Is this EHS???

Can someone confirm or deny that this is the hulk of Cessna 402 ZK-EHS??? Thanks, Steve

Auckland Heavies...

Here are some of the heavies I photographed on my last trip to Auckland International...

 

One of the nicest colour schemes flying into Auckland is China Airlines' as seen on Airbus A330-302 B-18310 on approach to Auckland on 10 December 2012. Photos : S Lowe

 

Emirates continue to operate their service from Brisbane with Boeing 777-300s... Photo taken at Auckland on 10 December 2012 by S Lowe.

LAN Chile's Airbus A340-313X CC-CQA arriving from Sydney on 10 December 2012. Photo : S Lowe

Not a hobbit to be seen - Air New Zealand's Boeing 777-319ER ZK-OKO on 10 December 2012... This scheme is bland enough... if only they were going to change to something better but alas... Photos taken at Auckland on 10 December 2012 by S Lowe 

 

The New Air NZ colour scheme

 

 

Mount Cook Airline's next ATR 72-600, which will become ZK-MVB, has taken to the air and gives the best indication of what the new Air NZ lack of colour scheme will look like with the black tail... I must admit it looks better than I expected but it is still terribly boring.

See http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-New-Zealand/ATR-ATR-72-600-(ATR-72-212A)/2200195/L/

By Boeing to Dargaville

The following is an article from the Northern Advocate recounting George Bolt and Leo Walsh's first air mail trial flight to Dargaville that was flown 93 years ago today on the 16th of December 1919. 

 
Mails By Seaplane - Dargaville Experiment

Quite A Success

Reference has been made to the pioneer aerial Royal mail of New Zealand, which was carried from Auckland to Dargaville last Tuesday. The whole arrangements, including a return mail, were carried out without a hitch. Further details are hereby submitted. The Postal Department has entered into a contract with Messrs Walsh Bros, and Dexter, of the New Zealand Flying School, Kohimarama, for a trial run to and from Dargaville Northern Wairoa, in one of their seaplanes, carrying a mail of about 50lb, the average weight of the ordinary mails sent to that district by train. At 10 a.m. the mailbags were waiting on the man-of-war steps opposite the end of Albert Street. The contents consisted of 825 letters, weight 22lb, and also 22lb of newspapers, including a bundle of Heralds, which the post office authorities courteously offered to convey to the Dargaville agent for the paper, the mail bag making up the difference in weight. The seaplane, a twin-float, of 125 horse-power, with the words "Royal Mail" emblazoned on her side, lay floating on the surface of mid-harbour opposite the steps. Her crew consisted of Mr George Bolt as pilot, and Mr Leo Walsh, director of the Flying School, who was in charge of the experimental run. To her was conveyed the mail in the Flying School's launch, some 2000 spectators being assembled at the waterfront to witness the first stage of the new departure in postal despatch. Among those who went out on the launch were the chief postmaster Mr W. Gee; the superintendent of mails, Mr G. W. Rudd; the Mayor and Mayoress of Dargaville; Mr and Mrs R. E. Hornblow; the head of the Dominion Wireless School, Mr G. Macdonald; Messrs Selwyn Mays and E. Earl. The wind came lightly from the south-west, the air was clear, and the sun bright—ideal conditions in every respect for the experiment.

 

The Journey North

The aircraft started at 10.15 a.m. and gradually gained elevation, passing the North Head at about 1000 ft above the sea. Following the Rangitoto Channel she made for the Whangapararoa Peninsula, crossing it at 1820 ft. Opposite Kawau she had made 2300 ft, and at Leigh 3200 ft. Shortly after passing Leigh the pilot bore inland, and when near Mangawai 3900 ft had been gained. When near her westernmost point, over the Wairoa River, she was at her utmost height for the trip, 4200 ft, and thenceforward she descended by degrees, finally volplaning to her landing place on the river, opposite Dargaville, sharp at 11.50 a.m.—an hour and 35 minutes from the time of departure from Auckland. Advices of the sighting of the mail-plane were received by the Postal Department as she proceeded, giving the times as follows:—Hobsonville 10.27 a.m., Mullet Point 10.45, Leigh 10.48, Pakiri 10.55, Mangawai 11.10, Kaiwaka 11.13, Bickerstaffe 11.20, Pahi 11.34. Huketere 11.35, Ruawai 11.36, Raupo 11.39, Tokatoka 11.42 Te Kopuru 11.40, and Dargaville 11.50 a.m.

Mr Alf Randall towing the Boeing "F" with the Royal Mail on board from mid stream, Northern Wairoa River, Dargaville, on December 16th 1919. Photo : Dargaville Aero Club archives

Letters carried on the first flights... Photos : Dargaville Aero Club Archives

 

 

Entertained At Dargaville

The greater part of Dargaville's population had turned out to welcome the unaccustomed visitor, and with them was the Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. G. Coates. After the mails have been delivered aboard the launch sent out by the post office authorities, the two aerial travellers and leading inhabitants of the town were entertained at a luncheon. Responding to the toast of his health, Mr Coates dwelt upon the possibilities of aerial mail carriage not only to the Auckland district but to other parts of the Dominion and spoke in praise of the work done by the New Zealand Flying School in connection with the war. The seaplane's crew were also toasted. Mr Leo Walsh spoke in acknowledgment of the hospitality of the people of Dargaville. Soon after mails for Auckland were received on the seaplane which had meanwhile been made ready for the return journey. For this the mail consisted of 1220 letters, weighing 27lb, 17 book packets, weight 20lb, and nine newspapers 4lb—51lb in all. Again the seaplane took the air, the time being 3 p.m. Cheered by the populace as she lifted from the river surface, she rose steadily and set a more direct course for Auckland than that followed in the morning. At Te Kopuru she had risen to 1000 ft, and at Pouto to 2800 ft. Thence she made for Helensville, which was crossed at a height of 4500 ft. In passing the vicinity of the town a small bag was dropped, containing a message from the Postmaster-General for the people of the district. Word was received by Mr Walsh last evening that the bag had been received safely. From Helensville the course was direct to Riverhead, still at 4500 ft elevation, and then the course of the Waitemata was followed. Just after 4.15 p.m. the seaplane was descried from the city heading for her starting point of the morning, and at 4.23 p.m. she gently dropped into the water opposite the Harbour Board's office — an hour and 23 minutes from Dargaville. Telegraphic advices as to her appearance in the several districts were received by the Chief Postmaster, giving the times as follows:—Te Kopuru 3.5 p.m., Raupo 3.12, Ruawai 3.15, Pouto 3.30. The distance flown by the seaplane in the journey to Dargaville, via the East Coast, was approximately 112 miles. On the return journey the distance, via Kaipara Harbour and Helensville worked out at about 80 miles.

 

Extension of System Intended                     

Mr Walsh expressed himself as more than satisfied with his experiences in the expedition. The machinery of the seaplane worked with the utmost smoothness throughout both stages of the trip, and there were no thrilling moments. The landscape of the Northern peninsula, he said, looked magnificent from his aerial perch. The sea was visible throughout the journey, and even when following the line of the Wairoa River the Little Barrier was in view. The route followed by the voyagers proved to be admirably adapted for an air service, and the seaplane was found an ideal machine for the work on such a route. The success of the experiment having been established, it is the intention of the Postal Department to provide for regular mail services to Dargaville, Whangarei, and Thames early in the New Year. For this purpose a contract has been entered into with the proprietary of the Flying School to carry on the preliminary service. The present machines at the school will be used until experience determines what class of more powerful fliers are required for permanent services. Upon all mail matter carried to Dargaville the ordinary rates of postage were charged, but when the regular lines are in operation there will be a special rate, the tariff for, which has yet to be determined.

Source : Northern Advocate, 19 December 1919

The New Zealand Flying School's Boeing floatplane taking off from Mission Bay, Auckland, ca. 1920. Photo : Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries

 

 

During 1920 George Bolt made three more experimental flights in the Boeing from Auckland to Dargaville and back, on the 8th, 11th and 31st of March 1920. On the last flight Bob Going, who wanted to see something of the Kaipara country from the air, was a passenger. George Bolt recalled this flight saying, We were above the river at Dargaville, "when the engine cut out. I was too low to make a turn into wind and during the landing we hit a log which badly holed one float. In a vicious swing, the wingtips and tail were damaged and Going and 1 had to climb on to one wing to stop the Boeing from rolling over. When the mail launch came alongside, a line was secured to the aeroplane and its other end taken ashore at a point where the railway line runs close to the riverbank. A locomotive with steam up stood nearby and we passed the rope to the engine driver, who evidently knew what to do with it. He then opened his throttle and the loco pulled us out of the water on to thick mud where the Boeing was reasonably safe. After making her fast. I telephoned Kohimarama for help." With a spare float, Bob Johnson left Auckland by coastal steamer and reached Dargaville at 5.30 next morning. He explained how repairs were made: "After stripping off as many clothes as possible, we ploughed out in the soft mud to slacken the retaining bolts of the damaged float. It was then necessary to prop the machine up and some wide planks and a timber jack were procured. After a lift to the required height, props were fitted. The hardest job then was to draw out the damaged float, which was full of mud and being sucked down outside. While we were considering plans, a local carrier appeared with a horse and cart and offered an ingenious suggestion. This entailed removing the horse from the cart, facing the shafts toward the machine and then propping up one wheel. A rope was attached to the float and a turn taken round the hub. With one person heaving on the rim of the wheel and another taking up the rope at the hub, a steady strain was applied and the float came out without trouble." Ten guy ropes prevented the aeroplane from slewing off the props and the replacement float was fitted just before the tide came up the river. The Boeing was then taken alongside a barge for repairs to the wing tips and tail. By 11 o'clock on 3 April the work was finished and Bolt left for Auckland at 1 o'clock, the return flight taking an hour and 20 minutes. Alighting on the Northern Wairoa River at Dargaville sometimes invited risk of damage, for after heavy rains or flooding up-country, kauri logs, stumps and other debris brought down by the muddy water were hard to see from the air.

 

Source : Dargaville Aero Club archives 

 

The Boeing after the forced landing on 31 March 1920. Photos : Dargaville Aero Club Archives

 

  

Remote Adventures in two Cessna 185s

 

For some weeks now I have seen the following ad appearing in the Golden Bay Weekly and I wondered who is this Mitt???

All is now revealed in the register updates that Cessna 185A ZK-MIT (c/n 185-0504), which was previously ZK-SOW and ZK-CVF has joined Cessna 185 ZK-CKO in the Remote Adventures' stable. Remote Adventures no longer operate a scheduled service but in the past they have run regular services between Takaka and Nelson and Takaka and Paraparaumu.

Then, yesterday's Golden Bay Weekly had the following...

Jim Larsen from Remote Adventures first flew in a Tiger moth in 1951 or 1952, and he says he knew right away that flying was for him. Sixty years later he is still running Remote Adventures with the trusty cessna 185 he has owned for 40 years but, starting this season, he has the professional assistance of Mitford (Mit) Brererton. “I had heart surgery and, while I was recuperating I notified Civil Aviation Authority that my medicals wouldn’t be current. They stood me down but I hope to be flying again in three or four months. I’ve had 60-odd years of trouble-free flying. I advertised for a pilot and was lucky enough to get Mit.” Mit knew about Remote Adventures because his family, who come from Feilding, have been holidaying at Ligar Bay for a number of years. His family is immersed in aviation. Dad is an air traffic controller at Ohakea and between them they own a several aircraft - a Piper Cherokee, a 1946 Auster, an ex-RNZAF Harvard and two de Havilland Devons. Mit, a flying instructor and professional pilot, had recently returned from overseas where he had been doing low-level airborne investigation for mining and oil companies. He has flown in 26 different countries in that role. “I’ve got 300-400 hours flying at 65 feet. In Canada we were looking for diamonds, using sensors mounted on the back of the plane.” Mit says he will be running Jim’s business with the express aim of “keeping Jim proud”. “The name will remain the same for this season but next year we’ll change it to Adventure Flights Golden Bay so that the name will help publicise the Bay.” If the Takaka aerodrome gets the development work that has already been the subject of submissions to TDC by Golden Bay air and other interested parties, Mit says he will be in an ideal position to expand the business.

There is a photo of Jim and Mit at http://gbweekly.co.nz/uncategorized/friday-14th-december-2012/

For more on Remote Adventures see...

 

http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/remote-adventures-come-fly-with-jim.html

 

PS - If anyone has a close up picture of the logo on the tail of ZK-CKO could they send it to me at westland831@gmail.com      Cheers, Steve

This post was only possible due to the CAA Register being restored, albieit from what I understand, temporarily.

Aztec #10 for Sunair

 

How many Aztecs does Sunair need? Apparently 10 - This week Piper Pa23-250 Aztec F ZK-ECM (c/n 27-8154001) was added to their fleet. This Aztec was previously operated by Air National before passing to Air National's owner, Ian Gray.

 

Over the years Sunair has operated eleven Aztecs;

ZK-DGS (c/n 27-7304959)

ZK-DIR (c/n 27-4242)

ZK-ECM (c/n 27-8154001)

ZK-ERM (c/n 27-7405435)

ZK-EVP (c/n 27-8054053)

ZK-FHO (c/n 27-4585)

ZK-FVP (c/n 27-7854096)

ZK-MTY (c/n 27-7654137)

ZK-PIW (c/n 27-7305089)

ZK-PIX (c/n 27-4738)

ZK-TDM (c/n 27-7754045)

 

ZK-FHO was cancelled from the register as “destroyed” on 28 July 2010 

 

 

Sunair's 10th Piper Aztec, taken at Auckland on 10 October 2008 where operated by Air National. Photo : S Lowe

This post was only possible due to the CAA Register being restored, albieit from what I understand, temporarily.

Jetstars...

 

It was a lovely day for sitting in the Auckland International viewing point car park on Monday. I was pleased to get some better shots of some of Jetstar fleet  

 

VH-VFD on approach to Auckland on 10 December 2012. Photo : S Lowe

 

VH-VFF on approach to Auckland on 10 December 2012. Photo : S Lowe 

VH-VGO on approach to Auckland on 10 December 2012. Photo : S Lowe

VH-VGQ on approach to Auckland on 10 December 2012. Photo : S Lowe

VH-VQA on approach to Auckland on 10 December 2012. Photo : S Lowe

VH-VQB on approach to Auckland on 10 December 2012. Photo : S Lowe

Mainland Service for Wanaka Unlikely

 

There appears to be only a very slender chance another company will step in immediately to maintain a daily air service between Wanaka and Christchurch once Air New Zealand's Eagle Air pulls out at the end of January. Dunedin's Mainland Air operated on the route almost 10 years ago but current managing director Mark Paterson was offering little hope the company would return to Wanaka when approached by the Otago Daily Times this week. ''I don't think there is anything likely to happen, to be honest. I suspect people will just drive over the hill and get the aircraft from Queenstown.'' Wanaka Airport is less than an hour's drive from Queenstown Airport, where large airlines compete for passengers. However, Mainland had not completely discounted the possibility of running its 10-seat Piper Chieftain on the Wanaka-Christchurch route, Mr Paterson said. ''We're still thinking about it; trying to work through it. ''There's nothing in place at present but it's always possible, depending on demand, I guess.'' Mr Paterson said one of the challenges of operating a small plane on a scheduled service was maintaining high passenger loadings. ''It doesn't take much to start losing money, so you just can't afford to do that in aviation. Unless you can be assured of a profitable business, you just can't afford to do it because you can run up costs so quickly.'' Eagle Air operates a 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D but Mr Paterson said operating a smaller aircraft on a scheduled service created potential problems, particularly with handling large amounts of luggage. As well, although a service could operate with one pilot, passengers generally preferred to see two people up front and at the moment there was a worldwide shortage of pilots. Mr Paterson did not consider there was anyone else besides Mainland in a position to keep the service operating. Wanaka Airport manager Ralph Fegan said Air New Zealand began flying the Wanaka-Christchurch route about eight years ago, about two years after Mainland ceased its operation.

 

Source : http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/238137/poor-chance-service-will-continue

3 x 380s

For the first time Auckland had 3 Airbus 380s in today...

First to arrive was Emirates' Airbus 380 A6-EDZ on flight EK406 from Dubai and Melbourne. Photo taken at Auckland on 10 December 2012 by S Lowe

Close behind was company stable mate,Emirates' Airbus 380 A6-EDB on flight EK412 from Dubai and Sydney. Photo taken at Auckland on 10 December 2012 by S Lowe

 

The real treat of the day, however, was China Southern's Airbus 380 B-6139 replacing the normal Airbus 330 on their flight CSN306 from Guangzhou. Photos taken at Auckland on 10 December 2012 by S Lowe

CityJet - NZ's Low Cost Airline

CityJet has its origins in freight operations North South Aviation and TranzGlobal. In early 1999 Steve Mosen’s and Paul Webb’s TranzGlobal was rebranded as CityJet and the company moved to start a low-fare passenger service. The passenger services were in addition to its scheduled freight services that incorporated Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch using Embraer Bandeirantes ZK-KML (c/n 110248), ZK-TZL (c/n 110378), and ZK-TZM (c/n 110328). The company also acquired an ex-Ansett New Zealand Bandeirante ZK-REU (c/n 110298), which was reregistered as ZK-TZN to CityJet on the 15th of April 1999.

Embraer Bandeirante ZK-KML on freighter duties at Nelson on 25 June 1999.

  

When announcing its plans for passenger services CityJet said it would connect Palmerston North with direct flights to Auckland, Nelson and Blenheim and Wellington with up to five direct  flights to Nelson a day and two flights a day to Blenheim. Fares were set as low as $29 between Nelson and Blenheim and Wellington and from $49 between Palmerston North and Nelson or Blenheim. The Wellington fares under-cut the cheapest Air New Zealand and Ansett New Zealand fares which, at that time, were both about $89 and Origin Pacific’s cheapest fares which were $69. The fares were also very cheaper than the three ferry operators; The new Top Cat service had a $35 introductory fare, Cook Strait Sea Cat’s fare was $49, while the Interislander fare cost $46 and the Lynx fast ferry $59.  

The proposed timetable as at 4 May 1999 in preparation for the launch of passenger flights on the 31st of May 1999

The Dominion, 24 May 1999

Embraer Bandeirante ZK-TZL between passenger flights at Woodbourne on 24 June 1999.

  

Passenger flights began on the 31st of May 1999 with flights operated between Wellington and both Nelson and Blenheim and between Palmerston North and both Nelson and Blenheim. The introduction of the airline services improved the utilisation of the four Bandeirantes, but the increase in business also necessitated the addition of another aircraft to the fleet and Reims/Cessna 406 Caravan II, ZK-CII (c/n F406-0012) was registered to CityJet on the 24th of June 1999.

The Dominion, 31 May 1999

Reims/Cessna 406 Caravan II at Nelson on 25 June 1999

The launch of CityJet was not without its problems. Ansett New Zealand took CityJet to the High Court after selling them a Bandeirante saying that CityJet had contravened the sale agreement by using the Bandeirante in competition with Ansett. It withdrew the threatened court action when CityJet said the aircraft in question were used on the freight only services. Ansett later served a winding up notice on the Pyrenees Ltd, the company which owned CityJet's aircraft, alleging that Pyrenees Ltd had failed to pay for a Bandeirante aircraft. Paul Webb told the Nelson Evening Mail that the aircraft in dispute was Ansett's last remaining Bandeirante, which was operated by subcontractor Rex Aviation and that CityJet had cancelled the contract and had never taken delivery of the aircraft, although it has purchased several others from Ansett New Zealand, all of which have been paid for.

In June 1999 CityJet also caught Parliament’s attention by inviting its young pilots to pay $20,000 to get co-pilot time on its Bandeirante freight flights. CityJet would employ pilots who had as little as 300 hours flying time, of which 50 had to be multi time. The $20,000 was described as a contribution “towards training costs” and for that young pilots could gain flying hours on CityJet’s freight services.

The Dominion, 23 June 1999

The Dominion of the 7th of July 1999 carried a profile on CityJet’s co-owner, Paul Webb, and this article gives a good glimpse into how CityJet was going at that time. He told the Dominion, “Most CityJet flights were fully booked… CityJet was competing against Cook Strait ferries rather than against other airlines by targeting passengers who did not normally travel by air. The service, including aircraft and check-in, is basic: the objective is to offer cheap seats on a reliable service, not unlike getting on a bus. CityJet was trying to grow the market by encouraging a new breed of traveller, not take market share from existing operators. The change in travel patterns would need a change in mind set, Mr Webb said. Nelson was an example of a transient city, used to flying. In a city like Hamilton the inhabitants preferred travelling even great distances by car, Mr Webb said. Most airline seats sold in a year were sold to a small group of repeat travellers. However, early customer information indicated many customers who were not regular air travellers were now taking advantage of the low fares. The service had appealed to families and groups. Mr Webb said the biggest growth market in tourism was backpackers. CityJet was targeting them through backpacker accommodation and word of mouth among travellers. Backpackers were keen to see New Zealand by land one way then return by air to save time… Freight still accounted for about two thirds of revenue, though passenger revenue was catching up. Aircraft were reconfigured every day from passenger during the day to freight at night by removing the seats.”

Enjoying the early morning sun, Embraer Bandeirante ZK-TZM at Christchurch on 11 May 1999.

On the 2nd of August 1999 the company expanded its passenger services and introduced passenger flights between Auckland and Palmerston North. The company was also keen to service Christchurch. CityJet certainly had plans for further expansion; the NZ Herald of 12 October 1999 carried a situations vacant advertisement for Bandeirante and Jetstream 31 captains and first officers.  

The Dominion, 2 August 1999 

Such plans did not come to pass, however, as on the 14th of October the Civil Aviation Author­ity grounded CityJet after an investiga­tion showed it had been under-record­ing flight times on each of the four Bandeirante aircraft by about 30 percent. The investigation was launched after the owner of the Cessna 406 Twin Caravan, ZK-CII, reported that flight times were being under-recorded while the aircraft was on lease to CityJet. To enable to airline to get airborne again the Civil Aviation Authority and CityJet officials arrived at an agreement whereby CityJet had to add 33 percent to each flight time flown after 31 May and 20 percent be added to all air­craft flight time prior to that date "to prevent any possible safety oc­currence and to allow the CAA to con­duct further investigations."

CityJet disputes this version of events. Ian Wishart’s article in Investigate magazine (http://www.investigatemagazine.com/march00jet.htm) reports that it was CityJet, not Civil Aviation, which made the discovery that ultimately caused the airline’s downfall. When pilots flew "sectors" they were required to enter details in a flight log and file it with the company’s head office. According to Webb, those ‘draft’ logs were faxed through to Airwork each day for maintenance scheduling purposes. A data entry clerk at CityJet then typed the information into the airline’s own maintenance computer and corrected any obvious typing mistakes as she went. In early September, the clerk came to Webb with a query. "She came to us and said ‘How can you fly from Wellington to Blenheim in five minutes?’ "We said ‘Well, you can’t. That can’t be right’, and we had a look at it." Aircraft maintenance relies on the number of flying hours the plane has logged up between service checks. Flights are normally measured between "off blocks" – which is when the aircraft wheels are first released from the wheel chocks and it begins taxiing to the runway for departure – and "on blocks" which is when it comes to rest at its destination terminal. But within that parameter is also the actual flight time. Let’s assume the flight departs Auckland Airport at 1pm and arrives at Wellington at 2pm. The actual flight time in the air might be only 50 minutes, which means the airliner taxied for five minutes at either end on average. According to Webb, he discovered the CityJet pilots had adopted a practice allegedly used by Air New Zealand Boeing 737-200 pilots...

Webb quickly realised, in assessing the "five minute" Wellington-Blenheim flight, that the pilot had logged 10 minutes of taxi time either side, leaving an unrealistic flight time on his draft log. The horrible implication began to dawn on CityJet management, and they immediately alerted the authorities. "On or about the 16th of September, we issued Airwork and the CAA with an internal finding identifying the fact that we had that under-recording procedure." Webb personally drafted a seven page report and fired it off to Airwork’s maintenance team and Civil Aviation headquarters. "So we were the people that tipped Civil Aviation off." Not that that’s how Civil Aviation broke the news to the Government. Instead, it claimed the victory in discovering this scandal for itself and its anonymous tipster.

Wanted Bandeirante and Jetstream flight crew - NZ Herald, 12 October 1999

Whatever version is correct the result was the same. CityJet was grounded. While its aircraft were grounded CityJet chartered two aircraft to maintain its services before its first Bandeirante returned to the air on the 17th of October. A second followed a few days later and a third by the end of the month. After further investigation the CAA re­placed the previous 33% and 20% requirements by stipulating that 9 minutes be added to all flights by each aircraft, and to each "lifed" component for each flight during the period it was fitted to the aircraft, regardless of whether the part was still on the aircraft.

Embraer Bandeirante at Nelson on 31 May 1999.

On the 3rd of November 1999 it was announced the CityJet’s co-founder, Paul Webb had sold his share of the company to his business-partner Steve Mosen, after a difference of opinion about the company’s future direction.

Paul Webb in the Dominion, 7 July 1999

CityJet’s problems continued and on the 10th of November 1999 the Civil Aviation Authority ordered CityJet to stop flying passengers and decreed that all its 54 pilots must pass written and practical tests. The company was still allowed to carry freight but CAA director Kevin Ward announced that "following a lengthy meeting with CityJet management I have decided to impose several conditions on the air operator certificate held by the company. Passenger operations by the airline are prohibited for up to 14 days, pending completion of the ongoing investigation. Within the next 14 days, all company pilots, including training and management pilots, must undergo a written test of aircraft technical knowledge conducted by Aviation Services Ltd. Within the next 30 days those pilots must undergo a flight test with an independent flight examiner to demonstrate their piloting proficiency in the aircraft. CityJet can continue its freight operations in the meantime."

The cessation of the passenger services was, in many ways, the last straw for CityJet and it was placed in receivership on the 16th of November 1999 owing some $4 million. The receivership led 107 staff being laid off, at least eight CityJet trainee pilots losing up to $22,000 each and some 7000 passengers without flights. The company had hoped its continued freight service would enable it to trade out of its difficulties and 21 staff were re-employed for the freight operation but all operations were suspended by the Civil Aviation Authority on the 30th of November 1999. 

A big loss to the aviation community..

Of late I have been working on posts regarding the history of two early airlines that operated to Gisborne, Dominion Airlines and Gisborne Air Transport. As part of that I have been looking again at the Leo White’s book Wingspread. This early New Zealand aviation history is really the story of not only planes but also people. It strikes me this has always been the way in the New Zealand aviation community.

 

As I wander around the airports and airfields of New Zealand I have met so many interesting people who have only been too happy to share their own interest in their aircraft or the companies they own or work for. My own interest is particularly in the New Zealand’s small airlines. Since starting my blog I have had a number of emails from people and numerous comments from people who I have met who have enjoyed what I have tried to put together of the past and appreciated that I am trying to get the news of what has been happening today as today’s news is tomorrow’s history.

 

With the New Zealand airline scene there is not a lot of sources of information. One of the major sources of these was the New Zealand civil aircraft register. This made available the aircraft details and ownership details. In recent months the historical ownership details were removed. In recent days the current ownership details were removed after a complaint/complaints were made to the Privacy Commissioner. This is a huge loss to the aviation community and especially to those who record aviation news and history.

 

Of course I can understand the concerns of the person(s) who made the complaint(s). Their full names and addresses were readily available and from what I understand this led to unsolicited mail and email. But then again, none of us are immune from this… we all to varying degrees get plagued by telemarketers, spam emails, and many, like myself, because of the position I hold, end up getting mail, emails and telephone calls from others who use the public information for an end to which it was not intended. To an extent this is a fact of life of the communication age.

 

On the other hand the question that should be asked is, “Is it in the public interest for this information to be released?” For the good of the public, the answer is no. For the curiosity of the public, or those members of the aviation community who are interested the answer is yes. The Privacy Act is well intentioned and rightly seeks to protect people’s privacy. However, it does, I believe, inadvertently have the effect of destroying the bonds of community. The decision by the CAA’s interpretation of the Privacy Act will have a sad impact on the aviation community and the recording of aviation history because it will separate planes from people. Such privacy issues are joining the ranks of OSH and security issues in making it harder and harder to an armchair aviation enthusiast.

 

Ideally I would have liked to have seen CAA continue to put the register out with a simplified ownership details, for example an initial, a surname, a town/district/city. Hopefully that would have mitigated a lot of the concerns. Where once I would have labelled a photo “Whitianga based Cherokee ZK-ABC…” or “J Blogg’s Piper Cherokee ZK-ABS…” now it will be just “Cherokee ZK-ABC.” One wonders if I should purge all names and company names from my blog? 

 

For over the last three years I have tried to put together on this blog news of the airlines of New Zealand and a weekly profile on a current or historical airline operation in New Zealand. This has been failrly demanding time wise and I am getting busier in my other day to day concerns. Now, with the loss of the CAA aircraft register I have lost a key source of information for historical reseaching and finding out what is happening with airline operators today. I get very little information come to me via email as to what is happening around the country. With my existing time constraints I suspect this will force me to go from scheduled Sunday blog posts to becoming a non-scheduled or on-demand blogsite and aviation historian.         

Domestic Colours of Wellington

My ride south, Jetstar's Airbus VH-VFD. Photo taken at Wellington on 4 December 2012 by S Lowe

 

Grrrrrrr... Golden Bay Air's Piper Saratoga ZK-ZIG again... I am still wanting to catch their Seneca on airline duties. Photo taken at Wellington on 4 December 2012 by S Lowe

A desperation shot of Mount Cook Airline's/Air New Zealand Link's new ATR72-600 ZK-MVA. Construction work precluded getting a more side on shot. Photo taken at Wellington on 4 December 2012 by S Lowe

Sounds Air were flat out across the Strait... Their Cessna Caravan ZK-TZR waits for its next flight. Photo taken at Wellington on 4 December 2012 by S Lowe

Air2there's Piper Chieftain ZK-MYS arriving from Blenheim... Photo taken at Wellington on 4 December 2012 by S Lowe

Eagle must have had a break down... Vincent Aviation's British Aerospace 32 ZK-VAH was called in to fly a very delayed Eagle flight to Timaru... the flight left 1 hour 45 minutes late.  Photo taken at Wellington on 4 December 2012 by S Lowe

Black jet and blackening sky. Air New Zealand Airbus 320 ZK-OJR on push back. Photo taken at Wellington on 4 December 2012 by S Lowe