3rd Level New Zealand: September 2022

30 September 2022

Sunair's New Cessna 172

I was delighted to capture Sunair's latest Cessna 172 ZK-DXO at Whangarei on 29 September 2022. The 172 has had a major renovation at Tauranga after languishing in Hamilton for some years. Congratulations to Dan and the Sunair team... it looks great

Also at Whangarei on 29 September 2022 was Piper PA23 Aztec ZK-EVP arriving back from the Kaitaia medical staff flight. ZK-FVP was also present but had a cover over it so not photographed.

Cessna 172 ZK-CBZ was also present

29 September 2022

Farewell NSP

Departing New Zealand for the Philippines today was Piper PA31-350 Chieftain RP-C8186, or as it was more well known in New Zealand ZK-NSP. Today it flew from Ardmore to Auckland and then on to Norfolk Island.

Piper PA31-350 Chieftain RP-C8186 at Ardmore on 28 September 2022. Photo : AgAirNZ

The Chieftain was a 1975 model being initially registered as N59980 to West Freedom Mining Corp of Kittanning, Pennsylvania on 22/09/1975. In April 1982 it was sold to Custom Sales Analysis Inc of Chicopee, Massachusetts and then July 1983 to Barr Aviation Inc of Hollis, New Hampshire. In October 1984 it moved to Maui Airlines of Newport Beach, California and operated with them until September 1987 when its US registration was cancelled.

It became ZK-NSP with Motueka Air Ltd of Motueka which traded as Air Nelson on 24/09/1987. It was used on Cook Strait routes to Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim and Palmerston North and in Canterbury connecting Christchurch, Timaru and Oamaru.

Air Nelson also operated three Piper PA31-350 Chieftains ZK-FQW, ZK-NSO and ZK-NSP... ZK-NSP is seen at Nelson on 5 February 1989

Air Nelson's Piper Chieftain ZK-NSP at Hokitika on 26 November 1989

Air Nelson was the only airline it saw service with. On 22/12/1992 it was registered to Helicopter Leasing NZ Ltd of Taupo, to Helicopter Services (BOP) Ltd, Taupo on 27/02/2001 and Search & Rescue Services Ltd, Taupo on 15/10/2009.

The Westpac Waikato Air Ambulance Piper Chieftain ZK-NSP was on air ambulance duties. Photo taken at Gisborne on 22 November 2011 by S Lowe

On 19/09/2017 it moved to Auckland with AAA Flightshare Limited.

Piper Chieftain ZK-NSP at Ardmore on 15 December 2019

More at North Shore

It was the Pilatus PC12 VH-JMU that encouraged me to go out to North Shore on 26 September 2022 but there were a few other aircraft to record...

Nanchang CJ-6 ZK-CVI returning home

Piper PA28RT Arrow ZK-LGR at North Shore on 26 September 2022... another example of the rego too far forward.

Massey University School of Aviation's Diamond DA 40 ZK-MTD awaiting its turn to line up

Barrier Air's Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SDE doing the flight from and to the Barrier

Tauranga Aero Club's Cessna 152 ZK-TAC arrived

The North Shore Aero Club's Robin R2120 ZK-TZG was heading out on a training flight

28 September 2022

Auckland on Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon on 25 September 2022 at Auckland International started off quite pleasant until the cloud settled in...

Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300 A7-BEH heading off for Adelaide and Doha

China Southern Airbus 350-900 B309W arriving from Guangzhou

China Airlines B-18901 arriving from Taipei

Tahiti Nui Boeing 787-9 F-OVAA off to Papeete

A couple of Bombardier Q300s, ZK-NEC...

and ZK-NEG

Air New Zealand Airbus 321 ZK-NNG

Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 ZK-NZR arriving from Nadi

Barrier Air's Cessna 208 Grand Caravan ZK-SDB off to Great Barrier Island

Tasman Cargo Airlines Boeing 767-300 VH-EXZ arriving from Sydney

Qantas Airbus 330-300 VH-QPH off to Melbourne

Cessna 525 Citation ZK-XXK

27 September 2022

Two VH-JMUs

An interesting visitor to North SHore yesterday was a 2021 m0del Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-JMU. The Pilatus flew from Wellington and then did, what I presume was, a demonstration flight over Northland before returning to North Shore and later Wellington.

Pilatus PC12 VH-JMU returning from its demo flight at North Shore on 26 September 2022

On the taxi for its departure for Wellington

The registration VH-JMU rang a bell with me... and searching the files I found that I had photographed a Pilatus PC12 VH-JMU and this particular aircraft is now a kiwi as ZK-PLZ with Sounds Air.

Pilatus PC-12/45 VH-JMU at Perth's Jandakot Airport on 3 September 2014

Pilatus PC12 VH-JMU was sold to Sounds Air and placed on the New Zealand register as ZK-PLZ. It is seen here at Taupō on the first day of Sounds Air's service there on 2 June 2015

ZK-PLZ was subsequently repainted and operated initially as a corporate aircraft for Sounds Air's charter clients. It is now in the normal commuter configuration and is often seen around Sounds Air's ports. It is seen here at Taupō on 22 February 2021

26 September 2022

What's your favourite aircraft???

They look the same (often) but we tend to have a favourite aircraft in the fleet... Going way back ZK-BXE was my favourite Freindship with Air New Zealand and ZK-MCF my favourite Hawker Siddeley 748 with Mount Cook Airlines... And this is my favourite Barrier Air Caravan, ZK-SDE... a slightly different colour scheme... it is seen here at North Shore on a gloomy 19 September 2022