Golden Bay fliers

Bruce Gavin was down to Golden Bay recently and caught up with both Takaka operators...

Above, arriving at Takaka from Wellington was Golden Bay Air's Piper Saratoga ZK-ZIG. Below is Golden Bay Air's terminal. I really need to fly this airline! Photos taken 19 August 2013.

 

 

Carrying Remote Adventures titles is Cessna 185 ZK-CGH which is replacing ZK-MIT at present with Adventure Flights. Photo taken 19 August 2013. There was also a nice pic of MIT loaded up with Heaphy Track bikers at Karamea from the Adventure Flights Facebook site.

Sounds Air for Masterton???

 

 

Picton-Based airline Sounds Air is looking to capitalise on frustration in Wairarapa over Air New Zealand axing its service to the region. While criticism continues of the national carrier's decision to can its Masterton-Auckland route, Sounds Air managing director Andrew Crawford told The Dominion Post his airline would meet Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell on Monday to discuss stepping into the breach from November.  Mr Daniell said other airlines were also considering bidding for the route. If terms could be agreed, Sounds Air would offer a low-cost, early-morning service to Wellington for onward connections to Auckland, Christchurch and elsewhere, Mr Crawford said. "I've seen the Air New Zealand fares, they're pretty horrendous." Mr Daniell hit out at comments by Air New Zealand spokesman Andrew Aitken on Wednesday that one of the key factors in the decision to axe the route was increased airport-landing charges. Mr Daniell, whose council was responsible for much of the work and expense required to lure Air New Zealand to Masterton in 2009, said this was "just wrong".  "There has been no increase in landing fees since Air New Zealand started at Masterton." The council charged an "absolutely minimal" $300 a landing, amounting to $21,000 a year, out of which it paid for upkeep on the runway, terminal and other facilities, Mr Daniell said. Mr Aitken stood by the claim yesterday in an email to The Dominion Post. Wairarapa MP John Hayes questioned Air New Zealand's claim that there was a lack of demand for the service. The airline had told him the flights were, on average, 72 per cent full, he said. Mr Aitken replied that that figure was "actually relatively poor".  Some passengers said they were at times quoted up to $900 for a flight, but Mr Aitken said the route's average fare did not cover the basic operating costs of the service. Air New Zealand, which is 73 per cent state-owned, made a profit last year of $182 million.

 

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wairarapa/9159638/Sounds-Air-looks-at-landing-Wairarapa-deal

Spectacular Landings

This is a link to the TV3 News with some good footage of landings at Wellington yesterday... Well done to the flight crews

http://www.3news.co.nz/Bumpy-landings-for-Wellington-travellers/tabid/423/articleID/312767/Default.aspx

Day off photos

In its new colours yesterday was Fiji Airways' Boeing 737-800. Photo taken at Auckland on 10 September 2013

I was also pleased to get a nicer shot of Airbus 320 ZK-OJC in the interim Air New Zealand black and white scheme. Photo taken at Auckland on 10 September 2013

Over at Ardmore Robinson R44 ZK-HBV was another new one. Photo taken on 10 September 2013

Tauranga on Saturday

On Saturday I was driving back to Auckland and came back via Tauranga in the hope of getting one of the Sunair fleet... and I was rewarded for my efforts...

 

I was wrapped to get ZK-FVP with Sunair titles and without a cover on it! Taken at Tauranga on 7 September 2013. Incidentally over at Hamilton were Sunair Aztecs PIX, DGS, DIR and TDM... All parked in a lousy position for photos and all but one with a cover. Thankfully I've got pretty reasonable photos of them all

A new one for me was Airfarm's Fletcher ZK-CRF (with cover - grrrrr). Taken at Tauranga on 7 September 2013.

Unfortunately Cessna 172 ZK-DPM did taxi straight off the pumps - However nice to get with its Tauranga Tandem Skydiving titles - a.k.a Buzzard Airlines. Taken at Tauranga on 7 September 2013.

It pays to look carefully... I thought it read Tauranga Aero Club but only realised when I got home - Taumarunui Aero Club - Cessna 152 ZK-FMV taken at Tauranga on 7 September 2013.

Night Rider Fares between Christchurch and Auckland

 

 

Air New Zealand’s popular Night Rider™ service which offers every seat on the last flight of the day between Auckland and Wellington at a ludicrously low price is extending to include Christchurch.

From 7 November 2013 every seat on the 9.30pm flights between Auckland and Christchurch in both directions (Thursday – Monday) will be just $39 (or $49 for a ‘Seat + Bag’). The service will be operated by a combination of A320 and B737 aircraft. Air New Zealand Group General Manager New Zealand and Pacific Islands Cam Wallace says the airline is pleased to extend the service to Christchurch and hopes it will stimulate travel demand and tourism activity for both cities. “Night Rider™ has proven extremely popular with customers since it was introduced between Auckland and Wellington last year and we expect seats will sell out just as fast on the new Christchurch service,” says Mr Wallace. “The Christchurch Night Rider™ will launch in time for the peak summer holiday season and will allow Aucklanders and Cantabrians to take advantage of cheap airfares to key upcoming events such as Canterbury Cup and Show Week and the Wellington Phoenix A-League match in Christchurch and the Big Day Out in Auckland.” Mr Wallace says with such ludicrously low fares there are a few restrictions passengers need to know about. “In line with the existing Night Rider™ service, these flights will skip our usual in-flight refreshments and passengers will not be eligible to use our Koru Lounges. Night Rider™ is not available to unaccompanied minors and can’t be booked as part of a through fare domestically or internationally. Passengers will still be offered a lolly at the end of the flight though!” Night Rider™ fares between Auckland and Christchurch are on sale now at www.airnewzealand.co.nz for travel between 7 November 2013 and 31 January 2014.

Real Tonga - Just what is going???

From the New Zealand end...

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says he has been in talks with China about a new aircraft it gifted to Tonga, after he raised concern about the aircraft's safety... Last month, the Chinese embassy in Wellington said New Zealand had acted improperly by making negative comments about the aircraft, which has had a negative effect on China's aviation reputation. Mr McCully says he has raised the issue directly with authorities in China and is quite comfortable New Zealand is following a proper course. He says he is seeking certification of the aircraft's safety from an internationally respected and independent certifier before tourism funding is restored.

 

Source : http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/218663/nz-raises-tonga-plane-with-china

 

Meanwhile in Tonga...

The latest figures from official sources reported inbound tourists into Tonga for July 2013 to continue positive annual growth despite unreliable travel advise by the New Zealand authorities...  Local airline Real Tonga have also introduced its new domestic air fare to start as low as TOP$ 225 one-way to Vava’u from 1st September 2013, almost half the fare cost in 2012 during the previous operator Chathams Airline will further boost the spread of tourism to the outer islands.

 

For the full report see : http://www.mic.gov.to/news-today/press-releases/4597-tongas-tourism-respectable-around-the-world

 

while the Church of the Latter Day Saints has told its people not to fly on the MA60...

The Mormon Church in Tonga has told its employees and officials the church would no longer pay air fares for them to travel on Real Tonga’s controversial MA-60 aircraft. The Mormon Church is one of the largest users of inter-islands air travel... A person who talked to Kaniva News from Mormon Church head office in Nukuʻalofa on condition of anonymity, said the decision was taken for safety reasons. “We have to make sure that any such  equipment used by our employees, leaders and all those at elder level are safe and licensed according to international standard,” the person  said. “The church is liable for  the safety of its employees. “We are still using Real Tonga Airline services, but only its Queen and Islander aircraft.” She said about 50 church officials and leaders flew to and from the outer islands each week. Kaniva  made several attempts to obtain comment from Real Tonga,  but the airline did not respond to our emails. In the Tongan Parliament this week Opposition Leader, ‘Akilisi Pohiva asked why the government kept silent while the government-subsidised Real Tonga started to bear the consequences of allowing the MA-60 to fly without New Zealand’s civil aviation’s approval. It has been  revealed the airline has refunded thousands of pa’anga as a result of travellers withdrawal from using the MA-60 aircraft. The Opposition Leader’s statements were quickly attacked by the Prime Minister and his ministers, who told the House to move on and discuss something more important and said  the government is working on it. Real Tonga chief executive officer Tevita Palu told the local media he was not involved in the MA-60 deal and that he only knew about it after it was about to be brought to Tonga.

For the full article see : http://www.nzkanivapacific.co.nz/2013/08/mormon-church-stops-using-real-tongas-ma-60-service/#.UiwPSc2N3IU

And then there have been some aircraft changes... Rhiazen posted a comment on the blog last week advising...
Real Tonga have purchased A3-CIA (the Queenair) from Air Chats.
They had intended to purchase A3-LYP (BN Islander) from Air Chats also, but that fell through and they have now purchased BN Islanders from Samoa.
They have also requested the use of ZK-CIF since the MA-60 cannot land on short strips.
CIF has recently returned to NZ for Tauck work.
Air Chats Metroliner is still in Tonga for maintenance and is getting a new paint-job.

And finally a couple of links to those who have flown with Real Tonga...

Rineanna thought the MA60 was fine but she was lucky to catch her flight  - http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/243173/. Nice pics inside the MA60

but Marlene F wouldn't fly the airline again - http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294141-i5178-k6825679-Has_anyone_else_had_bad_experience_with_Real_Tong_Airlines-Tonga.html

The Air NZ Provinical Cuts - My Comments

I was out of touch with the outside world when the news came through of Air New Zealand canning its Masterton service and its weekday flights between Wanganui and Wellington leaving Wanganui with no air connection to the South Island.

 

To be honest, when Oamaru went and then Wanaka, I wasn't surprised with the news that Masterton was to be cut. One wonders now what the future holds for a number of other Beech 1900 ports, in particular Kaitaia and Westport but not far behind Timaru and Hokitika. Whanganui MP Chester Borrows was reported as saying that the Wellington-Wanganui flights wouldn't break even if they were 100 per cent full. This is the sad reality about the economics of the Beech 1900 in Air New Zealand service. My own belief is that Eagle Air has really lost the edge in its ability to be independent and being innovative in promoting services to the provinces and one wonders how much longer a 19-seater will be viable in the Air NZ fleet.

 

In a way the small airports can't win. The reality is that Masterton folk could get cheap fares and a better selection of  flights by taking a one hour drive to Wellington or Palmerston North. For Wanganui it is the same - an hours drive to Palmerston North. The same was true at Wanaka - an hours drive to Queenstown. And I know a huge number of people drive from Greymouth and Hokitika to Westport or Christchurch to get cheap fares on whichever airline. How much is convenience of a local service worth? Air New Zealand can't expect people to support a local service if from a price perspective it is comparatively way different for example $300 to fly from Auckland to Masterton compared to $39 fares to Wellington! The national carrier can't expect to see itself as a charity case when it has made $182 million profit on the one hand and laying off 180 engineers and provincial services on the other.

 

I suspect I am like a lot of New Zealanders - my first choice is to fly Air New Zealand (for me because it flies to my home town) but if the fares are high I will use Jetstar. But if Air New Zealand is not going to fly to the provinces why pick Air NZ over Jetstar? The people that drive to the bigger cities have a choice as to what airline to fly. One wonders if the long whispered rumour of Jetstar going to the larger provincial centres will come about?

 

Meanwhile the withdrawal of the Masterton-Auckland service leaves a real opportunity for an Auckland-based operator to do something. There are several reasons for this. My guess is that most passengers flying on the service are flying to Auckland or connecting to an international with no "through-fares." So it is a niche market. So why an Auckland-based operator? The days of the likes of Wairarapa Airlines have long gone. People won't fly an unpressurised Chieftain (or the like) long distance like they once did. Having a Masterton-based aircraft sitting around in Auckland all day doing nothing doesn't make any money. However, if an Auckland operator did an overnight service like Air New Zealand's present timetable the aircraft would then be available for charter or other services during the day.

 

So who might be the contenders? Such a set up would be ideal for Great Barrier Airlines or Fly My Sky if they had a suitable aircraft that they could then usefully use on their core Great Barrier Island service. A Trislander or Islander wouldn't work! Inflite Charters would, in my opinion, be the obvious contender. Their Jetstream 32s don't do much anyway so this might prove a good way to use them while still have them available during the day. Another possibility would be Air Chathams with their Metroliner or Vincent Aviation with a Jetstream 32. It's a niche market so it is not stepping on big brothers toes but it means for both setting up an Auckland operation and then finding other work during the day time.

 

As for the Wanganui-Wellington I suspect this run will be relegated to the history books unless someone with a fourth Caravan might be interested but it would have to be for people wanting to do a Wanganui-Wellington commute. People aren't going to change airline to fly further south. Getting the fares right is the key part to the formula and maybe having through fares to Blenheim and Nelson might get another punter or two.

 

As always, the 3rd level airline scene in New Zealand is always about finding a niche and then finding the right formula.

Wairarapa Comment on the Cutting of its Air Service

Is anyone seriously surprised at the axing of Air New Zealand flights out of Masterton? I will readily admit I'm as guilty as charged for not using the service. I've had two trips to Auckland on the company dime since starting this job in April and, on both occasions, I flew out of Wellington, along with my boss. I remember thinking at the time it would be a good idea not to mention that to Destination Wairarapa, because it wasn't a very supportive move from the daily paper. But damn it, I'm answerable to bean counters and the cost of flying out of Masterton was prohibitive. Seriously, I couldn't even contemplate it. When the Air New Zealand executives were in my office yesterday afternoon, I asked them why they were closing the route. They said this route (and others) were "challenging", and the challenges weren't getting any smaller. Wanganui is facing a similar chop. The deputy editor at the Wanganui Chronicle hadn't been read in as early as I had and there were some pretty explosive swear words at the other end when I let them know. I asked the execs if this meant Kapiti's bit of pride, Kapiti Airport in Paraparaumu, was also in trouble. Not at all, they said. In fact, they were about to start a Christchurch service, in addition to their Auckland flights. One of the execs waved his arm to the west. "Look at Kapiti, the population catchment." He wasn't exactly right, with Kapiti's 50,000 people as opposed to 44,000 over here. But Kapiti is growing, it will soon have an expressway, and Air New Zealand has put on a lot more flights a day than we did. We might argue that 70 per cent seat capacity wasn't too bad for our flights. But I think it's a case of Air New Zealand deciding something had to go in these "challenging" times, and Wairarapa and Wanganui got the bullet for the sake of the account books. MP John Hays and Garry Daniell are now looking at other options, but not many spring to mind for me.

 

Source : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wairarapa-times-age/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503411&objectid=11120459

Save capital air link - Wanganui flyer

Former Wanganui man Hayden Montgomerie is hoping the city will fight to keep its air connection with Wellington. The frequent flyer between the two cities is hoping Wanganui District Council will mount a campaign to keep the link going. But Wanganui councillor Rob Vinsen says it's probably a lost cause because it's just not profitable, and Whanganui MP Chester Borrows says losing it is a consequence of living in the provinces. Wanganui Mayor Annette Main said Air New Zealand had undertaken to meet with Wanganui business and tourism interests to talk about future services. The operator, Air New Zealand (Air NZ), has said the Wellington flights will stop from December because they have been making a loss for some time. It would not say how big that loss is. But Mr Borrows has been told the flights wouldn't break even if they were 100 per cent full. He said it was difficult to make a profit on flights in small planes, and Air NZ usually subsidised them with other more profitable flights. He didn't know why the company was no longer willing to subsidise the Wellington-Wanganui flights. The airline flies people from Wanganui to Wellington Monday to Friday at 7.05am, and returns them to Wanganui about 7.30pm. On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday the plane flies Taupo-Wanganui-Wellington. The company says a 29 per cent increase in landing charges at Wellington Airport is one of the increasing costs that stop it being viable. However, landing charges at Wanganui Airport are not part of the problem, Cr Vinsen said. They are less than $70 a time, and have remained stable since 1988. Wanganui Airport staff haven't been told the flights will stop, one of them said. When they do, it will mean Air NZ will fly north only to Auckland from Wanganui Airport. The staff member said 68 per cent of seats on Wellington flights were filled, and he had the impression the flights were breaking even. Cr Vinsen said 71 per cent of seats were filled a year ago. Mr Borrows gave a 75 per cent figure. Both said Wanganui-Auckland flights were at least doing well. But Mr Montgomerie, raised in Wanganui and now working in Wellington, is not satisfied with that. He said it took a lot of work to re-establish the air link to Wellington. "Wanganui should fight a little bit harder to keep it. It will be a massive battle to get it back." A 33-year-old civil servant, he uses it regularly to come home and see family. Most recently he flew to Wanganui on a Thursday night, spent some time in the city and on Mount Ruapehu. He was able to fly back to Wellington on Tuesday morning, in time to start work. He said he didn't own a car, and flying saved him time. He probably won't visit Wanganui as often without the air connection. There were a lot of young people who left Wanganui for opportunities elsewhere, and he wanted it kept for them. He asked whether Wanganui District Council made a point of using the service itself, and whether it would set up a working group to keep the flights going. "There are lots of people in Wanganui who perhaps could have done more by their actions to keep this up." Cr Vinsen said Wellington was not a "marketable sector" from Wanganui, even as a link to the South Island, because Palmerston North to Christchurch was cheaper, direct and served by a better schedule. He had heard changes within the Air NZ fleet may have led to the removal of some flights. Asked about this, Air NZ said the changes were not a factor, and the flights were simply not economic. Mike O'Malley, director of House of Travel in Wanganui, said the cut to service would not have a significant impact on travellers. "It really was only a service that suited people who didn't want to drive to Wellington." He said international flights from Wellington were to and from Australian cities and most flew from Auckland.

 

Source : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11121028

TAIC report on Chieftain Incident at Nelson

 

 

Piper PA31-350 Navajo Chieftain, ZK-MYS, landing without nose landing gear extended, Nelson Aerodrome, 11 May 2011

 On 11 May 2011 the nose landing gear of a Piper PA31-350 Navajo Chieftain (the aeroplane) jammed in a partially retracted position during a training flight at Nelson Aerodrome. The nose landing gear could not be extended again, and in the subsequent landing the aeroplane sustained substantial damage. Neither of the 2 pilots, the only persons on board, was injured. The nose landing gear jammed as a result of wrong parts and incorrect maintenance, over a number of years, which allowed the landing gear to turn too far when full rudder was applied during the training exercise. The increased angle and misalignment between 2 key components prevented the nose landing gear centring during the retraction, and the jam ensued. This aeroplane had a recent history of nose landing gear defects, including other failures to extend or retract normally. Some of the rectifications of the earlier defects, carried out by various maintenance organisations, had not been in accordance with Civil Aviation Rules, because incorrect parts or unauthorised repairs had been used, and the aeroplane manufacturer's Maintenance Manual procedures had not been followed. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (Commission) made findings related to the cause of the accident, the standard of aircraft maintenance and the limited requirement for duplicate inspections. The investigation identified the following safety issues:

- an inadequate standard of maintenance performed by a range of organisations and persons on the aeroplane

- the standard of maintenance for general aviation aircraft in New Zealand needs to be improved.

 

The Commission made recommendations to the Director of Civil Aviation that he take action, in concert with the aviation industry, with the goal of improving the level of compliance throughout the general aviation maintenance sector; and that he widen the range of maintenance that requires a duplicate check, at least for aircraft used in air transport operations, in order to reduce the likelihood of recurring defects and incidents.

 

The Commission noted the following key lessons from this inquiry:

- persons who work on aircraft must refer to the appropriate technical data and instructions, including maintenance manuals, to ensure that the correct procedures are followed fully. Effective supervision requires that supervisors physically check completed tasks before the tasks are signed off

- a physical check of a part taken off or installed, and comparison with the appropriate reference data, will ensure that the part is correct. Part number errors can arise, and be perpetuated, if reference is made only to the previous log book entry (which might be wrong)

- the correct part name and part number must be used in aircraft maintenance documentation to help avoid installation errors

- defect rectification is not completed just by repairing or replacing the defective part. The cause of the defect must be established and rectified as well. When maintenance is performed away from the usual base, it is important that the engineer is informed of any relevant recent or possible recurring defects

- the prompt receipt and review of loose-leaf log book entries by Maintenance Controllers can help with their recognition of possible recurring defects.

For a photo and original news report see : http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4989684/Emergency-drama-at-Nelson-Airport

Source and a link to the full incident report see : http://www.taic.org.nz/ReportsandSafetyRecs/AviationReports/tabid/78/ctl/Detail/mid/482/InvNumber/2011-004/language/en-US/Default.aspx

More Q300 flights to Rotorua

Air New Zealand will soon introduce larger aircraft for its weekday Rotorua to Auckland flights to cater for higher demand from travellers. The airline says ticket prices for the flights could be as low as $79, depending on demand. Rotorua International Airport chief executive Alastair Rhodes said he welcomed Air New Zealand's decision to introduce its larger Q300 aircraft on its weekday morning flight between Auckland and Rotorua. The flights will commence in February, with the departure time for the Auckland to Rotorua flight moving from 8.05am to 8.30am and the Rotorua to Auckland flight leaving slightly later at 9.30am instead of 9am. Mr Rhodes said the 50-seat Q300 aircraft provided an additional 31 seats per flight, the equivalent of a 300 per cent annual seat capacity increase. The scheduling change and the potential for Air New Zealand to offer $79 lead in fares are positive developments for Rotorua businesses and residents alike, he said. "The fact Air New Zealand is providing the increased capacity without any decrease in frequency means we get the benefit of an efficient and cost-effective schedule for locals and visitors to and from Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty region." Mr Rhodes said the decision demonstrated real commitment from Air New Zealand to meet the needs of Rotorua, Bay of Plenty and Auckland travellers. "In addition, with most international visitors flying into Auckland International Airport, the domestic Auckland to Rotorua link is a critical tourism route for us. "As such, the additional capacity of the Q300 will also have a positive spin-off for the local and regional tourism sector." Air New Zealand group general manager for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, Cam Wallace, said the service would prove popular with leisure and business travellers and tourists. Larger aircraft and the extra capacity that would provide would not only mean that Air New Zealand could offer more seats, but more seats at better prices. Fares for the flight will remain the same, but there will be a much larger number of lower fares available than in the past due to the increased capacity, he said.

 

Source : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11119975

Wellington-Wanganui service to be axed

 

 

Air New Zealand is axing its Wanganui-Wellington service in December. The move was disappointing for the city, mayor Annette Main said, "but it is a commercial decision that was not unexpected". "We have been aware that there has been low patronage on the Wellington flights due a number of factors, including cost, a less than convenient schedule and improved driving times to Wellington. "My understanding is that flights between Wanganui and Wellington will continue until just before Christmas. "While any loss of service is a blow to regional centres, the timing of the flights was not as convenient as people wanted." Most people travelling to Wellington already chose to drive for convenience, she said. Ms Main said Air NZ has assured her the Wanganui-Auckland service was not under threat. "In fact, it is seen as having greater potential and I look forward to working with Air New Zealand on ways to ensure we utilise these services fully for both locals and visitors."

 

Source : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11119955

Air New Zealand Cans Masterton

Air New Zealand is pulling out of Wairarapa. Blaming uneconomic operations and lack of demand, Air New Zealand executives told Wairarapa mayors today the service from Masterton Airport would cease from February 5. The move is a devastating blow to Masterton and Carterton councils, which invested over $1 million towards airport facilities at Hood Aerodrome. Eagle Air, a subsidiary of Air New Zealand, began operating between Masterton and Auckland in February 2009 and up to March 31 this year had undertaken 528 flights carrying 6927 passengers, averaging 13 per flight, according to Masterton District Council. It and Carterton District Council, with assistance from the Wairarapa Building Society and Trust House, upgraded the taxiway, lighting, terminal building and carpark and services. Air New Zealand's regional affairs manager Ian Collier and general manager network Richard Thomson came to Masterton today to break the news. Mr Thomson said they had reviewed regional services, and the Masterton operation had reached a point where a decision needed to be made. "The service is not economically sustainable,'' he said. Mr Collier acknowledged it was "obviously hugely disappointing. We recognise the effort the local communities put in to support the services, we're very grateful for that.'' He said they would continue to work with the community to look at alternatives. The pair later drove to Wanganui, to announce the loss of the Wellington-Wanganui service from December. Masterton mayor Garry Daniell said the service was a wonderful asset to the Masterton people. Air New Zealand had previously told him the service was only marginally profitable but would continue. "After strong community support for both the development of infrastructure at Hood Aerodrome, and good patronage at about 70 per cent - and recently increasing, Wairarapa representatives had been in active engagement with Air New Zealand do develop the service further.'' He said the council, in conjunction with Trust House and Destination Wairarapa, would form a working group to commence further discussion to determine what alternative services or aircraft could be put in place to maintain the route. "Air New Zealand has confirmed its willingness to respond and cooperate with this group.'' Destination Wairarapa also said they thought Air New Zealand was committed to keeping the route. "We are surprised and disappointed to hear this news, especially following all the feedback we've had from Air New Zealand to date suggesting that Wairarapa would be in Air New Zealand's fleet expansion plans and secondly following all the hard work we have been doing with Air New Zealand to grow the Auckland market,'' said Destination Wairarapa general manager David Hancock. Mr Hancock said while it was disappointing news, Destination Wairarapa respected that this was a commercial decision. The organisation would continue to work with Air New Zealand on service options for Masterton and other growth opportunities for the Wairarapa through Wellington and Palmerston North airports.

 

Source : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wairarapa-times-age/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503414&objectid=11119498

25 Years Ago - September 1988 in Timaru

September 1988 was a quiet month in Timaru (where I was living at the time) and I only took three months there over the whole month

Robert Jones BAe125 was the most exciting visitor to Timaru in September 1988 - Taken on 12 September 1988

Up from Studholme for maintenance was Cessna 185 ZK-FNX on 19 September 1988

Also on maintenance was Hughes 300 ZK-HPH on 20 September 1988