Mustang for Stuart...

A few more from Tauranga...

NA American P51 Mustang ZK-TAF - pure grunt...

and three wanna be Mustangs... Titan T51 Mustang ZK-MJD

and Titan T51 Mustang ZK-MPC... grunt in minature!

and Papa51 Thunder Mustang ZK-TMG

Photos taken at Tauranga on 28 January 2012 by S Lowe

Eagle Feederliner?

More from the Classics Flyer Air Show...

Carrying Eagle titles, but related to type not Eagle Air

AutoGyro Europe MT03 Eagle ZK-RGG - a possibility for a Gore-Invercargill feeder...

AutoGyro Europe MT03 Eagle ZK-KIW - a possibility for a Kaikohe-Kerikeri feeder...

AutoGyro Europe MT03 Eagle ZK-MOR - a possibility for a Greymouth-Hokitika feeder...

AutoGyro Europe MT03 Eagle ZK-MTO - a possibility for an Oamaru-Timaru feeder...

 There was one other gyrocopter...

AutoGyro Europe Calidus Fern - ZK-MZM

 All photos taken at Tauranga on 28 January 2012 by S Lowe

My Current Favourite 3rd Level Airline

Golden Bay Air is an airline that really interests me. They have worked hard to carve out a niche for themselves and seem to be doing really well. While in Wellington last week I wanted to get a really nice pic of their Seneca ZK-ZAG looking down on it so I could get the titles. So on the road from Paraparaumu at 6.30 a.m. (yawn - this was supposed to be a holiday) to avoid the rush hour traffic and get into Wellington for the arrival of the 8.40 am flight from Takaka.

Problem No. 1 - a northerly wind so not good for getting pictures from the northern observation car park!

No problem - to the terminal...

Problem No. 2 - the shade!

The worst kind of desparation shot... The sort of angle I wanted - but I wanted sun - this light is awful!!!

A desparate search for a better position to get a shot in the sun...

Better, but not quite side on and Mr Jetstar, can you move your Airbus?

Ok, maybe as it taxis for 34, a real distant shot, but...

Problem 3. It taxied for the other side of the airport instead of taxi-ing to 34!

Mutter, mutter, mutter... he said thinking the wind had changed and I should have been at the car park at the northern end of the runway... no wait, he's taxi-ing to the far side...

So feeling a little better that I hadn't missed the perfect shot a quick sprint to the car - and up to the car park...

just in time as ZK-ZAG heads home to Takaka

After visitng friends I noticed the wind had changed so back to the airport to catch ZK-ZAG back for the first of two afternoon flights...

...still can't get those titles!

So, I still haven't got the perfect shot Richard! The joys of plane spotting. Maybe next time I'm in the capital!

All photos taken at Wellington on the 25th of January 2012 by S Lowe

Boeings Regular Flyers at Tauranga...

... but not of the Boeing 7x7 flavour, rather three Boeing Stearman aircraft that are all Tauranga-based... All photos taken by S Lowe on 28 January 2012.

ZK-USA

ZK-USN

ZK-XAF

Warbirds Dakota to Tauranga...

A most wonderful day today flying down to the Classic Flyers Airshow at Tauranga on the Warbirds Dakota...

Hunua Ranges

Orere Point

Western coastline of the Firth of Thames

Waihou River and Hauraki Plains

Hauraki Plains and Firth of Thames

Paeroa

Athenree

A bit difficult to sea... but packs of sawn timber from the Rena on the beach of Matakana Island

Mount Maunganui and Tauranga

Mount Maunganui

Mount Maunganui and Tauranga

Mount Maunganui

The ride for the day, Warbirds's DC-3 ZK-DAK at Tauranga on 28 January 2012.

 

Port of Tauranga on the flight home

Waihi Beach

New and Old Kopu bridges over Waihou River

Bouncing past Thames

Ponui Island

An amazing day, an amazing plane, an amazing flight and all at an amazing price. Thanks to the Warbirds Warbirds team.

For more on Warbirds' DC3 flights see http://www.nzwarbirds.org.nz/dakota/

25 years ago... January 1987

From my collection a glimpse of the NZ airline aviation scene 25 years ago...

While there is talk at present of Air NZ dropping London, 25 years ago British Airways were still flying to NZ including a service to Christchurch. Boeing 747-200 G-BDPV taxis for departure on 2 January 1987. Photo : S Lowe

A rare visitor to Christchurch... Qantas Boeing 747SP at Christchurch on 8 January 1987. Photo : S Lowe

Fieldair Freight were operating DC-3 ZK-AWP... it is seen here landing on runway 29 at Christchurch on 29 January 1987. Photo : S Lowe

Over at Franz Josef skiplane Cessna 185 ZK-CKT was still carrying Mount Cook Line titles... as the fleet slowly rebranded as Mount Cook Airline with the blue, red and yellow stripes. Photo taken at Franz Josef on 17 January 1987 by S Lowe

Safe AIr titles were extended to read Safe Air Cargo as seen on Hawker Siddeley Argosy ZK-SAF at Christchurch on 24 January 1987. Photo : S Lowe

Ansett Newmans second Dash 8, ZK-NEZ, was in service... Photo taken at Christchurch on 26 January 1987 by S Lowe

...while Newmans Air's Dash 7 was ready to go to Eurocity Express as G-BNDC. Photo taken at Christchurch on 28 January 1987 by S Lowe

On the drive to Wanganui...

A few days off and a few photos...

At Hamilton there were a couple of overseas registered aircraft, PNG registered Pacific Aerospace 750XL P2-BWC (above) and Cessna 650 Citation VH-ING below. Photos taken on 23 January 2012 by S Lowe

 

At Taumarunui Cessna 172 ZK-EJS was caught on take off while Fly My Sky's Hughes 500D ZK-HTN was enjoying a lazy summer afternoon.  Photos taken on 23 January 2012 by S Lowe

 

At the Chateau Mountain Air's Cessna 206 ZK-DOV was waiting for a bus load of tourists.  Photo taken on 23 January 2012 by S Lowe

At Wanganui Eagle Air's second All Black Beech 1900, ZK-EAK, was caught departing for Auckland.  Photo taken on 23 January 2012 by S Lowe

A new one for me was a tri-cycle wheeled Maule, ZK-JQY (above) while (below) it was great to catch up on Cessna 172 ZK-DFI - it used to be on the fleet of Westland Flying Services (http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/04/hokitikas-westland-flying-services.html) when I was at High School.  Photos taken at Wanganui on 23 January 2012 by S Lowe.

 

Also at Wanganui were the Aero Club's Piper Tomahawk ZK-FRS and Pitts Special ZK-PEG. Photos taken on 23 January 2012 by S Lowe.