A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #14

Now ATR 72s and Bombardier Q300s offer Auckland-Tauranga services. In 1992 this was the domain of Eagle Air's Embraer Bandeirantes. Now both Eagle Air and the Bandits have gone. ZK-KIP at Tauranga on 23 January 1992.

For a full history of Eagle Air see:

 http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/eagle-airways-part-1-fledgling-eagle.html

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #13

Not used on an air service but an interesting flightseeing aircraft... Volcanic Air Services' Cessna 337 Skymaster ZK-DSC at Rotorua on 23 January 1992

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #12

Sunair had a couple of Cessna 206s for services to Motiti and Great Barrier Island. Cessna 206 ZK-DRD at Tauranga on 22 January 1992

 Cessna 206 ZK-DFW at Rotorua on 23 January 1992
For a full history of Sunair see : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2011/02/sunair-still-shining-25-years-on.html

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #11

Mount Cook Airline at Rotorua on 23 January 1992... Above Fokker Friendship ZK-BXF and below Hawker Siddeley 748 ZK-CWJ... I never liked the cheat lines going up on the tail on the 748... The Freindships's scheme is much better in my opinion.

For more on Mount Cook see...
Part 1 - The 1960's - The Birth of the Airline 
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/mount-cook-airlines-part-1-1960s-birth.html

Part 2 - The 1970’s - New Zealand's tourist airline
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/mount-cook-airlines-part-2-1970s-new.html

Part 3 - 1980-1996, From Tourist Airline to a National Airline
http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2016/02/mount-cook-airlines-part-3-1980-1995.html

Kaikoura flight update...

Sounds Air's have announced that flights on the Kaikoura-Blenheim route have been extended through until the end of February! 

From the 31st of January the Kaikoura schedule will be: 

Blenheim to Kaikoura 11:45 - 12:15

Kaikoura to Blenheim 12:45 - 13:15

With the road to the south reopened the Christchurch-Kaikoura flights will be ending on the 27th January.

I will have to get a move on if I want to fly to Kaikoura!

CDK just flew past my back door...

I had taken this photo at Hamilton on 18 December 2016 and it has been sitting there ever since... I love Aero Commanders... I would love to see one in airline service to get a ride in one.

A few more photos I missed downloading from my camera... Vans RV-8 at Tauranga on 6 December 2016

Departing Thames was Skywork Helicopters Aerospatiale Squirrel on 13 December 2016

Back at Tauranga the following day, CTC Aviation's Diamond DA42 ZK-CTN on 14 December 2016

Middle Earth Flying School's Tecnam P2006T ZK-MTW was at Tauranga on 14 December 2016

A couple of Bombardier Q300s at Tauranga on 14 December 2016 - ZK-NEC above and ZK-NEP below

On 14 December 2016 Czech Aircraft Works Sportcruiser ZK-WGK was heading home to Whakatane from Tauranga 

Originair Update

When Originair got airborne again in September it was announced that Originair would be working with air2there on Nelson to Palmerston North services until Jetstream operations commence.

Since then air2there have been using Piper Chieftain ZK-VIP and Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-MYH to operate the Originair service to Palmerston North. Meanwhile Originair have advertised air2there's Nelson-Paraparaumu service on their Facebook page...

According to the aircraft register, ownership of Originair's BAe Jetstream ZK-JSH was passed over to air2there in December 2016.

Originair currently operate four flights a week between Nelson and Palmerston North.

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #10

Bell Air was the big loser when Eagle Air took over Air New Zealand's services to Whakatane. This led them to forming an alliance with Ansett NZ and operating under the Tranzair banner. Beech 99 ZK-LLA is seen with Tranzair titles but still devoid of the Ansett tail at Whakatane on 22 January 1992.
For more on Bell Air see : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2010/02/bell-air-remembered.html

The competition. Eagle Air Embraer Bandeirante ZK-LBC at Whakatane on 22 January 1992

Heading South...

Heading south from Kerikeri on Monday 9 January 2017 I caught the following aircraft...

Tecnam P2008 ZK-MBN was in the circuit of the cross runway at Kerikeri...

Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEU was departing Kerikeri for Auckland

Skydive Bay of Islands' Cessna 206 ZK-SKZ was waiting some business 

Avid Mark IV ZK-DDB taxied past as I drove into the car park... so desperation shots

Departing Whangarei for Auckland was Air Nelson's Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEG

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #9

One of Eagle Air's first Fairchild Metroliners... ZK-PBA at Gisborne on 22 January 1992

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #8

Also operating into Gisborne was Air Rotorua which flew the NZ Herald newspaper into Gisborne. Seats were sold on the return flight to Rotorua. Does anyone have any information on this service??? If you could write a comment or email me at westland831@gmail.com

FlyStark Schedule

I picked this up from FlyStark's Facebook page...

DAILY SCHEDULE - 7 DAYS A WEEK

Whitianga to Great Barrier - 7am - $135
Great Barrier to Ardmore - 7.45am $135
Ardmore to Whitianga - 9.30am $150
Whitianga to Great Barrier - 4pm - $135
Great Barrier to Ardmore - 4.45pm $135
Ardmore to Whitianga - 6pm $150

CALL 0800 FLYSTARK - NOW!!!

I should have gone to Ardmore on the way home yesterday!

Heading North - Kerikeri

On 7 January 2017 CTC Aviation's Diamond DA20 was on a training mission to Kerikeri

Eurocopter AS 355 NP ZK-ICT made a brief stop... taken at Kerikeri on 7 January 2017

Arriving into Kerikeri from Auckland on 7 January 2017 was Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEF.

And on skydiving duties was Taupo Tandem Skydiving's Pacific Aerospace 750XL ZK-TTL

A North Island Road Trip 25 years ago #7

Cookson Air were also using Cessna 207 ZK-FQA. Photo taken at Gisborne on 22 January 1992

Heading North - Whangarei

The Dargaville Aero Club's Fly Synthesis Storch ZK-DAQ arrived shortly after I arrived at Whangarei on 7 Janaury 2017

Out to deliver a load of thrill seekers for a bit of an adventure, Skydive Ballistic Blondes' Cessna 206 at Whangarei on 7 January 2017

Not going anywhere... Sunair's Piper Aztec ZK-FVP which operates the doctors' service to Kaitaia. At Whangarei on 7 January 2017

AutoGyro Europe MT03 eagle ZK-KIW on finals at Whangarei on 7 January 2017

My first photo of Bombardier Q300 ZK-NFA in the new scheme at Whangarei on 7 January 2017

Up from Ardmore... Ardmore Flying School's Cessna 172 ZK-TAJ at Whangarei on 7 January 2017