Fancy a part of a DC-3 in your backyard???

http://www.trademe.co.nz/antiques-collectables/automotive-transport/aviation/auction-875152788.htm

Whakatane Plans Developing

The Eastern Bay’s new Whakatane-Auckland air services will be celebrated with an open day at Whakatane Airport on Sunday, April 26. Mayor Tony Bonne said the event would be a fun day out for all the family, with Air Chatham’s Convair 580 and Metroliner fleet and classic DC3 on display, plus a Vampire Jet, Yak aircraft, other classic planes, microlights and local aircraft. “We’ll also have classic cars and motorcycles, fire and rescue services and a range of other fun activities available,” he said. “The Air Chathams DC3 will be offering scenic flights and local companies Frontier Helicopters and Whakatane Aerohire will also be offering flights at an affordable cost. There’s no better way to get a taste of our new air service offerings and get to know some of the people behind the scenes, so come along and enjoy this unique aeronautic opportunity.” Entry to the open day will be via a gold coin donation, with the profits raised going to worthy activities co-ordinated by the Whakatane Sunrise Rotary Club. Food and refreshments would be available as a fundraiser for the Air Training Corps and Interact (Youth Rotary). Air Chathams Whakatane Air Services’ inaugural flight will land in Whakatane at 9.30am on Tuesday, April 28 – a special initiative by Air Chathams to ensure that connections are available after Air New Zealand’s final flight, which departs from
Whakatane at 6.50am that day. Thereafter, daily scheduled services to Auckland will operate at 7.15am, Monday to Friday, with weekday afternoon flights to Auckland departing at 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Weekend flights to Auckland will depart at 9.45am and 2.10pm on Saturdays and 11.45am on Sundays. Auckland-Whakatane services will operate at 8.45am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, with Saturday services at 10.30am and 3.30pm; and a Sunday service departing for Whakatane at 2pm. Fares from $89 (including a 23-kilogram bag) are available on Air Chatham’s Whakatane Air Services.

Source : http://www.whakatanebeacon.co.nz/2015/04/open-day-to-celebrate-new-air-services/

Air Chathams is making sure it’s Eastern Bay customers have one-on-one attention when the service launches later this month. The airline, due to take-off in Whakatane on April 28, has employed a person whose sole job will be to work with the Eastern Bay community. Airline owner Craig Emery confirmed the appointment of Grey Tinley while on a visit to Whakatane recently – one of a number of arrangements Air Chathams is making as it counts down to the launch of its Whakatane-Auckland service. Mr Emeny said Mr Tinley would be based in Auckland, the company’s operational engineering base, and had been employed to work directly with the Eastern Bay community. The company has also rented a flat for staff to use when they are overnighting in Whakatane, and has trained three flight attendants – two women and a man – to serve on the 50-seater Convair aircraft. An 18-seater Metroliner will also service Whakatane but it is the larger Convair that Mr Emeny is hoping to use to build visitor numbers to the region. “What we really want to do is to keep the Convair operating and expand the market.” He said the aircraft would be good for transporting sports teams and conference delegates and, for the first time, would allow large groups to fly into town for events. He is hoping to be able to support the tourism industry, businesses and education providers by transporting people who might just want to visit for a day. It would also be possible to arrange the schedule so the Convair would take large groups from Whakatane to other parts of New Zealand direct, Mr Emeny said. “What we are going to build is a much closer relationship with the community so we can work with the community to develop the service.” “If there are other destinations that make sense and would be good for Whakatane and the Chathams, we will be keeping our eyes open.” Mr Emeny also has ideas of organising special day trips down to Whakatane in the company’s DC3, where visitors spend the day enjoying what the district has to offer. “We want to do that in the summer and do that a lot so we build a special or unique market that you can’t get anywhere else.”

Source : http://www.whakatanebeacon.co.nz/2015/04/first-bookings-for-new-airline/

Real Tonga looking at going International

Real Tonga Airlines is planning to commence international operations with flights to neighbouring Pacific islands slated for June CEO Tevita Palu has told the Matangi Tonga newspaper. Services will be undertaken once new larger aircraft are acquired, he said. Currently the carrier plies an exclusively domestic network serving Eua, Niuafo'ou, Ha'apai, Niuatoputapu, and Vava'u using a Y12 and a Jetstream 32 leased from Australia's FlyPelican (Newcastle Williamtown). An additional Jetstream, sourced from New Zealand, is expected to arrive later on in April. Real Tonga could face competition, however, in the form of a new start-up, Royal Tonga Airlines (Tongatapu), which plans to use a pair of MA-60s to operate its own international flights.  Backed by both foreign and local investors which include the former Tongan Deputy Prime Minister, Samiu Vaipulu, Royal Tonga will acquire an MA-60 from China in addition to operating the government's MA-60, A3-RTL (cn 904), once the type has been certified under Tonga's revised aviation regulations.

The Return of Royal Tongan Airlines - a Second Airline for Tonga

The following was posted as a comment in the previous post

Tonga’s domestic MA60 aircraft gifted from China is expected to start flying domestically this month operated by a second carrier named “Royal Tongan Airlines”. Samiu Vaipulu, the airline’s Board Director and former Deputy Prime Minister, said today the aircraft would first service only Vava’u and Ha’apai. He said other plans are being discussed for a smaller aircraft to service the outer islands of ‘Eua and the two Niuas. “In three months time we are also planning to start flying regionally using the MA60 aircraft. We have Tongan and foreign pilots ready to fly,” said Samiu. The new company, which is said to have been set up by a group of shareholders, has an office at the Sanft Building in Nuku’alofa employing more than 10 staff. In late February this year, the airline signed a contract with the Government of Tonga to lease the MA60. This was after government took back the aircraft after terminating its lease arrangement with the current sole domestic carrier, Real Tonga.

Source : Source: Matangi Tonga 08 April 2015

ATR replacing MA60 in Tonga

Tonga's sole domestic carrier Real Tonga today added extra weekly flights to Vava'u on a chartered aircraft from Fiji Airways as demand for the season increases. The airline said the 68-seater ATR72-600 was introduced to provide not only added capacity but a replacement for the Chinese gifted MA60-aircraft that Government took back when it terminated its lease with the airline in February this year. In announcing the new aircraft today, CEO Tevita Palu said that since the termination of the MA60 lease their customers had not received the best service available because they were limited to just two aircraft. "The sudden unavailability of the MA60 aircraft meant that we had to urgently re-adjust our fleet and while we are grateful that this happened during the lower demand period we regret the inconvenience. The additional aircraft and services will provide a much more stable and reliable schedule." He said the ATR72-600 is a great option because it provides them with an opportunity to evaluate the aircraft's operation with a view to providing regional services in the near future. The aircraft will service Vava'u twice a week on Mondays and Fridays throughout April and May. In addition, a second Jetstream 32 is expected to arrive in Tonga soon. He said the Jetstream's arrival was delayed because they opted to put the aircraft through major maintenance in New Zealand before bringing it to Tonga. "This will provide us with an aircraft with no heavy maintenance requirement for at least a year," he said. "With the ATR and second Jetstream, Real Tonga will have a solid fleet that will be able to effectively and efficiently manage our domestic network." 

Source : Matangi Tonga

NAC's Glacier Service

UPDATED March 2026

NZNAC took over Air Travel’s services from Hokitika north to Westport and Nelson and to South Westland on the 1st of October 1947. The new NAC service to South Westland had a Monday to Saturday service being flown by Fox Moth aircraft from Hokitika to Haast and Okuru calling at Wataroa (now spelt Whataroa), Waiho (Franz Josef) and Weheka (Fox Glacier) as required. Initially two de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth’s were used by the NZ National Airways Corporation’s services to South Westland, ZK-AEK Mohua (c/n 4033) and ZK-AGM Matuhi (c/n T/S2810). The first NZNAC flight to Franz Josef was operated on the 1st of October 1947.

First day covers for the NAC services to and from Franz Josef. The first NAC flight to Okuru was flown on 1 October 1947 by Commander Frank Molloy in de Havilland 83 Fox Moth 83 Fox Moth ZK-AGM, Matuhi. It would seem probable that he flew the return service via Franz Josef but I have not been able to verify this. 

NAC's DH83 Fox Moth ZK-AGM at Waiho on a rather cloudy day... The hangar has gone, the Fox Moth has gone, the hotel has gone and the Glacier has receded way up the valley

De Havilland 83 Fox Moths were the mainstay of the services to Waiho as at this stage the de Havilland 89 Dragon Rapide/Dominie aircraft were not licenced to operate into the Waiho airstrip. Late in 1947, however, the Corporation announced that it ordered a twin-engined four-seater Mile's Gemini monoplane to evaluate whether it would be a suitable replacement for the Fox Moth for use on the South Westland services. NZNAC envisaged that the Gemini would also be suitable for use as a light freighter or as an air ambulance. Miles M65 Gemini 1A  ZK-AQO (c/n 6472) subsequently arrived in Hokitika in early 1948. The Press reported on the 15th of July 1948 that the Gemini bought by the National Airways Corporation at a cost of more than £6000 for possible use on the West Coast, has not yet been placed in service. The aircraft, which arrived in New Zealand nearly six months ago, is still in the corporation’s hangar at Hokitika, and has not been flown for more than 50 hours. The aircraft was subsequently sold. Meanwhile, the NAC service to Weheka (Fox Glacier) was short-lived and by August 1948 it no longer appeared on the NAC timetable.

The Miles Gemini, ZK-AQO, purchased for NAC's South Westland services proved to be unsuccessful. Photo taken at Hokitika. Photo : I Woolhouse Collection

At the same time as the Gemini left a “new” de Havilland 83 Fox Moth, ZK-ASP Mimiro (c/n 4097) arrived in Hokitika for the South Westland service. ZK-ASP wasn’t exactly new as it had previously been operated by Air Travel (NZ) Ltd as ZK-ADI, to company’s original aircraft, before being impressed into the RNZAF as NZ566 during the Second World War.

NAC timetable of August 1948 with three scheduled flights to Waiho each week

On the 9th of August 1948 the Southside airfield at Hokitika was closed to de Havilland Dragon Rapides and Dominies meaning that de Havilland 83 Fox Moths had to operate not only the South Westland services but also the feeder service between Hokitika and Westport via Greymouth to connect with the Lockheed Lodestar service to Nelson and Wellington. As well as flying regular services to Franz Josef the NAC Fox Moths were also used for scenic flights over the nearby Franz Josef Glacier, this probably being the only situation where NAC aircraft were regularly used for such a purpose.

In the late 1940s the NAC timetable showed a scheduled service from Hokitika to Waiho operating on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with non-scheduled flights operating on Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays to connect with the northbound flights to Nelson and Wellington if there was traffic offering. Flight time between Hokitika and Franz Josef was 45 minutes.

Evening Post, 22 November 1948

The Greymouth Evening Star of the 2nd of February 1950 reported that Okuru and Waiho flights have been suspended on a scheduled basis. Flights are now made to these South Westland centres only when passengers are offering. During the Christmas week no passengers were conveyed from Okuru or Waiho. Seven were accommodated at Okuru in 1948 and nine in 1947, while two were accommodated in both 1947 and 1948 at Waiho.

The introduction of Hokitika’s new airport on the 17th of December 1951 and the introduction of a Lockheed Lodestar service opened Franz Josef up to new tourist potential. The Hokitika Guardian on the 27th of August 1951 reported that with the new air service it would be possible to fly from Auckland to Franz Josef Glacier in one day. With the opening of the new and enlarged Seaview Airport at Hokitika a new service maintained by Lodestar aircraft will operate between Wellington, Nelson, Westport and Hokitika, with connections on an "as required" basis to Wataroa and the Franz Josef Glacier. This information is given in circular issued by the Public Relations Office of the National Airways Corporation. Aircraft will leave Wellington at 10.30 a.m. and Hokitika at 11.45 p.m. This facility will enable Auckland travellers to leave Whenuapai by the 8.00 a.m. Main-Trunk service and reach the Franz Josef Glacier Hotel by 2.30 p.m. Likewise, a mid-day departure from the Glacier will permit travellers to be back in Auckland by 8.15 p.m.

The Lodestar service to Hokitika operated only until the 29th of March 1952 when the Lodestars were withdrawn from service. In September 1952 the Air Services Licensing Authority heard an application from Queenstown-based Southern Scenic Air Services, Ltd. to operate the Westport-Hokitika and Hokitika-Haast services. An agreement for the purchase of the National Airways Corporation’s assets used on the Hokitika-Haast service was subsequently signed. In the event Southern Scenic Airways Ltd withdrew their application for a licence. ,

On the 3rd of March 1953 the Air Services Licensing Authority heard an application for changes to National Airways Corporation's South Westland services. The Authority granted a licence for short flights, not less than 15 minutes, restricted to Haast, Hokitika and Glacier landing strips, and scenic short fights with a minimum absence of 60 minutes from the point where the flight started. This gave more independence was given to the Hokitika unit and the Hokitika manager, Frank Molloy, was given greater powers regarding charter flights and other aspects of his work to suit the local conditions, including scenic flights from Franz Josef.

From the NAC timetable of 15 December 1952

A better day for flightseeing, DH 83 Fox Moth ZK-ASP at Franz Josef. Photographer unknown – S Lowe Collection

Meanwhile, in late 1952, a new wing had been added to the Glacier Hotel at Franz Josef, giving accommodation for 90 people and with this development it was reported that the National Airways Corporation hopes to provide a better service to Hokitika, from where travellers move on to the glacier. At present N.A.C. operates Douglas 24-seater aircraft as far as Westport, and passengers to Hokitika are taken by de Havilland Dominie. From March 2 the “larger planes will continue through to Hokitika. The introduction and the extension of the DC-3 service from Wellington, Nelson and Westport to Hokitika on the 2nd of March 1953 enabled the de Havilland Dragon Rapide/Dominies to be released to fly the South Westland services. 

At this stage, however, Franz Josef airstrip was not licences for Dominies. Nonetheless the move marked the beginning of the retirement of the de Havilland Fox Moths. ZK-AEK was the first to be retired in March 1953, ZK-ASP followed in December 1953 and with ZK-AGM holding the honour of being the last NAC Fox Moth being sold on the 28th of February 1954. A few days before, on the 23rd of February 1954, NAC commenced an on-demand Dominie service to Franz Josef following works to enlarge the aerodrome for Dominies. 

Evening Post, 7 July 1953

Shortly after the Franz Josef aerodrome was extended NAC DH Dominie ZK-AKU is seen at Franz Josef on 13 March 1954 with Southern Scenic's Percival Proctor ZK-APG in the background.

DH89B Dominie ZK-AKU at Franz Josef. NAC Airline Review, December 1956 edition

As well as the scheduled NAC service, the Hokitika based aircraft also flew air ambulance and search and rescue flights. Captain Frank Molloy recounted, A recent flight which I had to perform was to locate a disabled fishing boat somewhere off Greymouth in bad weather. We were lucky sighting it only 17 minutes after take-off from Hokitika and a tug from Westport was able to take it in tow later during the night and they reached Westport safely early on the following morning.  

Evening Post, 10 September 1954

Meanwhile NAC were still keen to withdraw from the South Westland service. Agreement was finally reached with Southern Scenic Air Services Ltd and in November 1956 the NAC South Westland air service was handed over to a subsidiary of Southern Scenic Air Services’, West Coast Airways Ltd. At the time of the handover the air fare from Franz Josef to Hokitika was £2 10s, from Franz Josef to Wellington £9 4s and from Franz Josef to Auckland £14 13s.

On the 16th of November NAC operated its final South Westland services. On the 19th of November 1956. West Coast Airways' de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide ZK-AHS operated the new airline's inaugural flights with a Hokitika-Haast return service.

Nelson Hub for Kiwi Regional

A new regional airline service is set to make Nelson its pilot and crew hub, creating nearly 20 jobs. The move from Kiwi Regional Airlines (KRA) will place 18 pilots, first officers and flight attendants in Nelson to man its two recently purchased Saab 34-seater aircraft. "Let's remove any doubt - Nelson is our hub," chief executive Ewan Wilson said. "I think it's really exciting for Nelson. It is perfectly located geographically for us." Nelson was a "vital cross over point" for the airline with both its aircrafts flying over the region each day. "It just makes sense." The airline was launched in February, with plans for regular seven-day a week flights between Nelson and Queenstown, Palmerston North, Hamilton and Tauranga. Wilson said he hoped to start flying late this year or early next year. The KRA move follows Air New Zealand's decision to end a number of regional services from April, including between Nelson and Palmerston North which ends on April 28. It is to start the application process in May and Wilson expected the process to take four months. Wilson, who is also director, was the founder of the now defunct budget airline Kiwi Air. KRA had appointed its first senior executive and was in the final stages of appointing a maintenance control manager and flight operations manager. It would then begin advertising for pilot and crew positions. However, Wilson said it was too early to say what its pricing would be. "It's clearly sensitive." He did not want to premeditate the certification process which is why the airline was not selling any tickets yet. However, he had earlier said in targeting the tourist market, it would offer coupons at $599 for four passes and $200 for an additional two. Wilson said he saw KRA as "complementary" to Air New Zealand as its network did not compete with the national carrier on any route. "For the travelling public of New Zealand, we want to position ourselves as a safe, efficient regional carrier that knows its limitations and its place within the aviation scene and lives within that." This had been the problem with Kiwi Air which tried to take on Air New Zealand on its trans-Tasman routes. "That is not our purpose and it's not what Kiwi Regional Airlines is about." Wilson said that Kiwi Air failed 20 years ago and in that time he had learned a lot about the industry. "I knew that one day if the opportunity presented itself that I would like to have another go. It's what New Zealand needs. We need the courage to stick with our convictions." KRA's corporate headquarters will be in Hamilton, where Wilson is based. He is the major shareholder in the company with a 54.55 per cent holding and the other two shareholders with a 22.7 per cent holding each are Nicole Dommett, a shareholder in the Sir George Seymour tourism colleges, and 2 Cheap Cars owned by Eugene Williams. Wilson would not give details of their investment, but said they had decided to buy their own aircraft, showing they were fully committed and resourced. The Saabs cost US$1.5 million, which gave an indication of the investment. Another Saab could be bought at a later date, he said. It was a "challenging sector" but thought that working within its parameters and owning its own plans meant the airline could be profitable and provide a good service, he said. A spokesperson for the New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association said it welcomed the news of a new operator and wanted to ensure airlines act in a safe and responsible manner for the travelling public. "We are looking forward to working with the new airline and welcome discussions with those concerned." Wilson expected that pilots would be enthusiastic about joining the airline.  "It is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity to be at the initial infant phase at the launch of a regional airline. It's something to be very excited about." He also thought being able to return home each day to Nelson would be a lure. 

"There is something quite appealing about it."

Source : http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/67685214/nelson-to-become-hub-for-new-kiwi-regional-airlines.html

Spotted in Auckland

Spotted in Auckland on 10 April 2015 was Australian-registered Pilatus PC12 VH-NWI.
The photo really shows the nice lines of these aircraft.
I'm looking forward to trying out Sounds Air's Pilatus PC12 when it commences operations on the Wellington-Westport route on 28 April. There are nice photos of the Sounds Air Pilatus PC-12 here http://3rdlevelnz.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/easter-flying.html

Everyone is talking about Kiwi Regional Airlines...

It was the topic of conversation today when...

• when I was talking to the guy who sold me my car this morning
• at morning tea
• and at breakfast with Paul Henry this morning... http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/paulhenry/kiwi-regional-airlines-plans-to-be-airborne-before-2016-2015041007

A few from last month...

Sunair's Cessna 172 ZK-DPN was getting ready to do some training at Tauranga on  20 March 2015

Back from the Islands, Sunair's Piper Aztec ZK-PIW at Tauranga on 20 March 2015

Cessna 177 Cardinal ZK-EFH at Tauranga on 20 March 2015

Jodel D18 ZK-JAC was at Matamata on 21 March 2015

Beech Super King Air N283KA getting airborne at Hamilton on 22 March 2015

Kiwi Regional start up continues

The man behind the airline set to open regional routes from Dunedin to Queenstown and Nelson says he is ''absolutely'' confident his idea will fly, as a Dunedin-based aviation industry veteran yesterday joined his management team. Kiwi Regional Airlines chief executive Ewan Wilson announced Peter Ashford, a former Royal Air Force instrument maintenance electrical engineer and Civil Aviation Authority airworthiness inspector, had joined the airline's executive. In February, Kiwi Regional Airlines announced its plans to start a service with regional routes across New Zealand. Mr Wilson, who was behind the failed Kiwi Air which collapsed in 1996 after intense competition, said the latest venture would own its planes, and take advantage of routes Air New Zealand was pulling out of. Yesterday, he said the initiative was making steady progress and he was still confident his planes would be taking off from New Zealand runways soon. ''Absolutely. 'We would certainly not be going through the process of appointing our senior staff if we were not expecting to get airborne by the end of this year, or early next year.'' The airline had been recruiting senior staff, with Mr Ashford the first public confirmation. ''We're about to announce the maintenance controller, then we will announce the flight operations manager, then that is our senior executive team, with me included.'' That team would meet regulators at a pre-certification meeting on May 27. Usually, the regulatory process to get an air operating certificate took up to four months. ''The money's there in terms of the certification - and we're progressing forward. None of these things are rushed. The recruitment process - because these roles for senior persons are subject to CAA approval - we just have to make sure we get the right people in.'' Mr Ashford has been appointed the airline's quality assurance and safety management systems manager. Mr Ashford would be responsible for all safety and quality assurance procedures, and fulfilling safety-related legal requirements for the airline. He had extensive airline management experience in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, and an aviation employment history spanning more than 30 years.

Source : http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/338442/airlines-plans-progress

The colours of Woodbourne

While most of the action at Blenheim was at Omaka Bargeld01 also visited Woodbourne where he captured a great variety of aircraft in beautiful light conditions...

On 2 April 2015...

Ridge Air's Piper Seneca ZK-BJM

Air2there's Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-MYH on departure

On the ramp, Air Nelson's Bombardier Q300 ZK-NEG

Sounds Air's Cessna Caravan ZK-PDM

Pilatus PC-12 ZK-TIL

Ridge Air's Cessna 402 ZK-VAD

On 4 April 2015 

Ex RNZAF Boeing 727 NZ7272

Sounds Air's Cessna Grand Caravan ZK-SAW

Alliance Airlines' Fokker 50 VH-FKO

Kaikoura on the way to Omaka

Thanks to Bargeld01 for these photos taken at Kaikoura on the way north to Omaka...

Cessna 185 ZK-CYA was getting ready to depart.

On the line for Air Kaikoura were Cessna 150 ZK-DNY and...

Piper Pa28 Cherokee 180 ZK-DUQ

Wings over Whales Gippsland Airvan waits for its next load of passengers

Air Wanganui's Beech King Air ZK-MKG was an interesting visitor

Sounds Air Getting ready for Westport Service

Sounds Air confirmed today its Westport service would start on Tuesday April 28, the day Air New Zealand exits. Managing director Andrew Crawford said Air New Zealand would fly out of Westport for the last time that morning and Sound’s Air’s first flight would leave for Wellington at 4.50pm. The Picton-based company has bought two former Royal Australian Flying Doctor Service planes, each costing about $3 million. Development West Coast has assisted with a commercial loan. The PC12 nine-seaters fly higher and faster than Air New Zealand’s 19-seater Beech 1900s, cutting the flying time to Wellington by 10 minutes to 40 minutes. Mr Crawford said Sounds Air would tomorrow pick up the first PC12 from a Pilatus Fielding workshop, where the plane had been refitted. It had a new interior, avionics, engine and propellor, and had been repainted. The second aircraft was in Brisbane being painted. Six pilots had done a PC12 ground course and two of them had completed their pre-line training, which required at least 10 hours flying in a PC12. All the pilots had thousands of flying hours in other aircraft, he said. Sounds Air would be flying with two pilots on each Westport flight for the first couple of months. They had found the PC12 “fantastic” to fly, he said. It was a step up from Sounds Air’s Cessna Caravan fleet. “It’s an airliner.” Sounds Air was still awaiting Civil Aviation Authority approval for the new planes, but he could see no problems. Passenger bookings were a little sluggish in February, but had picked up last month. “Business-people don’t generally book two months out, they book a day or a week out. In our other services 21 percent of our bookings are made within 24 hours.” Sounds Air will offer 26 flights a week, six more than Air New Zealand, with earlier morning departures and later evening return flights to suit the business community. The flight will have a fixed one-way price of $199, regardless of when people book. Other proposals Sounds Air also hopes to provide an air ambulance service. Mr Crawford said he had spoken to local St John Ambulance and the Canterbury District Health Board but nothing had been confirmed to date. “We’ve got lots of balls in the air. We’re looking at other services to other parts of the country.” These included possibly taking over the Wellington-Taupo service, which Air New Zealand also exits on April 28. Sounds Air would need to buy another PC12 for the route, he said. It was also looking at a Blenheim-Napier service and a Greymouth-Wellington service. However, he promised Westport’s new service would not suffer if any of the other proposals went ahead. “Westport is a guarantee. We’ve got an agreement with the council and we’ve got an agreement to provide a service there for six years minimum - assuming there’s people flying. We’re not going to be flying if it’s empty. But there’s no reason to assume there wouldn’t be people flying. “What we’re looking for is something to add to that, to help each service. It creates a bigger picture.” He said passenger and baggage transfers from Sounds Air to other airlines had never been a problem. He had never had a Sounds Air passenger complain that Air New Zealand had cancelled their flight because they were late making a connection. “It’s a non-event… 65,000 people a year and no one ever rings me and says ‘I’ve missed my Air New Zealand flight’.” The Buller District Council is contributing $1000 to research by councils nationwide on an interline agreement between Air New Zealand and secondary operators. Buller Mayor Garry Howard told councillors this week that security and insurance were a concern for Air New Zealand when it received baggage checked in by small airlines.

Source : Westport News - 2 April 2015

Easter Flying...

Out flying on Good Friday was Sounds Air's Pilatus PC-12 ZK-PLS. Yesterday it flew down to Omaka and today it has gone to Westport... I thought it was worth checking Sounds Air's Facebook page and found these

Also out flying over Easter was Sunair... Here is the view of Okiwi airfield from one of Sunair's Piper Aztecs...