First Flight to Westport

 

As posted yesterday Originair commenced flying to Westport on the 3rd of January 2025. The airline will operate 6 flights a week between Westport and Wellington Sunday to Friday. 

The first flight to Westport, OG 653 was under the command of Captain Sarah Twisleton, who flew the sector, and First Officer Jason Salo. Sarah is no stranger to Westport having flown this sector for years in the Beechcraft 1900D for Air New Zealand subsidiary, Eagle Air. Originair's CEO Robert Inglis told 3rd Level New Zealand, I have operated services to Westport in the past when I was CEO at Air Nelson so its not our first rodeo. Some of our captains have years of experience on the route that can have its challenges with West Coast weather. (In a separate post tomorrow Robert Inglis gives some thoughts about the new service and regional air services in New Zealand today). That was certainly helpful for the first flight!

On the departure board at Wellington, OG653 to Westport

Originair's BAe Jestream 32 ZK-JSK arrives from Nelson for the first service

Departing from Wellington's Gate 20

Stunning views of Wellington as we climbed out though seat 4A wasn't the best for photographing from having to look behind

Looking straight down the runway

One of the wind farms out on the south west tip of the North Island

The photos don't do the cloud formations justice with massive cumulonimbus (Cb) cells from the frontal system crossing the country as we tracked west. We got to 20,000 feet but they still towered about us.

Breaking out over the coast north of Westport to join the approach

When the camera chooses to focus on the engine and not the coastline

Looking south to the Buller River mouth and beyond, Carters Beach and Cape Foulwind

Hard to see with the poor light, but the Ngakawau River to the left and Granity on the coastline on the right

A shower passing through - a sign of things to come

Westport coming up on the left

A moody sky and Buller River

Westport people out to check out there new aeroplane and air service

Happy punters disembarking from the first Originair flight

JSK with her doors closed as the rain started... photo-bombed by the ubiquitous orange cone 

 Captain Sarah Twisleton First Officer Jason Salo. Stunning flight Sarah... I thought we would get a beating but it was so smooth

The crowd had thinned by the time I took these photos but balloons and jet planes were in abundance.

I will do a post on the return flight OG 654 on Monday.