Jetstar Enhances Queenstown Operations

Source : http://www.scene.co.nz/270757a1.page

Budget airline Jetstar can handle dodgy Queenstown weather now it’s adopted the same ‘flying-blind’ technology as its main rival. A year after taking over Qantas’ domestic services, Aussie-based Jetstar has fitted its New Zealand Airbus planes with satellite-based Required Navigation Performance equipment. RNP is a computerised system which allows pilots to take off and land in difficult conditions such as low cloud and fog, that otherwise disrupt flights to and from the resort. As a result of the new on-board software, Queenstown diversions this winter should lower from 12 per cent to one per cent, Jetstar boss Bruce Buchanan says. It’s introduced RNP after getting aviation authority approvals in Australia and NZ and has been conducting extensive test flights. In the next two weeks, Jetstar is lowering its minimum bad-weather operating height to the same level as Air New Zealand. “But you’ll still get some diversions in really bad weather,” Buchanan warns. He says Jetstar will next roll out its $12.5 million RNP programme through Australia then lower its minimum bad-weather operating height into Queenstown even further next winter. Buchanan says the technology also allows up to five per cent shorter flight times as pilots don’t have to rely on ground navigation aids to take off and land. It would also help bring night flights into Queenstown, he adds. The prospect of late-night flights has upset many airport neighbours, but in making it easier for Aussies to weekend over here “it would be a game-change in terms of visitation to Queenstown”, Buchanan says.

...and speaking of Queenstown

Source : http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/110713/bid-more-night-flights

Bid for more night flights

Allowing night flights to arrive in Queenstown would boost the Otago economy by $39.4 million a year and create employment for 665 workers, a plan change hearing was told in Queenstown yesterday. The Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) is seeking a plan change and a notice of requirement to expand the Air Noise Boundary and Outer Control Boundary and to allow night flights to arrive in Queenstown between 10pm and midnight to allow for tourism growth to 2037. Independent research consultant Gregory Akehurst told the hearing allowing 11 international flights a week, carrying about 65,100 people a year, to arrive between 10pm and midnight would increase tourist activity in the resort. He said the changes were necessary to maximise the economic contribution international tourism made to the region. The airport contributed about $167.1 million to the regional economy sustaining the equivalent of 2590 full-time workers a year. He said passenger movements would increase from 652,341 in 2007 to 2 million in 2037. QAC chief executive Steve Sanderson said there had been 638,000 passengers through the terminal in the nine months to the end of March. The corporation was spending $8 million constructing the runway and safety areas and over the next five years a capital programme of more than $40 million was planned for runway and apron lights, a new heavy taxi way, new terminal expansion and facilities. "The current noise boundaries are reaching the end of their capacity. To facilitate the growing tourism market the airport needs to extend its noise boundaries. Strategically it also needs to be able to extend its operating hours to allow for a limited number of scheduled flight arrivals between 10pm and midnight, to capture the Australian market and allow holiday makers to maximise their vacation, rather than losing valuable time travelling during the day. "Capping the number [of] flights in Queenstown at current capacity would seriously affect the local economy." The corporation was committed to an estimated $5 million compensation package for those affected residential properties within the new boundaries. "I acknowledge the concern of those affected residents about the lack of detail and finality about the mitigation package but the reality is we are unable to finalise this matter until we are further own the process and know exactly which properties are included and to what extent." The corporation did not have an "open cheque book" and the compensation would increase the company's debt by 13%, he said.

Lawyer for QAC Amanda Dewar said the corporation was preparing an updated Noise Management Plan to address the effects of aircraft noise on properties within the boundaries. The hearing before commissioners Bob Batty, David Clarke and Stephen Childs continues today, when QAC will present evidence on noise, navigation and health effects of the changes. The council's senior policy analyst, Karen Page, was highly critical of the proposals in her report to the commissioners. She recommended they accept submissions that night-time flights should be rejected and said the hearing should be adjourned, because QAC did not provide enough information for the commissioners to make an informed decision. Of 92 submissions, 24 supported, eight partly supported, and 60 opposed the plan change.

Vincent goes Jet

Click the link below for a very nice picture of ZK-MUS

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3807225/Bid-to-make-charter-jets-sound-choice

Wellington airline Vincent Aviation wants to rekindle the corporate aircraft charter market destroyed a decade ago by a high-profile government department charter and an air crash. Vincent Aviation managing director Peter Vincent said charter aircraft became a "dirty word" after Work and Income New Zealand spent $165,000 hiring Ansett New Zealand planes to fly 140 staff to a training course at a Taupo resort in 1999. Confidence in the corporate charter market collapsed four years later following the crash of an Air Adventure plane as it prepared to land at Christchurch Airport, killing the pilot and seven top staff from the Crop and Food Research Institute. Chartering aircraft has been regarded as a "gross exorbitance" since those incidents, Mr Vincent said. While some big companies still made limited use of air charters, there has been almost no work from government departments, with the exception of transporting visiting dignitaries. Mr Vincent will use a new Cessna Citation Mustang light jet for the service. It is owned by Wellington property developer Michael Garnham. The Mustang seats up to five passengers and can fly to almost any airport in New Zealand from Wellington in under 90 minutes at a cost of about $2500 an hour. With a price tag of US$3 million (NZ$4.3m), the Mustang is an entry level jet, lacking the beds, bars and plasma screens found on board much larger top end luxury jets like film director Peter Jackson's Gulfstream IV or businessman Graham Hart's Global Express. The Mustang's interior is closer to a ministerial limousine with four opposing leather seats, pull-out tables and a drinks cabinet, Mr Vincent said. "What we have got to try and do is convince people now that the Mustang is not an exorbitance, it is actually an effective and economic way for people to travel." The jet was aimed at company executives wanting to visit several places in a day. This could not be done using scheduled airline services or for the same price. "It is the sort of machine where ... they could go to Manapouri and have a meeting, then to New Plymouth and Gisborne and be back in Wellington that afternoon. "If people's time is taken into account, that is when aircraft really come into their own." Mr Vincent hoped to convince taxpayers that it was also an appropriate aircraft for cabinet ministers to use to visit the regions, and a cheaper option than using an Air Force King Air transport plane. However, he concedes that last week's revelations over ministerial credit card spending abuses, including a $1292 charter flight by former Labour minister Shane Jones from Kaitaia to Tauranga to deliver "a key sector speech", will have set back the chances of getting the Government back on board. Mr Vincent's biggest operation is in northern Australia where it flies from Darwin to mining towns using a fleet of 10 turboprop aircraft.

Twin Otter Photos...

There are some great photos of De Havilland Canada Twin Otters that have operated in New Zealand at http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=civil&thread=11333&page=1

Coming up on this blog, when I get around to it, is a post on Coast Air which operated, among other aircraft, DHC Twin Otter ZK-OTR on routes between Christchurch, Greymouth, Timaru and Nelson in the late 1980s.

Happy Birthday Jetstar...

Mike Condon emailed me this today... As he said it is not exactly 3rd level airline news but still interesting...

I can't recall the media mentioning Jetstar's '1st' birthday in NZ, but I dug this out of my notes from 2009:

 

In anticipation of commencing scheduled services within NZ, Qantas owned Jetstar positioned Airbus A320’s VH-VQB and VH-VQT from Sydney to Auckland late on 09Jun. The following day the two aircraft commenced scheduled operations within NZ taking over from Qantas/Jetconnect as part of revamped Tasman/NZ strategy by Qantas. From 24Jun three aircraft will operate within the NZ domestic environment operating services on the main trunk and to/from Queenstown. Rotorua was the biggest loser of the revamp and no longer receives jet services. For a more detailed overview of last flights for Qantas and first flights for Jetstar check out www.mrcaviation.blogspot.com.

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2009/06/and-hello-jetstar.html

http://mrcaviation.blogspot.com/2009/06/farewell-qantas-on-nz-domestic-routes.html

Beavering Away in Tokoroa

While Tokoroa has never included been on NAC or Air New Zealand's national network it has seen some interesting air services operated by some interesting aircraft types operating through the years. 

The first of these was operated by James Aviation Company Ltd., of Hamilton. Supported by New Zealand Forest Products, this was James Aviation’s first foray into operating a regular air service. In 1954, the company successfully applied for a licence to operate a non-scheduled passenger and freight service between, Rotorua, Kinleith (Tokoroa), Kawerau and Auckland. The service, which was to be based at Rotorua, traded as James Air Services.   

On the 25th of November 1954 the headlines of the South Waikato News announced, “Silver Wings Over Town, Forest and Farmland - Tokoroa to Have Own Air Service Soon.” James selected De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, ZK-BFO (c/n 609), to operate the service. The local newspaper described the Beaver as “the most modern light passenger plane in New Zealand.” It was configured to seat six passengers, with “windows placed so that each traveller has an unobstructed view of the country below.” The paper also noted that, “An unusual feature is that passengers may smoke.” While he service was primarily for the staff and management of NZ Forest Products it was "also to be made available to residents of Tokoroa."   

The De Havilland Canada Beaver ZK-BFO which was used for the James Air Services' operation

“The ‘News’ representative accompanied five of the officials in a comprehensive flight over the Tokoroa district, and so feels qualified to state that Tokoroa from the air is a revelation and the impressions from above are not lightly to be dismissed. Forest Products’ hundreds of staff houses set in semi-circular subdivisions, and the expanding commercial and residential areas in the township give the beholder a clear picture of the township's ever-widening boundaries. The evergreen, waste-free, farmlands and the vast expanses of pine forests dominated by the Kinleith mills is an impressive panorama, assimilated in a few minutes. Below is a once-upon-a-time wasteland which has been transformed to a prosperous and golden land of sturdy promise and security, by foresight of men of vision and scientific attainments.”

South Waikato News, 17 March 1955

In preparation for the service, the airfield at Amisfield, on the south side of Tokoroa, was extended with the local newspaper predicting that “the single wings of the Beaver over our pine forests, farmlands, homes and industries will be the symbol of the many other silver wings which will cast their flickering shadows as they speed toward Tokoroa - the heart of this new-found wealth of the Dominion.”

Sadly, the air service got off to an inauspicious start with. The first flight through Tokoroa, set down for Monday, the 20th of December 1954, was cancelled by poor weather. Tokoroa's air service finally got airborne on the 23rd of December 1954.

The original schedule had two flights operating between Rotorua and Auckland each weekday. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings the northbound service would operate via Kawerau and the southbound service would operate via Tokoroa (Kinleith). In the afternoon the reverse pattern was flown. On Tuesdays and Thursdays mornings the northbound service would operate via Tokoroa and the southbound service would operate via Kawerau. Again, in the afternoon, the reverse pattern was flown. 

South Waikato News, 24 February 1955

By March, however, a new schedule had been introduced to offer pickups and drop offs at both Kawerau and Tokoroa on all flights if there were passengers offering. The Beaver would leave Rotorua at 7.40am to pick up Kawerau passengers, return to Rotorua, picking up passengers from there and Tokoroa, stop at Hamilton to drop off passengers before heading to Auckland. The aircraft returned retracing the pattern of the northbound flight, arriving back at Rotorua at 11.30am. The complete timetable was repeated in the afternoon with the Beaver departing at 2.10pm and arriving home at 6.00pm. 

Timetable effective 7 March 1955 - South Waikato Times, 24 March 1955

By the 26th of May 1955, Hamilton was dropped from the schedule and the stops at Kawerau were operated ‘on demand.’ 

South Waikato News, 26 May 1955

The later winter schedule had an earlier afternoon departure to ensure the Beaver was back in Rotorua during daylight hours.

South Waikato News, 2 June 1955

Despite extensive advertising, the company did not gain the necessary support. At some point during the winter of 1955 James Air Services ceased their operation. The service was resumed on the 1st of November 1955 with a five seat passenger aircraft making one return flight daily, leaving Tokoroa at 3 p.m. and leaving Auckland’s Mangere airport at 4.30 p.m. 

This restored air service was not as convenient for same day return business traffic and it ended rapidly and by the 8th of December 1955 the Auckland Aero Club was advertising a new twice daily air service to Tokoroa.

Origin Pacific Takes on the Big Boys... 12 years ago!

This post is another from the timetables... With the news last week that Pacific Blue’s NZ services aren’t exactly winners, while at the same time Jetstar announced that it was adding a seventh Airbus 320 for NZ domestic and trans-Tasman operations, thoughts once again go to competition on the main trunk and the question, is New Zealand really big enough to support two let alone three major airline players?

Looking back some 12 years ago this month Origin Pacific looked for a small slice of the pie. In June 1988 they commenced Auckland-Wellington-Christchurch flights using their 18–seat BAe Jetstreams. Up to this point they had only been a charter operation, however the previous month they had announced a direct service between Nelson and Palmerston. Peak time fares charged were less than half the normal fares available on Air New Zealand and Ansett New Zealand at the time. While the initial response to the airline's marketing was positive, not surprisingly, the services didn’t last long – there is a lot of difference in passenger comfort and appeal between a 737 and a Jetstream, and so Origin turned its attention to Nelson. It was later to return to the main trunk in conjunction with Qantas, and following the end of that agreement, again in its own right.

Origin Pacific's "corporate" Jetstream, ZK-JSX, at Hokitika on 31 December 1997. Photo : S Lowe

Wanaka looks to Eagle again for more flights...

Increasing Wanaka flight capacity still a priority

Source : http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/wanaka/109622/increasing-wanaka-flight-capacity-still-priority

Lake Wanaka Tourism hopes that boosting flight capacity to Wanaka Airport will remain attractive to other air operators, despite the collapse of holiday charter service FlyDirect. LWT general manager James Helmore said a great opportunity still existed for capacity to Wanaka to be increased and the tourism body would continue to push for this goal. Mr Helmore is to meet Eagle Air chief executive Carrie Hurihanganui this month, to again discuss increasing air capacity into Wanaka, or changes to the existing daily noon flight schedule. In March, Ms Hurihanganui told LWT and members of Wanaka's Chamber of Commerce that a chartered service could reveal whether greater capacity to Wanaka was a viable option. FlyDirect.com was placed in liquidation last Wednesday, shortly after it announced to Wanaka tourism operators and media the cancellation of its planned flight charter service. The Auckland-based company offered accommodation and ski-package holidays. It was to begin flights to Wanaka from Wellington and Christchurch on July 1. FlyDirect had sold 250 packages to 500 travellers - which fell short of a "required self-imposed threshold" to proceed with confidence, company director Jef Kay said. Mr Helmore said increasing the air capacity to Wanaka was still a viable option for an operator offering flights only. LWT and the chamber of commerce had carried out a survey to show that demand exists for a changed or increased flight capacity, which would be presented to Ms Hurihanganui, Mr Helmore said. It was unlikely another charter service could replace FlyDirect in time for this winter, Mr Helmore said. Auckland firm Waterstone Insolvency has been appointed as liquidators of FlyDirect. Waterstone Insolvency officer Peter Drennan said it was too early to have an accurate idea of the debts FlyDirect had incurred. "We're working to try and establish a list of creditors, and are asking anyone who is owed money by the company to file a proof of debt form," he said. Once it was established how many creditors were owed money, Waterstone would be able to provide an indicative report of FlyDirect's financial status, Mr Drennan said.

Chathams Pacific Beech Mishap

Following on from Sunday's post on Air Chathams' Beeches it seems Chathams Pacific has been operating another Beech Queen Air in Tonga which had a mishap recently... any idea of the rego???

Source : Chathams Pacific Press Release

At approximately 11:15am this morning, Wednesday 26 May, Chathams Pacific’s 8 Seat Queen Air Aircraft suffered a nose wheel collapse on landing at Fua’amotu Airport. The Aircraft was enroute to Ha'apai and was being prepared to land when the pilots got an indication that the nose wheel had not fully extended and locked into place. The Crew, elected to fly the Aircraft back to Fua'amotu where greater emergency facilities are available before attempting to land. Chathams Pacific engineering staff and the Aviation Tower confirmed to the crew, after the aircraft had completed flying over the airport to allow for a visual ground inspection, that there was a problem with the nose gear. On the occasions where this sort of problem has occurred in New Zealand, and elsewhere in the world, it has been established that the aircraft should be landed on the hard runway and not the grass runway to ensure a safer outcome. Chathams Pacific followed this procedure and injury to passengers and crew was avoided. Craig Emeny, the CEO, was on the Airport at the time and observed the landing. He has stated the incident is a very unfortunate occurrence, and a full and thorough investigation will be made. He has praised the crew for following procedure and doing an excellent job of landing the aircraft and passengers safely. He also directed the airline to do all possible to look after passengers after their harrowing experience.

Another Colour Scheme Disappearing... Great Barrier Airlines

One of the features of Auckland skies over the last 12 or so years have been the birds of Great Barrier, but sadly they are disappearing.

Like Frontier Airlines from the USA that feature local wildlife on the tails of the aeroplanes Great Barrier Airlines have been doing the same so back into the late 1990s. However the scheme has not been seen on "new" aircraft such as the Trislanders and older ones are slowly being repainted. Partenavia P68 ZK-PLA to be repainted and I finally got a decent photo of it at Auckland last month, just, it was so quiet taxiing I almost missed it. It was suggested to me at North Shore some months ago that cost and simplicity are the big factors for the more simplified scheme.

Before and after... Partenavia P68 ZK-PLA at Auckland on 9 October 1999 (above) and on 25 May 2010. Photos : S Lowe

The following is a list of the Great Barrier fleet that carried the birds and how they have been labelled...

CNS...Piper Cherokee 6......Stitchbird
CRA...BN Islander.............Kaka
ENZ...Piper Cherokee 6......Tomtit
FQK...DHC Twin Otter.......Kingfisher
FVD...BN Islander NZ........Pigeon
NAD...GAF Nomad............Kaka
NSN...Piper Navajo............Bellbird
PLA...Partenavia................Tui
REA...BN Islander.............Kotare
WNZ..BN Islander..............Kingfisher

Meanwhile Islander ZK-FVD is tail-less at North Shore at present... Will it's bird be the next to fly away???

Air Nelson flights to PPQ delayed...

Source : Horowhenua Mail, 3 June 2010

Work on the Paraparaumu Airport development began this week. It is stage one of the development. Contractors had begun preparing earthworks for a planned Mitre 10 megastore, said Paraparaumu Air¬port chief executive Steve Bootten. To see work starting was "fantas¬tic", he said, although he would have preferred the first project to be the airport terminal but there were some delays with the Civil Aviation Auth¬ority. Air Nelson had requested some changes to the airspace manage¬ment, and so the airport put in an application to the CAA. They are awaiting that decision. Commercial flights would not be starting this year, he said. Paraparaumu Airport has lodged a number of resource consent applications with Kapiti Coast Dis¬trict Council, one of which was for the Mitre 10 megastore. The council said last month that earthworks associated with the building and access road had been issued, non-notified. It was still considering whether an application for the building itself would be publicly notified, and was seeking further information from the airport.

Meanwhile, at Wellington...

Wgtn airport in profit despite passenger dips

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/3763803/Wgtn-airport-in-profit-despite-passenger-dips

...International passengers grew 2.6 percent from the previous year's levels, trunk passengers fell 1.6 percent and regional services' passengers were down 7.1 percent, the airport said. Capacity of regional services had been reduced and that, together with the resulting level of fares, appeared to have been behind the 7 percent fall in passengers...

More flights for Napier???

That is certainly the hope of Hawkes Bay folk...

"Pacific Blue's communications manager Phil Boeyan said the airline had identified Hawke's Bay as having potential for domestic competition." So the local paper, the Hawkes Bay Today, reported on the 27th of May as moves to extend the runway inch closer to the turning of the first sod stage. Of course Napier is not just looking for an increase in doemstic services, it also has high hopes for international services. It seems to me there are a coupple questions that could be asked...

Pacific Blue and Jetstar have shown little enthusiasm at extending to the regions... are they likely to just because Napier is extending its runway???

How many international airports does New Zealand need??? Already provincial airports have seen a drop in domestic traffic as people drive to main centres to catch cheap flights on the main trunk where there is competition. Will it be the same for international travel as well???

For more on the Napier runway extensions see...

EDITORIAL: Pop corks for runway extension, 27th May 2010 :
http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/news/editorial-pop-corks-for-runway-extension/3914827/

LEAD STORY: Runway set for take-off, 27th May 2010 :

http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/news/lead-story-runway-set-for-take-off/3914836/

Longer runway 'step one' for HB, 28th May 2010 :

http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/news/longer-runway-step-one-for-hb/3914903/

More Eagle Bandits

Following on from the previous post on Eagle Air's first Bandeirante Darryn Morgan has sent me the following Bandit photos...

Darryn writes, "I joined Eagle in 1988 and shot the photo of ERU. KIP and FHX just before they re-entered service. KIP arrived in NZ in the white scheme from Australia, and ERU/FHX were repainted during christmas 1987, new year 1988. Photo : D Morgan"

"When Air NZ purchased 50%, they bought LBC and JCM from Simmons Airways in the US. I shot the photo of JCM in Kaitaia sometime during 1989, prior to repaint. Photo : D Morgan"

Darryn has also corrected my understanding of ERU's white tail before her being withdrawn from use. He writes, "As for ERU having a white tail toward the end, it was the result of major work on the tailplane - may have been corrosion on the vertical spar, and given it was only planned to be in service for a short time, they never repainted it fully." I have corrected the original post.

flyDirect's Demise - the Aftermath in Wanaka

The following extract from the Wanaka Sun gives a little more insight to the fallout from flyDirect going into liquidation...

Source : http://www.thewanakasun.co.nz/documents/wanakasun455.pdf

“We are all very sad. We had a fantastic response from the people of Wanaka,” marketing manager for flyDirect Sarah Moore said. In the past few weeks the Queenstown Airport Corporation was preparing Wanaka Airport to handle the extra flights. Airport manager Ralph Fegan had to undergo training to handle the airport’s first permanently-based fire truck. flyDirect said it had no plans in place to operate services to Wanaka next winter. Lake Wanaka Tourism Manager James Helmore said the news was “a huge disappointment to Wanaka.” “It would have been a huge opportunity to open up new markets, especially ones from the North Island,” he said. Lake Wanaka Tourism is holding talks with Eagle Air and another airline to expand services at Wanaka Airport.