Well I got that wrong - Abel Tasman is Edmund Hillary

Source : Qantas Media Release

QANTAS WELCOMES NEW AIRCRAFT ON TRANS-TASMAN ROUTE

WELLINGTON, 8 February 2011: Qantas today welcomed a new Boeing 737-800 aircraft into service and announced it would be named in honour of Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. A further two new aircraft will join the fleet this month and will be officially named in honour of Abel Tasman, who was the first European to discover the south island of New Zealand, and William Pickering, a New Zealander who made a significant contribution to space exploration. Qantas Regional General Manager New Zealand, Mr Grant Lilly said the new aircraft would operate on the Wellington – Australia route, providing a new level of comfort for customers. “Wellington is an important market for Qantas for both business and leisure travellers and we are delighted to bring our 737-800 product here. “These new aircraft will join our 737-800 flagship fleet on trans-Tasman flights and it is a privilege to name this aircraft after such an iconic history maker as Sir Edmund Hillary who pushed the boundaries of human endurance and achievement. “I’m delighted that Sir Hillary’s son Peter Hillary and first great grandchild Felix have joined us to celebrate and represent the late explorer. Mr Lilly said the new aircraft would showcase the best of modern onboard technology and design with Marc Newson-designed seating and a state-of-the-art on-demand Panasonic in-flight entertainment. Wellington International Airport, CEO, Mr Steven Fitzgerald said, “We are thrilled about the arrival of Qantas’ new 737-800. Qantas has had a long relationship with Wellington dating back to 1961 bringing both tourists and business travellers across the Tasman, and it is great to see the airline continue to improve the service they provide. “Wellingtonians are choosing to fly direct from their airport in greater numbers than ever before and the availability of services on some of the most modern and advanced aircraft in the world can only add to the attractiveness,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “We wish Qantas every success and are looking forward to working with them to grow the services offered to the Wellington region.” Features of the new 737-800 aircraft include:

• A 12 seat business class and 156 seat economy class configuration
• New seating design styled by Marc Newson
• On-demand Panasonic inflight entertainment in both cabins with over 300 entertainment options
• Seat-to-seat “chat” messaging
• Wide seat-back design with a 37 inch seat pitch and 22 inch width between arms in Business and a 17 inch width and 30 inch seat pitch in economy, ergonomic cushions and adjustable headrest
• 10.6 inch in arm touch screen in business
• Nine inch seatback touch screen in economy
• PC and USB ports in both business and economy to facilitate computers, MP3 players and other technology.

The Qantas B737-800 fleet will fly Auckland-Sydney, Auckland-Melbourne, Wellington-Sydney and Wellington Melbourne. From March the aircraft will fly on the Christchurch-Sydney route. Qantas also announced today extra capacity across the trans-Taman to meet demand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Mr Lilly said the arrival of these new aircraft had come at an ideal time as Qantas added extra flights and seats from 6 September- 24 October to manage the increased number of visitors. “Qantas will offer an additional six flights as well as upgrading 737-800 services to A330-200 services between Sydney and New Zealand,” he said. The New Zealand 2011 Rugby World Cup is held throughout New Zealand from 9 September – 23 October.

Abel Tasman back on the Tasman run

Jetconnect's 4th Boeing 737-800, ZK-ZQD, named "Abel Tasman" made its first flight into Auckland this morning on Qantas flight QF25 from Melbourne. Wayne Grant captured it on approach to Auckland's runway 23.

Pacific Aerospace XL750 for air2there

After toughing out the recession, small commercial flight operator air2there is welcoming the imminent arrival of big brother Air New Zealand at Paraparaumu Airport. The brainchild of former Paraparaumu Airport owner Murray Cole, air2there was launched in December 2004 with great expectations to fill a gap in the market and provide alternative quick transport for frustrated motorists battling long delays and congestion on State Highway 1 into Wellington. Starting with one plane - a 14-seat Grand Caravan - the company has added two 10-seater Chieftains and leases an extra plane when necessary. The company started with flights to Blenheim, Nelson, Masterton, Wellington and Palmerston North but cut Masterton and Palmerston North within about a year when it found there was no market, instead increasing its flights to Blenheim and Nelson. A Wairarapa pilot launched a Masterton-Paraparaumu-Auckland circuit about eight years ago but failed to attract enough patronage. Richard Baldwin bought air2there in 2008 and has battled tough times over the past year. "Business today is hard work. We have been sharing the pain with other businesses. It is a highly regulated business. There are no grey areas - you either do it properly or not at all." With a turnover of less than $5 million a year, he has boosted business by offering chartered flights and special services including transporting caskets, accompanied by mourning families, around the country for burials. The firm's planes also carry dogs and cats which were transported in cages in luggage compartments until one yappy canine passenger irritated a group of tourists so much that pets were subsequently kept in the cargo hold department. The exception is dogs for the blind, which sit alongside their charges. While there is a distinctly relaxed atmosphere when the pilot strolls across the tarmac and welcomes passengers before hopping up the steps to take the controls, Mr Baldwin said they adhered to strict CAA safety regulations. Their oldest regular passenger is a 106-year-old woman who visits her 101-year-old sister in Blenheim. A group of sprightly 80- and 90-year-olds enjoy day trips to Blenheim for special lunches accompanied by wine tours. "We help them, and their cartons of wine, into taxis when they get back." Bob, the miniature female dachshund, serves as the terminal's drug and security dog. "When I introduce her, some shifty passengers nervously look at their bags, particularly ones from Nelson," he said. Although the past year has been tough financially, they have managed to retain their 14 staff, including four full- time and three part-time pilots. "It has been challenging trying to minimise the impact of the recession and flow-on effects to our staff," Mr Baldwin said. Their cheapest regular flight starts at $90. Aviation is a family passion. Mr Baldwin's late father had worked as an engineer for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, one brother is a flying doctor, another was a helicopter pilot until he died in a flying accident, his son works as a pilot in Mongolia, and two nephews are commercial helicopter pilots. The recent announcement that Air Nelson, a subsidiary of Air New Zealand, would start commercial flights from Paraparaumu and Auckland on Labour Weekend would have a positive spin-off for air2there, Mr Baldwin said. The introduction of Air NZ flights gave them great exposure. "It is fantastic. The major benefit will be increased public awareness - people will come here to travel." He planned to replace one of his 20-year old Chieftains with a 10-seater XL750 built in Hamilton this year. "There are exciting opportunities coming up for the district and the region. Paraparaumu is seen as a great opportunity for Air NZ and ourselves," Mr Baldwin said.

Source and photo can be found at : http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/4625109/Air2there-welcomes-looming-competition

Air National Responds

Charter airline Air National is unlikely to fight a Court of Appeal decision upholding an "enormously damaging" suspension of its operations over safety concerns, an industry spokeswoman says....

Pilots had been training on a simulator in the United States but a problem with the computer programme when Southern Hemisphere coordinates were entered meant the wrong details ended up on one piece of paper in the training documents, she said. CAA was alerted as soon as they returned to New Zealand. The suspension was unreasonable and the damage the episode was doing to Air National was "just enormous", Ms King said. "It's the damage to the company, it's the damage to destination New Zealand. For all parties it's an enormously damaging situation.

For the full article goto : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10704724

Air National Update

Charter airline Air National will remain grounded after the Court of Appeal ruled this morning in favour of the Civil Aviation Authority. The Civil Aviation Authority grounded New Zealand's biggest charter airline on January 28 for 10 working days because of safety concerns. The Court of Appeal judgment overturns a High Court ruling to reinstate Air National’s air operator certificate pending the outcome of a judicial review of CAA decision. Until it was grounded, Air National flew some scheduled regional services for Air New Zealand and held a Corrections Department contract to transport prisoners. The airline also manages the private jets of some of New Zealand's wealthiest businessmen. CAA told the Court of Appeal on Friday that Air National had a long history of non-compliance with minimum safety standards.

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/4625700/Air-National-remains-grounded 

Waitangi Day Jet Traffic at Auckland

Wayne Grant had a field day at Auckland yesterday with some interesting jet movements...

Airwork's Cessna 560 Citation at Auckland on 6 February 2010. Photo : W Grant

DHL's Boeing 757 Freighter did a service to Melbourne so a rare chance to get it in daylight in the air. Taken at Auckland on 6 February 2010. Photo : W Grant

A China Airlines Airbus 340 B18807 on final approach for 23 at Auckland on 6 February 2010. Photo : W Grant

A couple of nice shots of the All Black Airbus after its flit around the country showing its true colours. It was required to do a missed approach first time round giving a good look at its belly. ZK-OAB at Auckland on 6 February 2010. Photos : W Grant

Pacific Jets Cessna 510 Mustang ZK-PGA at Auckland on 6 February 2010. Photo : W Grant 

Air Freight's East Coast Aztecs

In October 1999 Air Freight NZ Ltd took over Vincent Aviation’s courier operation to the East Coast using Piper Pa23-250 Aztecs ZK-DGS (c/n 27-7304959) ZK-EVP (c/n 27-8054053), ZK-FMU (c/n 27-2970). These aircraft were all registered to the company the previous month. Again, with no published timetable, it is difficult to know what the aircraft did but the service seemed to follow a similar pattern to Vincent’s operation, with the Palmerston North based aircraft stopping at Napier and Wairoa and spending the day at Gisborne. The service primarily carried courier freight for NZ Couriers and the related operations of Freightways Ltd. The register records DGS being sold in April 2000 and FMU in September 2000. In June 2002 EVP was sold and the East Coast service passed to Sunair.

Piper Aztec ZK-DGS on the Air Freight service to Gisborne on the 13th of October 1999, as it had been the day before. Given the aircraft had been registered to Air Freight in September 1999 I guess Air Freight took over from 1 October 1999.

Later in the same day I caught up with the another Air Freight Aztec, ZK-FMU at Palmerston North.  

The third Air Freight Aztec, ZK-EVP at Gisborne on 9 February 2001

I would really appreciate any additions or corrections to this post, in particular I would be interested in answers to the following questions; 

• What was the normal flight pattern for the Air Freight East Coast flights?
• Did the flights ever carry passengers as Vincent Aviation had?

Any replies to me at westland831@gmail.com would be much appreciated.

Air Freight NZ Ltd - Flying our air freight for 27 years

In 1989 a new air freight company was formed by Fieldair Holdings and an Auckland company, Parceline Express, with the aim of operating a week night Auckland-Palmerston North-Christchurch freight service. Operating as Air Freight NZ Ltd the operation was established with two General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580s, ZK-FTA (c/n 168) and ZK-FTB (c/n 180). The Convairs had been especially converted by a Canadian company, Kelowna Flightcraft, for an all freight operation which included the installation of a large cargo door allowing for a cargon system where wheeled cargons slide on to two rails in the aircraft floor.

The ill-fated Convair, ZK-FTB at Palmerston North on 30 July 1989, the day before it crashed.

Operations began on the 21st of July 1989. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the new company just a few days later when Convair ZK-FTB crashed on take-off into Auckland’s Manakau Harbour on the 31st of July 1989. The two crew and a training captain were all killed. FTB was replaced with General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-KFL (c/n 372), this aircraft being registered to the company in late April 1990.

Convair 580 ZK-FTA taken at Auckland on 30 January 1992.

In 1994 the fleet was expanded by the addition to the fleet of General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580, ZK-JDQ (c/n 465). Unlike the previous Convairs ZK-JDQ was not converted to an all freighter configuration and the absence of the large cargo door made it a less desirable aircraft for Air Freight’s operations. The following year it was replaced with General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580 ZK-KFU (c/n 17). This aircraft had received a freighter conversion and so ZK-JDQ was reduced to being the spare aircraft, though it did a regular Friday night run, before it was sold in late 1996.

Convair ZK-JDQ at Auckland on the 26th of March 1994. It never carried Air Freight titles or colours.

Being an all freight operation Air Freight NZ did not issue a public timetable but in 1995 the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand’s Aerolog publication listed their regular timetable as follows;

Mon-Fri

AFN31 Auckland-Christchurch dep 2145L, arr 2335L

AFN32 Christchurch-Palmerston North dep 2030L, arr 2130L

AFN32 Palmerston North-Christchurch dep 2300L, arr 2359L

AFN33 Auckland-Christchurch dep 2250L, arr 0040L

Tue-Sat

AFN31 Christchurch-Auckland dep 0030L, arr 0220L

AFN32 Christchurch-Palmerston North dep 0045L, arr 0145L

AFN32 Palmerston North-Christchurch dep 1500L, arr 1600L

AFN33 Christchurch-Auckland dep 0150L, arr 0340L

Aerolog reported that the flights carried freight on contract to Parceline, the linehaul division of the Freightways Group. Parceline customers were NZ Couriers, Post Haste Couriers and Castle Parcels. 

In November 1999 Freightways Express bought Fieldair Holdings. This enabled Freightways to have complete control over the courier supply chain and not to be reliant on major carriers. 

Meanwhile, in October 1999 Air Freight NZ Ltd took over Vincent Aviation’s courier operation to the East Coast using Piper Pa23-250 Aztecs ZK-DGS (c/n 27-7304959) ZK-EVP (c/n 27-8054053), ZK-FMU (c/n 27-2970). These aircraft were all registered to the company the previous month. Again, with no published timetable, it is difficult to know what the aircraft did but the service seemed to follow a similar pattern to Vincent’s operation, with the Palmerston North based aircraft stopping at Napier and Wairoa and spending the day at Gisborne. The service primarily carried courier freight for NZ Couriers and the related operations of Freightways Ltd. The register records ZK-DGS being sold in April 2000 and Zk-FMU in September 2000. In June 2002 EVP was sold to Sunair, with Sunair picking up the East Coast to Paraparaumu courier service on the 10th of June 2002.

Piper Aztec ZK-DGS on the Air Freight service to Gisborne on the 13th of October 1999, as it had been the day before. Given the aircraft had been registered to Air Freight in September 1999 I guess Air Freight took over from 1 October 1999.

Later in the same day I caught up with the another Air Freight Aztec, ZK-FMU at Palmerston North.  

The third Air Freight Aztec, ZK-EVP at Gisborne on 9 February 2001

Convair 580 ZK-KFH with the simplifed tail logo taken at Auckland on the 19th of August 2008.

In August 2003 General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580 ZK-KFJ (c/n 114) was added to the fleet. Sadly, on the 3rd of October 2003, a second fatal accident hit the company when ZK-KFU broke up in flight 8 kilometres north of Paraparaumu. It crashed into the sea in stormy and turbulent weather conditions. Wreckage was found in the following two weeks and the bodies of the two pilots were recovered. The accident report indicated the aircraft experienced heavy icing shortly before the crash.

Air Freight (NZ)'s ill-fated Convair 580 ZK-KFU at Auckland on 7 October 1998

Replacing the ill-fated ZK-KFU was a leased General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/5800 ZK-KFS (c/n 277) which entered service on the 1st of November 2004. The Convair 5800 was a stretched version of the Convair 580. It was equipped with larger engines and two fuselage plugs to increase the overall length of the aircraft by over 4 metres as well as having an electronic flight instrumentation system.

The difference in the size of the Convair 580 and Convair 5800 is seen in these two photos which also illustrate the current colour scheme. Above Convair 580 ZK-KFL at Auckland on the 21st of June 2010 and below Convair 5800 ZK-KFS at Auckland on the 29th of June 2008.

Air Freight NZ continued to operate its night time freight flights with four Convair 580s and one stretched Convair 5800 on its core Auckland-Palmerston North-Christchurch and Auckland-Christchurch freight services until June 2015 when parent company Freightways announced a major  fleet upgrade that would see it transition from the fleet of Convair freighter aircraft to Boeing 737-400 freighter aircraft.

Freightways announced that its subsidiary, Fieldair Holdings Limited, would form a joint venture company with Airwork Holdings Limited who would operate the three Boeings replacing the five Convairs and Airwork's two Fokker Friendships. The age of the turboprops and changing air freight patterns precipitated the change. It was announced that the customers of the new joint venture company, which became known as Parcelair, were to be Freightways' express package businesses and NZ Post’s Express Couriers Limited business.

The stretched Convair 5800, ZK-KFS, was the first aircraft to be withdrawn from Air Freight NZ service. It operated its last scheduled flights on the night of the 30th/31st December 2015 when it flew Christchurch - Palmerston North - Christchurch - Palmerston North - Christchurch, It then positioned from Christchurch to Palmerston North where it underwent an overhaul before being returning to its lessor, Kelowna Flight Craft in Canada.

Air Freight NZ ended Convair 580 operations and all operations on the 20th of August 2016. The final flight was flown by Convair ZK-KFH which flew from Christchurch to Palmerston North (AFN646) and return (AFN647). 

The sun goes down on Air Freight NZ's Convair 580 ZK-KFH as it rolled at Auckland on 26 January 2010

Air Freight (NZ) and its Convair fleet provided a good and reliable air freight service since its introduction into New Zealand in 1989 and its closure marks the end of another chapter in our country's air freight history.

While the air freight service is no longer flying Air Freight continues to operate the Lifeflight air ambulance in Wellington having taken over the contract in October 2014 following the collapse of Vincent Aviation. Air Freight (NZ) operates two BAe Jetstream 32s, ZK-LFW and ZK-LFT, in the air ambulance role.

BAe Jetstream 32, ZK-LFW at Christchurch on 30 November 2014

The Freighter Fleet over the Years:

Convair 580

ZK-FTA         General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580 (c/n 168)

ZK-FTB         General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580 (c/n 180)

ZK-JDQ         General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580 (c/n 465)

ZK-KFH         General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580 (c/n 42)

ZK-KFJ          General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580 (c/n 114)

ZK-KFL         General Dynamics Allison Convair 440/580 (c/n 372)

ZK-KFU         General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/580 (c/n 17)

Convair 580 ZK-KFJ at Auckland on 30 September 2008

Convair 5800

ZK-KFS         General Dynamics Allison Convair 340/5800 (c/n 277)

Piper Aztec

ZK-DGS        Piper Pa23-250 Aztec (c/n 27-7304959)

ZK-EVP         Piper Pa23-250 Aztec (c/n 27-8054053)

ZK-FMU        Piper Pa23-250 Aztec (c/n 27-2970)

Air National Suspended Again

New Zealand’s largest charter airline company has been grounded because of safety concerns. Air National – whose customers include Air New Zealand and the Corrections Department – has been handed a 10-day suspension by the Civil Aviation Authority, effective from last Friday. About 65 flights are expected to be affected by the CAA’s corporate air operating certificate suspension, The Dominion Post reports. The airline operates twice-daily return flights between Christchurch and Hokitika on behalf of Air NZ. The company has nine aircraft altogether. The reason for the suspension is because flight simulator training records for two pilots were wrong, possibly falsified. The CAA’s lawyer, Kim Murray, says this is not the first incident with Air National. “The applicant has an appalling history of non-compliance with minimum safety standards and suspension was inevitable when falsified training records were discovered,” Mr Murray says. However, the company’s lawyer, Sherridan Cook, said if that was the case then the CAA would have acted sooner. Justice Denis Clifford said it appears the company has responded satisfactorily to issues the CAA raised. The suspension has been left in place until 4.30pm today so the authority could appeal, after a High Court judge yesterday said the suspension should be lifted pending a full hearing of the case.

Source : http://www.3news.co.nz/Air-National-given-suspension-over-falsified-records/tabid/421/articleID/196958/Default.aspx

For report of the earlier grounding see : http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.com/2010/09/air-national-grounds-itself-for-few.html

While Air National currently flies at least one flight a day to Hokitika, the announcement of Air New Zealand operating Bombardier Q300s to Hokitika seems to Herald the end of Jetstream services to the Coast, with the Air New Zealand website showing Hokitika receiving only Beech 1900 and Bombardier Q300 flights.

Ground Transport - Chatham Islands Style

In September 1969 Blue Bus from the NZ Civil Aircraft Blog (http://www.nzcivair.blogspot.com/) captured this great picture of the "yellow submarine" which was used to carry passengers and freight on the Chathams across the lagoon to the old Hapuku airfield to meet the Safe Air Bristol Freighter flight. Photo : Blue Bus

 

Similar big wheeled transport is used in Antarctica to provide transport from McMurdo to the ice runway, Pegasus or Williams Field. Above an example of a Delta and below Ivan the Terra Bus. The Deltas run a shuttle service for those who work at the airfield sites while Ivan takes passengers for flights to and from Christchurch. Taken in December 2008. Photos : S Lowe 

Why they need the big wheels... the drive from across the "transition" from the sea ice to the land... Even with the big wheels Deltas and Ivan got stuck often enough. Taken in December 2008. Photos : S Lowe 

North Shore this Evening...

Seeing it was a nice late afternoon/early evening I spent an hour or two out at North Shore...

In the Great Barrier Airlines hangar Islander ZK-FVD has been repainted and has the current logo on (as on the Partenavia and Trislanders) so it should be not too long before it is plying across to the island. The Trislander ZK-LOU and Islander ZK-KTR (though not yet registered) still seem to be at the same stage of their rebuilding.

Just a few photos tonight...

North Shore Helicopters Robinson R22 ZK-HZV, taken at North Shore on 2 February 2011. Photo : S Lowe

Great Barrier Airlines' Trislander, ZK-LGF, arrives at North Shore from the Barrier on 2 February 2011... seemed like a good load. Photo : S Lowe

Salt Air's Airvan on takeoff at North Shore for Whangarei and Kerikeri on 2 February 2011. Photo : S Lowe

The Dargaville Aero Club's Fly Synthesis Texan Top Class, ZK-TTX, made a flying visit to North Shore Fly Synthesis Texan Top Classon 2 February 2011. Photo : S Lowe

All Black Airbus Arrives

Wayne Grant took these superb photos of Air New Zealand's new Airbus 320 arriving at Auckland today in its All Black colour scheme...