurch and Japan.


Perhaps they could use a HS748?

Meanwhile on the international front

The number of transtasman passengers flying in and out of Rotorua International Airport is expected to nearly triple in just over three years. In the first year, 21,273 passengers used the service between Rotorua and Sydney.

The full article can be found at : http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/local/news/rotorua-transtasman-passengers-expected-to-triple/3945800/

I wonder if the loadings out of Rotorua are better than what Air NZ got out of Hamilton
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30 March 2011

The new Air New Zealand safety briefing


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWhHpjZfTik&feature=player_embedded#at=88

Bring back the All Blacks
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Jetstar cuts to Christchurch services


Jetstar will cut three daily domestic flights to Christchurch from April in response to reduced demand from the earthquake hit city. The Qantas-owned budget airline will also axe one Melbourne to Christchurch daily service.

Full article can be found at : http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/4826726/Qantas-to-scrap-planes-jobs-as-fuel-costs-bite
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North Shore Activity

I spent a pleasant hour at North Shore yesterday afternoon and managed to capture...

Registered to Gerard Rea, part owner of Great Barrier Airlines is Cessna 172 ZK-DOL seen departing from North Shore for the Barrier on 29 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
Thorp T18 ZK-EDF taxis in at North Shore on 29 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe

Robinson R22 ZK-HPT hover taxis for the pumps at North Shore on 29 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
In the circuit at North Shore on 29 March 2011 was North Shore Helicopters Robinson R44 ZK-IXG. Photo : S Lowe
  
A couple of Tomahawks, above ZK-MBZ and below ZK-PAF taken at North Shore on 29 March 2011. Photos : S Lowe
 

Great Barrier Airlines' Partenavia ZK-PLA seen departing from North Shore for the Barrier on 29 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
North Shore Aero Club's Cessna 152 ZK-SSG taxis in at North Shore on 29 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
Back tracking is Cessna 172 ZK-XOX at North Shore on 29 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe


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28 March 2011

While on an airport pickup today...

The last of Fly My Sky's Islanders to be painted in their scheme, ZK-PIZ at Auckland on 28 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe 

Airwork's Metroliner 23 ZK-POF at Auckland on 28 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
Gulfstream G-V N914FJ at Auckland on 28 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
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25 March 2011

Common Sense Prevails

Flight deck barriers will not be required on planes with fewer than 19 seats despite the 2008 attempted hijacking of a domestic Air New Zealand flight. Somali refugee Asha Ali Abdille was last year sentenced to nine years in prison with a minimum non-parole period of six years for her actions on the flight from Blenheim to Christchurch. She took three knives onboard the plane and told staff she had a bomb. She was overpowered by crewmembers and the plane was landed safely. In 2009 the Government mandated strengthened flight deck barriers on aircraft with more than 30 seats and undertook a feasibility study for requiring the same on 19-seat aircraft. Today, Transport Minister Steven Joyce said while the barriers were technically possible on the smaller aircraft it would add to the cost of flights to provincial destinations and could prove cost prohibitive for small operators. Officials did not find the requirement in any other countries for aircraft of that size. "Strengthened flight deck barriers have been introduced so far for about half the number of domestic aircraft with more than thirty seats." Once completed 92 percent of domestic Air New Zealand flights would have strengthened cockpit door. Security committees were also now in place in 19 regional airports, Joyce said.

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North Shore this week

Grumman Cougar, ZK-CGR, at North Shore on 22 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe

Piper Pa28 Cherokee ZK-DOQ in the circuit at North Shore on 22 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
Cessna 182 ZK-JCV at North Shore on 22 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
Great Barriers Trislander ZK-LGC with a very good load at North Shore on 22 March 2011. Photo : S Lowe
Cessna 185 ZK-EFB at North Shore on 22 March 2011... such a nice background as they taxi in here. Photo : S Lowe

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24 March 2011

You can't keep a good 737 down...



A second postscript on my post of the other day on the retirement of Qantas' ZK-JTR, (http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2011/03/farewell-to-another-qantas-boeing-737.html)... it is again back in the air again.

ZK-JTR has yet to retire fully, its back flying today, the 24th of March as QFA124/115 Auckland-Brisbane-Auckland covering for a Boeing 737-800 out of service with a fuel leak!
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Sunair Post Updated


I received an email the other day from Sunair's Dan Power pointing out an error on my profile on Sunair and in particular their service through Wairoa...


He writes...

We ceased ops through WO a couple of years ago as we lost the contract for the carriage of courier freight to Air Napier. We never offered a pax service to WO. The airplane used to land at WO twice daily to deliver and uplift freight only.

The original post has been updated.
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Air Services Through Alexandra - Index of Posts

The following are links to posts on the airlines that have served Alexandra


1950-1962



1960-1966



1966-1991, 1992



1985-1986



1988



1988-1989



1989



2000-2001



2007-2008
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Air Services Through Tokoroa - Index of Posts

This is the index page of the airline operators that flew scheduled services into Tokoroa. a history of each of these services can be found by following the links below

James Aviation


Auckland Aero Club

 
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/07/akarana-to-tokoroa_04.html

 
 
Company Profile
Air North's Tokoroa air service



 
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James Aviation Profile - Index of Posts

This profile for this company covers two posts as below:

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/06/beavering-away-in-tokoroa.html

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/06/nac-apache.html
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22 March 2011

Special Schemes at Queenstown

Air New Zealand's "All Black" Airbus A320 ZK-OAB is now a regular sight around NZ skies and on 21 March it was in and out of Queenstown on the service from Auckland.

Mike Condon photo

Mike Condon photo
Jetstar's Airbus A320 VH-VGP with the "Powderfinger" decal was once elusive this side of the Tasman, but in recent months it seems to have become a common sight flying both domestic and Trans-Tasman services for the Qantas offshoot.

Mike Condon photo
And just another shot for good measure:

Mike Condon photo
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Future Historical Posts - Looking for some help

At present I am working on three mosts on the operators that have flown through Greymouth, namely NAC, Capital Air Services and Air West Coast.

Can you help me with any information, scans of photos, timetables, adverts on Capital Air Services??? I was still at high school when they were operating so my data on them is patchy.

Someone has suggested I do a series of posts on operators that have flown a service to Great Barrier Island. There have been a multitude of operators so it is a massive project;

Tourist Air Travel
Mount Cook Airlines
Sea Bee Air
Auckland Aero Club
NZ Air Charter
Great Barrier Airlines
Air National Express
Gulf Air
NZ Air Services
Northern Air
Parakai
Tikapa Air
Trans Island Air
Mountain Air
Fly My Sky

Can you help me with any information, scans of news paper clippings, photos, timetables, adverts on these operators??? I have only lived in Auckland for 3 years so again my data on them is patchy.

My email is address is westland831@yahoo.com

Cheers, Steve

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20 March 2011

Farewell to another Qantas Boeing 737-400



Jetconnect's Boeing 737-400 ZK-JTR retired from Qantas service today, 20 March, having flown from Auckland to Brisbane as QFA124 and returned to Auckland as QFA115.

On landing the aircraft had completed 33660 cycles and 63480 flight hours.


Boeing 737-400 Zk-JTR at Auckland on the 21st June 2009. Photo : S Lowe

POSTSCRIPT... Murphy's Law! ZK-JTP went U/S and ZK-JTR pushed back into service this evening as QFA126/125 Auckland Brisbane-Auckland


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Royal Vincent Aviation


Entrusted with flying Prince William to the West Coast last week was Vincent Aviation's DHC Dash 8 ZK-VAC. On Thursday the 17th it flew the prince from Christchurch to Greymouth where he met the families of the miners who lost their lives in the Pike River mine disaster. The following day it flew him from Hokitika to Christchurch for the national memorial for those who lost their lives in the Christchurch earthquake.

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19 March 2011

Jetstar Heavy


Captured at Auckland yesterday, the 18th of March 2011, is the first Jetstar Airbus 330 flight. Jetstar now operate between Auckland and Singapore offering competition to Singapore Airlines. Photos : W Grant
 

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