Air Chathams losing its colours?

Spotted at Auckland on 31 October 2013 was Air Chathams' Convair 580 ZK-CIE devoid of any Air Chathams' branding. One wonders what gives??? 

Perhaps REAL Tonga won't lease Air Chats aircraft with Chathams titles???
Or maybe it is a prelude to being painted in Wairarapa Airlines colours???
Or is a new scheme about to be revealed???

ZK-CIE taken 12 months ago on 5 October 2012. It never carried any Air Chathams' titles.

New Masterton-Auckland service???

A replacement air service for the soon to be axed Air New Zealand link between Masterton and Auckland could be up and running early in the new year. However, considerable investment from the council and community is likely to be required. Wairarapa MP John Hayes says the two suppliers that are being looked at both operate bigger plans than those used by Air NZ subsidiary Eagle Air for the Masterton to Auckland service.  In order to fly in and out of Masterton the runway would need to be extended nearly 200 metres to 1400m and also made an additional three metres wide to 30m. Lengthening the runway gives far more options for planes, Mr Hayes says. Air New Zealand plans to end its Masterton to Auckland service in February next year. The "loss-making" service, which has been running since 2009, was being pulled because of a lack of demand and increased operating costs, which meant it was no longer economically viable, says the national carrier. The service is understood to have a passenger occupancy rate of about 72 per cent. New potential suppliers being worked with operate planes double the capacity of the 19-seat Eagle Air Beechcraft planes. Mr Hayes says pricing is also likely to be higher at around $300 one way. "The problem with a regional service is that the planes you use are not as efficient as mainline jets, meaning that the customers are always going to have to pay a bit of a premium," he says. "It is a reality that any regional service in the country costs more to use than a Wellington- Auckland or Wellington- Christchurch service because the big jets are far more fuel-efficient and you can get a lot more people on them and you have still only got two pilots," he says. The priority is to have a service that is reliable, is for a long period of time and is commercially viable, he says. The next step is to sort out what business model would be most suitable and also pull together people who are likely to be shareholders. "One possibility might be to set up a locally-owned company that would contract a suppling party to provide a service that so we at least had something that was live for the long term."  Meanwhile, Mr Hayes has sent a mayday call to businesspeople in the electorate who regularly use the Air New Zealand service to Auckland in the hope of getting a commitment to a new provider.  "When going into negotiations with alternative airlines, most importantly we need a firm understanding of who will use this service, when, and how often at a price of about $300 (per) one-way trip to or from Auckland."  If you intend to regularly use the air service from Masterton airport past February next year send an email to john.hayes@parliament.govt.nz supplying your name and the days and times you prefer to fly in to or out of Masterton airport

 

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/9340634/Runway-extension-needed-for-new-Masterton-service

Take Over

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Eagle Air taking over Air New Zealand's air services to Kaitaia and Whangarei and some services in to Gisborne and Tauranga. In the South Island Air Nelson took over services to Hokitika and Westport and some services to Nelson and Timaru.

 

The first service Air Nelson air service to Hokitika was operated by Associated Air's Cessna 402 ZK-DSB which also operated the Air Nelson service to Timaru.

 

Air Nelson's first flight to Timaru was operated by Associated Air's Cessna 402 ZK-DSB seen here at Timaru on the first flight on 31 October 1988.

 

 

With the new Metroliners not ready for service a variety of aircraft were used on services to Hokitika during the month of November...

 

Air Nelson

ZK-JGA, Piper Navajo

ZK-NSP, Piper Chieftain

 

Air New Zealand

ZK-BXE, ZK-BXF, ZK-NAO, ZK-NFD, ZK-NFE, Fokker Friendship

 

Air Safaris

ZK-NMD and ZK-NME, GAF N24 Nomad

ZK-KPL, Piper Navajo

Associated Air

ZK-DSB and ZK-KAN, Cessna 402

ZK-ETM, Cessna 310

 

Capital Air

ZK-WLG, Cessna 421 Golden Eagle

 

Pacifica Air

ZK-FQW, Piper Chieftain

The Metroliner took over all Hokitika services from 30 November 1988. Meanwhile in Timaru a variety of aircraft were used as well, including a Canterbury Aero Club Piper Archer. The one passenger was not at all pleased.



25 years ago - October 1988 - Jets in Christchurch

Highlight of the month was British Aerospace 146-100QT G-BSTA on demo in Christchurch on 22 October 1988

 

...and a couple of Ansett New Zealand Boeing 737s... above 100 series ZK-NEC and below and 200 series ZK-NEF, both on 22 October 1988.

 

25 Years Ago - October 1988

Over the month of October 1988 there were a few aircraft of interest at Timaru, Christchurch and Hokitika... but at the same time I had a few camera issues with a fuzzy white spot ruining what would have been good photos...

Cessna 180s ZK-BJB and ZK-CGJ both taken at Timaru in October 1988 

 

Piper Pa18 Cub at Hokitika in October 1988

Above, Cavalier SA.102.5 at Timaru on a Sunday day while below Cessna 421 Golden Eagle ZK-KBF was at Hokitika on a murky day

 

The worst two with the white fuzz, above, the Helicopter Line's Cessna 182 ZK-DNZ and below Piper PA28 Cherokee 140 ZK-CUE both taken at Timaru in October 1988

 

Above, Cessna 172 ZK-DWO and below Aspiring Air's Cessna 206 ZK-DXZ at Christchurch on 22 October 1988

 

Also on 22 October 1988 Eagle Air's first Bandeirante ZK-ERU was in Christchurch

The 23rd of October 1988 was a better day to capture Hughes 500C ZK-HVO above and Garden City Helicopter's Bell Jetranger ZK-HYF at Christchurch

Also out at Christchurch on the 23rd was the Airline Flying Club's Cessna 150 ZK-CSW

And finally, a classic, Peter Garden Helicopters' Hiller UH-12 ZK-HDM at Timaru on 26 October 1988

Auckland over the last couple of days...

Over the last couple of days I have had a couple of airport pickups...

On Saturday 26 October, in addition to Tasman Cargo Airlines' Boeing 757 I also took the following at Auckland International...

Surprise of the day was US Air Force Boeing C17 Globemaster 10-0218 which diverted into Auckland due to Christchurch weather.

 

A couple of Air New Zealand jets... Above, Airbus 320 ZK-OJR with the sun nicely glinting on the engine cowl and below big Boeing 777-200 ZK-OKH

Cathay Pacific's Airbus 340 B-HXH on the taxi before flying to Hong Kong.

Today, the 27th, I only got one, but a bit of a stranger...

Emirates Skycargo's freighter Boeing 777-F1H A6-EFJ

Rugby World Cup on the way...

Further to the previous post the Tasman Cargo Airlines-cup bearing Boeing 757 VH-TCA rolls for Sydney at Auckland earlier today...

DHL and the Rugby World Cup

Flying across the Tasman this afternoon in DHL's Tasman Cargo Airlines operated Boeing 757 is the Rugby World Cup being accompanied by 1985-1993 All Black player Grant Fox. At a ceremony at Eden Park this morning it was announced that DHL, as in 2011, will be a logistics partner for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in the UK. Tasman Cargo Airline’s normal Saturday flight to Sydney has had its departure time rescheduled from 11.45am to 3.30pm with the Boeing 757 now featuring Rugby World Cup logos. Upon arrival in Sydney the flight and cup will be met by ex Wallaby player George Gregan and there will be a similar promo in Sydney as in Auckland. From Sydney the cup goes to Johannesburg before heading to London and then to IRB headquarters in Ireland…   

Having the Rugby World Cup logo applied... Tasman Cargo Airline's Boeing 757 at Auckland on 25 October 2013. For for on Tasman Cargo Airlines see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/tasman-cargo-airlines-express-trans.html

 

 

 

 

 

Birth of the Bandeirante

Grayson Ottoway sent in this post to remember the aircraft that became the legendary Embraer Bandeirante that flew for the first time on the 26th of October 1968...

 

Designed by a French engineer called Max Holste using Brazil’s Ministry of Aeronautics specifications, the goal was to create a general purpose un-pressurised twin turbo-prop aircraft, suitable for both civilian and military roles with a low operational cost and high reliability.

 

The prototype, known as YC-95, had 8 seats and was powered by 550shp PT6A-20 engines, three were built.

 

EMBRAER (Empresa Brasilera de Aeronautica - Brazilian Aeronautical Company) was established in 1969 and began operating on January 2, 1970 with the YC-95 – renamed the EMB-100 - as its first project.

 

It was found soon after that market conditions had changed and an eight seat plane would no longer be big enough. Embraer’s design team decided to start over with a new development based on the EMB-100 and so the EMB-110 Bandeirante (Portuguese for Pioneer) was born. It was bigger, with 12 seats with a number of technical advances.

 

The Brazilian Air Force placed an order for 80 aircraft with the first delivered to them in February 1973. (They still have more than 90 in service today - new flight decks were started to be upgraded in 2010 – photo below. For those of you, who flew the Bandit, brace yourselves. It is an impressive front end!!)

 

The passenger model first flew on August 9 1972, entering commercial service on April 16 1973 with Brazilian airlines Transbrasil and VASP.

 

In 1976 a 0.85 metre fuselage plug created a stretched variant with a large rear cargo door, passenger/pilot entry airstair/door in front of the propellers a ventral fin and upgraded 750shp PT6A-34’s engines. Called the 110K1 it became the C-95 in military service with the civilian version called the EMB-110P1. The P1 kept the military version large rear cargo door giving it the ability for fast conversion from 18 seat airliner to a freighter. The EMB-110P2 was also created as a dedicated airliner without the rear cargo door replaced with another passenger airstair/door.

 

In 1977 EMBRAER designed the "EMB-111 Bandierulha" maritime patrol machine with it going into service in 1978. Based on the first-generation "short" Bandeirante airframe, it had a large nose radome for ocean search radar, enhanced navigation system, electronic support measures system to locate radio emitters, two stores pylons under each wing with typical stores including two 127 millimeter (5 inch) HVAR unguided rockets per pylon or a seven-round launcher for 70 millimeter rockets per pylon.

 

The EMB-111 also had a smoke marker / illumination flare dispenser, wingtip fuel tanks for greater patrol endurance, an inward-opening rear door for airdropping rescue kit and had a separate ladder hooked onto the bottom of the door for access instead of a built in stair. Some EMB-111’s had flat tailplanes, others had dihedral tailplanes.

 

In 1981 in the US the EMB-110P1/41 EMB-110P2/41 variants were certified with higher maximum takeoff weight -- 5,900 kilograms (13,010 pounds), an increase of 230 kilograms (510 pounds). The "/41" suffix stood for the "SFAR Part 41" regulation issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration allowing the increase in weight.

 

Beginning in 1983 the EMB-110P1A / P2A variant began deliveries. Changes included a dihedral of 10º of the horizontal stabilizers, better sound insulation, upgraded interior and other technical differences. (Air National’s Bandit ZK-ECM was one of these – Eagle’s all had straight tails.)

 

Sadly an EMB-110P3 pressurised version, with a ‘T-tail’ was designed in the early 80’s but never went any further. (3-view below)

 

The Bandeirante’s production line was shut down at the end of 1991. The last aircraft to be ordered, S/N 498, was delivered to the Amazon Government in 1995. All told, 498 airplanes were manufactured, 253 of them for Brazil and 245 for operators abroad.

 

And a load of them are still flying!

EMB-100 prototype (David John Allen picture)

EMB-100 no 1 is preserved in a museum in Brazil. (Daniel R. Carneiro picture)

New glass cockpit for Brazilian military Bandits.

 

 

There have been 23 Bandeirantes that have flown on the New Zealand register...

 

Air National

ZK-ECM/2 (c/n 110383)

For more on Air National see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/03/au-revoir-air-national-1-early-turbo.html

ZK-ECM in Menzies Aviation colours at Auckland on 5 February 1995...

and in Air National colours at Wellington on 14 October 1999.

 

 

Air Rarotonga

ZK-FTS (c/n 110239)
ZK-TAI/2 (c/n 110387)
ZK-TAK/2 (c/n 110448)
ZK-TRL (c/n 110417)

 

Slightly different tails on two of Air Rarotonga's Bandeirantes, ZK-TAK at Rarotonga on 25 July 2003

 

...and ZK-FTS at Rarotonga on 23 July 2003.

CityJet

ZK-KML (c/n 110248) previously ZK-REU
ZK-TZL (c/n 110378)
ZK-TZM (c/n 110328) previously ZK-REW
ZK-TZN (c/n 110298) became ZK-CEF

For more on CityJet see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/cityjet-nzs-low-cost-airline.html
See also http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/north-south-aviations-quikmail-air.html and http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/tranzglobal-unlisted-freight-airline.html

 

ZK-KML when with North South Aviation at Auckland on 17 July 1993...

...when with TranzGlobal at Hokitika on 9 March 1996...

and when with CityJet at Nelson on 25 June 1999.

 

Eagle Airways

ZK-CEF (c/n 110238) previously ZK-TZN
ZK-DCH (c/n 110364)
ZK-ERU (c/n 110267)
ZK-FHX (c/n 110225)
ZK-JCM (c/n 110305)
ZK-KIP (c/n 110286)
ZK-KML (c/n 110248) Used for spares
ZK-LBC (c/n 110345)
ZK-MAS (c/n 110214)
ZK-NDC (c/n 110379)
ZK-TRM (c/n 110436)
ZK-TZL (c/n 110378) Used for spares
ZK-VJG (c/n 110298) previously ZK-TZN

For more on Eagle Air see http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/eagle-air-index-of-posts.html

New Zealand's first Bandeirante, ZK-ERU at Auckland on 24 November 1982.

ERU in her second scheme at Palmerston North on 18 May 1984

Eagle Air's rather bland third scheme... ERU taken at Hamilton on 20 May 1988

ERU as the Link carrier with only small Eagle Air titles under the cockpit window. Photo taken at Auckland on 16 April 1999

Only ZK-CEF, ZK-TRM and ZK-VJG carried the koru... ZK-VJG is seen at Woodbourne on 22 September 2000

 

Ansett NZ and associates

ZK-REU (c/n 110248)
ZK-REU/2 (c/n 110298) became ZK-KML
ZK-REV (c/n 110274)
ZK-REW (c/n 110328) became ZK-TRM
ZK-REX/2 (c/n 110184)
ZK-REX/3 (c/n 110407)
ZK-REZ (c/n 110417) previously ZK-TRL
ZK-TRK (c/n 110422)
ZK-TRL (c/n 110417) became ZK-REZ
ZK-TRM  (c/n 110436)

New Zealand's only P2 model Embraer Bandeirante, Tranzair's ZK-REX/2 at Nelson on 24 October 1989

Branded as the Whisper Connection, Tranzair ZK-REU 14 November 1990

ZK-TRM with the new stars on the tail at Wellington on 14 January 1992

The Australian stars on the tail of ZK-REV at Nelson on 5 February 1996

Rebranded as Ansett Regional, ZK-REW at Woodbourne on 19 November 1996