3rd Level New Zealand

24 December 2024

More of ADI at Greymouth

Given that ZK-ADI, was somewhat rare visitor to Greymouth, there was obviously something going on in the first photo below. Also were was an obviously well dressed woman and someone with a camera. I would suspect this was the 20th of February 1937, the day Greymouth aerodrome was opened and the Cook Strait Airways service from Nelson to Greymouth and Hokitika was commenced. On that day the first arrivals were Air Travel (NZ)'s DH83 Fox Moths ZK-ADI and ZK-AEK. They were followed by De Havilland 89A Dragon Rapides ZK-AEC, named “Mercury”, and ZK-AEW, “Mars” on the survey flight for the new service which began on the 22nd...

A couple of comparison shots of De Havilland Fox Moth ZK-ADI at Greymouth nearly 88 years apart... Above, presumably on 20 February 1937.

...and the same plane and the same hills on 18 December 2024

I wonder if Mitre 10 paid any sponsorship for ADI's visit

22 December 2024

BN Islander News #2

Often I search Flightradar24 to see what the various aircraft engaged in regional air services are up to and I came upon this of Golden Bay Air's Islander ZK-EVO going into Karamea...

It looked to me like an IFR approach and so I went to the NZAIP and sure enough there is now a RNP approach for Karamea and an associated RNP SID procedure

This is good news for Golden Bay Air who fly a lot of trampers to and from Karamea on these rare days when the clouds and rain come down. BN Islander ZK-EVO is mainly used for the airlines IFR work

BN Islander News #1

I missed recording that Island Aviation's BN Islander ZK-SFK has returned to the North Island from its southern sojourn.

SFK had flown Ardmore-Whanganui-Timaru-Invercargill on 18 November 2024. After a local flight from Invercargill on the 19th, the Islander entered service with Stewart Island Flights on the 20th of November, operating Invercargill to Oban (Stewart Island) as RKU5. Stewart Island Flights use the callsign Rakiura, the Māori name for Stewart Island.

Its time in Invercargill enabled some extended maintenance time for Stewart Island Flights' BN Islander ZK-FWZ.

SFK operated its last services for Stewart Island Flights on 12th of December flying from Ryans Creek to Invercargill followed by a return trip to Ryans Creek. It returned to Ardmore via Kaikoura on the 15th of December.

If anyone managed to get some pics of SFK down south I'd much appreciate a copy... Thanks in anticipation, Steve, westland831@gmail.com

21 December 2024

Graham Bell RIP

Sad news from Whakatāne with the passing of Graham Bell on 16 December 2024. Graham was known for founding local airline Bell Air. He was one of the true gentlemen of New Zealand's aviation and airline industry. He is survived by his wife Pat and their two sons.

The Bell Air profile can be found here

https://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/02/bell-air-remembered.html

Originair picks up Taupō-Wellington route

Originair has announced it will start flying Wellington to Taupō from mid-February. The two centres have been serviced by Sounds Air but the Blenheim-based carrier recently announced it had to make “a very tough call” to withdraw from the route. Originair said it will operate from February 17 initially three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on a six-month trial basis. If it’s a success it will increase to six days. Managing director Robert Inglis said the airline aims “to operate a reliable, sustainable service that can grow with demand”. Wayne Wootton from Taupō Airport welcomed the move saying “growing regional connectivity is critical to the economic and social wellbeing of regional communities and this is a perfect example of working together to achieve common goals.” Taupō mayor David Trewavas added: “I look forward to giving them a warm Taupō welcome and I am sure that the direct link to Wellington will prove very popular with the people of Taupō who need to get to the capital for work or play – and for Wellingtonians who want to enjoy a good hot summer!" It’s the second route Originair has taken over from Sounds Air. It will start flying Wellington-Westport in the new year. The Nelson-based airline has a fleet of three British Aerospace Jetstreams in operation. Although the airline itself was founded in 2014, Inglis has been in the aviation game for more than four decades. In a profile in Stuff Travel last month, he said he still gets a buzz from working in the industry. “After running two much larger airlines, I’ve enjoyed this one the most. “Being independent, with a great team of people and focusing on providing regional services, principally on routes that other airlines have withdrawn their services from, is rewarding and reflects the flying that first encouraged us into scheduled regional services back in the 1980s.”

Source : https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/360531027/small-airline-swoops-save-regional-wellington-service

Originair's schedules for the new services to Westport and Taupō

90 years on I had to go for a fly...

Glen in de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth ZK-ADI after the start of New Zealand's first airline at Greymouth on 18 December 2024

ZK-ADI's passenger accommodation

A privilege to go flying with Richard Waugh who flew with his father Brian on the final flight of South Westland service in 1967

The old and new air ambulance - the Fox Moths were early air ambulances on the West Coast and the current one of the NZ Flying Doctor Service's Beech Super King Air air ambulance arriving from Christchurch